p tranquilly, that you can thank God every minute
of your life. You are beloved; that signifies that you may hear
everything, even the counsel of a friend who wishes to preserve your
happiness. You are beloved, Guiche--you are beloved! You do not endure
those atrocious nights, those nights without end, which, with arid eye
and devoured heart, others pass through who are destined to die. You
will live long, if you act like the miser who, bit by bit, crumb by
crumb, collects and heaps up diamonds and gold. You are beloved!--allow
me to tell you what you must do that you may be beloved forever."

Guiche contemplated for sometime this unfortunate young man, half mad
with despair, till there passed through his heart something like remorse
at his own happiness. Raoul suppressed his feverish excitement, to
assume the voice and countenance of an impassible man. "They will make
her, whose name I should wish still to be able to pronounce--they will
make her suffer. Swear to me that you will not second them in
anything--but that you will defend her, when possible, as I would have
done myself."

"I swear I will," replied Guiche.

"And," continued Raoul, "some day when you shall have rendered her a
great service--some day when she shall thank you, promise me to say
these words to her--'I have done you this kindness, madame, by the warm
desire of M. de Bragelonne, whom you so deeply injured.'"

"I swear I will," murmured Guiche.

"That is all. Adieu! I set out to-morrow, or the day after, for Toulon.
If you have a few hours to spare, give them to me."

"All! all!" cried the young man.

"Thank you!"

"And what are you going to do now?"

"I am going to meet M. le Comte at the house of Planchet, where we hope
to find M. d'Artagnan."

"M. d'Artagnan?"

"Yes, I wish to embrace him before my departure. He is a brave man, who
loves me dearly. Farewell, my friend: you are expected, no doubt; you
will find me, when you wish, at the lodgings of the comte. Farewell!"

The two young men embraced. They who might have seen them both thus,
would not have hesitated to say, pointing to Raoul: "That is the happy
man!"

CHAPTER CIII.

PLANCHET'S INVENTORY.

Athos, during the visit made to the Luxembourg by Raoul, had gone to
Planchet's residence to inquire after D'Artagnan. The gentleman, on
arriving at the Rue des Lombards, found the shop of the grocer in great
confusion; but it was not the encumberment of a lucky sale, or