e is Athos?'

"'In the cellar, sir.'

"'Scoundrel! you have kept him all this time in the cellar?'

"'Good heavens, sir! _I_ keep him in the cellar! You do not know
what he is doing there, or you would not suppose it. If you can
prevail upon him to come out, I shall be grateful to you to the
last day of my life; I will adore you as my guardian angel.'

"'I shall find him there, then?'

"'Certainly you will, sir--he won't come out. Every day we are
obliged to hand him down bread at the end of a hay-fork, and meat
too, when he asks for it. But, alas! it is not of bread and meat
that he makes the largest consumption. I tried once to enter the
cellar with two of my servants, and he put himself in a most
terrible passion. I heard him and his lackey cocking their
pistols and carbine; and when we asked what their intentions
were, your friend said that they had forty shots to fire, and
that they would fire every one before allowing us to enter the
cellar. I then went to complain to the governor, and he told me
that I had only got what I deserved, and that it would teach me
to maltreat honourable gentlemen who used my house.'

"'So that, since that time....' said D'Artagnan, who could not
help laughing at the pitiable countenance of the host.

"'Since that time, sir,' continued the latter, 'we lead the most
wretched life imaginable; for you must know that all our
provisions are in the cellar, our wine in bottle and our wine in
cask, beer, oil, and spices, hams and sausages; and as we cannot
get at them, we are unable to give food or drink to the
travellers who alight here, and our inn is losing all its custom.
If your friend stops one week longer in my cellar, I am a ruined
man.'

"'And quite right that you should be, scoundrel! It was easy to
see by our appearance, that we were men of quality and not
coiners.'

"'Yes, sir, you are right,' replied poor Boniface. 'But only
listen to him, he is getting into a passion.'

"'Doubtless somebody has disturbed him,' said D'Artagnan.

"'We are obliged to disturb him,' cried the host; 'two English
gentlemen have just arrived. The English, as you know, love good
wine, and these have asked for the best. My wife is gone to beg
Monsieur Athos to let her in, and he has no doubt refused as