Planchet alighted.
"Thou must add," said DArtagnan, "that a gentleman who is passing by wishes to have the honor of paying his respects to the Comte de la Fere, and if thou art satisfied with what thou hearest, then mention my name!"
Planchet, leading his horse by the bridle, drew near to the gate and rang the bell, and immediately a servantman with white hair and of erect stature, notwithstanding his age, presented himself.
"Does Monsieur le Comte de la Fere live here?" asked Planchet.
"Yes, monsieur, it is here he lives," the servant replied to Planchet, who was not in livery.
"A nobleman retired from service, is he not?"
"Yes."
"And who had a lackey named Grimaud?" persisted Planchet, who had prudently considered that he couldnt have too much information.
"Monsieur Grimaud is absent from the chateau for the time being," said the servitor, who, little used as he was to such inquiries, began to examine Planchet from head to foot.
"Then," cried Planchet joyously, "I see well that it is the same Comte de la Fere whom we seek. Be good enough to open to me, for I wish to announce to monsieur le comte that my master, one of his friends, is here, and wishes to greet him."
"Why didnt you say so?" said the servitor, opening the gate. "But where is your master?"
"He is following me."
The servitor opened the gate and walked before Planchet, who made a sign to DArtagnan. The latter, his heart palpitating more than ever, entered the courtyard without dismounting.
Whilst Planchet was standing on the steps before the house he heard a voice say:
"Well, where is this gentleman and why do they not bring him here?"
This voice, the sound of which reached DArtagnan, reawakened in his heart a thousand sentiments, a thousand recollections that he had forgotten. He vaulted hastily from his horse, whilst Planchet, with a smile on his lips, advanced toward the master of the house.
"But I know you, my lad," said Athos, appearing on the threshold.
"Oh, yes, monsieur le comte, you know me and I know you. I am PlanchetPlanchet, whom you know well." But the honest servant could say no more, so much was he overcome by this unexpected interview.
"What, Planchet, is Monsieur dArtagnan here?"
"Here I am, my friend, dear Athos!" cried DArtagnan, in a faltering voice and almost staggering from agitation.
At these words a visible emotion was expressed on the beautiful countenance and calm features of Athos. He rushed toward DArtagnan with eyes fixed upon him and clasped him in his arms. DArtagnan, equally moved, pressed him also closely to him, whilst tears stood in his eyes. Athos then took him by the hand and led him into the drawingroom, where there were several people. Every one arose.
"I present to you," he said, "Monsieur le Chevalier DArtagnan, lieutenant of his majestys musketeers, a devoted friend and one of the most excellent, brave gentlemen that I have ever known."
DArtagnan received the compliments of those who were present in his own way, and whilst the conversation became general he looked earnestly at Athos.
Strange! Athos was scarcely aged at all! His fine eyes, no longer surrounded by that dark line which nights of dissipation pencil too infallibly, seemed larger, more liquid than ever. His face, a little elongated, had gained in calm dignity what it had lost in feverish excitement. His hand, always wonderfully beautiful and strong, was set off by a ruffle of lace, like certain hands by Titian and Vandyck. He was less stiff than formerly. His long, dark hair, softly powdered here and there with silver tendrils, fell elegantly over his shoulders in wavy curls; his voice was still youthful, as if belonging to a Hercules of twentyfive, and his magnificent teeth, which he had preserved white and sound, gave an indescribable charm to his smile.
Meanwhile the guests, seeing that the two friends were longing to be alone, prepared to depart, when a noise of dogs barking resounded through the courtyard and many persons said at the same moment:
"Ah! tis Raoul, who is come home."
Athos, as the name of Raoul was pronounced, looked inquisitively at DArtagnan, in order to see if any curiosity was painted on his face. But DArtagnan was still in confusion and turned around almost mechanically when a fine young man of fifteen years of age, dressed simply, but in perfect taste, entered the room, raising, as he came, his hat, adorned with a long plume of scarlet feathers.
Nevertheless, DArtagnan was struck by the appearance of this new personage. It seemed to explain to him the change in Athos; a resemblance between the boy and the man explained the mystery of this regenerated existence. He remained listening and gazing.
"Here you are, home again, Raoul," said the comte.
"Here you are, home again, Raoul," said the comte.
"Yes, sir," replied the youth, with deep respect, "and I have performed the commission that you gave me."
"But whats the matter, Raoul?" said Athos, very anxiously. "You are pale and agitated."
"Sir," replied the young man, "it is on account of an accident which has happened to our little neighbor."
"To Mademoiselle de la Valliere?" asked Athos, quickly.
