from Athos, the most amusing and the best
informed of guides. Another recollection contributed also to sadden
Raoul: on their arrival at Sonores he had perceived, hidden behind a
screen of poplars, a little chateau which so vividly recalled that of
La Valliere to his mind that he halted for nearly ten minutes to gaze at
it, and resumed his journey with a sigh too abstracted even to reply to
Olivain's respectful inquiry about the cause of so much fixed attention.
The aspect of external objects is often a mysterious guide communicating
with the fibres of memory, which in spite of us will arouse them at
times; this thread, like that of Ariadne, when once unraveled will
conduct one through a labyrinth of thought, in which one loses one's
self in endeavoring to follow that phantom of the past which is called
recollection.

Now the sight of this chateau had taken Raoul back fifty leagues
westward and had caused him to review his life from the moment when he
had taken leave of little Louise to that in which he had seen her for
the first time; and every branch of oak, every gilded weathercock on
roof of slates, reminded him that, instead of returning to the friends
of his childhood, every instant estranged him further and that perhaps
he had even left them forever.

With a full heart and burning head he desired Olivain to lead on the
horses to a wayside inn, which he observed within gunshot range, a
little in advance of the place they had reached.

As for himself, he dismounted and remained under a beautiful group of
chestnuts in flower, amidst which were murmuring a multitude of happy
bees, and bade Olivain send the host to him with writing paper and
ink, to be placed on a table which he found there, conveniently ready.
Olivain obeyed and continued on his way, whilst Raoul remained sitting,
with his elbow leaning on the table, from time to time gently shaking
the flowers from his head, which fell upon him like snow, and gazing
vaguely on the charming landscape spread out before him, dotted over
with green fields and groups of trees. Raoul had been there about
ten minutes, during five of which he was lost in reverie, when there
appeared within the circle comprised in his rolling gaze a man with a
rubicund face, who, with a napkin around his body, another under his
arm, and a white cap upon his head, approached him, holding paper, pen
and ink in hand.

"Ha! ha!" laughed the apparition, "every gentleman seems to have the
sam