had saved him.

"Ah, sir," he exclaimed, "it was you! Without you I was a dead
man--thrice dead."

"But one recovers, sir, as you perceive," replied Raoul, "and we have
but had a little bath."

"Oh! sir, what gratitude I feel!" exclaimed the man with gray hair.

"Ah, there you are, my good D'Arminges; I have given you a great fright,
have I not? but it is your own fault. You were my tutor, why did you not
teach me to swim?"

"Oh, monsieur le comte," replied the old man, "had any misfortune
happened to you, I should never have dared to show myself to the marshal
again."

"But how did the accident happen?" asked Raoul.

"Oh, sir, in the most natural way possible," replied he to whom they had
given the title of count. "We were about a third of the way across the
river when the cord of the ferryboat broke. Alarmed by the cries and
gestures of the boatmen, my horse sprang into the water. I cannot
swim, and dared not throw myself into the river. Instead of aiding the
movements of my horse, I paralyzed them; and I was just going to drown
myself with the best grace in the world, when you arrived just in
time to pull me out of the water; therefore, sir, if you will agree,
henceforward we are friends until death."

"Sir," replied Raoul, bowing, "I am entirely at your service, I assure
you."

"I am called the Count de Guiche," continued the young man; "my father
is the Marechal de Grammont; and now that you know who I am, do me the
honor to inform me who you are."

"I am the Viscount de Bragelonne," answered Raoul, blushing at being
unable to name his father, as the Count de Guiche had done.

"Viscount, your countenance, your goodness and your courage incline
me toward you; my gratitude is already due. Shake hands--I crave your
friendship."

"Sir," said Raoul, returning the count's pressure of the hand, "I
like you already, from my heart; pray regard me as a devoted friend, I
beseech you."

"And now, where are you going, viscount?" inquired De Guiche.

"To join the army, under the prince, count."

"And I, too!" exclaimed the young man, in a transport of joy. "Oh, so
much the better, we will fire the first shot together."

"It is well; be friends," said the tutor; "young as you both are, you
were perhaps born under the same star and were destined to meet. And
now," continued he, "you must change your clothes; your servants, to
whom I gave directions the moment they had left the ferryboat, ought to
be already