king, you scoundrel!" said Athos, rising upon his elbow,
and transfixing Grimaud with his flaming look.

Grimaud therefore added nothing to his speech, but contented himself
with pointing his index finger in the direction of the hedge, announcing
by this gesture the cardinal and his escort.

With a single bound the Musketeers were on their feet, and saluted with
respect.

The cardinal seemed furious.

"It appears that Messieurs the Musketeers keep guard," said he. "Are
the English expected by land, or do the Musketeers consider themselves
superior officers?"

"Monseigneur," replied Athos, for amid the general fright he alone
had preserved the noble calmness and coolness that never forsook him,
"Monseigneur, the Musketeers, when they are not on duty, or when their
duty is over, drink and play at dice, and they are certainly superior
officers to their lackeys."

"Lackeys?" grumbled the cardinal. "Lackeys who have the order to warn
their masters when anyone passes are not lackeys, they are sentinels."

"Your Eminence may perceive that if we had not taken this precaution, we
should have been exposed to allowing you to pass without presenting you
our respects or offering you our thanks for the favor you have done us
in uniting us. D'Artagnan," continued Athos, "you, who but lately were
so anxious for such an opportunity for expressing your gratitude to
Monseigneur, here it is; avail yourself of it."

These words were pronounced with that imperturbable phlegm which
distinguished Athos in the hour of danger, and with that excessive
politeness which made of him at certain moments a king more majestic
than kings by birth.

D'Artagnan came forward and stammered out a few words of gratitude which
soon expired under the gloomy looks of the cardinal.

"It does not signify, gentlemen," continued the cardinal, without
appearing to be in the least swerved from his first intention by the
diversion which Athos had started, "it does not signify, gentlemen. I
do not like to have simple soldiers, because they have the advantage of
serving in a privileged corps, thus to play the great lords; discipline
is the same for them as for everybody else."

Athos allowed the cardinal to finish his sentence completely, and
bowed in sign of assent. Then he resumed in his turn: "Discipline,
Monseigneur, has, I hope, in no way been forgotten by us. We are not
on duty, and we believed that not being on duty we were at liberty to
dispose of ou