〃Farewell；〃 said Charles； 〃farewell； my children。 Take them away； Juxon； their tears will deprive me of the courage to die。〃
Juxon led them away； and this time the doors were left open。
Meanwhile； Athos； in his concealment； waited in vain the signal to remence his work。 Two long hours he waited in terrible inaction。 A deathlike silence reigned in the room above。 At last he determined to discover the cause of this stillness。 He crept from his hole and stood； hidden by the black drapery； beneath the scaffold。 Peeping out from the drapery； he could see the rows of halberdiers and musketeers around the scaffold and the first ranks of the populace swaying and groaning like the sea。
〃What is the matter； then？〃 he asked himself； trembling more than the wind…swayed cloth he was holding back。 〃The people are hurrying on； the soldiers under arms； and among the spectators I see D'Artagnan。 What is he waiting for？ What is he looking at？ Good God！ have they allowed the headsman to escape？〃
Suddenly the dull beating of muffled drums filled the square。 The sound of heavy steps was heard above his head。 The next moment the very planks of the scaffold creaked with the weight of an advancing procession； and the eager faces of the spectators confirmed what a last hope at the bottom of his heart had prevented him till then believing。 At the same moment a well…known voice above him pronounced these words：
〃Colonel； I want to speak to the people。〃
Athos shuddered from head to foot。 It was the king speaking on the scaffold。
In fact； after taking a few drops of wine and a piece of bread； Charles； weary of waiting for death； had suddenly decided to go to meet it and had given the signal for movement。 Then the two wings of the window facing the square had been thrown open； and the people had seen silently advancing from the interior of the vast chamber； first； a masked man； who； carrying an axe in his hand； was recognized as the executioner。 He approached the block and laid his axe upon it。 Behind him； pale indeed； but marching with a firm step； was Charles Stuart； who advanced between two priests； followed by a few superior officers appointed to preside at the execution and attended by two files of partisans who took their places on opposite sides of the scaffold。
The sight of the masked man gave rise to a prolonged sensation。 Every one was full of curiosity as to who that unknown executioner could be who presented himself so opportunely to assure to the people the promised spectacle； when the people believed it had been postponed until the following day。 All gazed at him searchingly。
But they could discern nothing but a man of middle height； dressed in black； apparently of a certain age； for the end of a gray beard peeped out from the bottom of the mask that hid his features。
The king's request had undoubtedly been acceded to by an affirmative sign； for in firm； sonorous accents； which vibrated in the depths of Athos's heart； the king began his speech； explaining his conduct and counseling the welfare of the kingdom。
〃Oh！〃 said Athos to himself； 〃is it indeed possible that I hear what I hear and that I see what I see？ Is it possible that God has abandoned His representative on earth and left him to die thus miserably？ And I have not seen him！ I have not said adieu to him！〃
A noise was heard like that the instrument of death would make if moved upon the block。
〃Do not touch the axe；〃 said the king； and resumed his speech。
At the end of his speech the king looked tenderly around upon the people。 Then unfastening the diamond ornament which the queen had sent him； he placed it in the hands of the priest who acpanied Juxon。 Then he drew from his breast a little cross set in diamonds； which； like the order； had been the gift of Henrietta Maria。
〃Sir；〃 said he to the priest； 〃I shall keep this cross in my hand till the last moment。 Take it from me when I am dead。〃
〃Yes； sire；〃 said a voice； which Athos recognized as that of Aramis。
He then took his hat from his head and threw it on the ground。 One by one he undid the buttons of his doublet； took it off and deposited it by the side of his hat。 Then； as it was cold； he asked for his gown； which was brought to him。
All the preparations were made with a frightful calmness。 One would have thought the king was going to bed and not to his coffin。
〃Will these be in your way？〃 he said to the executioner； raising his long locks； 〃if so； they can be tied up。〃
Charles acpanied these words with a look designed to penetrate the mask of the unknown headsman。 His cake； noble gaze forced the man to turn away his head。 But after the searching look of the king he encountered the burning eyes of Aramis。
The king； seeing that he did not reply； repeated his question。
〃It will do；〃 replied the man； in a tremulous voice； 〃if you separate them across the neck。〃
The king parted his hair with his hands； and looking at the block he said：
〃This block is very low； is there no other to be had？〃
〃It is the usual block；〃 answered the man in the mask。
〃Do you think you can behead me with a single blow？〃 asked the king。
〃I hope so；〃 was the reply。 There was something so strange in these three words that everybody； except the king； shuddered。
〃I do not wish to be taken by surprise；〃 added the king。 〃I shall kneel down to pray； do not strike then。〃
〃When shall I strike？〃
〃When I shall lay my head on the block and say ‘Remember！' then strike boldly。〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 said the king to those around him； 〃I leave you to brave the tempest； I go before you to a kingdom which knows no storms。 Farewell。〃
