for
his mission. Nevertheless, it seemed to him that Athos was not in all
respects sincere and frank. Who was the youth he had adopted and who
bore so striking a resemblance to him? What could explain Athos's having
re-entered the world and the extreme sobriety he had observed at table?
The absence of Grimaud, whose name had never once been uttered by Athos,
gave D'Artagnan uneasiness. It was evident either that he no longer
possessed the confidence of his friend, or that Athos was bound by some
invisible chain, or that he had been forewarned of the lieutenant's
visit.

He could not help thinking of M. Rochefort, whom he had seen in Notre
Dame; could De Rochefort have forestalled him with Athos? Again,
the moderate fortune which Athos possessed, concealed as it was, so
skillfully, seemed to show a regard for appearances and to betray a
latent ambition which might be easily aroused. The clear and vigorous
intellect of Athos would render him more open to conviction than a less
able man would be. He would enter into the minister's schemes with the
more ardor, because his natural activity would be doubled by necessity.

Resolved to seek an explanation on all these points on the following
day, D'Artagnan, in spite of his fatigue, prepared for an attack and
determined that it should take place after breakfast. He determined to
cultivate the good-will of the youth Raoul and, either whilst fencing
with him or when out shooting, to extract from his simplicity some
information which would connect the Athos of old times with the Athos
of the present. But D'Artagnan at the same time, being a man of extreme
caution, was quite aware what injury he should do himself, if by any
indiscretion or awkwardness he should betray has manoeuvering to the
experienced eye of Athos. Besides, to tell truth, whilst D'Artagnan was
quite disposed to adopt a subtle course against the cunning of Aramis
or the vanity of Porthos, he was ashamed to equivocate with Athos,
true-hearted, open Athos. It seemed to him that if Porthos and Aramis
deemed him superior to them in the arts of diplomacy, they would like
him all the better for it; but that Athos, on the contrary, would
despise him.

"Ah! why is not Grimaud, the taciturn Grimaud, here?" thought
D'Artagnan, "there are so many things his silence would have told me;
with Grimaud silence was another form of eloquence!"

There reigned a perfect stillness in the house. D'Artagnan had heard the
door shut