ceive the disorder in the usually regular
proceeding of the comte, the valet called his comrades by gestures and
voice, and all hastened to his assistance. Athos had gone but a few
steps on his return, when he felt himself better again. His strength
seemed to revive, and with it the desire to go to Blois. He made his
horse turn round, but, at the animal's first steps, he sunk again into a
state of torpor and anguish.

"Well! decidedly," said he, "it is WILLED that I should stay at
home." His people flocked around him; they lifted him from his horse and
carried him as quickly as possible into the house. Everything was soon
prepared in his chamber, and they put him to bed.

"You will be sure to remember," said he, disposing himself to sleep,
"that I expect letters from Africa this very day."

"Monsieur will no doubt hear with pleasure that Blaisois' son is gone on
horseback, to gain an hour over the courier of Blois," replied his
valet-de-chambre.

"Thank you," replied Athos, with his bland smile.

The comte fell asleep, but his disturbed slumber resembled suffering
more than repose. The servant who watched him saw several times the
expression of interior torture thrown out upon his features. Perhaps
Athos was dreaming. The day passed away. Blaisois' son returned: the
courier had brought no news. The comte reckoned the minutes with
despair; he shuddered when those minutes had formed an hour. The idea
that he was forgotten seized him once, and brought on a fearful pang of
the heart. Everybody in the house had given up all hopes of the
courier--his hour had long passed. Four times the express sent to Blois
had reiterated his journey, and there was nothing to the address of the
comte. Athos knew that the courier only arrived once a week. Here, then,
was a delay of eight mortal days to be endured. He recommenced the night
in this painful persuasion. All that a sick man, irritated by suffering,
can add of melancholy suppositions to probabilities always sad, Athos
heaped up during the early hours of this dismal night. The fever rose;
it invaded the chest, where the fire soon caught, according to the
expression of the physician, who had been brought back from Blois by
Blaisois at his last journey. It soon gained the head. The physician
made two successive bleedings, which unlodged it, but left the patient
very weak, and without power of action in anything but his brain. And
yet this redoubtable fever had ceased. It besieged