A horseman was going rapidly along the road leading towardsBlois, which he had left nearly half an hour before, passedthe two travelers, and, though apparently in haste, raisedhis hat as he passed them. The king scarcely observed thisyoung man, who was about twenty-five years of age, and who,turning round several times, made friendly signals to a manstanding before the gate of a handsome white-and-red house;that is to say, built of brick and stone, with a slatedroof, situated on the left hand of the road the prince wastraveling.

This man, old, tall, and thin, with white hair, - we speakof the one standing by the gate; - this man replied to thefarewell signals of the young one by signs of parting astender as could have been made by a father, The young mandisappeared at the first turn of the road, bordered by finetrees, and the old man was preparing to return to the house,when the two travelers, arriving in front of the gate,attracted his attention.

The king, we have said, was riding with his head cast down,his arms inert, leaving his horse to go what pace he liked,whilst Parry, behind him, the better to imbibe the genialinfluence of the sun, had taken off his hat, and was lookingabout right and left. His eyes encountered those of the oldman leaning against the gate; the latter, as if struck bysome strange spectacle, uttered an exclamation, and made onestep towards the two travelers. From Parry his eyesimmediately turned towards the king, upon whom they restedfor an instant. This exclamation, however rapid, wasinstantly reflected in a visible manner upon the features ofthe tall old man. For scarcely had he recognized the youngerof the travelers - and we say recognized, for nothing but aperfect recognition could have explained such an act - scarcely, we say, had he recognized the younger of the twotravelers, than he clapped his hands together, withrespectful surprise, and, raising his hat from his head,bowed so profoundly that it might have been said he waskneeling. This demonstration, however absent, or rather,however absorbed was the king in his reflections, attractedhis attention instantly; and checking his horse and turningtowards Parry, he exclaimed, "Good God, Parry, who is thatman who salutes me in such a marked manner? Can he know me,think you?"

Parry, much agitated and very pale, had already turned hishorse towards the gate. "Ah, sire!" said he, stoppingsuddenly at five of six paces' distance from the stillbending man: "sire, I am seized with astonishment, for Ithink I recognize that brave man. Yes, it must be he! Willyour majesty permit me to speak to him?"

"Certainly."

"Can it be you, Monsieur Grimaud?" asked Parry.

"Yes, it is I," replied the tall old man, drawing himselfup, but without losing his respectful demeanor.

"Sire," then said Parry, "I was not deceived. This good manis the servant of the Comte de la Fere, and the Comte de laFere, if you remember, is the worthy gentleman of whom Ihave so often spoken to your majesty that the remembrance ofhim must remain, not only in your mind, but in your heart."

"He who assisted my father at his last moments?" askedCharles, evidently affected at the remembrance.

"The same, sire."

"Alas!" said Charles; and then addressing Grimaud, whosepenetrating and intelligent eyes seemed to search and divinehis thoughts, - "My friend," said he, "does your master,Monsieur le Comte de la Fere, live in this neighborhood?"

"There," replied Grimaud, pointing with his outstretched armto the white-and-red house behind the gate.

"And is Monsieur le Comte de la Fere at home at present?"

"At the back, under the chestnut trees."

"Parry," said the king, "I will not miss this opportunity,so precious for me, to thank the gentleman to whom our houseis indebted for such a noble example of devotedness andgenerosity. Hold my horse, my friend, if you please." And,throwing the bridle to Grimaud, the king entered the abodeof Athos, quite alone, as one equal enters the dwelling ofanother. Charles had been informed by the conciseexplanation of Grimaud, - "At the back, under the chestnuttrees;" he left, therefore, the house on the left, and wentstraight down the path indicated. The thing was easy; thetops of those noble trees, already covered with leaves andflowers, rose above all the rest.

On arriving under the lozenges, by turns luminous and dark,which checkered the ground of this path according as thetrees were more or less in leaf, the young prince perceiveda gentleman walking with his arms behind him, apparentlyplunged in a deep meditation. Without doubt, he had oftenhad this gentleman described to him, for, withouthesitating, Charles II. walked straight up to him. At thesound of his footsteps, the Comte de la Fere raised hishead, and seeing an unknown man of noble and elegantcarriage coming towards him, he raised his hat and waited.At some paces from him, Charles II. likewise took off hishat. Then, as if in reply to the comte's mute interrogation,-

"Monsieur le Comte," said he," I come to discharge a dutytowards you. I have, for a long time, had the expression ofa profound gratitude to bring you. I am Charles II., son ofCharles Stuart, who reigned in England, and died on thescaffold."

