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　arm　he　was　unable　to　write　and　therefore　the　Count　de　Guiche　acted　as　his　secretary。〃
　　〃There　has　been　fighting；　then？〃　asked　the　queen；　motioning　to　Raoul　to　rise。
　　〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　the　young　man。
　　At　this　announcement　of　a　battle　having　taken　place；　the　princess　opened　her　mouth　as　though　to　ask　a　question　of　interest；　but　her　lips　closed　again　without　articulating　a　word；　while　the　color　gradually　faded　from　her　cheeks。
　　The　queen　saw　this；　and　doubtless　her　maternal　heart　translated　the　emotion；　for　addressing　Raoul　again：
　　〃And　no　evil　has　happened　to　the　young　Count　de　Guiche？〃　she　asked；　〃for　not　only　is　he　our　servant；　as　you　say；　sir；　but　more　　he　is　one　of　our　friends。〃
　　〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Raoul；　〃on　the　contrary；　he　gained　great　glory　and　had　the　honor　of　being　embraced　by　his　highness；　the　prince；　on　the　field　of　battle。〃
　　The　young　princess　clapped　her　hands；　and　then；　ashamed　of　having　been　betrayed　into　such　a　demonstration　of　joy；　she　half　turned　away　and　bent　over　a　vase　of　roses；　as　if　to　inhale　their　odor。
　　〃Let　us　see；〃　said　the　queen；　〃what　the　count　says。〃　And　she　opened　the　letter　and　read：
　　〃Madame；　　Being　unable　to　have　the　honor　of　writing　to　you　myself；　by　reason　of　a　wound　I　have　received　in　my　right　hand；　I　have　manded　my　son；　the　Count　de　Guiche；　who；　with　his　father；　is　equally　your　humble　servant；　to　write　to　tell　you　that　we　have　just　gained　the　battle　of　Lens；　and　that　this　victory　cannot　fail　to　give　great　power　to　Cardinal　Mazarin　and　to　the　queen　over　the　affairs　of　Europe。　If　her　majesty　will　have　faith　in　my　counsels　she　ought　to　profit　by　this　event　to　address　at　this　moment；　in　favor　of　her　august　husband；　the　court　of　France。　The　Vite　de　Bragelonne；　who　will　have　the　honor　of　remitting　this　letter　to　your　majesty；　is　the　friend　of　my　son；　who　owes　to　him　his　life；　he　is　a　gentleman　in　whom　your　majesty　may　confide　entirely；　in　case　your　majesty　may　have　some　verbal　or　written　order　to　remit　to　me。
　　〃I　have　the　honor　to　be；　with　respect；　etc。；
　　〃Marechal　de　Grammont。〃
　　At　the　moment　mention　occurred　of　his　having　rendered　a　service　to　the　count；　Raoul　could　not　help　turning　his　glance　toward　the　young　princess；　and　then　he　saw　in　her　eyes　an　expression　of　infinite　gratitude　to　the　young　man；　he　no　longer　doubted　that　the　daughter　of　King　Charles　I。　loved　his　friend。
　　〃The　battle　of　Lens　gained！〃　said　the　queen；　〃they　are　lucky　here　indeed；　they　can　gain　battles！　Yes；　the　Marechal　de　Grammont　is　right；　this　will　change　the　aspect　of　French　affairs；　but　I　much　fear　it　will　do　nothing　for　English；　even　if　it　does　not　harm　them。　This　is　recent　news；　sir；〃　continued　she；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　having　made　such　haste　to　bring　it　to　me；　without　this　letter　I　should　not　have　heard　till　to…morrow；　perhaps　after　to…morrow　　the　last　of　all　Paris。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　Raoul；　〃the　Louvre　is　but　the　second　palace　this　news　has　reached；　it　is　as　yet　unknown　to　all；　and　I　had　sworn　to　the　Count　de　Guiche　to　remit　this　letter　to　your　majesty　before　even　I　should　embrace　my　guardian。〃
　　〃Your　guardian！　is　he；　too；　a　Bragelonne？〃　asked　Lord　de　Winter。　〃I　once　knew　a　Bragelonne　　is　he　still　alive？〃
　　〃No；　sir；　he　is　dead；　and　I　believe　it　is　from　him　my　guardian；　whose　near　relation　he　was；　inherited　the　estate　from　which　I　take　my　name。〃
　　〃And　your　guardian；　sir；〃　asked　the　queen；　who　could　not　help　feeling　some　interest　in　the　handsome　young　man　before　her；　〃what　is　his　name？〃
　　〃The　te　de　la　Fere；　madame；〃　replied　the　young　man；　bowing。
　　De　Winter　made　a　gesture　of　surprise　and　the　queen　turned　to　him　with　a　start　of　joy。
　　〃The　te　de　la　Fere！〃　she　cried。　〃Have　you　not　mentioned　that　name　to　me？〃
　　As　for　De　Winter　he　could　scarcely　believe　that　he　had　heard　aright。　〃The　te　de　la　Fere！〃　he　cried　in　his　turn。　〃Oh；　sir；　reply；　I　entreat　you　　is　not　the　te　de　la　Fere　a　noble　whom　I　remember；　handsome　and　brave；　a　musketeer　under　Louis　XIII。；　who　must　be　now　about　forty…seven　or　forty…eight　years　of　age？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　you　are　right　in　every　particular！〃
