I left his house--"

Here Aramis paused.

"Well," cried his auditors; "at the moment you left his house?"

Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, in the
full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by some unforeseen
obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions were fixed upon him,
their ears were wide open, and there were no means of retreat.

"This doctor has a niece," continued Aramis.

"Ah, he has a niece!" interrupted Porthos.

"A very respectable lady," said Aramis.

The three friends burst into laughter.

"Ah, if you laugh, if you doubt me," replied Aramis, "you shall know
nothing."

"We believe like Mohammedans, and are as mute as tombstones," said
Athos.

"I will continue, then," resumed Aramis. "This niece comes sometimes to
see her uncle; and by chance was there yesterday at the same time that I
was, and it was my duty to offer to conduct her to her carriage."

"Ah! She has a carriage, then, this niece of the doctor?" interrupted
Porthos, one of whose faults was a great looseness of tongue. "A nice
acquaintance, my friend!"

"Porthos," replied Aramis, "I have had the occasion to observe to you
more than once that you are very indiscreet; and that is injurious to
you among the women."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," cried d'Artagnan, who began to get a glimpse of
the result of the adventure, "the thing is serious. Let us try not to
jest, if we can. Go on Aramis, go on."

"All at once, a tall, dark gentleman--just like yours, d'Artagnan."

"The same, perhaps," said he.

"Possibly," continued Aramis, "came toward me, accompanied by five or
six men who followed about ten paces behind him; and in the politest
tone, 'Monsieur Duke,' said he to me, 'and you madame,' continued he,
addressing the lady on my arm--"

"The doctor's niece?"

"Hold your tongue, Porthos," said Athos; "you are insupportable."

"'--will you enter this carriage, and that without offering the least
resistance, without making the least noise?'"

"He took you for Buckingham!" cried d'Artagnan.

"I believe so," replied Aramis.

"But the lady?" asked Porthos.

"He took her for the queen!" said d'Artagnan.

"Just so," replied Aramis.

"The Gascon is the devil!" cried Athos; "nothing escapes him."

"The fact is," said Porthos, "Aramis is of the same height, and
something of the shape of the duke; but it nevertheless appears to me
that the dress of a Musketeer--"

"I wore an enormous cloa