ted, of the accurate address,
and set off at a run. Hardly, however, had he taken ten steps before he
returned.

"Young man," said he to d'Artagnan, "a suggestion."

"What?"

"You may get into trouble by what has taken place."

"You believe so?"

"Yes. Have you any friend whose clock is too slow?"

"Well?"

"Go and call upon him, in order that he may give evidence of your having
been with him at half past nine. In a court of justice that is called an
alibi."

D'Artagnan found his advice prudent. He took to his heels, and was soon
at M. de Treville's; but instead of going into the saloon with the rest
of the crowd, he asked to be introduced to M. de Treville's office. As
d'Artagnan so constantly frequented the hotel, no difficulty was made in
complying with his request, and a servant went to inform M. de Treville
that his young compatriot, having something important to communicate,
solicited a private audience. Five minutes after, M. de Treville was
asking d'Artagnan what he could do to serve him, and what caused his
visit at so late an hour.

"Pardon me, monsieur," said d'Artagnan, who had profited by the moment
he had been left alone to put back M. de Treville's clock three-quarters
of an hour, "but I thought, as it was yet only twenty-five minutes past
nine, it was not too late to wait upon you."

"Twenty-five minutes past nine!" cried M. de Treville, looking at the
clock; "why, that's impossible!"

"Look, rather, monsieur," said d'Artagnan, "the clock shows it."

"That's true," said M. de Treville; "I believed it later. But what can I
do for you?"

Then d'Artagnan told M. de Treville a long history about the queen. He
expressed to him the fears he entertained with respect to her Majesty;
he related to him what he had heard of the projects of the cardinal with
regard to Buckingham, and all with a tranquillity and candor of which M.
de Treville was the more the dupe, from having himself, as we have said,
observed something fresh between the cardinal, the king, and the queen.

As ten o'clock was striking, d'Artagnan left M. de Treville, who thanked
him for his information, recommended him to have the service of the king
and queen always at heart, and returned to the saloon; but at the foot
of the stairs, d'Artagnan remembered he had forgotten his cane. He
consequently sprang up again, re-entered the office, with a turn of his
finger set the clock right again, that it might not be perceived the
next da