ery possible
that between the castle and the convent we shall sleep on hard beds,
dying with hunger and thirst."

"Yes," added Planchet, "like the famous ass of Buridan. Shall I knock?"

"Hush!" replied D'Artagnan; "the light no longer burns in yonder
window."

"Do you hear nothing?" whispered Planchet.

"What is that noise?"

There came a sound like a whirlwind, at the same time two troops of
horsemen, each composed of ten men, sallied forth from each of the lanes
which encompassed the house and surrounded D'Artagnan and Planchet.

"Heyday!" cried D'Artagnan, drawing his sword and taking refuge behind
his horse; "are you not mistaken? is it really for us that you mean your
attack?"

"Here he is! we have him!" cried the horsemen, rushing on D'Artagnan
with naked swords.

"Don't let him escape!" said a loud voice.

"No, my lord; be assured we shall not."

D'Artagnan thought it was now time for him to join in the conversation.

"Halloo, gentlemen!" he called out in his Gascon accent, "what do you
want? what do you demand?"

"That thou shalt soon know," shouted a chorus of horsemen.

"Stop, stop!" cried he whom they had addressed as "my lord;" "'tis not
his voice."

"Ah! just so, gentlemen! pray, do people get into a passion at random
at Noisy? Take care, for I warn you that the first man that comes within
the length of my sword--and my sword is long--I rip him up."

The chieftain of the party drew near.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a lofty tone, as that of one
accustomed to command.

"And you--what are you doing here?" replied D'Artagnan.

"Be civil, or I shall beat you; for although one may not choose to
proclaim oneself, one insists on respect suitable to one's rank."

"You don't choose to discover yourself, because you are the leader of
an ambuscade," returned D'Artagnan; "but with regard to myself, who am
traveling quietly with my own servant, I have not the same reasons as
you have to conceal my name."

"Enough! enough! what is your name?"

"I shall tell you my name in order that you may know where to find me,
my lord, or my prince, as it may suit you best to be called," said our
Gascon, who did not choose to seem to yield to a threat. "Do you know
Monsieur d'Artagnan?"

"Lieutenant in the king's musketeers?" said the voice; "you are Monsieur
d'Artagnan?"

"I am."

"Then you came here to defend him?"

"Him? whom?"

"The man we are seeking."

"It seems," said D'Artagnan