On hearing this illustrious name, Athos felt a kind ofshudder creep through his veins, but at the sight of theyoung prince standing uncovered before him, and stretchingout his hand towards him, two tears, for an instant, dimmedhis brilliant eyes. He bent respectfully, but the princetook him by the hand.

"See how unfortunate I am, my lord count; it is only due tochance that I have met with you. Alas! I ought to havepeople around me whom I love and honor, whereas I am reducedto preserve their services in my heart, and their names inmy memory: so that if your servant had not recognized mine,I should have passed by your door as by that of a stranger."

"It is but too true," said Athos, replying with his voice tothe first part of the king's speech, and with a bow to thesecond; "it is but too true, indeed, that your majesty hasseen many evil days."

"And the worst, alas!" replied Charles, "are perhaps stillto come."

"Sire, let us hope."

"Count, count," continued Charles, shaking his head, "Ientertained hope till last night, and that of a goodChristian, I swear."

Athos looked at the king as if to interrogate him.

"Oh, the history is soon related," said Charles."Proscribed, despoiled, disdained, I resolved, in spite ofall my repugnance, to tempt fortune one last time. Is it notwritten above, that, for our family, all good fortune andall bad fortune shall eternally come from France? You knowsomething of that, monsieur, - you, who are one of theFrenchmen whom my unfortunate father found at the foot ofhis scaffold, on the day of his death, after having foundthem at his right hand on the day of battle."

"Sire," said Athos modestly, "I was not alone. My companionsand I did, under the circumstances, our duty as gentlemen,and that was all. Your majesty was about to do me the honorto relate - - "

"That is true. I had the protection, - pardon myhesitation, count, but, for a Stuart, you, who understandeverything, you will comprehend that the word is hard topronounce; - I had, I say, the protection of my cousin thestadtholder of Holland; but without the intervention, or atleast without the authorization of France, the stadtholderwould not take the initiative. I came, then, to ask thisauthorization of the king of France, who has refused me."

"The king has refused you, sire!"

"Oh, not he; all justice must be rendered to my youngerbrother Louis; but Monsieur de Mazarin - - "

Athos bit his lips.

"You perhaps think I should have expected this refusal?"said the king, who had noticed the movement.

"That was, in truth, my thought, sire," replied Athos,respectfully, "I know that Italian of old."

"Then I determined to come to the test, and know at once thelast word of my destiny. I told my brother Louis, that, notto compromise either France or Holland, I would temptfortune myself in person, as I had already done, with twohundred gentlemen, if he would give them to me, and amillion, if he would lend it me."

"Well, sire?"

"Well, monsieur, I am suffering at this moment somethingstrange, and that is, the satisfaction of despair. There isin certain souls, - and I have just discovered that mine isof the number, - a real satisfaction in the assurance thatall is lost, and the time is come to yield."

"Oh, I hope," said Athos, "that your majesty is not come tothat extremity."

"To say so, my lord count, to endeavor to revive hope in myheart, you must have ill understood what I have just toldyou. I came to Blois to ask of my brother Louis the alms ofa million, with which I had the hopes of re-establishing myaffairs; and my brother Louis has refused me. You see, then,plainly, that all is lost."

"Will your majesty permit me to express a contrary opinion?"

"How is that, count? Do you think my heart of so low anorder that I do not know how to face my position?"

"Sire, I have always seen that it was in desperate positionsthat suddenly the great turns of fortune have taken place."

"Thank you, count, it is some comfort to meet with a heartlike yours, that is to say, sufficiently trustful in God andin monarchy, never to despair of a royal fortune, howeverlow it may be fallen. Unfortunately, my dear count, yourwords are like those remedies they call `sovereign,' andwhich, though able to cure curable wounds or diseases, failagainst death. Thank you for your perseverance in consolingme, count, thanks for your devoted remembrance, but I knowin what I must trust - nothing will save me now. And see,my friend, I was so convinced, that I was taking the routeof exile with my old Parry; I was returning to devour mypoignant griefs in the little hermitage offered me byHolland. There, believe me, count, all will soon be over,and death will come quickly, it is called so often by thisbody, eaten up by its soul, and by this soul, which aspiresto heaven."

"Your majesty has a mother, a sister, and brothers; yourmajesty is the head of the family, and ought, therefore, toask a long life of God, instead of imploring Him for aprompt death. Your majesty is an exile, a fugitive, but youhave right on your side; you ought to aspire to combats,dangers, business, and not to rest in heavens."

