and death," as the ancient poet says, "reigned as
over a field of battle."

Of fifty large sausages, suspended from the joists, scarcely ten
remained.

Then the lamentations of the host and hostess pierced the vault of the
cellar. D'Artagnan himself was moved by them. Athos did not even turn
his head.

To grief succeeded rage. The host armed himself with a spit, and rushed
into the chamber occupied by the two friends.

"Some wine!" said Athos, on perceiving the host.

"Some wine!" cried the stupefied host, "some wine? Why you have
drunk more than a hundred pistoles' worth! I am a ruined man, lost,
destroyed!"

"Bah," said Athos, "we were always dry."

"If you had been contented with drinking, well and good; but you have
broken all the bottles."

"You pushed me upon a heap which rolled down. That was your fault."

"All my oil is lost!"

"Oil is a sovereign balm for wounds; and my poor Grimaud here was
obliged to dress those you had inflicted on him."

"All my sausages are gnawed!"

"There is an enormous quantity of rats in that cellar."

"You shall pay me for all this," cried the exasperated host.

"Triple ass!" said Athos, rising; but he sank down again immediately. He
had tried his strength to the utmost. d'Artagnan came to his relief with
his whip in his hand.

The host drew back and burst into tears.

"This will teach you," said d'Artagnan, "to treat the guests God sends
you in a more courteous fashion."

"God? Say the devil!"

"My dear friend," said d'Artagnan, "if you annoy us in this manner we
will all four go and shut ourselves up in your cellar, and we will see
if the mischief is as great as you say."

"Oh, gentlemen," said the host, "I have been wrong. I confess it, but
pardon to every sin! You are gentlemen, and I am a poor innkeeper. You
will have pity on me."

"Ah, if you speak in that way," said Athos, "you will break my heart,
and the tears will flow from my eyes as the wine flowed from the cask.
We are not such devils as we appear to be. Come hither, and let us
talk."

The host approached with hesitation.

"Come hither, I say, and don't be afraid," continued Athos. "At the very
moment when I was about to pay you, I had placed my purse on the table."

"Yes, monsieur."

"That purse contained sixty pistoles; where is it?"

"Deposited with the justice; they said it was bad money."

"Very well; get me my purse back and keep the sixty pistoles."

"But Monseigneur knows very