nan; 'two
men cannot have drunk the whole cellar out.'

"The Englishmen sheathed their swords, and D'Artagnan related to
them the history of the imprisonment of Athos, upon hearing which
they greatly blamed the innkeeper.

"'Now, gentlemen,' said D'Artagnan, 'if you will be pleased to
return to your apartment, in ten minutes you shall have what you
require.'

"The Englishmen bowed and retired.

"'I am alone, my dear Athos,' said D'Artagnan.--'Open the door.'

"There was a great noise of fagots and beams falling down; the
besieged was demolishing his counter-scarps and bastions. The
next moment the door opened, and the pale face of the
mousquetaire appeared. D'Artagnan sprang forward and embraced
him, but when he tried to lead him out of the cellar, he
perceived that Athos staggered.

"'You are wounded?' cried he.

"'I! not the least,' was the reply. 'I am dead drunk, that is
all, and never did any man better deserve to be so. Fore God!
mine host, I have drunk for my share, at least one hundred and
fifty bottles.'

"'Heaven have mercy on me!' cried the host. 'If the servant has
drunk half as much as the master, I am a ruined man.'

"'Grimaud knows his place too well to drink the same wine as his
master; he has drunk from the cask. By-the-by, I think he must
have forgotten to put in the spigot--I hear a running.'

"D'Artagnan burst into a fit of laughter. The innkeeper was in a
high fever. Just then Grimaud showed himself behind his master,
his carbine on his shoulder, and his head shaking like that of
the drunken satyr in some of Rubens' pictures. His clothes were
smeared with an unctuous liquid, which the host immediately
recognized as his best olive oil.

"D'Artagnan and Athos now crossed the common room, and installed
themselves in the best apartment of the hotel; while the
innkeeper and his wife lighted lamps, and rushed into the cellar,
where a frightful spectacle awaited them. In rear of the
fortifications, in which Athos had made a breach for his exit,
and which were composed of fagots, planks, and empty casks,
arranged according to all the rules of strategy, were numerous
pools of oil and wine, in which the bones of the hams that had
been eaten were lying. In one corner was a pile of broken
bottle