He looked at Aramis and made a special sign to him with his head。
〃Now；〃 he continued； 〃withdraw a little and let me say my prayer； I beseech you。 You； also； stand aside；〃 he said to the masked man。 〃It is only for a moment and I know that I belong to you； but remember that you are not to strike till I give the signal。〃
Then he knelt down； made the sign of the cross； and lowering his face to the planks； as if he would have kissed them； said in a low tone； in French； 〃te de la Fere； are you there？〃
〃Yes； your majesty；〃 he answered； trembling。
〃Faithful friend； noble heart！〃 said the king； 〃I should not have been rescued。 I have addressed my people and I have spoken to God； last of all I speak to you。 To maintain a cause which I believed sacred I have lost the throne and my children their inheritance。 A million in gold remains； it is buried in the cellars of Newcastle Keep。 You only know that this money exists。 Make use of it； then； whenever you think it will be most useful； for my eldest son's welfare。 And now； farewell。〃
〃Farewell； saintly； martyred majesty；〃 lisped Athos； chilled with terror。
A moment's silence ensued and then； in a full； sonorous voice； the king exclaimed： 〃Remember！〃
He had scarcely uttered the word when a heavy blow shook the scaffold and where Athos stood immovable a warm drop fell upon his brow。 He reeled back with a shudder and the same moment the drops became a crimson cataract。
Athos fell on his knees and remained some minutes as if bewildered or stunned。 At last he rose and taking his handkerchief steeped it in the blood of the martyred king。 Then as the crowd gradually dispersed he leaped down； crept from behind the drapery； glided between two horses； mingled with the crowd and was the first to arrive at the inn。
Having gained his room he raised his hand to his face； and observing that his fingers were covered with the monarch's blood； fell down insensible。
The Man in the Mask
The snow was falling thick and icy。 Aramis was the next to e in and to discover Athos almost insensible。 But at the first words he uttered the te roused himself from the kind of lethargy in which he had sunk。
〃Well；〃 said Aramis； 〃beaten by fate！〃
〃Beaten！〃 said Athos。 〃Noble and unhappy king！〃
〃Are you wounded？〃 cried Aramis。
〃No； this is his blood。〃
〃Where were you； then？〃
〃Where you left me under the scaffold。〃
〃Did you see it all？〃
〃No； but I heard all。 God preserve me from another such hour as I have just passed。〃
〃Then you know that I did not leave him？〃
〃I heard your voice up to the last moment。〃
〃Here is the order he gave me and the cross I took from his hand； he desired they should be returned to the queen。〃
〃Then here is a handkerchief to wrap them in；〃 replied Athos； drawing from his pocket the one he had steeped in the king's blood。
〃And what；〃 he continued； 〃has been done with the poor body？〃
〃By order of Cromwell royal honors will be accorded to it。 The doctors are embalming the corpse； and when it is ready it will be placed in a lighted chapel。〃
〃Mockery；〃 muttered Athos； savagely； 〃royal honors to one whom they have murdered！〃
〃Well； cheer up！〃 said a loud voice from the staircase； which Porthos had just mounted。 〃We are all mortal； my poor friends。〃
〃You are late； my dear Porthos。〃
〃Yes； there were some people on the way who delayed me。 The wretches were dancing。 I took one of them by the throat and three…quarters throttled him。 Just then a patrol rode up。 Luckily the man I had had most to do with was some minutes before he could speak； so I took advantage of his silence to walk off。〃
〃Have you seen D'Artagnan？〃
〃We got separated in the crowd and I could not find him again。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Athos； satirically； 〃I saw him。 He was in the front row of the crowd； admirably placed for seeing； and as on the whole the sight was curious； he probably wished to stay to the end。〃
〃Ah te de la Fere；〃 said a calm voice； though hoarse with running； 〃is it your habit to calumniate the absent？〃
This reproof stung Athos to the heart； but as the impression produced by seeing D'Artagnan foremost in a coarse； ferocious crowd had been very strong； he contented himself with replying：
〃I am not calumniating you； my friend。 They were anxious about you here； I simply told them where you were。 You didn't know King Charles； to you he was only a foreigner and you were not obliged to love him。〃
So saying； he stretched out his hand； but the other pretended not to see it and he let it drop again slowly by his side。
〃Ugh！ I am tired；〃 cried D'Artagnan； sitting down。
〃Drink a glass of port；〃 said Aramis； 〃it will refresh you。〃
〃Yes； let us drink；〃 said Athos； anxious to make it up by hobnobbing with D'Artagnan； 〃let us drink and get away from this hateful country。 The felucca is waiting for us； you know； let us leave to…night； we have nothing more to do here。〃
〃You are in a hurry； sir count；〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃But what would you have us to do here； now that the king is dead？〃
〃Go； sir count；〃 replied D'Artagnan； carelessly； 〃you see nothing to keep you a little longer in England？ Well； for my part； I； a bloodthirsty ruffian； who can go and stand close to a scaffold； in order to have a better view of the king's execution I remain。〃
Athos turned pale。 Every reproach his friend uttered struck deeply in his heart。
〃Ah！ you remain in London？〃 said Porthos。
〃Yes。 And you？〃
〃Hang it！〃 said Porthos； a little perpl