As soon as the noise of the hoofs was lost in the distanceD'Artagnan remounted the bank of the stream and scoured theplain, followed by his three friends, directing theircourse, as well as they could guess, toward London.

"This time," said D'Artagnan, when they were sufficientlydistant to proceed at a trot, "I think all is lost and wehave nothing better to do than to reach France. What do yousay, Athos, to that proposition? Isn't it reasonable?"

"Yes, dear friend," Athos replied, "but you said a word theother day that was more than reasonable - it was noble andgenerous. You said, `Let us die here!' I recall to you thatword."

"Oh," said Porthos, "death is nothing: it isn't death thatcan disquiet us, since we don't know what it is. Whattroubles me is the idea of defeat. As things are turningout, I foresee that we must give battle to London, to theprovinces, to all England, and certainly in the end we can'tfail to be beaten."

"We ought to witness this great tragedy even to its lastscene," said Athos. "Whatever happens, let us not leaveEngland before the crisis. Don't you agree with me, Aramis?"

"Entirely, my dear count. Then, too, I confess I should notbe sorry to come across Mordaunt again. It appears to methat we have an account to settle with him, and that it isnot our custom to leave a place without paying our debts, ofthis kind, at least."

"Ah! that's another thing," said D'Artagnan, "and I shouldnot mind waiting in London a whole year for a chance ofmeeting this Mordaunt in question. Only let us lodge withsome one on whom we can count; for I imagine, just now, thatNoll Cromwell would not be inclined to trifle with us.Athos, do you know any inn in the whole town where one canfind white sheets, roast beef reasonably cooked, and winewhich is not made of hops and gin?"

"I think I know what you want," replied Athos. "De Wintertook us to the house of a Spaniard, who, he said, had becomenaturalized as an Englishman by the guineas of his newcompatriots. What do you say to it, Aramis?"

"Why, the idea of taking quarters with Senor Perez seems tome very reasonable, and for my part I agree to it. We willinvoke the remembrance of that poor De Winter, for whom heseemed to have a great regard; we will tell him that we havecome as amateurs to see what is going on; we will spend withhim a guinea each per day; and I think that by taking allthese precautions we can be quite undisturbed."

"You forget, Aramis, one precaution of considerableimportance."

"What is that?"

"The precaution of changing our clothes."

"Changing our clothes!" exclaimed Porthos. "I don't see why;we are very comfortable in those we wear."

"To prevent recognition," said D'Artagnan. "Our clothes havea cut which would proclaim the Frenchman at first sight.Now, I don't set sufficient store on the cut of my jerkin torisk being hung at Tyburn or sent for change of scene to theIndies. I shall buy a chestnut-colored suit. I've remarkedthat your Puritans revel in that color."

"But can you find your man?" said Aramis to Athos.

"Oh! to be sure, yes. He lives at the Bedford Tavern,Greenhall Street. Besides, I can find my way about the citywith my eyes shut."

"I wish we were already there," said D'Artagnan; "and myadvice is that we reach London before daybreak, even if wekill our horses."

"Come on, then," said Athos, "for unless I am mistaken in mycalculations we have only eight or ten leagues to go."

The friends urged on their horses and arrived, in fact, atabout five o'clock in the morning. They were stopped andquestioned at the gate by which they sought to enter thecity, but Athos replied, in excellent English, that they hadbeen sent forward by Colonel Harrison to announce to hiscolleague, Monsieur Bridge, the approach of the king. Thatreply led to several questions about the king's capture, andAthos gave details so precise and positive that if thegatekeepers had any suspicions they vanished completely. Theway was therefore opened to the four friends with all sortsof Puritan congratulations.

Athos was right. He went direct to the Bedford Tavern, andthe host, who recognized him, was delighted to see him againwith such a numerous and promising company.

Though it was scarcely daylight our four travelers found thetown in a great bustle, owing to the reported approach ofHarrison and the king.

The plan of changing their clothes was unanimously adopted.The landlord sent out for every description of garment, asif he wanted to fit up his wardrobe. Athos chose a blackcoat, which gave him the appearance of a respectablecitizen. Aramis, not wishing to part with his sword,selected a dark-blue cloak of a military cut. Porthos wasseduced by a wine-colored doublet and sea-green breeches.D'Artagnan, who had fixed on his color beforehand, had onlyto select the shade, and looked in his chestnut suit exactlylike a retired sugar dealer.

"Now," said D'Artagnan, "for the actual man. We must cut offour hair, that the populace may not insult us. As we nolonger wear the sword of the gentleman we may as well havethe head of the Puritan. This, as you know, is the importantpoint of distinction between the Covenanter and theCavalier."

