At two o'clock the next day fifty thousand spectators hadtaken their position upon the Place, around the two gibbetswhich had been elevated between the Quai de la Greve and theQuai Pelletier; one close to the other, with their backs tothe embankment of the river. In the morning also, all thesworn criers of the good city of Paris had traversed thequarters of the city, particularly the halles and thefaubourgs, announcing with their hoarse and indefatigablevoices, the great justice done by the king upon twospeculators, two thieves, devourers of the people. And thesepeople, whose interests were so warmly looked after, inorder not to fail in respect for their king quitted shops,stalls, and ateliers to go and evince a little gratitude toLouis XIV., absolutely like invited guests, who feared tocommit an impoliteness in not repairing to the house of himwho had invited them. According to the tenor of thesentence, which the criers read aloud and incorrectly, twofarmers of the revenues, monopolists of money, dilapidatorsof the royal provisions, extortioners, and forgers, wereabout to undergo capital punishment on the Place de Greve,with their names blazoned over their heads, according totheir sentence. As to those names, the sentence made nomention of them. The curiosity of the Parisians was at itsheight, and, as we have said, an immense crowd waited withfeverish impatience the hour fixed for the execution. Thenews had already spread that the prisoners, transferred tothe Chateau of Vincennes, would be conducted from thatprison to the Place de Greve. Consequently, the faubourg andthe Rue Saint Antoine were crowded, for the population ofParis in those days of great executions was divided into twocategories: those who came to see the condemned pass - these were of timid and mild hearts, but philosophicallycurious - and those who wished to see the condemned die - these had hearts that hungered for sensation. On this day M.d'Artagnan received his last instructions from the king, andmade his adieus to his friends, the number of whom was, atthe moment, reduced to Planchet, traced the plan of his day,as every busy man whose moments are counted ought to dobecause he appreciates their importance.

"My departure is to be," said he, "at break of day, threeo'clock in the morning; I have then fifteen hours before me.Take from them the six hours of sleep which areindispensable for me - six; one hour for repasts - seven;one hour for a farewell visit to Athos - eight; two hoursfor chance circumstances - -total, ten. There are then fivehours left. One hour to get my money, - that is, to havepayment refused by M. Fouquet; another hour to go andreceive my money of M. Colbert, together with his questionsand grimaces; one hour to look over my clothes and arms, andget my boots cleaned. I have still two hours left. Mordioux!how rich I am!" And so saying, D'Artagnan felt a strangejoy, a joy of youth, a perfume of those great and happyyears of former times mount into his brain and intoxicatehim. "During these two hours I will go," said the musketeer,"and take my quarter's rent of the Image-de-Notre-Dame. Thatwill be pleasant. Three hundred and seventy-five livres.Mordioux! but that is astonishing! If the poor man who hasbut one livre in his pocket, found a livre and twelvedeniers, that would be justice, that would be excellent; butnever does such a godsend fall to the lot of the poor man.The rich man, on the contrary, makes himself revenues withhis money, which he does not even touch. Here are threehundred and seventy-five livres which fall to me fromheaven. I will go then to the Image-de-Notre-Dame, and drinka glass of Spanish wine with my tenant, which he cannot failto offer me. But order must be observed, Monsieurd'Artagnan, order must be observed! Let us organize ourtime, then, and distribute the employment of it! Art. 1st,Athos; Art. 2d, the Image-de-Notre-Dame; Art. 3d, M.Fouquet, Art. 4th, M. Colbert; Art. 5th, supper; Art. 6th,clothes, boots, horse, portmanteau; Art. 7th and last,sleep."

In consequence of this arrangement, D'Artagnan went straightto the Comte de la Fere, to whom modestly and ingenuously herelated a part of his fortunate adventures. Athos had notbeen without uneasiness on the subject of D'Artagnan's visitto the king; but few words sufficed for an explanation ofthat. Athos divined that Louis had charged D'Artagnan withsome important mission, and did not even make an effort todraw the secret from him. He only recommended him to takecare of himself, and offered discreetly to accompany him ifthat were desirable.

"But, my dear friend," said D'Artagnan, "I am goingnowhere."

"What! you come and bid me adieu, and are going nowhere?"

"Oh! yes, yes," replied D'Artagnan, coloring a little, "I amgoing to make an acquisition."

"That is quite another thing. Then I change my formula.Instead of `Do not get yourself killed,' I will say, - `Donot get yourself robbed.'"

"My friend, I will inform you if I set eyes on any propertythat pleases me, and shall expect you will favor me withyour opinion."

"Yes, yes," said Athos, too delicate to permit himself eventhe consolation of a smile. Raoul imitated the paternalreserve. But D'Artagnan thought it would appear toomysterious to leave his friends under a pretense, withouteven telling them the route he was about to take.

"I have chosen Le Mans," said he to Athos. "Is it a goodcountry?"

