ay, and they had nothing
but meat."

"What, no fish to be had in a seaport town?"

"They say," replied Aramis, taking up his book, "that they have all
taken to the deep sea, since the Cardinal built that dike."

"That is not what I was asking," replied Athos. "Were you quite free
and at your ease, or did any one pay attention to you?"

"Oh, nobody paid any attention to me. And if _that_ is your object,
Athos, Parpaillot's will suit us very well."

"Let us go at once then," said Athos, "for these walls are like
paper."

On the way they met Grimaud [the valet of Athos], whom Athos beckoned
silently to follow them. Grimaud, according to his custom, obeyed
without a word. The poor fellow had almost forgotten how to speak!

It did not take them long to reach Parpaillot's, but unluckily the
hour was ill chosen for a private conference. The _reveille_ had just
been sounded, and the sleepy soldiers were all pouring into the inn.
This state of matters delighted the landlord, but was hardly so
agreeable to the four friends, who merely nodded sulkily at the
salutations of the crowd.

"If we are not careful," said Athos, rousing himself, "we shall find
ourselves landed in some quarrel, which would be highly inconvenient
at this moment. D'Artagnan, tell us about your night's work, and then
we will tell you about ours."

"Ah yes," said a light-horse soldier, who was slowly sipping a glass
of brandy, "you were down at the trenches last night, I think, and I
believe you had a brush with the Rochellois."

D'Artagnan looked at Athos, to see if he ought to answer or not.

"My dear fellow," replied Athos, "I don't think you are aware that M.
De Busigny did you the honor to address you! Since these gentlemen are
interested in last night's affair, tell them about it."

"Is it true that you captured a bastion?" asked a Swiss, who had
filled his beer up with rum.

"Yes, monsieur," replied D'Artagnan, "we had that honor. We also
introduced a barrel of powder into a corner, which in exploding opened
a really beautiful breach; and as the bastion was not built yesterday,
the whole building was severely shaken."

"What bastion was it?" said a dragoon, who was holding a goose on the
point of his sword, and cooking it at the fire.

"The Bastion Saint-Gervais," replied D'Artagnan; "the Rochellois
behind it were always annoying our men."

"And there was a good deal of sharp-shooting?"

"A good deal. We lost five men, and the Roche