After some discussion this was agreed to and Musquetonplayed the role of barber.

"We look hideous," said Athos.

"And smack of the Puritan to a frightful extent," saidAramis.

"My head feels actually cold," said Porthos.

"As for me, I feel anxious to preach a sermon," saidD'Artagnan.

"Now," said Athos, "that we cannot even recognize oneanother and have therefore no fear of others recognizing us,let us go and see the king's entrance."

They had not been long in the crowd before loud criesannounced the king's arrival. A carriage had been sent tomeet him, and the gigantic Porthos, who stood a head abovethe entire rabble, soon announced that he saw the royalequipage approaching. D'Artagnan raised himself on tiptoe,and as the carriage passed, saw Harrison at one window andMordaunt at the other.

The next day, Athos, leaning out of his window, which lookedupon the most populous part of the city, heard the Act ofParliament, which summoned the ex-king, Charles I., to thebar, publicly cried.

"Parliament indeed!" cried Athos. "Parliament can never havepassed such an act as that."

At this moment the landlord came in.

"Did parliament pass this act?" Athos asked of him inEnglish.

"Yes, my lord, the pure parliament."

"What do you mean by `the pure parliament'? Are there, then,two parliaments?"

"My friend," D'Artagnan interrupted, "as I don't understandEnglish and we all understand Spanish, have the kindness tospeak to us in that language, which, since it is your own,you must find pleasure in using when you have the chance."

"Ah! excellent!" said Aramis.

As to Porthos, all his attention was concentrated on theallurements of the breakfast table.

"You were asking, then?" said the host in Spanish.

"I asked," said Athos, in the same language, "if there aretwo parliaments, a pure and an impure?"

"Why, how extraordinary!" said Porthos, slowly raising hishead and looking at his friends with an air of astonishment,"I understand English, then! I understand what you say!"

"That is because we are talking Spanish, my dear friend,"said Athos.

"Oh, the devil!" said Porthos, "I am sorry for that; itwould have been one language more."

"When I speak of the pure parliament," resumed the host, "Imean the one which Colonel Bridge has weeded."

"Ah! really," said D'Artagnan, "these people are veryingenious. When I go back to France I must suggest some suchconvenient course to Cardinal Mazarin and the coadjutor. Oneof them will weed the parliament in the name of the court,and the other in the name of the people; and then therewon't be any parliament at all."

"And who is this Colonel Bridge?" asked Aramis, "and howdoes he go to work to weed the parliament?"

"Colonel Bridge," replied the Spaniard, "is a retiredwagoner, a man of much sense, who made one valuableobservation whilst driving his team, namely, that wherethere happened to be a stone on the road, it was much easierto remove the stone than try and make the wheel pass overit. Now, of two hundred and fifty-one members who composedthe parliament, there were one hundred and ninety-one whowere in the way and might have upset his political wagon. Hetook them up, just as he formerly used to take up the stonesfrom the road, and threw them out of the house."

"Neat," remarked D'Artagnan. "Very!"

"And all these one hundred and ninety-one were Royalists?"asked Athos.

"Without doubt, senor; and you understand that they wouldhave saved the king."

"To be sure," said Porthos, with majestic common sense;"they were in the majority."

"And you think," said Aramis, "he will consent to appearbefore such a tribunal?"

"He will be forced to do so," smiled the Spaniard.

"Now, Athos!" said D'Artagnan, "do you begin to believe thatit's a ruined cause, and that what with your Harrisons,Joyces, Bridges and Cromwells, we shall never get the upperhand?"

"The king will be delivered at the tribunal," said Athos;"the very silence of his supporters indicates that they areat work."

D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders.

"But," said Aramis, "if they dare to condemn their king, itcan only be to exile or imprisonment."

D'Artagnan whistled a little air of incredulity.

"We shall see," said Athos, "for we shall go to thesittings, I presume."

"You will not have long to wait," said the landlord; "theybegin to-morrow."

"So, then, they drew up the indictments before the king wastaken?"

"Of course," said D'Artagnan; "they began the day he wassold."

"And you know," said Aramis, "that it was our friendMordaunt who made, if not the bargain, at least theovertures."

"And you know," added D'Artagnan, "that whenever I catch himI will kill him, this Mordaunt."

"And I, too," exclaimed Porthos.

"And I, too," added Aramis.

"Touching unanimity!" cried D'Artagnan, "which well becomesgood citizens like us. Let us take a turn around the townand imbibe a little fog."

"Yes," said Porthos, "'twill be at least a little changefrom beer."