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reached the door of the hotel； Aramis said that he had certain important visits to make and left Athos to enter alone。
At ten o'clock the next day they met again。 Athos had been out since six o'clock。
〃Well； have you any news？〃 Athos asked。
〃Nothing。 No one has seen D'Artagnan and Porthos has； not appeared。 Have you anything？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃The devil！〃 said Aramis。
〃In fact；〃 said Athos； 〃this delay is not natural； they took the shortest route and should have arrived before we did。〃
〃Add to that D'Artagnan's rapidity in action and that he is not the man to lose an hour； knowing that we were expecting him。〃
〃He expected； you will remember； to be here on the fifth。〃
〃And here we are at the ninth。 This evening the margin of possible delay expires。〃
〃What do you think should be done；〃 asked Athos。 〃if we have no news of them to…night？〃
〃Pardieu！ we must go and look for them。〃
〃All right；〃 said Athos。
〃But Raoul？〃 said Aramis。
A light cloud passed over the count's face。
〃Raoul gives me much uneasiness；〃 he said。 〃He received yesterday a message from the Prince de Conde； he went to meet him at Saint Cloud and has not returned。〃
〃Have you seen Madame de Chevreuse？〃
〃She was not at home。 And you； Aramis； you were going； I think； to visit Madame de Longueville。〃
〃I did go there。〃
〃Well？〃
〃She was no longer there； but she had left her new address。〃
〃Where was she？〃
〃Guess； I give you a thousand chances。〃
〃How should I know where the most beautiful and active of the Frondists was at midnight？ for I presume it was when you left me that you went to visit her。〃
〃At the Hotel de Ville； my dear fellow。〃
〃What！ at the Hotel de Ville？ Has she； then； been appointed provost of merchants？〃
〃No； but she has bee queen of Paris； ad interim； and since she could not venture at once to establish herself in the Palais Royal or the Tuileries； she is installed at the Hotel de Ville； where she is on the point of giving an heir or an heiress to that dear duke。〃
〃You didn't tell me of that； Aramis。〃
〃Really？ It was my forgetfulness then； pardon me。〃
〃Now；〃 asked Athos； 〃what are we to do with ourselves till evening？ Here we are without occupation； it seems to me。〃
〃You forget； my friend； that we have work cut out for us in the direction of Charenton； I hope to see Monsieur de Chatillon； whom I've hated for a long time； there。〃
〃Why have you hated him？〃
〃Because he is the brother of Coligny。〃
〃Ah； true！ he who presumed to be a rival of yours； for which he was severely punished； that ought to satisfy you。〃
〃'Yes； but it does not； I am rancorous the only stigma that proves me to be a churchman。 Do you understand？ You understand that you are in no way obliged to go with me。〃
〃e； now；〃 said Athos； 〃you are joking。〃
〃In that case； my dear friend； if you are resolved to acpany me there is no time to lose； the drum beats； I observed cannon on the road； I saw the citizens in order of battle on the Place of the Hotel de Ville； certainly the fight will be in the direction of Charenton； as the Duc de Chatillon said。〃
〃I supposed；〃 said Athos； 〃that last night's conferences would modify those warlike arrangements。〃
〃No doubt； but they will fight； none the less； if only to mask the conferences。〃
〃Poor creatures！〃 said Athos； 〃who are going to be killed； in order that Monsieur de Bouillon may have his estate at Sedan restored to him； that the reversion of the admiralty may be given to the Duc de Beaufort； and that the coadjutor may be made a cardinal。〃
〃e； e； dear Athos； confess that you would not be so philosophical if your Raoul were to be involved in this affair。〃
〃Perhaps you speak the truth； Aramis。〃
〃Well； let us go； then； where the fighting is； for that is the most likely place to meet with D'Artagnan； Porthos； and possibly even Raoul。 Stop； there are a fine body of citizens passing； quite attractive； by Jupiter！ and their captain see！ he has the true military style。〃
〃What； ho！〃 said Grimaud。
〃What？〃 asked Athos。
〃Planchet； sir。〃
〃Lieutenant yesterday；〃 said Aramis； 〃captain to…day； colonel； doubtless； to…morrow； in a fortnight the fellow will be marshal of France。〃
〃Question him about the fight；〃 said Athos。
Planchet； prouder than ever of his new duties； deigned to explain to the two gentlemen that he was ordered to take up his position on the Place Royale with two hundred men； forming the rear of the army of Paris； and to march on Charenton when necessary。
〃This day will be a warm one；〃 said Planchet； in a warlike tone。
〃No doubt；〃 said Aramis； 〃but it is far from here to the enemy。〃
〃Sir； the distance will be diminished；〃 said a subordinate。
Aramis saluted； then turning toward Athos：
〃I don't care to camp on the Place Royale with all these people；〃 he said。 〃Shall we go forward？ We shall see better what is going on。〃
〃And then Monsieur de Chatillon will not e to the Place Royale to look for you。 e； then； my friend； we will go forward。〃
〃Haven't you something to say to Monsieur de Flamarens on your own account？〃
〃My friend；〃 said Athos； 〃I have made a resolution never to draw my sword save when it is absolutely necessary。〃
〃And how long ago was that？〃
〃When I last drew my poniard。〃
〃Ah！ Good！ another souvenir of Monsieur Mordaunt。 Well； my friend； nothing now is lacking except that you should feel remorse for having killed that fellow。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Athos； putting a finger on his lips； with the sad smile peculiar to him； 〃let us talk no more of Mordaunt it will bring bad luck。〃 And Athos set forward toward Charenton； followed closely by Aramis。
The Battle of Charenton
As Athos and Aramis proceeded； and passed different panies on the road； they became aware that they were arriving near the field of battle。
〃Ah！ my friend！〃 cried Athos； suddenly； 〃where have you brought us？ I fancy I perceive around us faces of different officers in the royal army； is not that the Duc de Chatillon himself ing toward us with his brigadiers？〃
〃Good…day； sirs；〃 said the duke； advancing； 〃you are puzzled by what you see here； but one word will explain everything。 There is now a truce and a conference。 The prince； Monsieur de Retz； the Duc de Beaufort； the Duc de Bouillon； are talking over public affairs。 Now one of two things must happen： either matters will not be arranged； or they will be arranged； in which last case I shall be relieved of my mand and we shall still meet again。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Aramis； 〃you speak to the point。 Allow me to ask you a question： Where are the plenipotentiaries？〃
〃At Charenton； in the second house on the right on entering from the direction of Paris。〃
〃And was this conference arranged beforehand？〃
〃No； gentlemen； it seems to be the result of certain propositions which Mazarin made last night to the Parisians。〃
Athos and Aramis exchanged smiles； for they well knew what those propositions were； to whom they had been made and who had made them。
〃And that house in which the plenipotentiaries are；〃 asked Athos； 〃belongs to