ous sigh. Planchet took both
his friends by the hand.

"I am going to show you over the house," he said; "when we arrived last
evening it was as dark as an oven, and we were unable to see anything;
but in broad daylight everything looks different, and you will be
satisfied, I hope."

"If we begin by the view you have," said D'Artagnan, "that charms me
beyond everything; I have always lived in royal mansions, you know, and
royal personages have some every good ideas upon the selection of points
of view."

"I am a great stickler for a good view myself," said Porthos. "At my
Chateau de Pierrefonds, I have had four avenues laid out, and at the end
of each is a landscape of a different character altogether to the
others."

"You shall see my prospect," said Planchet; and he led his two guests to
a window.

"Ah!" said D'Artagnan, "this is the Rue de Lyon."

"Yes, I have two windows on this side, a paltry insignificant view, for
there is always that bustling and noisy inn, which is a very
disagreeable neighbor. I had four windows here, but I have only kept
two."

"Let us go on," said D'Artagnan.

They entered a corridor leading to the bedrooms, and Planchet pushed
open the outside blinds.

"Hollo! what is that out yonder?" said Porthos.

"The forest," said Planchet. "It is the horizon--a thick line of green,
which is yellow in the spring, green in the summer, red in the autumn,
and white in the winter."

"All very well, but it is like a curtain, which prevents one seeing a
greater distance."

"Yes," said Planchet; "still one can see, at all events, everything
between."

"Ah! the open country," said Porthos. "But what is that I see out
there--crosses and stones?"

"Ah! that is the cemetery," exclaimed D'Artagnan.

"Precisely," said Planchet; "I assure you it is very curious. Hardly a
day passes that some one is not buried there; for Fontainebleau is by no
means an inconsiderable place. Sometimes we see young girls clothed in
white carrying banners; at others, some of the town-council, or rich
citizens, with choristers and all the parish authorities; and then, too,
we see some of the officers of the king's household."

"I should not like that," said Porthos.

"There is not much amusement in it, at all events," said D'Artagnan.

"I assure you it encourages religious thoughts," replied Planchet.

"Oh, I don't deny that."

"But," continued Planchet, "we must all die one day or another, and I
once met wit