s into our left hands and shake hands with
the right, even in the very lust and music of the hottest carnage."

"You speak charmingly," said Porthos.

"And are the first of men!" added D'Artagnan. "You excel us all."

Athos smiled with ineffable pleasure.

"'Tis then all settled. Gentlemen, your hands; are we not pretty good
Christians?"

"Egad!" said D'Artagnan, "by Heaven! yes."

"We should be so on this occasion, if only to be faithful to our oath,"
said Aramis.

"Ah, I'm ready to do what you will," cried Porthos; "even to swear by
Mahomet. Devil take me if I've ever been so happy as at this moment."

And he wiped his eyes, still moist.

"Has not one of you a cross?" asked Athos.

Aramis smiled and drew from his vest a cross of diamonds, which was hung
around his neck by a chain of pearls. "Here is one," he said.

"Well," resumed Athos, "swear on this cross, which, in spite of its
magnificent material, is still a cross; swear to be united in spite of
everything, and forever, and may this oath bind us to each other, and
even, also, our descendants! Does this oath satisfy you?"

"Yes," said they all, with one accord.

"Ah, traitor!" muttered D'Artagnan, leaning toward Aramis and whispering
in his ear, "you have made us swear on the crucifix of a Frondeuse."

29. The Ferry across the Oise.

We hope that the reader has not quite forgotten the young traveler whom
we left on the road to Flanders.

In losing sight of his guardian, whom he had quitted, gazing after him
in front of the royal basilican, Raoul spurred on his horse, in order
not only to escape from his own melancholy reflections, but also to hide
from Olivain the emotion his face might betray.

One hour's rapid progress, however, sufficed to disperse the gloomy
fancies that had clouded the young man's bright anticipations; and the
hitherto unfelt pleasure of freedom--a pleasure which is sweet even to
those who have never known dependence--seemed to Raoul to gild not only
Heaven and earth, but especially that blue but dim horizon of life we
call the future.

Nevertheless, after several attempts at conversation with Olivain he
foresaw that many days passed thus would prove exceedingly dull; and the
count's agreeable voice, his gentle and persuasive eloquence, recurred
to his mind at the various towns through which they journeyed and about
which he had no longer any one to give him those interesting details
which he would have drawn