this moment the tumult was heard nearer.

Mazarin wiped his forehead and looked around him. He had a great desire
to go to the window, but he dared not.

"See what is going on, Monsieur D'Artagnan," said he.

D'Artagnan went to the window with his habitual composure. "Oho!"
said he, "what is this? Marechal de la Meilleraie returning without
a hat--Fontrailles with his arm in a sling--wounded guards--horses
bleeding; eh, then, what are the sentinels about? They are aiming--they
are going to fire!"

"They have received orders to fire on the people if the people approach
the Palais Royal!" exclaimed Mazarin.

"But if they fire, all is lost!" cried D'Artagnan.

"We have the gates."

"The gates! to hold for five minutes--the gates, they will be torn down,
twisted into iron wire, ground to powder! God's death, don't fire!"
screamed D'Artagnan, throwing open the window.

In spite of this recommendation, which, owing to the noise, could
scarcely have been heard, two or three musket shots resounded, succeeded
by a terrible discharge. The balls might be heard peppering the facade
of the Palais Royal, and one of them, passing under D'Artagnan's arm,
entered and broke a mirror, in which Porthos was complacently admiring
himself.

"Alack! alack!" cried the cardinal, "a Venetian glass!"

"Oh, my lord," said D'Artagnan, quietly shutting the window, "it is not
worth while weeping yet, for probably an hour hence there will not
be one of your mirrors remaining in the Palais Royal, whether they be
Venetian or Parisian."

"But what do you advise, then?" asked Mazarin, trembling.

"Eh, egad, to give up Broussel as they demand! What the devil do
you want with a member of the parliament? He is of no earthly use to
anybody."

"And you, Monsieur du Vallon, is that your advice? What would you do?"

"I should give up Broussel," said Porthos.

"Come, come with me, gentlemen!" exclaimed Mazarin. "I will go and
discuss the matter with the queen."

He stopped at the end of the corridor and said:

"I can count upon you, gentlemen, can I not?"

"We do not give ourselves twice over," said D'Artagnan; "we have given
ourselves to you; command, we shall obey."

"Very well, then," said Mazarin; "enter this cabinet and wait till I
come back."

And turning off he entered the drawing-room by another door.

48. The Riot becomes a Revolution.

The closet into which D'Artagnan and Porthos had been ushered was
separated from