a
friar!"

"Pshaw!" said De Guiche. "Absolution comes not from him who administers
it, but from God. However, for my part, I would rather die unshriven
than have anything to say to such a confessor. You are of my opinion,
are you not, viscount? and I see you playing with the pommel of your
sword, as if you had a great inclination to break the holy father's
head."

"Yes, count, it is a strange thing and one which might astonish you, but
I feel an indescribable horror at the sight of yonder man. Have you ever
seen a snake rise up on your path?"

"Never," answered De Guiche.

"Well, it has happened to me to do so in our Blaisois forests, and I
remember that the first time I encountered one with its eyes fixed upon
me, curled up, swinging its head and pointing its tongue, I remained
fixed, pale and as though fascinated, until the moment when the Comte de
la Fere----"

"Your father?" asked De Guiche.

"No, my guardian," replied Raoul, blushing.

"Very well----"

"Until the moment when the Comte de la Fere," resumed Raoul, "said,
'Come, Bragelonne, draw your sword;' then only I rushed upon the reptile
and cut it in two, just at the moment when it was rising on its tail
and hissing, ere it sprang upon me. Well, I vow I felt exactly the same
sensation at sight of that man when he said, 'Why do you ask me that?'
and looked so strangely at me."

"Then you regret that you did not cut your serpent in two morsels?"

"Faith, yes, almost," said Raoul.

They had now arrived within sight of the little inn and could see on
the opposite side the procession bearing the wounded man and guided by
Monsieur d'Arminges. The youths spurred on.

"There is the wounded man," said De Guiche, passing close to the
Augustine brother. "Be good enough to hurry yourself a little, monsieur
monk."

As for Raoul, he avoided the monk by the whole width of the road and
passed him, turning his head away in repulsion.

The young men rode up to the wounded man to announce that they were
followed by the priest. He raised himself to glance in the direction
which they pointed out, saw the monk, and fell back upon the litter, his
face illumined by joy.

"And now," said the youths, "we have done all we can for you; and as we
are in haste to rejoin the prince's army we must continue our journey.
You will excuse us, sir, but we are told that a battle is expected and
we do not wish to arrive the day after it."

"Go, my young sirs," said the sick m