ious spasm which tortures and caresses the
hearts of lovers.

It was the first billet he had received; it was the first rendezvous
that had been granted him. His heart, swelled by the intoxication of
joy, felt ready to dissolve away at the very gate of that terrestrial
paradise called Love!

"Well, monsieur," said Planchet, who had observed his master grow
red and pale successively, "did I not guess truly? Is it not some bad
affair?"

"You are mistaken, Planchet," replied d'Artagnan; "and as a proof, there
is a crown to drink my health."

"I am much obliged to Monsieur for the crown he had given me, and I
promise him to follow his instructions exactly; but it is not the less
true that letters which come in this way into shut-up houses--"

"Fall from heaven, my friend, fall from heaven."

"Then Monsieur is satisfied?" asked Planchet.

"My dear Planchet, I am the happiest of men!"

"And I may profit by Monsieur's happiness, and go to bed?"

"Yes, go."

"May the blessings of heaven fall upon Monsieur! But it is not the less
true that that letter--"

And Planchet retired, shaking his head with an air of doubt, which the
liberality of d'Artagnan had not entirely effaced.

Left alone, d'Artagnan read and reread his billet. Then he kissed and
rekissed twenty times the lines traced by the hand of his beautiful
mistress. At length he went to bed, fell asleep, and had golden dreams.

At seven o'clock in the morning he arose and called Planchet, who at the
second summons opened the door, his countenance not yet quite freed from
the anxiety of the preceding night.

"Planchet," said d'Artagnan, "I am going out for all day, perhaps. You
are, therefore, your own master till seven o'clock in the evening; but
at seven o'clock you must hold yourself in readiness with two horses."

"There!" said Planchet. "We are going again, it appears, to have our
hides pierced in all sorts of ways."

"You will take your musketoon and your pistols."

"There, now! Didn't I say so?" cried Planchet. "I was sure of it--the
cursed letter!"

"Don't be afraid, you idiot; there is nothing in hand but a party of
pleasure."

"Ah, like the charming journey the other day, when it rained bullets and
produced a crop of steel traps!"

"Well, if you are really afraid, Monsieur Planchet," resumed d'Artagnan,
"I will go without you. I prefer traveling alone to having a companion
who entertains the least fear."

"Monsieur does me wrong," said P