“Athos, you are becoming mad.”

“No, my friend,” Athos gently replied, “but De Winter sought us out in France and introduced us, Monsieur d’Herblay and myself, to Madame Henrietta. Her majesty did us the honor to ask our aid for her husband. We engaged our word; our word included everything. It was our strength, our intelligence, our life, in short, that we promised. It remains now for us to keep our word. Is that your opinion, D’Herblay?”

“Yes,” said Aramis, “we have promised.”

“Then,” continued Athos, “we have another reason; it is this — listen: In France at this moment everything is poor and paltry.

We have a king ten years old, who doesn’t