, however, an act of conscience
on my part. Now this matter is settled, therefore, it remains for me
to ask, with the greatest humility, your forgiveness for this shameless
action, as most certainly I should have asked it of your father, if
he were still alive, and if I had met him after my return to France,
subsequent to the death of King Charles I."

"That is too much, M. d'Artagnan," exclaimed many voices, with
animation.

"No, gentlemen," said the captain. "And now, M. de Wardes, I hope all is
finished between us, and that you will have no further occasion to speak
ill of me again. Do you consider it completely settled?"

De Wardes bowed, and muttered to himself inarticulately.

"I trust also," said D'Artagnan, approaching the young man closely,
"that you will no longer speak ill of any one, as it seems you have the
unfortunate habit of doing; for a man so puritanically conscientious
as you are, who can reproach an old soldier for a youthful freak
five-and-thirty years after it happened, will allow me to ask whether
you, who advocate such excessive purity of conscience, will undertake on
your side to do nothing contrary either to conscience or the principle
of honor. And now, listen attentively to what I am going to say, M. de
Wardes, in conclusion. Take care that no tale, with which your name may
be associated, reaches my ear."

"Monsieur," said De Wardes, "it is useless threatening to no purpose."

"I have not yet finished, M. de Wardes, and you must listen to me still
further." The circle of listeners, full of eager curiosity, drew closer.
"You spoke just now of the honor of a woman, and of the honor of
your father. We were glad to hear you speak in that manner; for it is
pleasing to think that such a sentiment of delicacy and rectitude, and
which did not exist, it seems, in _our_ minds, lives in our children;
and it is delightful, too, to see a young man, at an age when men from
habit become the destroyers of the honor of women, respect and defend
it."

De Wardes bit his lip and clenched his hands, evidently much disturbed
to learn how this discourse, the commencement of which was announced in
so threatening a manner, would terminate.

"How did it happen, then, that you allowed yourself to say to M. de
Bragelonne that he did not know who his mother was?"

Raoul's eyes flashed, as, darting forward, he exclaimed,--"Chevalier,
this is a personal affair of my own!" At which exclamation, a smile,
full of m