move the tender and devoted heart of Athos to its
last fibers. Athos wished to go and pay his friend Porthos a last visit.
To render this honor to his companion in arms, he meant to send to
D'Artagnan, to prevail upon him to recommence the painful voyage to
Belle-Isle, to accomplish in his company that sad pilgrimage to the tomb
of the giant he had so much loved, then to return to his dwelling to
obey that secret influence which was conducting him to eternity by a
mysterious road. But scarcely had his joyous servants dressed their
master, whom they saw with pleasure preparing himself for a journey
which might dissipate his melancholy; scarcely had the comte's gentlest
horse been saddled and brought to the door, than the father of Raoul
felt his head become confused, his legs give way, and he clearly
perceived the impossibility of going one step farther. He ordered
himself to be carried into the sun; they laid him upon his bed of moss,
where he passed a full hour before he could recover his spirits. Nothing
could be more natural than this weakness after the inert repose of the
latter days. Athos took a bouillon, to give him strength, and bathed his
dried lips in a glassful of the wine he loved the best--that old Anjou
wine mentioned by Porthos in his admirable will. Then, refreshed, free
in mind, he had his horse brought again; but it required the aid of his
servants to mount painfully into the saddle. He did not go a hundred
paces; a shivering seized him again at the turning of the road. "This is
very strange!" said he to his valet-de-chambre, who accompanied him.

"Let us stop, monsieur--I conjure you!" replied the faithful servant;
"how pale you are getting!"

"That will not prevent my pursuing my route, now I have once started,"
replied the comte. And he gave his horse his head again. But suddenly,
the animal, instead of obeying the thought of his master, stopped. A
movement, of which Athos was unconscious, had checked the bit.

"Something," said Athos, "wills that I should go no further. Support
me," added he, stretching out his arms; "quick! come closer! I feel all
my muscles relax, and I shall fall from my horse."

The valet had seen the movement made by his master at the moment he
received the order. He went up to him quickly, received the comte in his
arms, and as they were not yet sufficiently distant from the house for
the servants, who had remained at the door to watch their master's
departure, not to per