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lackey； raising the curtained entrance of the tent。
Lord Winter was seated near an aperture； arranged as a
window to let in the night air； his eyes mechanically
following the course of the moon； intermittently veiled； as
we before observed； by heavy clouds。 The two friends
approached Winter； who； with his head on his hands； was
gazing at the heavens； he did not hear them enter and
remained in the same attitude till he felt a hand upon his
shoulder。
He turned around； recognized Athos and Aramis and held out
his hand to them。
〃Have you observed；〃 said he to them； 〃what a blood…red
color the moon has to…night？〃
〃No；〃 replied Athos； 〃I thought it looked much the same as
usual。〃
〃Look； again； chevalier；〃 returned Lord Winter。
〃I must own；〃 said Aramis； 〃I am like the Comte de la Fere
I can see nothing remarkable about it。〃
〃My lord；〃 said Athos； 〃in a position so precarious as ours
we must examine the earth and not the heavens。 Have you
studied our Scotch troops and have you confidence in them？〃
〃The Scotch？〃 inquired Winter。 〃What Scotch？〃
〃Ours； egad！〃 exclaimed Athos。 〃Those in whom the king has
confided Lord Leven's Highlanders。〃
〃No；〃 said Winter； then he paused； 〃but tell me； can you not
perceive the russet tint which marks the heavens？〃
〃Not the least in the world；〃 said Aramis and Athos at once。
〃Tell me；〃 continued Winter； always possessed by the same
idea； 〃is there not a tradition in France that Henry IV。；
the evening before the day he was assassinated； when he was
playing at chess with M。 de Bassompiere； saw clots of blood
upon the chessboard？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Athos； 〃and the marechal has often told me so
himself。〃
〃Then it was so；〃 murmured Winter； 〃and the next day Henry
IV。 was killed。〃
〃But what has this vision of Henry IV。 to do with you； my
lord？〃 inquired Aramis。
〃Nothing； and indeed I am mad to trouble you with such
things； when your coming to my tent at such an hour
announces that you are the bearers of important news。〃
〃Yes； my lord；〃 said Athos； 〃I wish to speak to the king。〃
〃To the king！ but the king is asleep。〃
〃I have something important to reveal to him。〃
〃Can it not be put off till to…morrow？〃
〃He must know it this moment； and perhaps it is already too
late。〃
〃Come； then；〃 said Lord Winter。
Lord Winter's tent was pitched by the side of the royal
marquee； a kind of corridor communicating between the two。
This corridor was guarded； not by a sentinel； but by a
confidential servant； through whom； in case of urgency；
Charles could communicate instantly with his faithful
subject。
〃These gentlemen are with me；〃 said Winter。
The lackey bowed and let them pass。 As he had said； on a
camp bed； dressed in his black doublet； booted； unbelted；
with his felt hat beside him； lay the king； overcome by
sleep and fatigue。 They advanced； and Athos； who was the
first to enter； gazed a moment in silence on that pale and
noble face； framed in its long and now untidy； matted hair；
the blue veins showing through the transparent temples； his
eyes seemingly swollen by tears。
Athos sighed deeply； the sigh woke the king； so lightly did
he sleep。
He opened his eyes。
〃Ah！〃 said he； raising himself on his elbow； 〃is it you；
Comte de la Fere？〃
〃Yes； sire；〃 replied Athos。
〃You watch while I sleep and you have come to bring me some
news？〃
〃Alas； sire；〃 answered Athos； 〃your majesty has guessed
aright。〃
〃It is bad news？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃Never mind； the messenger is welcome。 You never come to me
without conferring pleasure。 You whose devotion recognizes
neither country nor misfortune； you who are sent to me by
Henrietta； whatever news you bring； speak out。〃
〃Sire； Cromwell has arrived this night at Newcastle。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed the king； 〃to fight？〃
〃No； sire； but to buy your majesty。〃
〃What did you say？〃
〃I said； sire； that four hundred thousand pounds are owing
to the Scottish army。〃
〃For unpaid wages； yes； I know it。 For the last year my
faithful Highlanders have fought for honor alone。〃
Athos smiled。
〃Well； sir； though honor is a fine thing； they are tired of
fighting for it； and to…night they have sold you for two
hundred thousand pounds that is to say； for half what is
owing them。〃
〃Impossible！〃 cried the king； 〃the Scotch sell their king
for two hundred thousand pounds！ And who is the Judas who
has concluded this infamous bargain？〃
〃Lord Leven。〃
〃Are you certain of it； sir？〃
〃I heard it with my own ears。〃
The king sighed deeply； as if his heart would break； and
then buried his face in his hands。
〃Oh！ the Scotch；〃 he exclaimed； 〃the Scotch I called ‘my
faithful；' to whom I trusted myself when I could have fled
to Oxford！ the Scotch； my brothers！ But are you well
assured； sir？〃
〃Lying behind the tent of Lord Leven； I raised it and saw
all； heard all！〃
〃And when is this to be consummated？〃
〃To…day this morning； so your majesty must perceive there
is no time to lose！〃
〃To do what？ since you say I am sold。〃
〃To cross the Tyne； reach Scotland and rejoin Lord Montrose；
who will not sell you。〃
〃And what shall I do in Scotland？ A war of partisans；
unworthy of a king。〃
〃The example of Robert Bruce will absolve you； sire。〃
〃No； no！ I have fought too long； they have sold me； they
shall give me up； and the eternal shame of treble treason
shall fall on their heads。〃
〃Sire；〃 said Athos； 〃perhaps a king should act thus； but not
a husband and a father。 I have come in the name of your wife
and daughter and of the children you have still in London；
and I say to you； ‘Live； sire；' it is the will of
Heaven。〃
The king raised himself； buckled on his belt； and passing
his handkerchief over his moist forehead； said：
〃Well； what is to be done？〃
〃Sire； have you in the army one regiment on which you can
implicitly rely？〃
〃Winter；〃 said the king； 〃do you believe in the fidelity of
yours？〃
〃Sire； they are but men； and men are become both weak and
wicked。 I will not answer for them。 I would confide my life
to them； but I should hesitate ere I trusted them with your
majesty's。〃
〃Well！〃 said Athos； 〃since you have not a regiment； we are
three devoted men。 It is enough。 Let your majesty mount on
horseback and place yourself in the midst of us； we will
cross the Tyne； reach Scotland； and you will be saved。〃
〃Is this your counsel also； Winter？〃 inquired the king。
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃And yours； Monsieur d'Herblay？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃As you wish； then。 Winter； give the necessary orders。〃
Winter then left the tent； in the meantime the king finished
his toilet。 The first rays of daybreak penetrated the
aperture of the tent as Winter re…entered it。
〃All is ready； sire；〃 said he。
〃For us； also？〃 inquired Athos。
〃Grimaud and Blaisois are holding your horses； ready
saddled。〃
〃In that case；〃 exclaimed Athos； 〃let us not lose an
instant； but set off。〃
〃Come；〃 added the king。
〃Sire；〃 said Aramis； 〃will not your majesty acquaint some of
your friends of this？〃
〃Friends！〃 answered Charles； sadly； 〃I have but three one
of twenty years； who has never forgotten me； and two of a
week's standing； whom I shall never forget。 Come； gentlemen；
come！〃
The king quitted his tent and found his horse ready waiting
for him。 It was a chestnut that the ki