front of me like a huge shadow. I wanted to
cry out to warn the king, but that very moment I felt a blow as if the
house was falling on my head, and fell insensible. When I came to myself
again, I was stretched in the same place. I dragged myself as far as the
yard. The king and his escort were no longer there. I spent perhaps an
hour in coming from the yard to this place; then my strength gave out
and I fainted again."

"And now how are you feeling?"

"Very ill," replied the wounded man.

"Can we do anything for you?" asked Athos.

"Help to put me on the bed; I think I shall feel better there."

"Have you any one to depend on for assistance?"

"My wife is at Durham and may return at any moment. But you--is there
nothing that you want?"

"We came here with the intention of asking for something to eat."

"Alas, they have taken everything; there isn't a morsel of bread in the
house."

"You hear, D'Artagnan?" said Athos; "we shall have to look elsewhere for
our dinner."

"It is all one to me now," said D'Artagnan; "I am no longer hungry."

"Faith! neither am I," said Porthos.

They carried the man to his bed and called Grimaud to dress the wound.
In the service of the four friends Grimaud had had so frequent occasion
to make lint and bandages that he had become something of a surgeon.

In the meantime the fugitives had returned to the first room, where they
took counsel together.

"Now," said Aramis, "we know how the matter stands. The king and his
escort have gone this way; we had better take the opposite direction,
eh?"

Athos did not reply; he reflected.

"Yes," said Porthos, "let us take the opposite direction; if we follow
the escort we shall find everything devoured and die of hunger. What a
confounded country this England is! This is the first time I have gone
without my dinner for ten years, and it is generally my best meal."

"What do you think, D'Artagnan?" asked Athos. "Do you agree with
Aramis?"

"Not at all," said D'Artagnan; "I am precisely of the contrary opinion."

"What! you would follow the escort?" exclaimed Porthos, in dismay.

"No, I would join the escort."

Athos's eyes shone with joy.

"Join the escort!" cried Aramis.

"Let D'Artagnan speak," said Athos; "you know he always has wise advice
to give."

"Clearly," said D'Artagnan, "we must go where they will not look for us.
Now, they will be far from looking for us among the Puritans; therefore,
with the Puritans we mus