t there must be a revolt, and sent La
Houdiniere, his captain of guards, to find out what was the matter.

"Well?" asked the Cardinal, as his messenger returned.

"Well, monseigneur," replied La Houdiniere, "it is about three
musketeers and a guardsman who made a bet with M. De Busigny to go and
breakfast at the Bastion Saint-Gervais, and while breakfasting, held
it for two hours against the enemy, and killed I don't know how many
Rochellois."

"You asked the names of these gentlemen?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"What are they?"

"Athos, Porthos, and Aramis."

"Always my three heroes," murmured the Cardinal. "And the guardsman?"

"M. D'Artagnan."

"Always my young rogue! I must gain over these men."

And the same evening, the Cardinal had a conversation with M. De
Treville about the morning's exploit, with which the whole camp was
still ringing. M. De Treville, who had heard it all at first hand,
gave his Eminence all the details, not forgetting the episode of the
napkin.

"Very good, M. De Treville," said the Cardinal; "but you must get me
that napkin, and I will have three golden lilies embroidered on it,
and give as a banner to your company."

"Monseigneur," replied M. De Treville, "that would be an injustice to
the guards. M. D'Artagnan does not belong to me, but to M. Des
Essarts."

"Then you must take him," said the Cardinal. "As these four brave
soldiers love each other so much, they ought certainly to be in the
same regiment."

That evening M. De Treville announced the good news to the three
musketeers and to D'Artagnan, and invited them all to breakfast the
following day.

D'Artagnan was nearly beside himself with joy. As we know, it had
been the dream of his life to be a musketeer.

THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK

From 'The Viscount of Bragelonne'

[Dumas adopts the theory that the Man in the Iron Mask was
the suppressed twin brother of Louis XIV.]

"What is all this noise?" asked Philippe, turning towards the door of
the concealed staircase. And as he spoke a voice was heard saying,
"This way, this way. Still a few steps, sire."

"It is M. Fouquet's voice," said D'Artagnan, who was standing near the
Queen Mother.

"Then M. D'Herblay will not be far off," added Philippe; but little
did he expect to see the person who actually entered.

All eyes were riveted on the door, from which the voice of M. Fouquet
proceeded; but it was not he who came through.

A cry of anguish rang