s, and in another a huge cask of wine was just yielding up
the last drops of its blood. Out of fifty large sausages that had
been suspended to the beams of the roof, ten only were remaining.
The image of devastation and death, as the ancient poet said,
reigned there as upon a field of battle."

With characteristic generosity and _insouciance_, Athos forgives the
host, and compensates him for the damage done to his property. The two
guardsmen then sit down to drink, and D'Artagnan tells his friend of
the misfortune he has had in the loss of his mistress.

"'Your misfortune makes me laugh,' said Athos, shrugging his
shoulders. 'I wonder what you would say to a love story that I
could tell you.'

"'Something that happened to yourself?'

"'Or to one of my friends; no matter.'

"'Tell it me.'

"'I would rather drink.'

"'You can do both.'

"'True,' said Athos, filling his glass; 'the two things go well
together.'

"The mousquetaire paused, and seemed to be collecting his
thoughts; and as he did so, D'Artagnan observed that he grew each
moment paler. He had reached that stage of intoxication at which
ordinary drinkers fall under the table and sleep. Athos, however,
did not do that; he dreamed aloud without sleeping. There was
something frightful in this somnambulism of drunkenness.

"'One of my friends,' he began--'one of my friends, mind you, not
myself,' interrupted he with a gloomy smile; 'a count of my
province, that is to say of Berri, noble as a Dandolo or a
Montmorency, fell in love when twenty-five years of age, with a
young girl of seventeen, beautiful as painters have depicted
Venus. Joined to the _naivete_ of her age, she possessed the soul
and feeling of a poet; she could not be said to please--she
intoxicated all who approached her. She lived in a little village
with her brother, who was a priest. None knew who they were, nor
whence they came; but she was so beautiful, and her brother so
pious, that none thought of asking. It was rumoured and believed
that they were of good family. My friend, who was lord of that
country, might have seduced the young girl or taken her by force,
as he chose; he was the master; who would have come to the
assistance of two friendless strangers? Unfortunately he was an
honest man, and he marr