The Forty-Five Guardsmen. Dumas Alexandre

carefully cut.

      "Follow me," said De Loignac, without looking at it, "and your companions, if you have any. We will verify the admissions."

      The Gascon obeyed, and five other gentlemen followed him. The first was adorned with a magnificent cuirass, so marvelous in its work that it seemed as if it had come out of the hands of Benvenuto Cellini. However, as the make of this cuirass was somewhat old-fashioned, its magnificence attracted more laughter than admiration; and it is true that no other part of the costume of the individual in question corresponded with this magnificence. The second, who was lame, was followed by a gray-headed lackey, who looked like the precursor of Sancho Panza, as his master did of Don Quixote. The third carried a child of ten months old in his arms, and was followed by a woman, who kept a tight grasp of his leathern belt, while two other children, one four and the other five years old, held by her dress.

      The fourth was attached to an enormous sword, and the fifth, who closed the troop, was a handsome young man, mounted on a black horse. He looked like a king by the side of the others. Forced to regulate his pace by those who preceded him, he was advancing slowly, when he felt a sudden pull at the scabbard of his sword; he turned round, and saw that it had been done by a slight and graceful young man with black hair and sparkling eyes.

      "What do you desire, monsieur?" said the cavalier.

      "A favor, monsieur."

      "Speak; but quickly, I pray you, for I am waited for."

      "I desire to enter into the city, monsieur; an imperious necessity demands my presence there. You, on your part, are alone, and want a page to do justice to your appearance."

      "Well?"

      "Take me in, and I will be your page."

      "Thank you; but I do not wish to be served by any one."

      "Not even by me," said the young man, with such a strange glance, that the cavalier felt the icy reserve in which he had tried to close his heart melting away.

      "I meant to say that I could be served by no one," said he.

      "Yes, I know you are not rich, M. Ernanton de Carmainges," said the young page. The cavalier started, but the lad went on, "therefore I do not speak of wages; it is you, on the contrary, who, if you grant what I ask, shall be paid a hundred-fold for the service you will render me; let me enter with you, then, I beg, remembering that he who now begs, has often commanded." Then, turning to the group of which we have already spoken, the lad said, "I shall pass; that is the most important thing; but you, Mayneville, try to do so also if possible."

      "It is not everything that you should pass," replied Mayneville; "it is necessary that he should see you."

      "Make yourself easy; once I am through, he shall see me."

      "Do not forget the sign agreed upon."

      "Two fingers on the mouth, is it not?"

      "Yes; success attend you."

      "Well, monsieur page," said the man on the black horse, "are you ready?"

      "Here I am," replied he, jumping lightly on the horse, behind the cavalier, who immediately joined his friends who were occupied in exhibiting their cards and proving their right to enter.

      "Ventre de Biche!" said Robert Briquet; "what an arrival of Gascons!"

      CHAPTER III.

      THE EXAMINATION

      The process of examination consisted in comparing the half card with another half in the possession of the officer.

      The Gascon with the bare head advanced first.

      "Your name?" said De Loignac.

      "It is on the card."

      "Never mind; tell it to me."

      "Well, I am called Perducas de Pincornay."

      Then, throwing his eyes on the card. M. de Loignac read. "Perducas de Pincornay, 26 October, 1585, at noon precisely. Porte St. Antoine."

      "Very good; it is all right," said he, "enter. Now for you," said he to the second.

      The man with the cuirass advanced.

      "Your card?" said De Loignac.

      "What! M. de Loignac, do you not know the son of your old friend, whom you have danced twenty times on your knee?" – "No."

      "I am Pertinax de Montcrabeau," replied the young man, with astonishment. "Do you not know me now?"

      "When I am on service, I know no one. Your card, monsieur?"

      He held it out. "All right! pass," said De Loignac.

      The third now approached, whose card was demanded in the same terms. The man plunged his hand into a little goatskin pouch which he wore, but in vain; he was so embarrassed by the child in his arms, that he could not find it.

      "What the devil are you doing with that child?" asked De Loignac.

      "He is my son, monsieur."

      "Well; put your son down. You are married, then?" – "Yes, monsieur."

      "At twenty?"

      "They marry young among us; you ought to know that, M. de Loignac, who were married at eighteen."

      "Oh!" thought De Loignac, "here is another who knows me."

      "And why should he not be married?" cried the woman advancing. "Yes, monsieur, he is married, and here are two other children who call him father, besides this great lad behind. Advance, Militor, and bow to M. de Loignac."

      A lad of sixteen, vigorous and agile, with an incipient mustache, stepped forward.

      "They are my wife's sons, monsieur."

      "In Heaven's name, your card!" cried De Loignac.

      "Lardille!" cried the Gascon to his wife, "come and help me."

      Lardille searched the pouch and pockets of her husband, but uselessly. "We must have lost it!" she cried.

      "Then I arrest you."

      The man turned pale, but said, "I am Eustache de Miradoux, and M. de St. Maline is my patron."

      "Oh!" said De Loignac, a little mollified at this name, "well, search again."

      They turned to their pockets again, and began to re-examine them.

      "Why, what do I see there, on the sleeve of that blockhead?" said De Loignac.

      "Yes, yes!" cried the father. "I remember, now, Lardille sewed it on."

      "That you might carry something, I suppose, you great lazy fellow."

      The card was looked at and found all right, and the family passed on in the same order as before.

      The fourth man advanced and gave his name as Chalabre. It was found correct, and he also entered.

      Then came M. de Carmainges. He got off his horse and presented his card, while the page hid his face by pretending to adjust the saddle.

      "The page belongs to you?" asked De Loignac.

      "You see, he is attending to my horse."

      "Pass, then."

      "Quick, my master," said the page.

      Behind these men the door was closed, much to the discontent of the crowd. Robert Briquet, meanwhile, had drawn near to the porter's lodge, which had two windows, one looking toward Paris and the other into the country. From this post he saw a man, who, coming from Paris at full gallop, entered the lodge and said, "Here I am, M. de Loignac."

      "Good. Where do you come from?"

      "From the Porte St. Victor."

      "Your number?" – "Five."

      "The cards?"

      "Here they are."

      De Loignac took them, examined them, and wrote on a slate the number five. The messenger left, and two others appeared, almost immediately. One came from the Porte Bourdelle, and brought the number four, the other from the Porte du Temple, and announced six. Then came four others. The first from