nt; I am of
little importance, and I do not rank myself above my position."

"M. Malicorne, whom you see here," said De Guiche to De Wardes, "is a
very excellent fellow, whose only misfortune is that of not being of
gentle birth. As far as I am concerned, you know, I attach little value
to those who have but gentle birth to boast of."

"Assuredly," said De Wardes; "but will you allow me to remark, my dear
count, that, without rank of some sort, one can hardly hope to belong to
his royal highness's household?"

"You are right," said the count, "court etiquette is absolute. The
devil!--we never so much as gave it a thought."

"Alas! a sad misfortune for me, monsieur le comte," said Malicorne,
changing color.

"Yet not without remedy, I hope," returned De Guiche.

"The remedy is found easily enough," exclaimed De Wardes; "you can be
created a gentleman. His Eminence, the Cardinal Mazarin, did nothing
else from morning till night."

"Hush, hush, De Wardes," said the count; "no jests of that kind; it ill
becomes us to turn such matters into ridicule. Letters of nobility, it
is true, are purchasable; but that is a sufficient misfortune without
the nobles themselves laughing at it."

"Upon my word, De Guiche, you're quite a Puritan, as the English say."

At this moment the Vicomte de Bragelonne was announced by one of the
servants in the courtyard, in precisely the same manner as he would have
done in a room.

"Come here, my dear Raoul. What! you, too, booted and spurred? You are
setting off, then?"

Bragelonne approached the group of young men, and saluted them with that
quiet and serious manner peculiar to him. His salutation was principally
addressed to De Wardes, with whom he was unacquainted, and whose
features, on his perceiving Raoul, had assumed a strange sternness
of expression. "I have come, De Guiche," he said, "to ask your
companionship. We set off for Le Havre, I presume."

"This is admirable--delightful. We shall have a most enjoyable journey.
M. Malicorne, M. Bragelonne--ah! M. de Wardes, let me present you." The
young men saluted each other in a restrained manner. Their very natures
seemed, from the beginning, disposed to take exception to each other. De
Wardes was pliant, subtle, full of dissimulation; Raoul was calm, grave,
and upright. "Decide between us--between De Wardes and myself, Raoul."

"Upon what subject?"

"Upon the subject of noble birth."

"Who can be better informed on that sub