"Count," said Charles II., with a smile of indescribablesadness, "have you ever heard of a king who reconquered hiskingdom with one servant of the age of Parry, and with threehundred crowns which that servant carried in his purse?"

"No, sire; but I have heard - and that more than once - that a dethroned king has recovered his kingdom with a firmwill, perseverance, some friends, and a million skillfullyemployed."

"But you cannot have understood me. The million I asked ofmy brother Louis was refused me."

"Sire," said Athos, "will your majesty grant me a fewminutes, and listen attentively to what remains for me tosay to you?"

Charles II. looked earnestly at Athos. "Willingly,monsieur," said he.

"Then I will show your majesty the way," resumed the count,directing his steps towards the house. He then conducted theking to his study, and begged him to be seated. "Sire," saidhe, "your majesty just now told me that, in the presentstate of England, a million would suffice for the recoveryof your kingdom."

"To attempt it at least, monsieur, and to die as a king if Ishould not succeed."

"Well, then, sire, let your majesty, according to thepromise you have made me, have the goodness to listen towhat I have to say." Charles made an affirmative sign withhis head. Athos walked straight up to the door, the bolts ofwhich he drew, after looking to see if anybody was near, andthen returned. "Sire," said he, "your majesty has kindlyremembered that I lent assistance to the very noble and veryunfortunate Charles I., when his executioners conducted himfrom St. James's to Whitehall."

"Yes, certainly, I do remember it, and always shall rememberit."

"Sire, it is a dismal history to be heard by a son who nodoubt has had it related to him many times; and yet I oughtto repeat it to your majesty without omitting one detail."

"Speak on, monsieur."

"When the king your father ascended the scaffold, or ratherwhen he passed from his chamber to the scaffold on a levelwith his window, everything was prepared for his escape. Theexecutioner was got out of the way; a hole contrived underthe floor of his apartment; I myself was beneath the funeralvault, which I heard all at once creak beneath his feet."

"Parry has related to me all these terrible details,monsieur."

Athos bowed, and resumed. "But here is something he has notrelated to you, sire, for what follows passed between God,your father, and myself; and never has the revelation of itbeen made even to my dearest friends. `Go a little furtheroff,' said the august patient to the executioner; `it is butfor an instant, and I know that I belong to you; butremember not to strike till I give the signal. I wish tooffer up my prayers in freedom.'"

"Pardon me," said Charles II., turning very pale, "but you,count, who know so many details of this melancholy event, - details which, as you said just now, have never beenrevealed to anyone, - do you know the name of that infernalexecutioner, of that base wretch who concealed his face thathe might assassinate a king with impunity?"

Athos became slightly pale. "His name?" said he, "yes, Iknow it, but cannot tell it."

"And what is become of him, for nobody in England knows hisdestiny?"

"He is dead."

"But he did not die in his bed; he did not die a calm andpeaceful death, he did not die the death of the good?"

"He died a violent death, in a terrible night, rendered soby the passions of man and a tempest from God. His body,pierced by a dagger, sank to the depths of the ocean. Godpardon his murderer!"

"Proceed, then," said Charles II., seeing that the count wasunwilling to say more.

"The king of England, after having, as I have said, spokenthus to the masked executioner, added, - `Observe, you willnot strike till I shall stretch out my arms saying - REMEMBER!'"

"I was aware," said Charles, in an agitated voice, "thatthat was the last word pronounced by my unfortunate father.But why and for whom?"

"For the French gentleman placed beneath his scaffold."

"For you, then, monsieur?"

"Yes, sire; and every one of the words which he spoke to me,through the planks of the scaffold covered with a blackcloth, still sounds in my ears. The king knelt down on oneknee: `Comte de la Fere,' said he, `are you there?' `Yes,sire,' replied I. Then the king stooped towards the boards."

Charles II., also palpitating with interest, burning withgrief, stooped towards Athos, to catch, one by one, everyword that escaped from him. His head touched that of thecomte.

"Then," continued Athos, "the king stooped. `Comte de laFere,' said he, `I could not be saved by you: it was not tobe. Now, even though I commit a sacrilege, I must speak toyou. Yes, I have spoken to men - yes, I have spoken to God,and I speak to you the last. To sustain a cause which Ithought sacred, I have lost the throne of my fathers and theheritage of my children.'"

Charles II. concealed his face in his hands, and a bittertear glided between his white and slender fingers.

"`I have still a million in gold,' continued the king. `Iburied it in the vaults of the castle of Newcastle, a momentbefore I left that city.'" Charles raised his head with anexpression of such painful joy that it would have drawntears from any one acquainted with his misfortunes.

