20 THE JOURNEY.
At two o'clock in the morning, our four adventurers left Paris by the Barriere St.Denis.As long as it was dark they remained silent; in spite of themselves they submitted to the influence of the obscurity, and apprehended ambushes on every side.
With the first rays of day their tongues were loosened; with the sun gaiety revived.

It was like the eve of a battle; the heart beat, the eyes laughed, and they felt that the life they were perhaps going to lose, was, after all, a good thing.
Besides, the appearance of the caravan was formidable.

The black horses of the Musketeers, their martial carriage, with the regimental step of these noble companions of the soldier, would have betrayed the most strict incognito.

The lackeys followed, armed to the teeth.
All went well till they arrived at Chantilly, which they reached about eight o'clock in the morning.

They needed breakfast, and alighted at the door of an AUBERGE, recommended by a sign representing St.Martin giving half his cloak to a poor man.