“‘Adieu, adieu, sire!’ cried I.”

Charles arose, and went and leant his burning brow against the window.

“It was then,” continued Athos, “that the king pronounced the word ‘REMEMBER!’ addressed to me.  You see, sire, that I have remembered.”

The king could not resist or conceal his emotion.  Athos beheld the movement of his shoulders, which undulated convulsively; he heard the sobs which burst from his over-charged breast.  He was silent himself, suffocated by the flood of bitter remembrances he had just poured upon that royal head.  Charles II., with a violent effort, left the window, devoured his tears, and came and sat by Athos.  “Sire,” said the latter, “I thought till to-day that the time had not yet arrived for the employment of that last resource; but, with my eyes fixed upon England, I felt it was approaching.  To-morrow I meant to go and inquire in what part of the world your majesty was, and then I purposed going to you.  You come to me, sire; that is an indication that God is with us.”

“My lord,” said Charles, in a voice choked by emotion, “you are, for me, what an angel sent from heaven would be, — you are a preserver sent to me from the tomb of my father himself; but, believe me, for ten years’ civil war has passed over my country, striking down men, tearing up soil, it is no more probable that gold should remain in the entrails of the earth, than love in the hearts of my subjects.”

“Sire, the spot in which his majesty buried the million is well known to me, and no one, I am sure, has been able to discover it.  Besides, is the castle of Newcastle quite destroyed?  Have they demolished it stone by stone, and uprooted the soil to the last tree?”

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

“General Monk, sire, cannot have discovered the treasure which I speak of.”

“Yes, but can I go and deliver myself up to Monk, in order to recover this treasure?  Ah! count, you see plainly I must yield to destiny, since it strikes me to the earth every time 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 more attempt, do you not believe that I could succeed in accomplishing?”

“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, and it is an imperative duty which the king your father left me to watch over your fortunes, and make a royal use of his money.  So, if your majesty honors me with a sign, I will go with you.”