“Ah,” said Madame Bonacieux, in a tone of reproach—“ah, sir, I had the promise of a soldier and the word of a gentleman. I thought I might have depended upon them!”

“And I, madame!” said D’Artagnan, embarrassed; “you promised me—”

“Take my arm, madame,” said the stranger, “and let us proceed on our way.”

D’Artagnan, however, stupefied, cast down, annihilated by all that had happened, stood, with his arms crossed, before the musketeer and Madame Bonacieux.

The musketeer advanced a step or two and pushed D’Artagnan aside with his hand.

D’Artagnan made a spring backwards, and drew his sword.

At the same time, and with the rapidity of lightning, the unknown drew his.

“In the name of Heaven, milord!” cried Madame Bonacieux, throwing herself between the combatants, and seizing the swords with her hands.

“Milord!” cried D’Artagnan, enlightened by a sudden idea—“milord! Pardon me, sir, but are you not—”

“Milord, the Duke of Buckingham!” said Madame Bonacieux in an undertone; “and now you may ruin us all.”

“Milord—madame—I ask a hundred pardons. But I love her, milord, and was jealous. You know what it is to love, milord. Pardon me, and then tell me how I can risk my life to serve your grace.”

“You are a good young man!” said Buckingham, holding out his hand to D’Artagnan, who pressed it respectfully. “You offer me your services; I accept them. Follow us at a distance of twenty paces to the Louvre, and if any one watches us, slay him!”

D’Artagnan placed his naked sword under his arm, allowed the duke and Madame Bonacieux to proceed twenty steps, and then followed them, ready to carry out to the letter the instructions of the noble and elegant minister of Charles I.

But fortunately the young seid had no opportunity to give the duke this proof of his devotion, and the young woman and the handsome musketeer entered the Louvre by the wicket of L’Echelle without any interference.

As for D’Artagnan, he immediately repaired to the tavern of the Pomme de Pin, where he found Porthos and Aramis, who were waiting for him. But, without giving them any explanation of the inconvenience he had caused them, he told them that he had himself terminated the affair in which he had thought for a moment he should need their assistance.

And now, carried away as we are by our story, we must leave our three friends to return each to his own home, and follow the Duke of Buckingham and his guide through the windings of the Louvre.