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〃By whom； then； were we beaten？〃 asked Porthos。
〃By Mordaunt。〃
〃Yes； but we have drowned Monsieur Mordaunt。〃
〃That is true； and that will redeem us a little in the eyes
of posterity； if posterity ever looks at us。 But listen；
Porthos： though Monsieur Mordaunt was a man not to be
despised； Mazarin is not less strong than he； and we shall
not easily succeed in drowning him。 We must； therefore；
watch and play a close game； for；〃 he added with a sigh； 〃we
two are equal； perhaps； to eight others； but we are not
equal to the four that you know of。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Porthos； echoing D'Artagnan's sigh。
〃Well； Porthos； follow my examples； walk back and forth till
some news of our friends reaches us or till we are visited
by a good idea。 But don't sleep as you do all the time；
nothing dulls the intellect like sleep。 As to what may lie
before us； it is perhaps less serious than we at first
thought。 I don't believe that Monsieur de Mazarin thinks of
cutting off our heads； for heads are not taken off without
previous trial； a trial would make a noise； and a noise
would get the attention of our friends； who would check the
operations of Monsieur de Mazarin。〃
〃How well you reason！〃 said Porthos； admiringly。
〃Well； yes； pretty well；〃 replied D'Artagnan； 〃and besides；
you see； if they put us on trial； if they cut off our heads；
they must meanwhile either keep us here or transfer us
elsewhere。〃
〃Yes； that is inevitable；〃 said Porthos。
〃Well； it is impossible but that Master Aramis； that
keen…scented bloodhound； and Athos； that wise and prudent
nobleman； will discover our retreat。 Then； believe me； it
will be time to act。〃
〃Yes； we will wait。 We can wait the more contentedly； that
it is not absolutely bad here； but for one thing； at least。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃Did you observe； D'Artagnan； that three days running they
have brought us braised mutton？〃
〃No； but if it occurs a fourth time I shall complain of it；
so never mind。〃
〃And then I feel the loss of my house； 'tis a long time
since I visited my castles。〃
〃Forget them for a time； we shall return to them； unless
Mazarin razes them to the ground。〃
〃Do you think that likely？〃
〃No； the other cardinal would have done so； but this one is
too mean a fellow to risk it。〃
〃You reconcile me； D'Artagnan。〃
〃Well； then； assume a cheerful manner； as I do； we must joke
with the guards； we must gain the good…will of the soldiers；
since we can't corrupt them。 Try； Porthos； to please them
more than you are wont to do when they are under our
windows。 Thus far you have done nothing but show them your
fist； and the more respectable your fist is； Porthos； the
less attractive it is。 Ah； I would give much to have five
hundred louis； only。〃
〃So would I；〃 said Porthos； unwilling to be behind
D'Artagnan in generosity； 〃I would give as much as a hundred
pistoles。〃
The two prisoners were at this point of their conversation
when Comminges entered； preceded by a sergeant and two men；
who brought supper in a basket with two handles； filled with
basins and plates。
〃What！〃 exclaimed Porthos； 〃mutton again？〃
〃My dear Monsieur de Comminges；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃you will
find that my friend； Monsieur du Vallon； will go to the most
fatal lengths if Cardinal Mazarin continues to provide us
with this sort of meat； mutton every day。〃
〃I declare；〃 said Porthos； 〃I shall eat nothing if they do
not take it away。〃
〃Remove the mutton；〃 cried Comminges； 〃I wish Monsieur du
Vallon to sup well； more especially as I have news to give
him that will improve his appetite。〃
〃Is Mazarin dead？〃 asked Porthos。
〃No； I am sorry to tell you he is perfectly well。〃
〃So much the worse；〃 said Porthos。
〃What is that news？〃 asked D'Artagnan。 〃News in prison is a
fruit so rare that I trust； Monsieur de Comminges； you will
excuse my impatience the more eager since you have given
us to understand that the news is good。〃
〃Should you be glad to hear that the Comte de la Fere is
well？〃 asked De Comminges。
D'Artagnan's penetrating gray eyes were opened to the
utmost。
〃Glad！〃 he cried； 〃I should be more than glad！ Happy
beyond measure！〃
〃Well； I am desired by him to give you his compliments and
to say that he is in good health。〃
D'Artagnan almost leaped with joy。 A quick glance conveyed
his thought to Porthos： 〃If Athos knows where we are； if he
opens communication with us； before long Athos will act。〃
Porthos was not very quick to understand the language of
glances； but now since the name of Athos had suggested to
him the same idea； he understood。
〃Do you say；〃 asked the Gascon； timidly； 〃that the Comte de
la Fere has commissioned you to give his compliments to
Monsieur du Vallon and myself？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Then you have seen him？〃
〃Certainly I have。〃
〃Where？ if I may ask without indiscretion。〃
〃Near here；〃 replied De Comminges； smiling； 〃so near that if
the windows which look on the orangery were not stopped up
you could see him from where you are。〃
〃He is wandering about the environs of the castle；〃 thought
D'Artagnan。 Then he said aloud：
〃You met him； I dare say； in the park hunting； perhaps？〃
〃No； nearer； nearer still。 Look； behind this wall；〃 said De
Comminges； knocking against the wall。
〃Behind this wall？ What is there； then； behind this wall？ I
was brought here by night； so devil take me if I know where
I am。〃
〃Well；〃 said Comminges； 〃suppose one thing。〃
〃I will suppose anything you please。〃
〃Suppose there were a window in this wall。〃
〃Well？〃
〃From that window you would see Monsieur de la Fere at his。〃
〃The count； then； is in the chateau？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃For what reason？〃
〃The same as yourself。〃
〃Athos a prisoner？〃
〃You know well；〃 replied De Comminges； 〃that there are no
prisoners at Rueil； because there is no prison。〃
〃Don't let us play upon words； sir。 Athos has been
arrested。〃
〃Yesterday； at Saint Germain； as he came out from the
presence of the queen。〃
The arms of D'Artagnan fell powerless by his side。 One might
have supposed him thunderstruck； a paleness ran like a cloud
over his dark skin； but disappeared immediately。
〃A prisoner？〃 he reiterated。
〃A prisoner；〃 repeated Porthos； quite dejected。
Suddenly D'Artagnan looked up and in his eyes there was a
gleam which scarcely even Porthos observed； but it died away
and he appeared more sorrowful than before。
〃Come； come；〃 said Comminges； who； since D'Artagnan； on the
day of Broussel's arrest； had saved him from the hands of
the Parisians； had entertained a real affection for him；
〃don't be unhappy； I never thought of bringing you bad news。
Laugh at the chance which has brought your friend near to
you and Monsieur du Vallon； instead of being in the depths
of despair about it。〃
But D'Artagnan was still in a desponding mood。
〃And how did he look？〃 asked Porthos； who； perceiving that
D'Artagnan had allowed the conversation to drop； profited by
it to put in a word or two。
〃Very well； indeed； sir；〃 replied Comminges； 〃at first； like
you； he seemed distressed； but when he heard that the
cardinal was going to pay him a visit this very evening
〃
〃Ah！〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃the cardinal is about to visit the
Comte de la Fere？〃
〃Yes； and the count desired me to tell you that he sh