is companion: "There is the signal," added he; and he immediately
applied the burning brand to the wainscoting. Now, this cabaret of the
Image-de-Notre-Dame was not a very newly-built house, and therefore did
not require much entreating to take fire. In a second the boards began
to crackle, and the flames arose sparkling to the ceiling. A howling
from without replied to the shouts of the incendiaries. D'Artagnan, who
had not seen what passed, from being engaged at the window, felt, at the
same time, the smoke which choked him and the fire that scorched him.
"Hola!" cried he, turning round, "is the fire here? Are you drunk or
mad, my masters?"

The two men looked at each other with an air of astonishment. "In what?"
asked they of D'Artagnan; "was it not a thing agreed upon?"

"A thing agreed upon that you should burn my house!" vociferated
D'Artagnan, snatching the brand from the hand of the incendiary, and
striking him with it across the face. The second wanted to assist his
comrade, but Raoul, seizing him by the middle, threw him out of the
window, whilst D'Artagnan pushed his man down the stairs. Raoul, first
disengaged, tore the burning wainscoting down, and threw it flaming into
the chamber. At a glance D'Artagnan saw there was nothing to be feared
from the fire, and sprang to the window. The disorder was at its height.
The air was filled with simultaneous cries of "To the fire!" "To the
death!" "To the halter!" "To the stake!" "Vive Colbert!" "Vive le roi!"
The group which had forced the culprits from the hands of the archers
had drawn close to the house, which appeared to be the goal towards
which they dragged them. Menneville was at the head of this group,
shouting louder than all the others, "To the fire! to the fire! Vive
Colbert!" D'Artagnan began to comprehend what was meant. They wanted to
burn the condemned, and his house was to serve as a funeral pile.

"Halt, there!" cried he, sword in hand, and one foot upon the window.
"Menneville, what do you want to do?"

"Monsieur d'Artagnan," cried the latter; "give way, give way!"

"To the fire! to the fire with the thieves! Vive Colbert!"

These cries exasperated D'Artagnan. "Mordioux!" said he. "What! burn the
poor devils who are only condemned to be hung? that is infamous!"

Before the door, however, the mass of anxious spectators, rolled
back against the walls, had become more thick, and closed up the way.
Menneville and his men, who were dragging along t