r dogs, your fishing-lines, your guns, and your beautiful
reed-built house, would you live, rich in the produce of the chase, in
the plenitude of perfect security. There would years of your life roll
away, at the end of which, no longer recognizable, for you would have
been perfectly transformed, you would have succeeded in acquiring a
destiny accorded to you by Heaven.

"There are a thousand pistoles in this bag, monseigneur--more, far more,
than sufficient to purchase the whole marsh of which I have spoken; more
than enough to live there as many years as you have days to live; more
than enough to constitute you the richest, the freest, and the happiest
man in the country. Accept it, as I offer it you--sincerely, cheerfully.
Forthwith, without a moment's pause, I will unharness two of my horses,
which are attached to the carriage yonder, and they, accompanied by my
servant--my deaf and dumb attendant--shall conduct you--traveling
throughout the night, sleeping during the day--to the locality I have
mentioned; and I shall, at least, have the satisfaction of knowing that
I have rendered to my prince the service that he himself most preferred.
I shall have made one man happy; and Heaven for that will hold me in
better account than if I had made one man powerful; for that is far more
difficult. And now, monseigneur, your answer to this proposition? Here
is the money. Nay, do not hesitate. At Poiton, you can risk nothing,
except the chance of catching the fevers prevalent there; and even of
them, the so-called wizards of the country may cure you, for the sake of
your pistoles. If you play the other game, you run the chance of being
assassinated on a throne, or of being strangled in a prison. Upon my
soul, I assure you, now I begin to compare them together, I should
hesitate which of the two I should accept."

"Monsieur," replied the young prince, "before I determine, let me alight
from this carriage, walk on the ground, and consult that still voice
within me, which Heaven bids address us all. Ten minutes is all I ask,
and then you shall have your answer."

"As you please, monseigneur," said Aramis, bending before him with
respect; so solemn and august in its tone and address had been the voice
which had just spoken.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

CROWN AND TIARA.

Aramis was first to descend from the carriage; he held the door open for
the young man. He saw him place his foot on the mossy ground with a
trembling of the wh