and guessing his thoughts, took his
arm and led him into the garden.

"Whilst supper is being prepared," he said, smiling, "you will not, my
friend, be sorry to have the mystery which so puzzles you cleared up."

"True, monsieur le comte," replied D'Artagnan, who felt that by degrees
Athos was resuming that great influence which aristocracy had over him.

Athos smiled.

"First and foremost, dear D'Artagnan, we have no title such as count
here. When I call you 'chevalier,' it is in presenting you to my guests,
that they may know who you are. But to you, D'Artagnan, I am, I hope,
still dear Athos, your comrade, your friend. Do you intend to stand on
ceremony because you are less attached to me than you were?"

"Oh! God forbid!"

"Then let us be as we used to be; let us be open with each other. You
are surprised at what you see here?"

"Extremely."

"But above all things, I am a marvel to you?"

"I confess it."

"I am still young, am I not? Should you not have known me again, in
spite of my eight-and-forty years of age?"

"On the contrary, I do not find you the same person at all."

"I understand," cried Athos, with a gentle blush. "Everything,
D'Artagnan, even folly, has its limit."

"Then your means, it appears, are improved; you have a capital
house--your own, I presume? You have a park, and horses, servants."

Athos smiled.

"Yes, I inherited this little property when I quitted the army, as I
told you. The park is twenty acres--twenty, comprising kitchen-gardens
and a common. I have two horses,--I do not count my servant's bobtailed
nag. My sporting dogs consist of two pointers, two harriers and two
setters. But then all this extravagance is not for myself," added Athos,
laughing.

"Yes, I see, for the young man Raoul," said D'Artagnan.

"You guess aright, my friend; this youth is an orphan, deserted by
his mother, who left him in the house of a poor country priest. I have
brought him up. It is Raoul who has worked in me the change you see;
I was dried up like a miserable tree, isolated, attached to nothing on
earth; it was only a deep affection that could make me take root again
and drag me back to life. This child has caused me to recover what I had
lost. I had no longer any wish to live for myself, I have lived for him.
I have corrected the vices that I had; I have assumed the virtues that
I had not. Precept something, but example more. I may be mistaken, but I
believe that Raoul will be as acc