t."

"And the original papers?" insisted the countess. "Paris was almost in
a state of siege."

"Yes," said her husband, "tell us."

"Well," said I, laughing, "you escorted them to Belgium when we had
that affair with Porthos."

"_I!_" exclaimed the count.

"Yes; Colonel Merton insisted on fighting in Belgium merely to enable
us to get the papers out of France."

"Indeed! One man did suspect you, but it was too late."

"But Porthos?" cried the countess. "Delightful! Is that the baron?"

"Yes," laughed the count. "My cousin is to this day known as Porthos.
But who took the papers? Not you!"

"No, D'Artagnan--I mean, Merton took them as far as Belgium, and then
Lieutenant West and I carried them to London. D'Artagnan's share was a
bad rapier-wound."

"D'Artagnan?" cried the countess. "That makes it complete."

Merton merely smiled, and the blue eyes narrowed a little as the
countess said:

"And so you are D'Artagnan. How delightful! The man of three duels.
And pray, who was my husband?"

"That high-minded gentleman, Athos," said Merton, lifting his glass
and bowing to the count.

"Gracious!" cried the countess. "What delightfully ingenious people! I
shall always call him Athos."

"It was well, colonel," said the count, "that no one suspected you.
The absence of secrecy in the duel put the police at fault. Had you
been supposed to be carrying those papers, you would never have
reached the field."

"Perhaps. One never can tell," said D'Artagnan, simply.

"Ah, well," said our host, rising, "I have long since forgiven you,
Madame Merton, and no one is now more glad than I that you helped to
prevent the recognition of the Confederacy."

"You must permit me to thank you all," said the countess; "my
curiosity may now sleep in peace. You were vastly clever folk to have
defeated our sharp police."

"Come," said the count, "you Americans will want a cigar. _On peut
etre fin, mais pas plus fin que tout le monde._"

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Minor changes have been made to correct obvious typesetter errors;
otherwise, every effort has been made to remain true to the author's
words and intent.

End of Project Gutenberg's A Diplomatic Adventure, by S. Weir Mitchell

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