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〃Thank you； sir；〃 replied Raoul； blushing； 〃thank you a thousand times。〃
At this moment Olivain appeared。 〃Apropos；〃 said D'Artagnan； loud enough for the servant to hear him； 〃are you satisfied with Olivain？〃
〃Yes； in some respects； tolerably well。〃
Olivain pretended to have heard nothing and entered the tent。
〃What fault do you find with the fellow？〃
〃He is a glutton。〃
〃Oh； sir！〃 cried Olivain； reappearing at this accusation。
〃And a little bit of a thief。〃
〃Oh； sir！ oh！〃
〃And； more especially； a notorious coward。〃
〃Oh； oh！ sir！ you really vilify me！〃 cried Olivain。
〃The deuce！〃 cried D'Artagnan。 〃Pray learn； Monsieur Olivain； that people like us are not to be served by cowards。 Rob your master； eat his sweetmeats； and drink his wine； but； by Jove！ don't be a coward； or I shall cut off your ears。 Look at Monsieur Mouston； see the honorable wounds he has received； observe how his habitual valor has given dignity to his countenance。〃
Musqueton was in the third heaven and would have embraced D'Artagnan had he dared； meanwhile he resolved to sacrifice his life for him on the next occasion that presented itself。
〃Send away that fellow； Raoul；〃 said the Gascon； 〃for if he's a coward he will disgrace thee some day。〃
〃Monsieur says I am coward；〃 cried Olivain； 〃because he wanted the other day to fight a cornet in Grammont's regiment and I refused to acpany him。〃
〃Monsieur Olivain； a lackey ought never to disobey；〃 said D'Artagnan； sternly； then taking him aside； he whispered to him： 〃Thou hast done right； thy master was in the wrong； here's a crown for thee； but should he ever be insulted and thou cost not let thyself be cut in quarters for him； I will cut out thy tongue。 Remember that。〃
Olivain bowed and slipped the crown into his pocket。
〃And now； Raoul；〃 said the Gascon； 〃Monsieur du Vallon and I are going away as ambassadors； where； I know not； but should you want anything； write to Madame Turquaine； at La Chevrette； Rue Tiquetonne and draw upon her purse as on a banker with economy； for it is not so well filled as that of Monsieur d'Emery。〃
And having； meantime； embraced his ward； he passed him into the robust arms of Porthos； who lifted him up from the ground and held him a moment suspended near the noble heart of the formidable giant。
〃e；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃let us go。〃
And they set out for Boulogne； where toward evening they arrived； their horses flecked with foam and dark with perspiration。
At ten steps from the place where they halted was a young man in black； who seemed waiting for some one； and who； from the moment he saw them enter the town； never took his eyes off them。
D'Artagnan approached him； and seeing him stare so fixedly； said：
〃Well； friend！ I don't like people to quiz me！〃
〃Sir；〃 said the young man； 〃do you not e from Paris； if you please？〃
D'Artagnan thought it was some gossip who wanted news from the capital。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he said； in a softened tone。
〃Are you not going to put up at the ‘Arms of England'？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Are you not charged with a mission from his eminence； Cardinal Mazarin？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃In that case； I am the man you have to do with。 I am M。 Mordaunt。〃
〃Ah！〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃the man I am warned against by Athos。〃
〃Ah！〃 thought Porthos； 〃the man Aramis wants me to strangle。〃
They both looked searchingly at the young man； who misunderstood the meaning of that inquisition。
〃Do you doubt my word？〃 he said。 〃In that case I can give you proofs。〃
〃No； sir；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃and we place ourselves at your orders。〃
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 resumed Mordaunt； 〃we must set out without delay； to…day is the last day granted me by the cardinal。 My ship is ready； and had you not e I must have set off without you； for General Cromwell expects my return impatiently。〃
〃So！〃 thought the lieutenant； 〃'tis to General Cromwell that our dispatches are addressed。〃
〃Have you no letter for him？〃 asked the young man。
〃I have one； the seal of which I am not to break till I reach London； but since you tell me to whom it is addressed；
'tis useless to wait till then。〃
D'Artagnan tore open the envelope of the letter。 It was directed to 〃Monsieur Oliver Cromwell； General of the Army of the English Nation。〃
〃Ah！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃a singular mission。〃
〃Who is this Monsieur Oliver Cromwell？〃 inquired Porthos。
〃Formerly a brewer；〃 replied the Gascon。
〃Perhaps Mazarin wishes to make a speculation in beer； as we did in straw；〃 said Porthos。
〃e； e； gentlemen；〃 said Mordaunt； impatiently； 〃let us depart。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Porthos 〃without supper？ Cannot Monsieur Cromwell wait a little？〃
〃Yes； but I？〃 said Mordaunt。
〃Well； you；〃 said Porthos； 〃what then？〃
〃I cannot wait。〃
〃Oh！ as to you； that is not my concern； and I shall sup either with or without your permission。〃
The young man's eyes kindled in secret； but he restrained himself。
〃Monsieur；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃you must excuse famished travelers。 Besides； our supper can't delay you much。 We will hasten on to the inn； you will meanwhile proceed on foot to the harbor。 We will take a bite and shall be there as soon as you are。〃
〃Just as you please； gentlemen； provided we set sail；〃 he said。
〃The name of your ship？〃 inquired D'Artagnan。
〃The Standard。〃
〃Very well； in half an hour we shall be on board。〃
And the friends； spurring on their horses； rode to the hotel； the 〃Arms of England。〃
〃What do you say of that young man？〃 asked D'Artagnan； as they hurried along。
〃I say that he doesn't suit me at all；〃 said Porthos； 〃and that I feel a strong itching to follow Aramis's advice。〃
〃By no means； my dear Porthos； that man is a messenger of General Cromwell； it would insure for us a poor reception； I imagine； should it be announced to him that we had twisted the neck of his confidant。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 said Porthos； 〃I have always noticed that Aramis gives good advice。〃
〃Listen；〃 returned D'Artagnan； 〃when our embassy is finished 〃
〃Well？〃
〃If it brings us back to France 〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； we shall see。〃
At that moment the two friends reached the hotel； 〃Arms of England；〃 where they supped with hearty appetite and then at once proceeded to the port。
There they found a brig ready to set sail； upon the deck of which they recognized Mordaunt walking up and down impatiently。
〃It is singular；〃 said D'Artagnan； whilst the boat was taking them to the Standard； 〃it is astonishing how that young man resembles some one I must have known； but who it was I cannot yet remember。〃
A few minutes later they were on board； but the embarkation of the horses was a longer matter than that of the men； and it was eight o'clock before they raised anchor。
The young man stamped impatiently and ordered all sail to be spread。
Porthos； pletely used up by three nights without sleep and a journey of seventy leagues on horseback； retired to his cabin and went to sleep。
D'Artagnan； overing his repugnance to Mordaunt； walked with him upon the deck and invented a h