　　〃And　who　served　under　an　assumed　name？〃
　　〃Under　the　name　of　Athos。　Latterly　I　heard　his　friend；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　give　him　that　name。〃
　　〃That　is　it；　madame；　that　is　the　same。　God　be　praised！　And　he　is　in　Paris？〃　continued　he；　addressing　Raoul；　then　turning　to　the　queen：　〃We　may　still　hope。　Providence　has　declared　for　us；　since　I　have　found　this　brave　man　again　in　so　miraculous　a　manner。　And；　sir；　where　does　he　reside；　pray？〃
　　〃The　te　de　la　Fere　lodges　in　the　Rue　Guenegaud；　Hotel　du　Grand　Roi　Charlemagne。〃
　　〃Thanks；　sir。　Inform　this　dear　friend　that　he　may　remain　within；　that　I　shall　go　and　see　him　immediately。〃
　　〃Sir；　I　obey　with　pleasure；　if　her　majesty　will　permit　me　to　depart。〃
　　〃Go；　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne；〃　said　the　queen；　〃and　rest　assured　of　our　affection。〃
　　Raoul　bent　respectfully　before　the　two　princesses；　and　bowing　to　De　Winter；　departed。
　　The　queen　and　De　Winter　continued　to　converse　for　some　time　in　low　voices；　in　order　that　the　young　princess　should　not　overhear　them；　but　the　precaution　was　needless：　she　was　in　deep　converse　with　her　own　thoughts。
　　Then；　when　De　Winter　rose　to　take　leave：
　　〃Listen；　my　lord；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　have　preserved　this　diamond　cross　which　came　from　my　mother；　and　this　order　of　St。　Michael　which　came　from　my　husband。　They　are　worth　about　fifty　thousand　pounds。　I　had　sworn　to　die　of　hunger　rather　than　part　with　these　precious　pledges；　but　now　that　this　ornament　may　be　useful　to　him　or　his　defenders；　everything　must　be　sacrificed。　Take　them；　and　if　you　need　money　for　your　expedition；　sell　them　fearlessly；　my　lord。　But　should　you　find　the　means　of　retaining　them；　remember；　my　lord；　that　I　shall　esteem　you　as　having　rendered　the　greatest　service　that　a　gentleman　can　render　to　a　queen；　and　in　the　day　of　my　prosperity　he　who　brings　me　this　order　and　this　cross　shall　be　blessed　by　me　and　my　children。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　De　Winter；　〃your　majesty　will　be　served　by　a　man　devoted　to　you。　I　hasten　to　deposit　these　two　objects　in　a　safe　place；　nor　should　I　accept　them　if　the　resources　of　our　ancient　fortune　were　left　to　us；　but　our　estates　are　confiscated；　our　ready　money　is　exhausted；　and　we　are　reduced　to　turn　to　service　everything　we　possess。　In　an　hour　hence　I　shall　be　with　the　te　de　la　Fere；　and　to…morrow　your　majesty　shall　have　a　definite　reply。〃
　　The　queen　tendered　her　hand　to　Lord　de　Winter；　who；　kissing　it　respectfully；　went　out　and　traversed　alone　and　unconducted　those　large；　dark　and　deserted　apartments；　brushing　away　tears　which；　blase　as　he　was　by　fifty　years　spent　as　a　courtier；　he　could　not　withhold　at　the　spectacle　of　royal　distress　so　dignified；　yet　so　intense。
　　Uncle　and　Nephew
　　The　horse　and　servant　belonging　to　De　Winter　were　waiting　for　him　at　the　door；　he　proceeded　toward　his　abode　very　thoughtfully；　looking　behind　him　from　time　to　him　to　contemplate　the　dark　and　silent　frontage　of　the　Louvre。　It　was　then　that　he　saw　a　horseman；　as　it　were；　detach　himself　from　the　wall　and　follow　him　at　a　little　distance。　In　leaving　the　Palais　Royal　he　remembered　to　have　observed　a　similar　shadow。
　　〃Tony；〃　he　said；　motioning　to　his　groom　to　approach。
　　〃Here　I　am；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Did　you　remark　that　man　who　is　following　us？〃
　　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Who　is　he？〃
　　〃I　do　not　know；　only　he　has　followed　your　grace　from　the　Palais　Royal；　stopped　at　the　Louvre　to　wait　for　you；　and　now　leaves　the　Louvre　with　you。〃
　　〃Some　spy　of　the　cardinal；〃　said　De　Winter　to　him；　aside。　〃Let　us　pretend　not　to　notice　that　he　is　watching　us。〃
　　And　spurring　on　he　plunged　into　the　labyrinth　of　streets　which　led　to　his　hotel；　situated　near　the　Marais；　for　having　for　so　long　a　time　lived　near　the　Place　Royale；　Lord　de　Winter　naturally　returned　to　lodge　near　his　ancient　dwelling。
　　The　unknown　spurred　his　horse　to　a　gallop。
　　De　Winter　dismounted　at　his　hotel　and　went　up　into　his　apartment；　intending　to　watch　the　spy；　but　as　he　was　about　to　place　his　gloves　and　hat　on　a　table；　he　saw　reflected　in　a　glass　opposite　to　him　a　figure　which　stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　room。　He　turned　around　and　Mo