The deadly poison did its work. Constance Bonacieux expired in D'Artagnan's arms.
Then the four musketeers, joined by Lord de Winter, who had arrived from England in hot pursuit of Milady, his sister-in-law, set out to overtake the woman who had wrought so much evil.
They came up with Milady at a solitary house near the village of Erquinheim.
The four servants of the musketeers guarded the house; Athos, D'Artagnan, Aramis, Porthos, and De Winter entered.
"What do you want?" screamed Milady.
"We want Charlotte Backson, first called Countess de la Fère, and afterwards Lady de Winter," said Athos. "M. D'Artagnan, it is for you to accuse her first."
"I accuse this woman of having poisoned Constance Bonacieux, and of having attempted to poison me, and I accuse her of having engaged assassins to shoot me," said D'Artagnan.
"I accuse this woman of having procured the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham," said Lord de Winter. "Moreover, my brother, who made her his heiress, died suddenly of a strange disease."
"I married this woman and gave her my name and wealth, and found afterwards she was branded as a felon," said Athos.
The musketeers and Lord de Winter passed sentence of death upon the miserable woman.