The day of his arrival, on returning from the Palais Royal, Athos, as wehave seen, went straight to his hotel in the Rue Saint-Honore. He therefound the Vicomte de Bragelonne waiting for him in his chamber, chattingwith Grimaud. It was not an easy thing to talk with this old servant.Two men only possessed the secret, Athos and D'Artagnan. The firstsucceeded, because Grimaud sought to make him speak himself; D'Artagnan,on the contrary, because he knew how to make Grimaud talk. Raoul wasoccupied in making him describe the voyage to England, and Grimaud hadrelated it in all its details, with a limited number of gestures andeight words, neither more nor less. He had, at first, indicated by anundulating movement of his hand, that his master and he had crossed thesea. "Upon some expedition?" Raoul had asked.
Grimaud by bending down his head had answered, "Yes."
"When monsieur le comte incurred much danger?" asked Raoul.
"Neither too much nor too little," was replied by a shrug of theshoulders.
"But, still, what sort of danger?" insisted Raoul.
Grimaud pointed to the sword; he pointed to the fire and to a musketthat was hanging on the wall.
"Monsieur le comte had an enemy there, then?" cried Raoul.
"Monk," replied Grimaud.
"It is strange," continued Raoul, "that monsieur le comte persists inconsidering me a novice, and not allowing me to partake the honor anddanger of his adventure."
Grimaud smiled. It was at this moment Athos came in. The host waslighting him up the stairs, and Grimaud, recognizing the step of hismaster, hastened to meet him, which cut short the conversation. ButRaoul was launched on the sea of interrogatories, and did notstop. Taking both hands of the comte, with warm, but respectfultenderness,--"How is it, monsieur," said he, "that you have set out upona dangerous voyage without bidding me adieu, without commanding the aidof my sword, of myself, who ought to be your support, now I have thestrength; whom you have brought up like a man? Ah! monsieur, can youexpose me to the cruel trial of never seeing you again?"
"Who told you, Raoul," said the comte, placing his cloak and hat in thehands of Grimaud, who had unbuckled his sword, "who told you that myvoyage was a dangerous one?"
"I," said Grimaud.
"And why did you do so?" said Athos, sternly.
Grimaud was embarrassed; Raoul came to his assistance, by answering forhim. "It is natural, monsieur that our good Grimaud should tell me thetruth in what concerns you. By whom should you be loved and supported,if not by me?"
Athos did not reply. He made a friendly motion to Grimaud, which senthim out of the room, he then seated himself in a fauteuil, whilst Raoulremained standing before him.
"But is it true," continued Raoul, "that your voyage was an expedition,and that steel and fire threatened you?"
"Say no more about that, vicomte," said Athos mildly. "I set outhastily, it is true: but the service of King Charles II. required aprompt departure. As to your anxiety, I thank you for it, and I knowthat I can depend upon you. You have not wanted for anything, vicomte,in my absence, have you?"
"No, monsieur, thank you."
"I left orders with Blaisois to pay you a hundred pistoles, if youshould stand in need of money."
"Monsieur, I have not seen Blaisois."
"You have been without money, then?"
"Monsieur, I had thirty pistoles left from the sale of the horses I tookin my last campaign, and M. le Prince had the kindness to allow me towin two hundred pistoles at his play-table three months ago."
"Do you play? I don't like that, Raoul."
"I never play, monsieur; it was M. le Prince who ordered me to hold hiscards at Chantilly--one night when a courier came to him from the king.I won, and M. le Prince commanded me to take the stakes."
"Is that a practice in the household, Raoul?" asked Athos with a frown.
"Yes, monsieur; every week M. le Prince affords, upon one occasion oranother, a similar advantage to one of his gentlemen. There are fiftygentlemen in his highness's household; it was my turn."
"Very well! You went into Spain, then?"
"Yes, monsieur, I made a very delightful and interesting journey."
"You have been back a month, have you not?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"And in the course of that month?"
"In that month----"
"What have you done?"
"My duty, monsieur."
"Have you not been home, to La Fere?"
Raoul colored. Athos looked at him with a fixed but tranquil expression.
"You would be wrong not to believe me," said Raoul. "I feel that Icolored, and in spite of myself. The question you did me the honorto ask me is of a nature to raise in me much emotion. I color, then,because I am agitated, not because I meditate a falsehood."
"I know, Raoul, you never lie."
"No, monsieur."
"Besides, my young friend, you would be wrong; what I wanted to say----"
"I know quite well, monsieur. You would ask me if I have not been toBlois?"
"Exactly so."
"I have not been there; I have not even seen the person to whom youallude."
Raoul's voice trembled as he pronounced these words. Athos, a sovereignjudge in all matters of delicacy, immediately added, "Raoul, you answerwith a painful feeling; you are unhappy."
"Very, monsieur; you have forbidden me to go to Blois, or to seeMademoiselle de la Valliere again." Here the young man stopped. Thatdear name, so delightful to pronounce, made his heart bleed, although sosweet upon his lips.
"And I have acted rightly, Raoul," Athos hastened to reply. "I amneither an unjust nor a barbarous father; I respect true love; but Ilook forward for you to a future--an immense future. A new reign isabout to break upon us like a fresh dawn. War calls upon a young kingfull of chivalric spirit. What is wanting to assist this heroic ardoris a battalion of young and free lieutenants who would rush to the fightwith enthusiasm and fall, crying: 'Vive le Roi!' instead of 'Adieu, mydear wife.' You understand that, Raoul. However brutal my reasoningmay appear, I conjure you, then, to believe me, and to turn away yourthoughts from those early days of youth in which you took up this habitof love--days of effeminate carelessness, which soften the heart andrender it incapable of consuming those strong, bitter draughts calledglory and adversity. Therefore, Raoul, I repeat to you, you should seein my counsel only the desire of being useful to you, only the ambitionof seeing you prosper. I believe you capable of becoming a remarkableman. March alone, and you will march better, and more quickly."
