“Ah!” he cried, “by Jove! you’re welcome, sirs.  You are coming to sup with me, are you not?  Boisgoli, tell Noirmont that I have two guests.  You know Noirmont, do you not?  The successor of Father Marteau who makes the excellent pies you know of.  Boisgoli, let him send one of his best, but not such a one as he made for La Ramee.  Thank God! we don’t want either rope ladders or gag-pears now.”

“My lord,” said Athos, “do not let us disturb you.  We came merely to inquire after your health and to take your orders.”

“As to my health, since it has stood five years of prison, with Monsieur de Chavigny to boot, ’tis excellent!  As to my orders, since every one gives his own commands in our party, I shall end, if this goes on, by giving none at all.”

“In short, my lord,” said Athos, glancing at Aramis, “your highness is discontented with your party?”

“Discontented, sir! say my highness is furious!  To such a degree, I assure you, though I would not say so to others, that if the queen, acknowledging the injuries she has done me, would recall my mother and give me the reversion of the admiralty, which belonged to my father and was promised me at his death, well! it would not be long before I should be training dogs to say that there were greater traitors in France than the Cardinal Mazarin!”

At this Athos and Aramis could not help exchanging not only a look but a smile; and had they not known it for a fact, this would have told them that De Chatillon and De Flamarens had been there.

“My lord,” said Athos, “we are satisfied; we came here only to express our loyalty and to say that we are at your lordship’s service and his most faithful servants.”

“My most faithful friends, gentlemen, my most faithful friends; you have proved it.  And if ever I am reconciled with the court I shall prove to you, I hope, that I remain your friend, as well as that of —­ what the devil are their names —­ D’Artagnan and Porthos?”

“D’Artagnan and Porthos.”

“Ah, yes.  You understand, then, Comte de la Fere, you understand, Chevalier d’Herblay, that I am altogether and always at your service.”

Athos and Aramis bowed and went out.

“My dear Athos,” cried Aramis, “I think you consented to accompany me only to give me a lesson —­ God forgive me!”

“Wait a little, Aramis; it will be time for you to perceive my motive when we have paid our visit to the coadjutor.”

“Let us then go to the archiepiscopal palace,” said Aramis.

They directed their horses to the city.  On arriving at the cradle from which Paris sprang they found it inundated with water, and it was again necessary to take a boat.  The palace rose from the bosom of the water, and to see the number of boats around it one would have fancied one’s self not in Paris, but in Venice.  Some of these boats were dark and mysterious, others noisy and lighted up with torches.  The friends slid in through this congestion of embarkation and landed in their turn.  The palace was surrounded with water, but a kind of staircase had been fixed to the lower walls; and the only difference was, that instead of entering by the doors, people entered by the windows.