ord, 'Sound trumpets!' he
cried."

"Well, very good; you will do as much when the opportunity occurs, will
you, Raoul?"

"I know not, sir, but I thought it really very fine and grand!"

"Were you afraid, Raoul?" asked the count.

"Yes, sir," replied the young man naively; "I felt a great chill at
my heart, and at the word 'fire,' which resounded in Spanish from the
enemy's ranks, I closed my eyes and thought of you."

"In honest truth, Raoul?" said Athos, pressing his hand.

"Yes, sir; at that instant there was such a rataplan of musketry that
one might have imagined the infernal regions had opened. Those who were
not killed felt the heat of the flames. I opened my eyes, astonished to
find myself alive and even unhurt; a third of the squadron were lying on
the ground, wounded, dead or dying. At that moment I encountered the eye
of the prince. I had but one thought and that was that he was observing
me. I spurred on and found myself in the enemy's ranks."

"And the prince was pleased with you?"

"He told me so, at least, sir, when he desired me to return to Paris
with Monsieur de Chatillon, who was charged to carry the news to the
queen and to bring the colors we had taken. 'Go,' said he; 'the enemy
will not rally for fifteen days and until that time I have no need of
your service. Go and see those whom you love and who love you, and tell
my sister De Longueville that I thank her for the present that she made
me of you.' And I came, sir," added Raoul, gazing at the count with
a smile of real affection, "for I thought you would be glad to see me
again."

Athos drew the young man toward him and pressed his lips to his brow, as
he would have done to a young daughter.

"And now, Raoul," said he, "you are launched; you have dukes for
friends, a marshal of France for godfather, a prince of the blood as
commander, and on the day of your return you have been received by two
queens; it is not so bad for a novice."

"Oh sir," said Raoul, suddenly, "you recall something, which, in my
haste to relate my exploits, I had forgotten; it is that there was with
Her Majesty the Queen of England, a gentleman who, when I pronounced
your name, uttered a cry of surprise and joy; he said he was a friend of
yours, asked your address, and is coming to see you."

"What is his name?"

"I did not venture to ask, sir; he spoke elegantly, although I thought
from his accent he was an Englishman."

"Ah!" said Athos, leaning down his he