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　　And　now；　where　are　you　going；　viscount？〃　inquired　De　Guiche。
　　〃To　join　the　army；　under　the　prince；　count。〃
　　〃And　I；　too！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　in　a　transport　of　joy。　〃Oh；　so　much　the　better；　we　will　fire　the　first　shot　together。〃
　　〃It　is　well；　be　friends；〃　said　the　tutor；　〃young　as　you　both　are；　you　were　perhaps　born　under　the　same　star　and　were　destined　to　meet。　And　now；〃　continued　he；　〃you　must　change　your　clothes；　your　servants；　to　whom　I　gave　directions　the　moment　they　had　left　the　ferryboat；　ought　to　be　already　at　the　inn。　Linen　and　wine　are　both　being　warmed；　e。〃
　　The　young　men　had　no　objection　to　this　proposition；　on　the　contrary；　they　thought　it　very　timely。
　　They　mounted　again　at　once；　whilst　looks　of　admiration　passed　between　them。　They　were　indeed　two　elegant　horsemen；　with　figures　slight　and　upright；　noble　faces；　bright　and　proud　looks；　loyal　and　intelligent　smiles。
　　De　Guiche　might　have　been　about　eighteen　years　of　age；　but　he　was　scarcely　taller　than　Raoul；　who　was　only　fifteen。
　　Skirmishing
　　The　halt　at　Noyon　was　but　brief；　every　one　there　being　wrapped　in　profound　sleep。　Raoul　had　desired　to　be　awakened　should　Grimaud　arrive；　but　Grimaud　did　not　arrive。　Doubtless；　too；　the　horses　on　their　part　appreciated　the　eight　hours　of　repose　and　the　abundant　stabling　which　was　granted　them。　The　Count　de　Guiche　was　awakened　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　by　Raoul；　who　came　to　wish　him　good…day。　They　breakfasted　in　haste；　and　at　six　o'clock　had　already　gone　ten　miles。
　　The　young　count's　conversation　was　most　interesting　to　Raoul；　therefore　he　listened　much；　whilst　the　count　talked　well　and　long。　Brought　up　in　Paris；　where　Raoul　had　been　but　once；　at　the　court；　which　Raoul　had　never　seen；　his　follies　as　page；　two　duels；　which　he　had　already　found　the　means　of　fighting；　in　spite　of　the　edicts　against　them　and；　more　especially；　in　spite　of　his　tutor's　vigilance　　these　things　excited　the　greatest　curiosity　in　Raoul。　Raoul　had　only　been　at　M。　Scarron's　house；　he　named　to　Guiche　the　people　whom　he　had　seen　there。　Guiche　knew　everybody　　Madame　de　Neuillan；　Mademoiselle　d'Aubigne；　Mademoiselle　de　Scudery；　Mademoiselle　Paulet；　Madame　de　Chevreuse。　He　criticised　everybody　humorously。　Raoul　trembled；　lest　he　should　laugh　among　the　rest　at　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　for　whom　he　entertained　deep　and　genuine　sympathy；　but　either　instinctively；　or　from　affection　for　the　duchess；　he　said　everything　in　her　favor。　His　praises　increased　Raoul's　friendship　twofold。　Then　came　the　question　of　gallantry　and　love　affairs。　Under　this　head；　also；　Bragelonne　had　much　more　to　hear　than　to　tell。　He　listened　attentively　and　fancied　that　he　discovered　through　three　or　four　rather　frivolous　adventures；　that　the　count；　like　himself；　had　a　secret　to　hide　in　the　depths　of　his　heart。
　　De　Guiche；　as　we　have　said　before；　had　been　educated　at　the　court；　and　the　intrigues　of　this　court　were　not　unknown　to　him。　It　was　the　same　court　of　which　Raoul　had　so　often　heard　the　te　de　la　Fere　speak；　except　that　its　aspect　had　much　changed　since　the　period　when　Athos　had　himself　been　part　of　it；　therefore　everything　which　the　Count　de　Guiche　related　was　new　to　his　traveling　panion。　The　young　count；　witty　and　caustic；　passed　all　the　world　in　review；　the　queen　herself　was　not　spared；　and　Cardinal　Mazarin　came　in　for　his　share　of　ridicule。
　　The　day　passed　away　as　rapidly　as　an　hour。　The　count's　tutor；　a　man　of　the　world　and　a　bon　vivant；　up　to　his　eyes　in　learning；　as　his　pupil　described　him；　often　recalled　the　profound　erudition；　the　witty　and　caustic　satire　of　Athos　to　Raoul；　but　as　regarded　grace；　delicacy；　and　nobility　of　external　appearance；　no　one　in　these　points　was　to　be　pared　to　the　te　de　la　Fere。
　　The　horses；　which　were　more　kindly　used　than　on　the　previous　day；　stopped　at　Arras　at　four　o'clock　in　the　evening。　They　were　approaching　the　scene　of　war；　and　as　bands　of　Spaniards　sometimes　took　advantage　of　the　night　to　make　expeditions　even　as　far　as　the　neighborhood　of　Arras；　they　determined　to　remain　in　the　town　until　the　morrow。　The　French　army　held　all　between　Pont…a…Marc　as　far　as　Valenciennes；　falling　back　upon　Douai。　The　prince　was　said　to　be　in　person　at　Bethune。
