t.

"What house are you going to, mademoiselle?" inquired D'Artagnan.

"To the Carmelites, monsieur."

"To the Carmelites?" repeated D'Artagnan, in amazement.

"Yes; and since Heaven has directed you toward me to give me your
support on my road, accept both my thanks and my adieux."

"To the Carmelites! Your adieux! Are you going to become a nun?"
exclaimed D'Artagnan.

"Yes, monsieur."

"What, you!!!" There was in this "you," which we have marked by three
notes of exclamation in order to render it as expressive as
possible--there was, we repeat, in this "you" a complete poem. It
recalled to La Valliere her old recollections of Blois, and her new
recollections of Fontainebleau; it said to her, "_You_, who might be
happy with Raoul--_you_, who might be powerful with Louis, _you_ about
to become a nun!"

"Yes, monsieur," she said; "I am going to devote myself to the service
of Heaven, and to renounce the world altogether."

"But are you not mistaken with regard to your vocation--are you not
mistaken in supposing it to be the will of Heaven?"

"No; since Heaven has been pleased to throw you in my way. Had it not
been for you, I should certainly have sunk from fatigue on the road; and
since Heaven, I repeat, has thrown you in my way, it is because it has
willed that I should carry out my intention."

"Oh!" said D'Artagnan, doubtingly, "that is a rather subtle distinction,
I think."

"Whatever it may be," returned the young girl, "I have acquainted you
with the steps I have taken, and with my fixed resolution. And now I
have one last favor to ask of you, even while I return you my thanks.
The king is entirely ignorant of my flight from the Palais Royal, and is
ignorant also of what I am about to do."

"The king ignorant, you say!" exclaimed D'Artagnan. "Take care,
mademoiselle; you are not aware of what you are doing. No one ought to
do anything with which the king is unacquainted, especially those who
belong to the court."

"I no longer belong to the court, monsieur."

D'Artagnan looked at the young girl with increasing astonishment.

"Do not be uneasy, monsieur," she continued; "I have well calculated
everything: and were it not so, it would now be too late to reconsider
my resolution--it is decided."

"Well, mademoiselle, what do you wish me to do?"

"In the name of that sympathy which misfortune inspires, by your
generous feelings, and by your honor as a gentleman, I entreat you to
swear to me one