“Because she had been branded,” continued d’Artagnan.

“Bah!” cried Porthos. “Impossible! What do you say⁠—that she wanted to have her brother-in-law killed?”

“Yes.”

“She was married?” asked Aramis.

“Yes.”

“And her husband found out that she had a fleur-de-lis on her shoulder?” cried Porthos.

“Yes.”

These three yeses had been pronounced by Athos, each with a sadder intonation.

“And who has seen this fleur-de-lis?” inquired Aramis.

“D’Artagnan and I. Or rather, to observe the chronological order, I and d’Artagnan,” replied Athos.