instant before, employed in promoting it. But already, and before all
the rest, D'Artagnan had applied a ladder to the house, crying, "Athos!
it is I, D'Artagnan! Do not kill me, my dearest friend!" And in a moment
the count was clasped in his arms. In the meantime, Grimaud, preserving
his calmness, dismantled the fortification of the ground-floor, and
after having opened the door, stood, with his arms folded, quietly
on the sill. Only, on hearing the voice of D'Artagnan, he uttered an
exclamation of surprise. The fire being extinguished, the soldiers
presented themselves, Digby at their head.

"General," said he, "excuse us; what we have done was for love of your
honor, whom we thought lost."

"You are mad, gentlemen. Lost! Is a man like me to be lost? Am I not
permitted to be absent, according to my pleasure, without giving formal
notice? Do you, by chance, take me for a citizen from the city? Is
a gentleman, my friend, my guest, to be besieged, entrapped, and
threatened with death, because he is suspected? What signifies the word,
suspected? Curse me if I don't have every one of you shot like dogs,
that the brave gentleman has left alive!

"General," said Digby, piteously, "there were twenty-eight of us, and
see, there are eight on the ground."

"I authorize M. le Comte de la Fere to send the twenty to join the
eight," said Monk, stretching out his hand to Athos. "Let them return to
camp. Mr. Digby, you will consider yourself under arrest for a month."

"General--"

"That is to teach you, sir, not to act, another time, without orders."

"I had those of the lieutenant, general."

"The lieutenant had no such orders to give you, and he shall be placed
under arrest, instead of you, if he has really commanded you to burn
this gentleman."

"He did not command that, general; he commanded us to bring him to the
camp; but the count was not willing to follow us."

"I was not willing that they should enter and plunder my house," said
Athos to Monk, with a significant look.

"And you were quite right. To the camp, I say." The soldiers departed
with dejected looks. "Now we are alone," said Monk to Athos, "have the
goodness to tell me, monsieur, why you persisted in remaining here,
whilst you had your felucca--"

"I waited for you, general," said Athos. "Had not your honor appointed
to meet me in a week?"

An eloquent look from D'Artagnan made it clear to Monk that these two
men, so brave and so loyal, had not acte