AthosandRaoulwanderedforsometimeroundthefencesofthegardenwithoutfindinganyonetointroducethemtothegovernor。？Theyendedbymakingtheirownwayintothegarden。？Itwasatthehottesttimeoftheday。？Eachlivingthingsoughtitsshelterundergrassorstone。？Theheavensspreadtheirfieryveilsasiftostifleallnoises，toenvelopallexistences;therabbitunderthebroom，theflyundertheleaf，sleptasthewavedidbeneaththeheavens。？Athossawnothinglivingbutasoldier，upontheterracebeneaththesecondandthirdcourt，whowascarryingabasketofprovisionsonhishead。？Thismanreturnedalmostimmediatelywithouthisbasket，anddisappearedintheshadeofhissentry—box。？Athossupposedhemusthavebeencarryingdinnertosomeone，and，afterhavingdoneso，returnedtodinehimself。？Allatoncetheyheardsomeonecallout，andraisingtheirheads，perceivedintheframeofthebarsofthewindowsomethingofawhitecolor，likeahandthatwaswavedbackwardsandforwards—somethingshining，likeapolishedweaponstruckbytheraysofthesun。？Andbeforetheywereabletoascertainwhatitwas，aluminoustrain，accompaniedbyahissingsoundintheair，calledtheirattentionfromthedonjontotheground。？Aseconddullnoisewasheardfromtheditch，andRaoulrantopickupasilverplatewhichwasrollingalongthedrysand。？Thehandthathadthrownthisplatemadeasigntothetwogentlemen，andthendisappeared。？AthosandRaoul，approachingeachother，commencedanattentiveexaminationofthedustyplate，andtheydiscovered，incharacterstraceduponthebottomofitwiththepointofaknife，thisinscription:
\"IamthebrotherofthekingofFrance—aprisonerto—day—amadmanto—morrow。？FrenchgentlemenandChristians，praytoGodforthesoulandthereasonofthesonofyouroldrulers。\"
TheplatefellfromthehandsofAthoswhilstRaoulwasendeavoringtomakeoutthemeaningofthesedismalwords。？Atthesamemomenttheyheardacryfromthetopofthedonjon。？QuickaslightningRaoulbentdownhishead，andforceddownthatofhisfatherlikewise。？Amusket—barrelglitteredfromthecrestofthewall。？Awhitesmokefloatedlikeaplumefromthemouthofthemusket，andaballwasflattenedagainstastonewithinsixinchesofthetwogentlemen。
\"Cordieu！\"criedAthos。？\"What，arepeopleassassinatedhere？？Comedown，cowardsasyouare！\"
\"Yes，comedown！\"criedRaoul，furiouslyshakinghisfistatthecastle。