n.

The duchess could not restrain a cry of joy on seeing so handsome a
young cavalier, so far surpassing all that her maternal pride had been
able to conceive.

"Vicomte, come here," said Athos; "the duchess permits you to kiss her
hand."

The youth approached with his charming smile and his head bare, and
kneeling down, kissed the hand of the Duchess de Chevreuse.

"Sir," he said, turning to Athos, "was it not in compassion to my
timidity that you told me that this lady was the Duchess de Chevreuse,
and is she not the queen?"

"No, vicomte," said Madame de Chevreuse, taking his hand and making him
sit near her, while she looked at him with eyes sparkling with pleasure;
"no, unhappily, I am not the queen. If I were I should do for you at
once the most that you deserve. But let us see; whatever I may be," she
added, hardly restraining herself from kissing that pure brow, "let us
see what profession you wish to follow."

Athos, standing, looked at them both with indescribable pleasure.

"Madame," answered the youth in his sweet voice, "it seems to me that
there is only one career for a gentleman--that of the army. I have been
brought up by monsieur le comte with the intention, I believe, of making
me a soldier; and he gave me reason to hope that at Paris he would
present me to some one who would recommend me to the favor of the
prince."

"Yes, I understand it well. Personally, I am on bad terms with him, on
account of the quarrels between Madame de Montbazon, my mother-in-law,
and Madame de Longueville. But the Prince de Marsillac! Yes, indeed,
that's the right thing. The Prince de Marsillac--my old friend--will
recommend our young friend to Madame de Longueville, who will give him a
letter to her brother, the prince, who loves her too tenderly not to do
what she wishes immediately."

"Well, that will do charmingly," said the count; "but may I beg that the
greatest haste may be made, for I have reasons for wishing the vicomte
not to sleep longer than to-morrow night in Paris!"

"Do you wish it known that you are interested about him, monsieur le
comte?"

"Better for him in future that he should be supposed never to have seen
me."

"Oh, sir!" cried Raoul.

"You know, Bragelonne," said Athos, "I never speak without reflection."

"Well, comte, I am going instantly," interrupted the duchess, "to send
for the Prince de Marsillac, who is happily, in Paris just now. What are
you going to do this evening?"