Part 163 (1/2)

”You see, then,” said Athos, ”there is a God in heaven still!”

64 THE MAN IN THE RED CLOAK

The despair of Athos had given place to a concentrated grief which only rendered more lucid the brilliant mental faculties of that extraordinary ht--that of the promise he had made, and of the responsibility he had taken--he retired last to his chaed the host to procure him a map of the province, bent over it, examined every line traced upon it, perceived that there were four different roads from Bethune to Armentieres, and summoned the lackeys

Planchet, Grimaud, Bazin, and Mousqueton presented themselves, and received clear, positive, and serious orders fro at daybreak, and go to Armentieres--each by a different route Planchet, the ent of the four, was to follow that by which the carriage had gone upon which the four friends had fired, and which was accompanied, as may be remembered, by Rochefort's servant

Athos set the lackeys to work first because, since these men had been in the service of himself and his friends he had discovered in each of them different and essential qualities Then, lackeys who ask questions inspire lessthose to whom they address themselves Besides, Milady knew the masters, and did not know the lackeys; on the contrary, the lackeys knew Milady perfectly

All four were to meet the next day at eleven o'clock If they had discovered Milady's retreat, three were to reuard; the fourth was to return to Bethune in order to inforements made, the lackeys retired

Athos then arose froirded on his sword, enveloped himself in his cloak, and left the hotel It was nearly ten o'clock At ten o'clock in the evening, it is well known, the streets in provincial towns are very little frequented Athos nevertheless was visibly anxious to find soth he er, went up to him, and spoke a feords to him The man he addressed recoiled with terror, and only answered the feords of the Musketeer by pointing Athos offered the man half a pistole to accoed into the street theat four crossroads, he stopped again, visibly embarrassed Nevertheless, as the crossroads offered hi soht watch passed Athos repeated to him the saht watch evinced the same terror, refused, in his turn, to accompany Athos, and only pointed with his hand to the road he was to take

Athos walked in the direction indicated, and reached the suburb situated at the opposite extremity of the city froain appeared uneasy and embarrassed, and stopped for the third ti up to Athos to ask charity, Athos offered hi The ht of the piece of silver which shone in the darkness he consented, and walked on before Athos

Arrived at the angle of a street, he pointed to a small house, isolated, solitary, and dismal Athos went toward the house, while the mendicant, who had received his reward, left as fast as his legs could carry hiuish the door, aht appeared through the chinks of the shutters; no noise gave reason to believe that it was inhabited It was dark and silent as the to an answer At the third knock, however, steps were heard inside The door at length was opened, and a h stature, pale coed son to the Musketeer that he ht come in Athos immediately profited by the permission, and the door was closed behind him

The man whom Athos had come so far to seek, and whom he had found with so much trouble, introduced hiether with iron wire the dry bones of a skeleton All the frame was adjusted except the head, which lay on the table

All the rest of the furniture indicated that the dweller in this house occupied hie bottles filled with serpents, ticketed according to their species; dried lizards shone like ereat squares of black wood, and bunches of wild odoriferous herbs, doubtless possessed of virtues unknown to co down in the corners of the apartment There was no family, no servant; the tall man alone inhabited this house

Athos cast a cold and indifferent glance upon the objects we have described, and at the invitation of him whom he came to seek sat down near him

Then he explained to him the cause of his visit, and the service he required of him But scarcely had he expressed his request when the unknoho rens of terror, and refused Then Athos took from his pocket a small paper, on which two lines ritten, acconature and a seal, and presented thenance The tall nature, and recognized the seal, when he bowed to denote that he had no longer any objection to make, and that he was ready to obey

Athos required no more He arose, boent out, returned by the same way he came, re-entered the hotel, and went to his apartnan entered the chamber, and demanded as to be done

”To wait,” replied Athos

Some minutes after, the superior of the convent sent to inform the Musketeers that the burial would take place at s of her whatever, only that she arden, on the sand of which her footsteps could be traced, and the door of which had been found shut As to the key, it had disappeared

At the hour appointed, Lord de Winter and the four friends repaired to the convent; the bells tolled, the chapel was open, the grating of the choir was closed In the middle of the choir the body of the victim, clothed in her novitiate dress, was exposed On each side of the choir and behind the gratings opening into the convent was assembled the whole community of the Carled their chant with the chant of the priests, without seeing the profane, or being seen by thee fall anew, and returned to look for Athos; but Athos had disappeared

Faithful to his eance, Athos had requested to be conducted to the garden; and there upon the sand following the light steps of this woman, who left sharp tracks wherever she went, he advanced toward the gate which led into the wood, and causing it to be opened, he went out into the forest