“Advance, gentlemen,” said the cardinal.

“You have told me the truth, gentlemen,” said he, addressing the three musketeers, “and it will not be my fault if our meeting this evening be not advantageous to you; meanwhile follow me.”

The cardinal alighted; the three musketeers followed his example. The cardinal threw the bridle of his horse to his attendant; the three musketeers fastened their horses to the shutters.

The landlord stood at the door; for him, the cardinal was only an officer coming to visit a lady.

“Have you a room on the ground floor where these gentlemen can wait, near a good fire?” the cardinal asked.

The landlord opened the door of a large room, in which a poor stove had just been replaced by a large and excellent fireplace.

“I have this, sir,” said he.

“That will do,” replied the cardinal.—“Come in, gentlemen, and be kind enough to wait for me; I shall not be more than half an hour.”

And while the three musketeers were going into the ground-floor room, the cardinal, without asking further information, mounted the staircase like a man who has no need of his way being pointed out to him.