t was some visit of importance and
the carriage was allowed to pass and to stop beneath the porch. It was
then only the coachman perceived the grooms were not behind the vehicle;
he fancied monsieur le coadjuteur had sent them back, and without
dropping the reins he sprang from his box to open the door. D'Artagnan,
in his turn, sprang to the ground, and just at the moment when the
coachman, alarmed at not seeing his master, fell back a step, he seized
him by his collar with the left, whilst with the right hand he placed
the muzzle of a pistol at his breast.

"Pronounce one single word," muttered D'Artagnan, "and you are a dead
man."

The coachman perceived at once, by the expression of the man who thus
addressed him, that he had fallen into a trap, and he remained with his
mouth wide open and his eyes portentously staring.

Two musketeers were pacing the court, to whom D'Artagnan called by their
names.

"Monsieur de Belliere," said he to one of them, "do me the favor to
take the reins from the hands of this worthy man, mount upon the box and
drive to the door of the private stair, and wait for me there; it is an
affair of importance on the service of the king."

The musketeer, who knew that his lieutenant was incapable of jesting
with regard to the service, obeyed without a word, although he thought
the order strange. Then turning toward the second musketeer, D'Artagnan
said:

"Monsieur du Verger, help me to place this man in a place of safety."

The musketeer, thinking that his lieutenant had just arrested some
prince in disguise, bowed, and drawing his sword, signified that he was
ready. D'Artagnan mounted the staircase, followed by his prisoner,
who in his turn was followed by the soldier, and entered Mazarin's
ante-room. Bernouin was waiting there, impatient for news of his master.

"Well, sir?" he said.

"Everything goes on capitally, my dear Monsieur Bernouin, but here is a
man whom I must beg you to put in a safe place."

"Where, then, sir?"

"Where you like, provided that the place which you shall choose has iron
shutters secured by padlocks and a door that can be locked."

"We have that, sir," replied Bernouin; and the poor coachman was
conducted to a closet, the windows of which were barred and which looked
very much like a prison.

"And now, my good friend," said D'Artagnan to him, "I must invite you to
deprive yourself, for my sake, of your hat and cloak."

The coachman, as we can well unde