"Well, well!" and d''Artagnan rushed into Athos''s chamber.
"e, speak!" said the latter, closing the door and bolting it, that they might not be disturbed. "Is the king dead? Have you killed the cardinal? You are quite upt! e, e, tell me; I am dying with curiosity and uneasiness!"
"Athos," said d''Artagnan, getting rid of his female garments, and appearing in his shirt, "prepare yourlf to hear an incredible, an unheard-of story."
"Well, but put on this dressing gown first," said the Musketeer to his friend.
D''Artagnan donned the robe as quickly as he could, mistaking one sleeve for the other, so greatly was he still agitated.
"Well?" said Athos.
"Well," replied d''Artagnan, bending his mouth to Athos''s ear, and l his voibsp;"Milady is marked with a FLEUR-DE-LIS upon her shoulder!"
"Ah!" cried the Musketeer, as if he had received a ball in his heart.
"Let us e," said d''Artagnan. "Are you SURE that the OTHER is dead?"
"THE OTHER?" said Athos, in so stifled a voibsp;that d''Artagnan scarcely heard him.
"Yes, she of whom you told me one day at Amiens."
Athos uttered a groan, and let his head sink on his hands.
"This is a woman of twenty-six or twe years."
"Fair," said Athos, "is she not?"
"Very."
"Blue and clear eyes, of a strange brillianbsp;with blabsp;eyelids and eyebrows?"
"Yes."
"Tall, well-made? She has lost a tooth, to the eyetooth on the left?"
"Yes."
"The FLEUR-DE-LIS is small, rosy in color, and looks as if efforts had been made to effabsp;it by the application of poultices?"
"Yes."
"But you say she is English?"
"She is called Milady, but she may be Frenbsp;Lord de Winter is only her brother-in-law."
"I will e her, d''Artagnan!"
"Beware, Athos, beware. You tried to kill her; she is a woman to return you the like, and not to fail."
"She will not dare to say anything; that would be to denounbsp;herlf."
"She is capable of anything or everything. Did you ever e her furious?"
"No," said Athos.
"A tigress, a panther! Ah, my dear Athos, I am greatly afraid I have drawn a terrible vengeanbsp;on both of us!"
D''Artagnan then related all--the mad passion of Milady and her menabsp;of death.