and agitated."

"Sir," replied the young man, "it is on account of an accident which has
happened to our little neighbor."

"To Mademoiselle de la Valliere?" asked Athos, quickly.

"What is it?" cried many persons present.

"She was walking with her nurse Marceline, in the place where the
woodmen cut the wood, when, passing on horseback, I stopped. She saw me
also and in trying to jump from the end of a pile of wood on which she
had mounted, the poor child fell and was not able to rise again. I fear
that she has badly sprained her ankle."

"Oh, heavens!" cried Athos. "And her mother, Madame de Saint-Remy, have
they yet told her of it?"

"No, sir, Madame de Saint-Remy is at Blois with the Duchess of Orleans.
I am afraid that what was first done was unskillful, if not worse than
useless. I am come, sir, to ask your advice."

"Send directly to Blois, Raoul; or, rather, take horse and ride
immediately yourself."

Raoul bowed.

"But where is Louise?" asked the comte.

"I have brought her here, sir, and I have deposited her in charge of
Charlotte, who, till better advice comes, has bathed the foot in cold
well-water."

The guests now all took leave of Athos, excepting the old Duc de Barbe,
who, as an old friend of the family of La Valliere, went to see little
Louise and offered to take her to Blois in his carriage.

"You are right, sir," said Athos. "She will be the sooner with her
mother. As for you, Raoul, I am sure it is your fault, some giddiness or
folly."

"No, sir, I assure you," muttered Raoul, "it is not."

"Oh, no, no, I declare it is not!" cried the young girl, while Raoul
turned pale at the idea of his being perhaps the cause of her disaster.

"Nevertheless, Raoul, you must go to Blois and you must make your
excuses and mine to Madame de Saint-Remy."

The youth looked pleased. He again took in his strong arms the little
girl, whose pretty golden head and smiling face rested on his shoulder,
and placed her gently in the carriage; then jumping on his horse
with the elegance of a first-rate esquire, after bowing to Athos and
D'Artagnan, he went off close by the door of the carriage, on somebody
inside of which his eyes were riveted.

14. The Castle of Bragelonne.

Whilst this scene was going on, D'Artagnan remained with open mouth and
a confused gaze. Everything had turned out so differently from what he
expected that he was stupefied with wonder.

Athos, who had been observing him