The halt at Noyon was but brief, every one there beingwrapped in profound sleep. Raoul had desired to be awakenedshould Grimaud arrive, but Grimaud did not arrive.Doubtless, too, the horses on their part appreciated theeight hours of repose and the abundant stabling which wasgranted them. The Count de Guiche was awakened at fiveo'clock in the morning by Raoul, who came to wish himgood-day. They breakfasted in haste, and at six o'clock hadalready gone ten miles.

The young count's conversation was most interesting toRaoul, therefore he listened much, whilst the count talkedwell and long. Brought up in Paris, where Raoul had been butonce; at the court, which Raoul had never seen; his folliesas page; two duels, which he had already found the means offighting, in spite of the edicts against them and, moreespecially, in spite of his tutor's vigilance - thesethings excited the greatest curiosity in Raoul. Raoul hadonly been at M. Scarron's house; he named to Guiche thepeople whom he had seen there. Guiche knew everybody - Madame de Neuillan, Mademoiselle d'Aubigne, Mademoiselle deScudery, Mademoiselle Paulet, Madame de Chevreuse. Hecriticised everybody humorously. Raoul trembled, lest heshould laugh among the rest at Madame de Chevreuse, for whomhe entertained deep and genuine sympathy, but eitherinstinctively, or from affection for the duchess, he saideverything in her favor. His praises increased Raoul'sfriendship twofold. Then came the question of gallantry andlove affairs. Under this head, also, Bragelonne had muchmore to hear than to tell. He listened attentively andfancied that he discovered through three or four ratherfrivolous adventures, that the count, like himself, had asecret to hide in the depths of his heart.

De Guiche, as we have said before, had been educated at thecourt, and the intrigues of this court were not unknown tohim. It was the same court of which Raoul had so often heardthe Comte de la Fere speak, except that its aspect had muchchanged since the period when Athos had himself been part ofit; therefore everything which the Count de Guiche relatedwas new to his traveling companion. The young count, wittyand caustic, passed all the world in review; the queenherself was not spared, and Cardinal Mazarin came in for hisshare of ridicule.

The day passed away as rapidly as an hour. The count'stutor, a man of the world and a bon vivant, up to his eyesin learning, as his pupil described him, often recalled theprofound erudition, the witty and caustic satire of Athos toRaoul; but as regarded grace, delicacy, and nobility ofexternal appearance, no one in these points was to becompared to the Comte de la Fere.

The horses, which were more kindly used than on the previousday, stopped at Arras at four o'clock in the evening. Theywere approaching the scene of war; and as bands of Spaniardssometimes took advantage of the night to make expeditionseven as far as the neighborhood of Arras, they determined toremain in the town until the morrow. The French army heldall between Pont-a-Marc as far as Valenciennes, falling backupon Douai. The prince was said to be in person at Bethune.

The enemy's army extended from Cassel to Courtray; and asthere was no species of violence or pillage it did notcommit, the poor people on the frontier quitted theirisolated dwellings and fled for refuge into the strongcities which held out a shelter to them. Arras wasencumbered with fugitives. An approaching battle was muchspoken of, the prince having manoeuvred, until thatmovement, only in order to await a reinforcement that hadjust reached him.

The young men congratulated themselves on having arrived soopportunely. The evening was employed in discussing the war;the grooms polished their arms; the young men loaded thepistols in case of a skirmish, and they awoke in despair,having both dreamed that they had arrived too late toparticipate in the battle. In the morning it was rumoredthat Prince de Conde had evacuated Bethune and fallen backon Carvin, leaving, however, a strong garrison in the formercity.

But as there was nothing positively certain in this report,the young warriors decided to continue their way towardBethune, free on the road to diverge to the right and marchto Carvin if necessary.

The count's tutor was well acquainted with the country; heconsequently proposed to take a crossroad, which lay betweenthat of Lens and that of Bethune. They obtained informationat Ablain, and a statement of their route was left forGrimaud. About seven o'clock in the morning they set out. DeGuiche, who was young and impulsive, said to Raoul, "Here weare, three masters and three servants. Our valets are wellarmed and yours seems to be tough enough."

"I have never seen him put to the test," replied Raoul, "buthe is a Breton, which promises something."

"Yes, yes," resumed De Guiche; "I am sure he can fire amusket when required. On my side I have two sure men, whohave been in action with my father. We therefore representsix fighting men; if we should meet a little troop ofenemies, equal or even superior in number to our own, shallwe charge them, Raoul?"

"Certainly, sir," replied the viscount.

"Holloa! young people - stop there!" said the tutor,joining in the conversation. "Zounds! how you manoeuvre myinstructions, count! You seem to forget the orders Ireceived to conduct you safe and sound to his highness theprince! Once with the army you may be killed at your goodpleasure; but until that time, I warn you that in mycapacity of general of the army I shall order a retreat andturn my back on the first red coat we come across." DeGuiche and Raoul glanced at each other, smiling.

They arrived at Ablain without accident. There they inquiredand learned that the prince had in reality quitted Bethuneand stationed himself between Cambria and La Venthie.Therefore, leaving directions at every place for Grimaud,they took a crossroad which conducted the little troop bythe bank of a small stream flowing into the Lys. The countrywas beautiful, intersected by valleys as green as theemerald. Here and there they passed little copses crossingthe path which they were following. In anticipation of someambuscade in each of these little woods the tutor placed histwo servants at the head of the band, thus forming theadvance guard. Himself and the two young men represented thebody of the army, whilst Olivain, with his rifle upon hisknee and his eyes upon the watch, protected the rear.

