character and Gascon acuteness
qualify him admirably to take a part in the court intrigues of the
time, soon finds himself almost at open war with the Cardinal, and
engaged in serving the interests of Louis the Thirteenth's unhappy
queen, Anne of Austria, who, by rejecting the suit of the scarlet
duke--as the mousquetaires irreverently style the Cardinal Duke of
Richelieu--has drawn upon herself the deadly hatred of that omnipotent
personage. The Duke of Buckingham, who is madly in love with the
queen, visits Paris in disguise, and obtains an interview with her. At
parting, he implores her to give him some trifle, which he may
preserve as a _souvenir_ of their attachment; and Anne of Austria
gives him the first thing that comes to hand, which happens to be a
jewel-case, containing twelve diamond clasps or _ferrets_ that she has
lately received from the King. The Cardinal, omnipresent by his spies,
learns this; manages adroitly to rouse the king's jealousy; and
prevails on him to give a ball, at which the queen is desired to
appear, wearing the ferrets in question. Anne of Austria is in
despair. To obtain the restitution of the jewels within the eight days
that have to elapse before the one fixed for the ball, appears
impossible. Buckingham is in England; if she writes, her letter will
be intercepted by the Cardinal; if she sends, her messenger will be
stopped. Nothing could at that time be done in France without coming
to the knowledge of Richelieu. In her extremity she is induced to
confide in one of her attendants, with whom D'Artagnan is in love; and
a few hours later, the intrepid Gascon and his three inseparable
friends set out for England, provided with a leave of absence from
Monsieur de Treville, and attended by their four lackeys. D'Artagnan
alone knows the object of their journey; but the others, confiding
implicitly in his judgment, and bound, moreover, by the rules of their
association, ask no questions, and willingly brave the dangers that
the Cardinal strews in their path. It is agreed that, in case of
rencontres by the way, the dead or wounded are to be left to their
fate, and the others are to push on without an instant's delay. Should
D'Artagnan fall, the survivors are to take from his pocket the queen's
letter to Buckingham, and continue their route.

The adventurers are not allowed to proceed far without molestation.
They stop to breakfast, and a stranger picks a quarrel with Porthos,
who stays behi