eflections was, that he
had left Porthos to remain at the place appointed for the meeting, in
the very improbable case that Saint-Aignan would come there; having
endeavored to make Porthos promise that he would not remain there
more than an hour or an hour and a half at the very longest. Porthos,
however, formally refused to do anything of the kind, but, on the
contrary, installed himself in the Minimes as if he were going to
take root there, making Raoul promise that when he had been to see his
father, he would return to his own apartments, in order that Porthos's
servant might know where to find him in case M. de Saint-Aignan should
happen to come to the rendezvous.

Bragelonne had left Vincennes, and proceeded at once straight to the
apartments of Athos, who had been in Paris during the last two days, the
comte having been already informed of what had taken place, by a letter
from D'Artagnan. Raoul arrived at his father's; Athos, after having held
out his hand to him, and embraced him most affectionately, made a sign
for him to sit down.

"I know you come to me as a man would go to a friend, vicomte, whenever
he is suffering; tell me, therefore, what is it that brings you now."

The young man bowed, and began his recital; more than once in the course
of it his tears almost choked his utterance, and a sob, checked in his
throat, compelled him to suspend his narrative for a few minutes. Athos
most probably already knew how matters stood, as we have just now
said D'Artagnan had already written to him; but, preserving until the
conclusion that calm, unruffled composure of manner which constituted
the almost superhuman side of his character, he replied, "Raoul, I do
not believe there is a word of truth in these rumors; I do not believe
in the existence of what you fear, although I do not deny that persons
best entitled to the fullest credit have already conversed with me on
the subject. In my heart and soul I think it utterly impossible that the
king could be guilty of such an outrage on a gentleman. I will answer
for the king, therefore, and will soon bring you back the proof of what
I say."

Raoul, wavering like a drunken man between what he had seen with his own
eyes and the imperturbable faith he had in a man who had never told a
falsehood, bowed and simply answered, "Go, then, monsieur le comte; I
will await your return." And he sat down, burying his face in his hands.
Athos dressed, and then left him, in order t