They had observed for some time before them, on the horizon,a rather thick wood; and when they had arrived at a distanceof a hundred steps from it, Monsieur d'Arminges took hisusual precautions and sent on in advance the count's twogrooms. The servants had just disappeared under the trees,followed by the tutor, and the young men were laughing andtalking about a hundred yards off. Olivain was at the samedistance in the rear, when suddenly there resounded five orsix musket-shots. The tutor cried halt; the young menobeyed, pulling up their steeds, and at the same moment thetwo valets were seen returning at a gallop.

The young men, impatient to learn the cause of the firing,spurred on toward the servants. The tutor followed them.

"Were you stopped?" eagerly inquired the two youths.

"No," replied the servants, "it is even probable that wehave not been seen; the shots were fired about a hundredpaces in advance of us, in the thickest part of the wood,and we returned to ask your advice."

"My advice is this," said Monsieur d'Arminges, "and if needsbe, my will, that we beat a retreat. There may be anambuscade concealed in this wood."

"Did you see nothing there?" asked the count.

"I thought I saw," said one of the servants, "horsemendressed in yellow, creeping along the bed of the stream.

"That's it," said the tutor. "We have fallen in with a partyof Spaniards. Come back, sirs, back."

The two youths looked at each other, and at this moment apistol-shot and cries for help were heard. Another glancebetween the young men convinced them both that neither hadany wish to go back, and as the tutor had already turned hishorse's head, they both spurred forward, Raoul crying:"Follow me, Olivain!" and the Count de Guiche: "Follow,Urban and Planchet!" And before the tutor could recover fromhis surprise they had both disappeared into the forest.Whilst they spurred their steeds they held their pistolsready also. In five minutes they arrived at the spot whencethe noise had proceeded, and then restraining their horses,they advanced cautiously.

"Hush," whispered De Guiche, "these are cavaliers."

"Yes, three on horseback and three who have dismounted."

"Can you see what they are doing?"

"Yes, they appear to be searching a wounded or dead man."

"It is some cowardly assassination," said De Guiche.

"They are soldiers, though," resumed De Bragelonne.

"Yes, skirmishers; that is to say, highway robbers."

"At them!" cried Raoul. "At them!" echoed De Guiche.

"Oh! gentlemen! gentlemen! in the name of Heaven!" cried thepoor tutor.

But he was not listened to, and his cries only served toarouse the attention of the Spaniards.

The men on horseback at once rushed at the two youths,leaving the three others to complete the plunder of the deador wounded travelers; for on approaching nearer, instead ofone extended figure, the young men discovered two. De Guichefired the first shot at ten paces and missed his man; andthe Spaniard, who had advanced to meet Raoul, aimed in histurn, and Raoul felt a pain in the left arm, similar to thatof a blow from a whip. He let off his fire at but fourpaces. Struck in the breast and extending his arms, theSpaniard fell back on the crupper, and the terrified horse,turning around, carried him off.

Raoul at this moment perceived the muzzle of a gun pointedat him, and remembering the recommendation of Athos, he,with the rapidity of lightning, made his horse rear as theshot was fired. His horse bounded to one side, losing itsfooting, and fell, entangling Raoul's leg under its body.The Spaniard sprang forward and seized the gun by itsmuzzle, in order to strike Raoul on the head with the butt.In the position in which Raoul lay, unfortunately, he couldneither draw his sword from the scabbard, nor his pistolsfrom their holsters. The butt end of the musket hovered overhis head, and he could scarcely restrain himself fromclosing his eyes, when with one bound Guiche reached theSpaniard and placed a pistol at his throat. "Yield!" hecried, "or you are a dead man!" The musket fell from thesoldier's hands, who yielded on the instant. Guiche summonedone of his grooms, and delivering the prisoner into hischarge, with orders to shoot him through the head if heattempted to escape, he leaped from his horse and approachedRaoul.

"Faith, sir," said Raoul, smiling, although his pallorbetrayed the excitement consequent on a first affair, "youare in a great hurry to pay your debts and have not beenlong under any obligation to me. Without your aid,"continued he, repeating the count's words "I should havebeen a dead man - thrice dead."

"My antagonist took flight," replied De Guiche "and left meat liberty to come to your assistance. But are you seriouslywounded? I see you are covered with blood!"

"I believe," said Raoul, "that I have got something like ascratch on the arm. If you will help me to drag myself fromunder my horse I hope nothing need prevent us continuing ourjourney."

Monsieur d'Arminges and Olivain had already dismounted andwere attempting to raise the struggling horse. At last Raoulsucceeded in drawing his foot from the stirrup and his legfrom under the animal, and in a second he was on his feetagain.

"Nothing broken?" asked De Guiche.

"Faith, no, thank Heaven!" replied Raoul; "but what hasbecome of the poor wretches whom these scoundrels weremurdering?"

"I fear we arrived too late. They have killed them, I think,and taken flight, carrying off their booty. My servants areexamining the bodies."

"Let us go and see whether they are quite dead, or if theycan still be helped," suggested Raoul. "Olivain, we havecome into possession of two horses, but I have lost my own.Take for yourself the better of the two and give me yours."

They approached the spot where the unfortunate victims lay.