oups, to make them split and separate
like firewood. He made use sometimes of the hilt of his sword as an
additional help: introducing it between ribs that were too rebellious,
making it take the part of a lever or crowbar, to separate husband from
wife, uncle from nephew, and brother from brother. And all that was done
so naturally, and with such gracious smiles, that people must have had
ribs of bronze not to cry thank you when the wrist made its play, or
hearts of diamond not to be enchanted when such a bland smile enlivened
the lips of the musketeer. Raoul, following his friend, cajoled the
women who admired his beauty, pushed back the men who felt the rigidity
of his muscles, and both opened, thanks to these maneuvers, the compact
and muddy tide of the populace. They arrived in sight of the two
gibbets, from which Raoul turned away his eyes in disgust. As for
D'Artagnan, he did not even see them; his house with its gabled roof,
its windows crowded with the curious, attracted and even absorbed all
the attention he was capable of. He distinguished in the Place and
around the houses a good number of musketeers on leave, who, some with
women, others with friends, awaited the crowning ceremony. What rejoiced
him above all was to see that his tenant, the _cabaretier_, was so
busy he hardly knew which way to turn. Three lads could not supply
the drinkers. They filled the shop, the chambers, and the court, even.
D'Artagnan called Raoul's attention to this concourse, adding: "The
fellow will have no excuse for not paying his rent. Look at those
drinkers, Raoul, one would say they were jolly companions. _Mordioux!_
why, there is no room anywhere!" D'Artagnan, however, contrived to catch
hold of the master by the corner of his apron, and to make himself known
to him.

"Ah, monsieur le chevalier," said the _cabaretier_, half distracted,
"one minute if you please. I have here a hundred mad devils turning my
cellar upside down."

"The cellar, if you like, but not the money-box."

"Oh, monsieur, your thirty-seven and a half pistoles are all counted
out ready for you, upstairs in my chamber; but there are in that chamber
thirty customers, who are sucking the staves of a little barrel
of Oporto which I tapped for them this very morning. Give me a
minute,--only a minute?"

"So be it; so be it."

"I will go," said Raoul, in a low voice, to D'Artagnan; "this hilarity
is vile!"

"Monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, sternly, "you wil