"A million!" murmured he. "Oh, count!"

"`You alone know that this money exists: employ it when youthink it can be of the greatest service to my eldest son.And now, Comte de la Fere, bid me adieu!'

"`Adieu, adieu, sire!' cried I."

Charles arose, and went and leant his burning brow againstthe window.

"It was then," continued Athos, "that the king pronouncedthe word, `REMEMBER!' addressed to me. You see, sire, that Ihave remembered."

The king could not resist or conceal his emotion. Athosbeheld the movement of his shoulders, which undulatedconvulsively; he heard the sobs which burst from hisovercharged breast. He was silent himself, suffocated by theflood of bitter remembrances he had just poured upon thatroyal head. Charles II., with a violent effort, left thewindow, devoured his tears, and came and sat by Athos."Sire," said the latter, "I thought till to-day that thetime had not yet arrived for the employment of that lastresource; but, with my eyes fixed upon England, I felt itwas approaching. To-morrow I meant to go and inquire in whatpart of the world your majesty was, and then I purposedgoing to you. You come to me, sire; that is an indicationthat God is with us."

"My lord," said Charles, in a voice choked by emotion, "youare, for me, what an angel sent from heaven would be, - youare a preserver sent to me from the tomb of my fatherhimself; but, believe me, for ten years' civil war haspassed over my country, striking down men, tearing up thesoil, it is no more probable that gold should remain in theentrails of the earth, than love in the hearts of mysubjects."

"Sire, the spot in which his majesty buried the million iswell known to me, and no one, I am sure, has been able todiscover it. Besides, is the castle of Newcastle quitedestroyed? Have they demolished it stone by stone, anduprooted the soil to the last tree?"

"No, it is still standing: but at this moment General Monkoccupies it and is encamped there. The only spot from whichI could look for succor, where I possess a single resource,you see, is invaded by my enemies."

"General Monk, sire, cannot have discovered the treasurewhich I speak of."

"Yes, but can I go and deliver myself up to Monk, in orderto recover this treasure? Ah! count, you see plainly I mustyield to destiny, since it strikes me to the earth everytime I rise. What can I do with Parry as my only servant,with Parry, whom Monk has already driven from his presence?No, no, no, count, we must yield to this last blow."

"But what your majesty cannot do, and what Parry can no moreattempt, do you not believe that I could succeed inaccomplishing?"

"You - you, count - you would go?"

"If it please your majesty," said Athos, bowing to the king,"yes, I will go, sire."

"What! you so happy here, count?"

"I am never happy when I have a duty left to accomplish, andit is an imperative duty which the king your father left meto watch over your fortunes, and make a royal use of hismoney. So, if your majesty honors me with a sign, I will gowith you."

"Ah, monsieur!" said the king, forgetting all royaletiquette, and throwing his arms around the neck of Athos,"you prove to me that there is a God in heaven, and thatthis God sometimes sends messengers to the unfortunate whogroan on the earth."

Athos, exceedingly moved by this burst of feeling of theyoung man, thanked him with profound respect, and approachedthe window. "Grimaud!" cried he, "bring out my horses."

"What, now - immediately!" said the king. "Ah, monsieur,you are indeed a wonderful man!"

"Sire," said Athos, "I know nothing more pressing than yourmajesty's service. Besides," added he, smiling, "it is ahabit contracted long since, in the service of the queenyour aunt, and of the king your father. How is it possiblefor me to lose it at the moment your majesty's service callsfor it?"

"What a man!" murmured the king.

Then after a moment's reflection, - "But no, count, Icannot expose you to such privations. I have no means ofrewarding such services."

"Bah!" said Athos, laughing. "Your majesty is joking, haveyou not a million? Ah! why am I not possessed of half such asum! I would already have raised a regiment. But, thank God!I have still a few rolls of gold and some family diamondsleft. Your majesty will, I hope, deign to share with adevoted servant."

"With a friend - yes, count, but on condition that, in histurn, that friend will share with me hereafter!"

"Sire!" said Athos, opening a casket, from which he drewboth gold and jewels, "you see, sire, we are too rich.Fortunately, there are four of us, in the event of ourmeeting with thieves."

Joy made the blood rush to the pale cheeks of Charles II.,as he saw Athos's two horses, led by Grimaud, already bootedfor the journey, advance towards the porch.

"Blaisois, this letter for the Vicomte de Bragelonne. Foreverybody else I am gone to Paris. I confide the house toyou, Blaisois." Blaisois bowed, shook hands with Grimaud,and shut the gate.