And who?" asked M. de Treville.

"He, my thief!" replied d'Artagnan. "Ah, the traitor!" and he
disappeared.

"The devil take the madman!" murmured M. de Treville, "unless," added
he, "this is a cunning mode of escaping, seeing that he had failed in
his purpose!"

4 THE SHOULDER OF ATHOS, THE BALDRIC OF PORTHOS AND THE HANDKERCHIEF OF
ARAMIS

D'Artagnan, in a state of fury, crossed the antechamber at three bounds,
and was darting toward the stairs, which he reckoned upon descending
four at a time, when, in his heedless course, he ran head foremost
against a Musketeer who was coming out of one of M. de Treville's
private rooms, and striking his shoulder violently, made him utter a
cry, or rather a howl.

"Excuse me," said d'Artagnan, endeavoring to resume his course, "excuse
me, but I am in a hurry."

Scarcely had he descended the first stair, when a hand of iron seized
him by the belt and stopped him.

"You are in a hurry?" said the Musketeer, as pale as a sheet. "Under
that pretense you run against me! You say. 'Excuse me,' and you believe
that is sufficient? Not at all my young man. Do you fancy because you
have heard Monsieur de Treville speak to us a little cavalierly
today that other people are to treat us as he speaks to us? Undeceive
yourself, comrade, you are not Monsieur de Treville."

"My faith!" replied d'Artagnan, recognizing Athos, who, after the
dressing performed by the doctor, was returning to his own apartment.
"I did not do it intentionally, and not doing it intentionally, I said
'Excuse me.' It appears to me that this is quite enough. I repeat to
you, however, and this time on my word of honor--I think perhaps too
often--that I am in haste, great haste. Leave your hold, then, I beg of
you, and let me go where my business calls me."

"Monsieur," said Athos, letting him go, "you are not polite; it is easy
to perceive that you come from a distance."

D'Artagnan had already strode down three or four stairs, but at Athos's
last remark he stopped short.

"MORBLEU, monsieur!" said he, "however far I may come, it is not you who
can give me a lesson in good manners, I warn you."

"Perhaps," said Athos.

"Ah! If I were not in such haste, and if I were not running after
someone," said d'Artagnan.

"Monsieur Man-in-a-hurry, you can find me without running--ME, you
understand?"

"And where, I pray you?"

"Near the Carmes-Deschaux."

"At what hour?"

"About noon."

"About noon? That