　　The　enemy's　army　extended　from　Cassel　to　Courtray；　and　as　there　was　no　species　of　violence　or　pillage　it　did　not　mit；　the　poor　people　on　the　frontier　quitted　their　isolated　dwellings　and　fled　for　refuge　into　the　strong　cities　which　held　out　a　shelter　to　them。　Arras　was　encumbered　with　fugitives。　An　approaching　battle　was　much　spoken　of；　the　prince　having　manoeuvred；　until　that　movement；　only　in　order　to　await　a　reinforcement　that　had　just　reached　him。
　　The　young　men　congratulated　themselves　on　having　arrived　so　opportunely。　The　evening　was　employed　in　discussing　the　war；　the　grooms　polished　their　arms；　the　young　men　loaded　the　pistols　in　case　of　a　skirmish；　and　they　awoke　in　despair；　having　both　dreamed　that　they　had　arrived　too　late　to　participate　in　the　battle。　In　the　morning　it　was　rumored　that　Prince　de　Conde　had　evacuated　Bethune　and　fallen　back　on　Carvin；　leaving；　however；　a　strong　garrison　in　the　former　city。
　　But　as　there　was　nothing　positively　certain　in　this　report；　the　young　warriors　decided　to　continue　their　way　toward　Bethune；　free　on　the　road　to　diverge　to　the　right　and　march　to　Carvin　if　necessary。
　　The　count's　tutor　was　well　acquainted　with　the　country；　he　consequently　proposed　to　take　a　crossroad；　which　lay　between　that　of　Lens　and　that　of　Bethune。　They　obtained　information　at　Ablain；　and　a　statement　of　their　route　was　left　for　Grimaud。　About　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning　they　set　out。　De　Guiche；　who　was　young　and　impulsive；　said　to　Raoul；　〃Here　we　are；　three　masters　and　three　servants。　Our　valets　are　well　armed　and　yours　seems　to　be　tough　enough。〃
　　〃I　have　never　seen　him　put　to　the　test；〃　replied　Raoul；　〃but　he　is　a　Breton；　which　promises　something。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　resumed　De　Guiche；　〃I　am　sure　he　can　fire　a　musket　when　required。　On　my　side　I　have　two　sure　men；　who　have　been　in　action　with　my　father。　We　therefore　represent　six　fighting　men；　if　we　should　meet　a　little　troop　of　enemies；　equal　or　even　superior　in　number　to　our　own；　shall　we　charge　them；　Raoul？〃
　　〃Certainly；　sir；〃　replied　the　viscount。
　　〃Holloa！　young　people　　stop　there！〃　said　the　tutor；　joining　in　the　conversation。　〃Zounds！　how　you　manoeuvre　my　instructions；　count！　You　seem　to　forget　the　orders　I　received　to　conduct　you　safe　and　sound　to　his　highness　the　prince！　Once　with　the　army　you　may　be　killed　at　your　good　pleasure；　but　until　that　time；　I　warn　you　that　in　my　capacity　of　general　of　the　army　I　shall　order　a　retreat　and　turn　my　back　on　the　first　red　coat　we　e　across。〃　De　Guiche　and　Raoul　glanced　at　each　other；　smiling。
　　They　arrived　at　Ablain　without　accident。　There　they　inquired　and　learned　that　the　prince　had　in　reality　quitted　Bethune　and　stationed　himself　between　Cambria　and　La　Venthie。　Therefore；　leaving　directions　at　every　place　for　Grimaud；　they　took　a　crossroad　which　conducted　the　little　troop　by　the　bank　of　a　small　stream　flowing　into　the　Lys。　The　country　was　beautiful；　intersected　by　valleys　as　green　as　the　emerald。　Here　and　there　they　passed　little　copses　crossing　the　path　which　they　were　following。　In　anticipation　of　some　ambuscade　in　each　of　these　little　woods　the　tutor　placed　his　two　servants　at　the　head　of　the　band；　thus　forming　the　advance　guard。　Himself　and　the　two　young　men　represented　the　body　of　the　army；　whilst　Olivain；　with　his　rifle　upon　his　knee　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　distance　of　a　hundred　steps　from　it；　Monsieur　d'Arminges　took　his　usual　precautions　and　sent　on　in　advance　the　count's　two　grooms。　The　servants　had　just　disappeared　under　the　trees；　followed　by　the　tutor；　and　the　young　men　were　laughing　and　talking　about　a　hundred　yards　off。　Olivain　was　at　the　same　distance　in　the　rear；　when　suddenly　there　resounded　five　or　six　musket…shots。　The　tutor　cried　halt；　the　young　men　obeyed；　pulling　up　their　steeds；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　two　valets　were　seen　returning　at　a　gallop。