to be
dreaming, or to be losing my senses."

"I happened to be here, mademoiselle, because I have a house in the
Place de Greve, at the sign of the Notre-Dame, the rent of which I went
to receive yesterday, and where I, in fact, passed the night. And I
also wished to be at the palace early, for the purposes of inspecting my
posts."

"Thank you," said La Valliere.

"That is what _I_ was doing," said D'Artagnan to himself; "but what is
_she_ doing, and why is she going to Chaillot at such an hour?" And he
offered her his arm, which she took, and began to walk with increased
precipitation, which ill-concealed, however, her weakness. D'Artagnan
perceived it, and proposed to La Valliere that she should take a little
rest, which she refused.

"You are ignorant, perhaps, where Chaillot is?" inquired D'Artagnan.

"Quite so."

"It is a great distance."

"That matters very little."

"It is at least a league."

"I can walk it."

D'Artagnan did not reply; he could tell, merely by the tone of a voice,
when a resolution was real or not. He rather bore along rather than
accompanied La Valliere, until they perceived the elevated ground of
Chaillot.

"What house are you going to, mademoiselle?" inquired D'Artagnan.

"To the Carmelites, monsieur."

"To the Carmelites?" repeated D'Artagnan, in amazement.

"Yes; and since Heaven has directed you towards me to give me your
support on my road, accept both my thanks and my adieux."

"To the Carmelites! Your adieux! Are you going to become a nun?"
exclaimed D'Artagnan.

"Yes, monsieur."

"What, you!!!" There was in this "you," which we have marked by
three notes of exclamation in order to render it as expressive as
possible,--there was, we repeat, in this "you" a complete poem; it
recalled to La Valliere her old recollections of Blois, and her new
recollections of Fontainebleau; it said to her, "_You_, who might be
happy with Raoul; _you_, who might be powerful with Louis; _you_ about
to become a nun!"

"Yes, monsieur," she said, "I am going to devote myself to the service
of Heaven; and to renounce the world entirely."

"But are you not mistaken with regard to your vocation,--are you not
mistaken in supposing it to be the will of Heaven?"

"No, since Heaven has been pleased to throw you in my way. Had it not
been for you, I should certainly have sunk from fatigue on the road, and
since Heaven, I repeat, has thrown you in my way, it is because it has
willed that I