, I wished to judge for myself what your ordinary style of
living was like, and as I was coming along, I met the Comte de la Fere."

Athos bowed. "The comte, who had just left his majesty, handed me an
order which required immediate attention. We were close by here; I
wished to call in, even if it were for no other object than that of
shaking hands with you and of presenting the comte to you, of whom you
spoke so highly that evening at the palace when--"

"Certainly, certainly--M. le Comte de la Fere."

"Precisely."

"The comte is welcome, I am sure."

"And he will sup with you two, I suppose, while I, unfortunate dog that
I am, must run off on a matter of duty. Oh! what happy beings you are,
compared to myself," he added, sighing as loud as Porthos might have
done.

"And so you are going away, then?" said Aramis and Baisemeaux together,
with the same expression of delighted surprise, the tone of which was
immediately noticed by D'Artagnan.

"I leave you in my place," he said, "a noble and excellent guest." And
he touched Athos gently on the shoulder, who, astonished also, could not
prevent exhibiting his surprise a little; a tone which was noticed by
Aramis only, for M. de Baisemeaux was not quite equal to the three
friends in point of intelligence.

"What! are you going to leave us?" resumed the governor.

"I shall only be about an hour, or an hour and a half. I will return in
time for dessert."

"Oh! we will wait for you," said Baisemeaux.

"No, no; that would be really disobliging me."

"You will be sure to return, though?" said Athos, with an expression of
doubt.

"Most certainly," he said, pressing his friend's hand confidentially;
and he added, in a low voice, "Wait for me, Athos; be cheerful and
lively as possible, and above all, don't allude even to business
affairs, for Heaven's sake."

And with a renewed pressure of the hand, he seemed to warn the comte of
the necessity of keeping perfectly discreet and impenetrable. Baisemeaux
led D'Artagnan to the gate. Aramis, with many friendly protestations of
delight, sat down by Athos, determined to make him speak; but Athos
possessed every virtue and quality to the very highest degree. If
necessity had required it, he would have been the finest orator in the
world, but on other occasions he would rather have died than have opened
his lips.

Ten minutes after D'Artagnan's departure, the three gentlemen sat down
to table, which was covered with the m