he time limited for his
absence would be a week." Then, turning towards Athos: "Monsieur," said
he, "your declaration is of the most serious importance; are you willing
to repeat it under the seal of an oath?"

"Sir," replied Athos, "I have always lived in a world where my simple
word was regarded as the most sacred of oaths."

"This time, however, monsieur, the circumstance is more grave than any
you may have been placed in. The safety of the whole army is at stake.
Reflect; the general has disappeared, and our search for him has been in
vain. Is this disappearance natural? Has a crime been committed? Are we
not bound to carry our investigations to extremity? Have we any right to
wait with patience? At this moment, everything, monsieur, depends upon
the words you are about to pronounce."

"Thus questioned, gentlemen, I no longer hesitate," said Athos. "Yes,
I came hither to converse confidentially with General Monk, and ask
him for an answer regarding certain interests; yes, the general being,
doubtless, unable to pronounce before the expected battle, begged me
to remain a week in the house I inhabit, promising me that in a week I
should see him again. Yes, all this is true, and I swear it by God who
is the absolute master of my life and yours." Athos pronounced these
words with so much grandeur and solemnity, that the three officers were
almost convinced. Nevertheless, one of the colonels made a last attempt.

"Monsieur," said he, "although we may now be persuaded of the truth of
what you say, there is yet a strange mystery in all this. The general is
too prudent a man to have thus abandoned his army on the eve of a battle
without having at least given notice of it to one of us. As for myself,
I cannot believe but some strange event has been the cause of this
disappearance. Yesterday some foreign fishermen came to sell their fish
here; they were lodged yonder among the Scots; that is to say, on the
road the general took with this gentleman, to go to the abbey, and
to return from it. It was one of these fishermen that accompanied the
general with a light. And this morning, bark and fishermen have all
disappeared, carried away by the night's tide."

"For my part," said the lieutenant, "I see nothing in that that is not
quite natural, for these people were not prisoners."

"No; but I repeat it was one of them who lighted the general and this
gentleman to the abbey, and Digby assures us that the general had strong
s