"What is it?" cried many persons present.
"She was walking with her nurse Marceline, in the place where the woodmen cut the wood, when, passing on horseback, I stopped. She saw me also and in trying to jump from the end of a pile of wood on which she had mounted, the poor child fell and was not able to rise again. I fear that she has badly sprained her ankle."
"Oh, heavens!" cried Athos. "And her mother, Madame de SaintRemy, have they yet told her of it?"
"No, sir, Madame de SaintRemy is at Blois with the Duchess of Orleans. I am afraid that what was first done was unskillful, if not worse than useless. I am come, sir, to ask your advice."
"Send directly to Blois, Raoul; or, rather, take horse and ride immediately yourself."
Raoul bowed.
"But where is Louise?" asked the comte.
"I have brought her here, sir, and I have deposited her in charge of Charlotte, who, till better advice comes, has bathed the foot in cold wellwater."
The guests now all took leave of Athos, excepting the old Duc de Barbe, who, as an old friend of the family of La Valliere, went to see little Louise and offered to take her to Blois in his carriage.
"You are right, sir," said Athos. "She will be the sooner with her mother. As for you, Raoul, I am sure it is your fault, some giddiness or folly."
"No, sir, I assure you," muttered Raoul, "it is not."
"Oh, no, no, I declare it is not!" cried the young girl, while Raoul turned pale at the idea of his being perhaps the cause of her disaster.
"Nevertheless, Raoul, you must go to Blois and you must make your excuses and mine to Madame de SaintRemy."
The youth looked pleased. He again took in his strong arms the little girl, whose pretty golden head and smiling face rested on his shoulder, and placed her gently in the carriage; then jumping on his horse with the elegance of a firstrate esquire, after bowing to Athos and DArtagnan, he went off close by the door of the carriage, on somebody inside of which his eyes were riveted.
14.
The Castle of Bragelonne.
Whilst this scene was going on, DArtagnan remained with open mouth and a confused gaze. Everything had turned out so differently from what he expected that he was stupefied with wonder.
Athos, who had been observing him and guessing his thoughts, took his arm and led him into the garden.
"Whilst supper is being prepared," he said, smiling, "you will not, my friend, be sorry to have the mystery which so puzzles you cleared up."
"True, monsieur le comte," replied DArtagnan, who felt that by degrees Athos was resuming that great influence which aristocracy had over him.
Athos smiled.
"First and foremost, dear DArtagnan, we have no title such as count here. When I call you chevalier, it is in presenting you to my guests, that they may know who you are. But to you, DArtagnan, I am, I hope, still dear Athos, your comrade, your friend. Do you intend to stand on ceremony because you are less attached to me than you were?"
"Oh! God forbid!"
"Then let us be as we used to be; let us be open with each other. You are surprised at what you see here?"
"Extremely."
"But above all things, I am a marvel to you?"
"I confess it."
"I am still young, am I not? Should you not have known me again, in spite of my eightandforty years of age?"
"On the contrary, I do not find you the same person at all."
"I understand," cried Athos, with a gentle blush. "Everything, DArtagnan, even folly, has its limit."
"Then your means, it appears, are improved; you have a capital houseyour own, I presume? You have a park, and horses, servants."
Athos smiled.
"Yes, I inherited this little property when I quitted the army, as I told you. The park is twenty acrestwenty, comprising kitchengardens and a common. I have two horses,I do not count my servants bobtailed nag. My sporting dogs consist of two pointers, two harriers and two setters. But then all this extravagance is not for myself," added Athos, laughing.
"Yes, I see, for the young man Raoul," said DArtagnan.
"You guess aright, my friend; this youth is an orphan, deserted by his mother, who left him in the house of a poor country priest. I have brought him up. It is Raoul who has worked in me the change you see; I was dried up like a miserable tree, isolated, attached to nothing on earth; it was only a deep affection that could make me take root again and drag me back to life. This child has caused me to recover what I had lost. I had no longer any wish to live for myself, I have lived for him. I have corrected the vices that I had; I have assumed the virtues that I had not. Precept something, but example more. I may be mistaken, but I believe that Raoul will be as accomplished a gentleman as our degenerate age could display."
The remembrance of Milady recurred to DArtagnan.
"And you are happy?" he said to his friend.
"As happy as it is allowed to one of Gods creatures to be on this earth; but say out all you think, DArtagnan, for you have not yet done so."
"You are too bad, Athos; one can hide nothing from you," answered DArtagnan. "I wished to ask you if you ever feel any emotions of terror resembling"