“Do what you please, Monsieur Chevalier. Help me out of Paris; help me out of France!”

“I cannot take you, however, to the siege of La Rochelle,” aid d’Artagnan.

“No; but you can place me in one of the provinces with some lady of your acquaintance — in your own country, for instance.”

“My dear little love! In my country the ladies do without chambermaids. But stop! I can manage your business for you. Planchet, go and find Aramis. Request him to come here directly. We have something very important to say to him.”

“I understand,” said Athos; “but why not Porthos? I should have thought that his duchess — ”