ime d'Artagnan was only in part
mistaken; he himself was not in question, but his horse was. The
gentleman appeared to be enumerating all his qualities to his auditors;
and, as I have said, the auditors seeming to have great deference for
the narrator, they every moment burst into fits of laughter. Now, as a
half-smile was sufficient to awaken the irascibility of the young man,
the effect produced upon him by this vociferous mirth may be easily
imagined.

Nevertheless, d'Artagnan was desirous of examining the appearance of
this impertinent personage who ridiculed him. He fixed his haughty eye
upon the stranger, and perceived a man of from forty to forty-five years
of age, with black and piercing eyes, pale complexion, a strongly marked
nose, and a black and well-shaped mustache. He was dressed in a doublet
and hose of a violet color, with aiguillettes of the same color, without
any other ornaments than the customary slashes, through which the
shirt appeared. This doublet and hose, though new, were creased, like
traveling clothes for a long time packed in a portmanteau. d'Artagnan
made all these remarks with the rapidity of a most minute observer, and
doubtless from an instinctive feeling that this stranger was destined to
have a great influence over his future life.

Now, as at the moment in which d'Artagnan fixed his eyes upon the
gentleman in the violet doublet, the gentleman made one of his most
knowing and profound remarks respecting the Bearnese pony, his two
auditors laughed even louder than before, and he himself, though
contrary to his custom, allowed a pale smile (if I may allowed to use
such an expression) to stray over his countenance. This time there
could be no doubt; d'Artagnan was really insulted. Full, then, of this
conviction, he pulled his cap down over his eyes, and endeavoring to
copy some of the court airs he had picked up in Gascony among young
traveling nobles, he advanced with one hand on the hilt of his sword and
the other resting on his hip. Unfortunately, as he advanced, his anger
increased at every step; and instead of the proper and lofty speech he
had prepared as a prelude to his challenge, he found nothing at the
tip of his tongue but a gross personality, which he accompanied with a
furious gesture.

"I say, sir, you sir, who are hiding yourself behind that shutter--yes,
you, sir, tell me what you are laughing at, and we will laugh together!"

The gentleman raised his eyes slowly from