The man he addressed recoiled with terror, and only answered the few words of the Musketeer by pointing.

Athos offered the man half a pistole to accompany him, but the man refused.
Athos then plunged into the street the man had indicated with his finger; but arriving at four crossroads, he stopped again, visibly embarrassed.

Nevertheless, as the crossroads offered him a better chance than any other place of meeting somebody, he stood still.

In a few minutes a night watch passed.

Athos repeated to him the same question he had asked the first person he met.