"Excellent, my friend," replied the count, without makinghim observe that Le Mans was in the same direction as LaTouraine, and that by waiting two days, at most, he mighttravel with a friend. But D'Artagnan, more embarrassed thanthe count, dug, at every explanation, deeper into the mud,into which he sank by degrees. "I shall set out to-morrow atdaybreak," said he at last. "Till that time, will you comewith me, Raoul?"

"Yes, monsieur le chevalier," said the young man, "ifmonsieur le comte does not want me."

"No, Raoul I am to have an audience to-day of Monsieur, theking's brother; that is all I have to do."

Raoul asked Grimaud for his sword, which the old man broughthim immediately. "Now then," added D'Artagnan, opening hisarms to Athos, "adieu, my dear friend!" Athos held him in along embrace, and the musketeer, who knew his discretion sowell, murmured in his ear - "An affair of state," to whichAthos only replied by a pressure of the hand, still moresignificant. They then separated. Raoul took the arm of hisold friend, who led him along the Rue-Saint-Honore. "I amconducting you to the abode of the god Plutus," saidD'Artagnan to the young man; "prepare yourself. The wholeday you will witness the piling up of crowns. Heavens! how Iam changed!"

"Oh! what numbers of people there are in the street!" saidRaoul.

"Is there a procession to-day?" asked D'Artagnan of apasser-by.

"Monsieur, it is a hanging," replied the man.

"What! a hanging at the Greve?" said D'Artagnan.

"Yes, monsieur."

"The devil take the rogue who gets himself hung the day Iwant to go and take my rent!" cried D'Artagnan. "Raoul, didyou ever see anybody hung?"

"Never, monsieur - thank God!"

"Oh! how young that sounds! If you were on guard in thetrenches, as I was, and a spy! But, pardon me, Raoul, I amdoting - you are quite right, it is a hideous sight to seea person hung! At what hour do they hang them, monsieur, ifyou please?"

"Monsieur," replied the stranger respectfully, delighted atjoining conversation with two men of the sword, "it willtake place about three o'clock."

"Aha! it is now only half-past one; let us step out, weshall be there in time to touch my three hundred andseventy-five livres, and get away before the arrival of themalefactor."

"Malefactors, monsieur," continued the bourgeois; "there aretwo of them."

"Monsieur, I return you many thanks," said D'Artagnan, who,as he grew older, had become polite to a degree. DrawingRaoul along, he directed his course rapidly in the directionof La Greve. Without that great experience musketeers haveof a crowd, to which were joined an irresistible strength ofwrist, and an uncommon suppleness of shoulders, our twotravelers would not have arrived at their place ofdestination. They followed the line of the Quai, which theyhad gained on quitting the Rue Saint-Honore, where they leftAthos. D'Artagnan went first; his elbow, his wrist, hisshoulder formed three wedges which he knew how to insinuatewith skill into the groups, to make them split and separatelike firewood. He made use sometimes of the hilt of hissword as an additional help: introducing it between ribsthat were too rebellious, making it take the part of a leveror crowbar, to separate husband from wife, uncle fromnephew, and brother from brother. And all this was done sonaturally, and with such gracious smiles, that people musthave had ribs of bronze not to cry thank you when the wristmade its play, or hearts of diamond not to be enchanted whensuch a bland smile enlivened the lips of the musketeer.Raoul, following his friend, cajoled the women who admiredhis beauty, pushed back the men who felt the rigidity of hismuscles, and both opened, thanks to these maneuvers, thecompact and muddy tide of the populace. They arrived insight of the two gibbets, from which Raoul turned away hiseyes in disgust. As for D'Artagnan, he did not even seethem; his house with its gabled roof, its windows crowdedwith the curious, attracted and even absorbed all theattention he was capable of. He distinguished in the Placeand around the houses a good number of musketeers on leave,who, some with women, others with friends, awaited thecrowning ceremony. What rejoiced him above all was to seethat his tenant, the cabaretier, was so busy he hardly knewwhich way to turn. Three lads could not supply the drinkers.They filled the shop, the chambers, and the court, even.D'Artagnan called Raoul's attention to this concourse,adding: "The fellow will have no excuse for not paying hisrent. Look at those drinkers, Raoul, one would say they werejolly companions. Mordioux! why, there is no room anywhere!"D'Artagnan, however, contrived to catch hold of the masterby the corner of his apron, and to make himself known tohim.

"Ah, monsieur le chevalier," said the cabaretier, halfdistracted, "one minute if you please. I have here a hundredmad devils turning my cellar upside down."

"The cellar, if you like, but not the money-box."

"Oh, monsieur, your thirty-seven and a half pistoles are allcounted out ready for you, upstairs in my chamber, but thereare in that chamber thirty customers, who are sucking thestaves of a little barrel of Oporto which I tapped for themthis very morning. Give me a minute, - only a minute."

"So be it; so be it."

"I will go," said Raoul, in a low voice, to D'Artagnan;"this hilarity is vile!"

"Monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, sternly, "you will please toremain where you are. The soldier ought to familiarizehimself with all kinds of spectacles. There are in the eye,when it is young, fibers which we must learn how to harden;and we are not truly generous and good save from the momentwhen the eye has become hardened, and the heart remainstender. Besides, my little Raoul, would you leave me alonehere? That would be very wrong of you. Look, there is yonderin the lower court a tree, and under the shade of that treewe shall breathe more freely than in this hot atmosphere ofspilt wine."

From the spot on which they had placed themselves the twonew guests of the Image-de-Notre-Dame heard theever-increasing hubbub of the tide of people, and lostneither a cry nor a gesture of the drinkers, at tables inthe cabaret, or disseminated in the chambers. If D'Artagnanhad wished to place himself as a vidette for an expedition,he could not have succeeded better. The tree under which heand Raoul were seated covered them with its already thickfoliage; it was a low, thick chestnut-tree, with inclinedbranches, that cast their shade over a table so dilapidatedthe drinkers had abandoned it. We said that from this postD'Artagnan saw everything. He observed the goings andcomings of the waiters; the arrival of fresh drinkers; thewelcome, sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile, given to thenewcomers by others already installed. He observed all thisto amuse himself, for the thirty-seven and a half pistoleswere a long time coming. Raoul recalled his attention to it."Monsieur," said he, "you do not hurry your tenant, and thecondemned will soon be here. There will then be such a presswe shall not be able to get out."

"You are right," said the musketeer; "Hola! oh! somebodythere! Mordioux!" But it was in vain he cried and knockedupon the wreck of the old table, which fell to piecesbeneath his fist; nobody came.

D'Artagnan was preparing to go and seek the cabaretierhimself, to force him to a definite explanation, when thedoor of the court in which he was with Raoul, a door whichcommunicated with the garden situated at the back, opened,and a man dressed as a cavalier, with his sword in thesheath, but not at his belt, crossed the court withoutclosing the door; and having cast an oblique glance atD'Artagnan and his companion, directed his course towardsthe cabaret itself, looking about in all directions with hiseyes capable of piercing walls of consciences. "Humph!" saidD'Artagnan, "my tenants are communicating. That, no doubt,now, is some amateur in hanging matters." At the same momentthe cries and disturbance in the upper chambers ceased.Silence, under such circumstances, surprises more than atwofold increase of noise. D'Artagnan wished to see what wasthe cause of this sudden silence. He then perceived thatthis man, dressed as a cavalier, had just entered theprincipal chamber, and was haranguing the tipplers, who alllistened to him with the greatest attention. D'Artagnanwould perhaps have heard his speech but for the dominantnoise of the popular clamors, which made a formidableaccompaniment to the harangue of the orator. But it was soonfinished, and all the people the cabaret contained came out,one after the other, in little groups, so that there onlyremained six in the chamber; one of these six, the man withthe sword, took the cabaretier aside, engaging him indiscourse more or less serious, whilst the others lit agreat fire in the chimney-place - a circumstance renderedstrange by the fine weather and the heat.

"It is very singular," said D'Artagnan to Raoul, "but Ithink I know those faces yonder."

"Don't you think you can smell the smoke here?" said Raoul

"I rather think I can smell a conspiracy," repliedD'Artagnan.

He had not finished speaking, when four of these men camedown into the court, and without the appearance of any baddesign, mounted guard at the door of communication, casting,at intervals, glances at D'Artagnan, which signified manythings.

"Mordioux!" said D'Artagnan, in a low voice, "there issomething going on. Are you curious, Raoul?"

"According to the subject, chevalier."

"Well, I am as curious as an old woman. Come a little morein front; we shall get a better view of the place. I wouldlay a wager that view will be something curious."

"But you know, monsieur le chevalier, that I am not willingto become a passive and indifferent spectator of the deathof the two poor devils."

"And I, then - do you think I am a savage? We will go inagain, when it is time to do so. Come along!" And they madetheir way towards the front of the house, and placedthemselves near the window which, still more strangely thanthe rest, remained unoccupied. The two last drinkers,instead of looking out at this window, kept up the fire. Onseeing D'Artagnan and his friend enter: - "Ah! ah! areinforcement," murmured they.

D'Artagnan jogged Raoul's elbow. "Yes, my braves, areinforcement," said he; "cordieu! there is a famous fire.Whom are you going to cook?"

The two men uttered a shout of jovial laughter, and, insteadof answering, threw on more wood. D'Artagnan could not takehis eyes off them.

"I suppose," said one of the fire-makers, "they sent you totell us the time - did not they?"

"Without doubt they have," said D'Artagnan, anxious to knowwhat was going on; "why should I be here else, if it werenot for that?"

"Then place yourself at the window, if you please, andobserve." D'Artagnan smiled in his mustache, made a sign toRaoul, and placed himself at the window.