s were to be
seen here and there, mingled with silly faces and indifferent demeanors;
signals were exchanged, hands given and taken. D'Artagnan remarked among
the groups, and those groups the most animated, the face of the cavalier
whom he had seen enter by the door of communication from his garden, and
who had gone upstairs to harangue the drinkers. That man was organizing
troops and giving orders.

"_Mordioux!_" said D'Artagnan to himself, "I was not deceived; I know
that man,--it is Menneville. What the devil is he doing here?"

A distant murmur, which became more distinct by degrees, stopped
this reflection, and drew his attention another way. This murmur was
occasioned by the arrival of the culprits; a strong picket of archers
preceded them, and appeared at the angle of the arcade. The entire crowd
now joined as if in one cry; all the cries united formed one immense
howl. D'Artagnan saw Raoul was becoming pale, and he slapped him roughly
on the shoulder. The fire-keepers turned round on hearing the great
cry, and asked what was going on. "The condemned are arrived," said
D'Artagnan. "That's well," replied they, again replenishing the fire.
D'Artagnan looked at them with much uneasiness; it was evident that
these men who were making such a fire for no apparent purpose had some
strange intentions. The condemned appeared upon the Place. They were
walking, the executioner before them, whilst fifty archers formed a
hedge on their right and their left. Both were dressed in black; they
appeared pale, but firm. They looked impatiently over the people's
heads, standing on tip-toe at every step. D'Artagnan remarked this.
"_Mordioux!_" cried he, "they are in a great hurry to get a sight of the
gibbet!" Raoul drew back, without, however, having the power to leave
the window. Terror even has its attractions.

"To the death! to the death!" cried fifty thousand voices.

"Yes; to the death!" howled a hundred frantic others, as if the great
mass had given them the reply.

"To the halter! to the halter!" cried the great whole; "_Vive le roi!_"

"Well," said D'Artagnan, "this is droll; I should have thought it was M.
Colbert who had caused them to be hung."

There was, at this moment, a great rolling movement in the crowd, which
stopped for a moment the march of the condemned. The people of a bold
and resolute mien, whom D'Artagnan had observed, by dint of pressing,
pushing, and lifting themselves up, had succeeded in almost t