by Alexandre Dumas

“ Two horsemen going out as Athos and Aramis entered were obliged to give place to them.
"Ah! ah! gentlemen," said Aramis, "decidedly it is a night for meetings. We shall be very unfortunate if, after meeting so often this evening, we should not succeed in meeting to-morrow."
"Oh, as to that, sir," replied Chatillon (for it was he who, with Flamarens, was leaving the Duc de Beaufort) , "you may be assured; for if we meet by night without seeking each other, much more shall we meet by day when wishing it."
"I hope that is true," said Aramis. ”

“ Thus did Athos and Aramis make their appearance in the ante-chamber, where about a dozen noblemen were collected in waiting.
"Good heavens!" said Aramis to Athos, "does the coadjutor intend to indulge himself in the pleasure of making us cool our hearts off in his ante-chamber?"
"My dear friend, we must take people as we find them. The coadjutor is at this moment one of the seven kings of Paris, and has a court. Let us send in our names, and if he does not send us a suitable message we will leave him to his own affairs or those of France. ”

“ Athos asked.
"Nothing. No one has seen D'Artagnan and Porthos has, not appeared. Have you anything?"
"Nothing."
"The devil!" said Aramis.
"In fact," said Athos, "this delay is not natural; they took the shortest route and should have arrived before we did."
"Add to that D'Artagnan's rapidity in action and that he is not the man to lose an hour, knowing that we were expecting him."
"He expected, you will remember, to be here on the fifth."
"And here we are at the ninth. This evening the margin of possible delay expires."
"What do you think should be done," asked Athos. ”