erected for them near that of the marshal.

Although the day had been fatiguing, neither of them was inclined to
sleep. And besides, even for old soldiers the evening before a battle is
a serious time; it was so with greater reason to two young men who were
about to witness for the first time that terrible spectacle. On the
evening before a battle one thinks of a thousand things forgotten till
then; those who are indifferent to one another become friends and those
who are friends become brothers. It need not be said that if in the
depths of the heart there is a sentiment more tender, it reaches then,
quite naturally, the highest exaltation of which it is capable. Some
sentiment of this kind must have been cherished by each one of these two
friends, for each of them almost immediately sat down by himself at an
end of the tent and began to write.

The letters were long--the four pages were covered with closely written
words. The writers sometimes looked up at each other and smiled; they
understood without speaking, their organizations were so delicate and
sympathetic. The letters being finished, each put his own into two
envelopes, so that no one, without tearing the first envelope, could
discover to whom the second was addressed; then they drew near to each
other and smilingly exchanged their letters.

"In case any evil should happen to me," said Bragelonne.

"In case I should be killed," said De Guiche.

They then embraced each other like two brothers, and each wrapping
himself in his cloak they soon passed into that kindly sleep of youth
which is the prerogative of birds, flowers and infants.

35. A Dinner in the Old Style.

The second interview between the former musketeers was not so formal and
threatening as the first. Athos, with his superior understanding, wisely
deemed that the supper table would be the most complete and satisfactory
point of reunion, and at the moment when his friends, in deference
to his deportment and sobriety, dared scarcely speak of some of their
former good dinners, he was the first to propose that they should
all assemble around some well spread table and abandon themselves
unreservedly to their own natural character and manners--a freedom which
had formerly contributed so much to that good understanding between them
which gave them the name of the inseparables. For different reasons this
was an agreeable proposition to them all, and it was therefore agreed
that each shoul