ad so often heard the Comte de la Fere speak,
except that its aspect had much changed since the period when Athos had
himself been part of it; therefore everything which the Count de Guiche
related was new to his traveling companion. The young count, witty
and caustic, passed all the world in review; the queen herself was not
spared, and Cardinal Mazarin came in for his share of ridicule.

The day passed away as rapidly as an hour. The count's tutor, a man of
the world and a bon vivant, up to his eyes in learning, as his pupil
described him, often recalled the profound erudition, the witty and
caustic satire of Athos to Raoul; but as regarded grace, delicacy,
and nobility of external appearance, no one in these points was to be
compared to the Comte de la Fere.

The horses, which were more kindly used than on the previous day,
stopped at Arras at four o'clock in the evening. They were approaching
the scene of war; and as bands of Spaniards sometimes took advantage of
the night to make expeditions even as far as the neighborhood of Arras,
they determined to remain in the town until the morrow. The French army
held all between Pont-a-Marc as far as Valenciennes, falling back upon
Douai. The prince was said to be in person at Bethune.

The enemy's army extended from Cassel to Courtray; and as there was no
species of violence or pillage it did not commit, the poor people on the
frontier quitted their isolated dwellings and fled for refuge into the
strong cities which held out a shelter to them. Arras was encumbered
with fugitives. An approaching battle was much spoken of, the prince
having manoeuvred, until that movement, only in order to await a
reinforcement that had just reached him.

The young men congratulated themselves on having arrived so opportunely.
The evening was employed in discussing the war; the grooms polished
their arms; the young men loaded the pistols in case of a skirmish, and
they awoke in despair, having both dreamed that they had arrived too
late to participate in the battle. In the morning it was rumored
that Prince de Conde had evacuated Bethune and fallen back on Carvin,
leaving, however, a strong garrison in the former city.

But as there was nothing positively certain in this report, the young
warriors decided to continue their way toward Bethune, free on the road
to diverge to the right and march to Carvin if necessary.

The count's tutor was well acquainted with the country; he consequentl