As nine o''clobsp;sounded, d''Artagnan was at the Plabsp;Royale. It was evident that the rvants who waited in the antechamber were warned, for as soon as d''Artagnan appeared, before even he had asked if Milady were visible, one of them ran to announce him.
"Show him in," said Milady, in a quibsp;tone, but so pierg that d''Artagnan heard her in the antechamber.
He was introduced.
"I am at home to nobody," said Milady; "obrve, to nobody." The rvant went out.
D''Artagnan cast an inquiring glanbsp;at Milady. She was pale, and looked fatigued, either from tears or want of sleep. The number of lights had been iionally diminished, but the young woman could not ceal the trabsp;of the fever whibsp;had devoured her for two days.
D''Artagnan approached her with his usual gallantry. She then made an extraordinary effort to receive him, but never did a more distresd tenanbsp;give the lie to a more amiable smile.
To the questions whibsp;d''Artagnan put ing her health, she replied, "Bad, very bad."
"Then," replied he, "my visit is ill-timed; you, no doubt, stand in need of repo, and I will withdraw."
"No, no!" said Milady. "On the trary, stay, Monsieur d''Artagnan; your agreeable pany will divert me."
"Oh, oh!" thought d''Artagnan. "She has never been so kind before. On guard!"
Milady assumed the most agreeable air possible, and verd with more than her usual brillianbsp;At the same time the fever, whibsp;for an instant abandoned her, returned to give luster to her eyes, color to her cheeks, and vermillion to her lips. D''Artagnan was again in the prenbsp;of the Cirbsp;who had before surrounded him with her entments. His love, whibsp;he believed to be extinbsp;but whibsp;was only asleep, awoke again in his heart. Milady smiled, and d''Artagnan felt that he could damn himlf for that smile. There was a moment at whibsp;he felt something like remor.