al and seated in his handsome saddle. I am sure he will look like
the Great Mogul!"

They made a halt for an hour to refresh their horses. Aramis discharged
his bill, placed Bazin in the cart with his comrades, and they set
forward to join Porthos.

They found him up, less pale than when d'Artagnan left him after his
first visit, and seated at a table on which, though he was alone, was
spread enough for four persons. This dinner consisted of meats nicely
dressed, choice wines, and superb fruit.

"Ah, PARDIEU!" said he, rising, "you come in the nick of time,
gentlemen. I was just beginning the soup, and you will dine with me."

"Oh, oh!" said d'Artagnan, "Mousqueton has not caught these bottles with
his lasso. Besides, here is a piquant FRICANDEAU and a fillet of beef."

"I am recruiting myself," said Porthos, "I am recruiting myself. Nothing
weakens a man more than these devilish strains. Did you ever suffer from
a strain, Athos?"

"Never! Though I remember, in our affair of the Rue Ferou, I received
a sword wound which at the end of fifteen or eighteen days produced the
same effect."

"But this dinner was not intended for you alone, Porthos?" said Aramis.

"No," said Porthos, "I expected some gentlemen of the neighborhood, who
have just sent me word they could not come. You will take their places
and I shall not lose by the exchange. HOLA, Mousqueton, seats, and order
double the bottles!"

"Do you know what we are eating here?" said Athos, at the end of ten
minutes.

"PARDIEU!" replied d'Artagnan, "for my part, I am eating veal garnished
with shrimps and vegetables."

"And I some lamb chops," said Porthos.

"And I a plain chicken," said Aramis.

"You are all mistaken, gentlemen," answered Athos, gravely; "you are
eating horse."

"Eating what?" said d'Artagnan.

"Horse!" said Aramis, with a grimace of disgust.

Porthos alone made no reply.

"Yes, horse. Are we not eating a horse, Porthos? And perhaps his saddle,
therewith."

"No, gentlemen, I have kept the harness," said Porthos.

"My faith," said Aramis, "we are all alike. One would think we had
tipped the wink."

"What could I do?" said Porthos. "This horse made my visitors ashamed of
theirs, and I don't like to humiliate people."

"Then your duchess is still at the waters?" asked d'Artagnan.

"Still," replied Porthos. "And, my faith, the governor of the
province--one of the gentlemen I expected today--seemed to have such a
wish for him,