"You have commanded, monsieur," replied Raoul, "and I obey."
"Commanded!" cried Athos. "Is it thus you reply to me? I have commandedyou! Oh! you distort my words as you misconceive my intentions. I do notcommand you; I request you."
"No, monsieur, you have commanded," said Raoul, persistently; "had youonly requested me, your request is even more effective than your order.I have not seen Mademoiselle de la Valliere again."
"But you are unhappy! you are unhappy!" insisted Athos.
Raoul made no reply.
"I find you pale; I find you dull. The sentiment is strong, then?"
"It is a passion," replied Raoul.
"No--a habit."
"Monsieur, you know I have traveled much, that I have passed two yearsfar away from her. A habit would yield to an absence of two years, Ibelieve; whereas, on my return, I loved, not more, that was impossible,but as much. Mademoiselle de la Valliere is for me the one lady aboveall others; but you are for me a god upon earth--to you I sacrificeeverything."
"You are wrong," said Athos; "I have no longer any right over you. Agehas emancipated you; you no longer even stand in need of my consent.Besides, I will not refuse my consent after what you have told me. MarryMademoiselle de la Valliere, if you like."
Raoul was startled, but suddenly: "You are very kind, monsieur," saidhe, "and your concession excites my warmest gratitude, but I will notaccept it."
"Then you now refuse?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"I
will not oppose you in anything, Raoul."
"But you have at the bottom of your heart an idea against this marriage:it is not your choice."
"That is true."
"That is sufficient to make me resist: I will wait."
"Beware, Raoul! What you are now saying is serious."
"I know it is, monsieur; as I said, I will wait."
"Until I die?" said Athos, much agitated.
"Oh! monsieur," cried Raoul, with tears in his eyes, "is it possiblethat you should wound my heart thus? I have never given you cause ofcomplaint!"
"Dear boy, that is true," murmured Athos, pressing his lips violentlytogether to conceal the emotion of which he was no longer master. "No,I will no longer afflict you; only I do not comprehend what you mean bywaiting. Will you wait till you love no longer?"
"Ah! for that!--no, monsieur. I will wait till you change your opinion."
"I should wish to put the matter to a test, Raoul; I should like to seeif Mademoiselle de la Valliere will wait as you do."
"I hope so, monsieur."
"But take care, Raoul! suppose she did not wait? Ah, you are so young,so confiding, so loyal! Women are changeable."
"You have never spoken ill to me of women, monsieur; you have neverhad to complain of them; why should you doubt of Mademoiselle de laValliere?"
"That is true," said Athos, casting down his eyes; "I have never spokenill to you of women; I have never had to complain of them; Mademoisellede la Valliere never gave birth to a suspicion; but when we are lookingforward, we must go even to exceptions, even to improbabilities! If, Isay, Mademoiselle de la Valliere should not wait for you?"
"How, monsieur?"
"If she turned her eyes another way."
"If she looked favorably upon another, do you mean, monsieur?" saidRaoul, pale with agony.
"Exactly."
"Well, monsieur, I would kill him," said Raoul, simply, "and all the menwhom Mademoiselle de la Valliere should choose, until one of them hadkilled me, or Mademoiselle de la Valliere had restored me her heart."
Athos started. "I thought," resumed he, in an agitated voice, "that youcalled me just now your god, your law in this world."
"Oh!" said Raoul, trembling, "you would forbid me the duel?"
"Suppose I did forbid it, Raoul?"
"You would forbid me to hope, monsieur; consequently you would notforbid me to die."
Athos raised his eyes toward the vicomte. He had pronounced these wordswith the most melancholy inflection, accompanied by the most melancholylook. "Enough," said Athos, after a long silence, "enough of thissubject, upon which we both go too far. Live as well as you are able,Raoul, perform your duties, love Mademoiselle de; la Valliere; in aword, act like a man, since you have attained the age of a man; only donot forget that I love you tenderly, and that you profess to love me."
"Ah! monsieur le comte!" cried Raoul, pressing the hand of Athos to hisheart.
"Enough, dear boy, leave me; I want rest. A propos, M. d'Artagnan hasreturned from England with me; you owe him a visit."
"I will pay it, monsieur, with great pleasure. I love Monsieurd'Artagnan exceedingly."
"You are right in doing so; he is a worthy man and a brave cavalier."
"Who loves you dearly."
"I am sure of that. Do you know his address?"
"At the Louvre, I suppose, or wherever the king is. Does he not commandthe musketeers?"
"No; at present M. d'Artagnan is absent on leave; he is resting forawhile. Do not, therefore, seek him at the posts of his service. Youwill hear of him at the house of a certain Planchet."
"His former lackey?"
"Exactly, turned grocer."
"I know; Rue des Lombards?"
"Somewhere thereabouts, or Rue des Arcis."
"I will find it, monsieur,--I will find it."
"You will say a thousand kind things to him, on my part, and ask him tocome and dine with me before I set out for La Fere."
"Yes, monsieur."
"Good-night, Raoul!"
"Monsieur, I see you wear an order I never saw you wear before; acceptmy compliments!"
"The Fleece! that is true. A bauble, my boy, which no longer amuses anold child like myself. Goodnight, Raoul!"
CHAPTER 52. D'Artagnan's Lesson