“Question others! Alas! you are no true friend to speak to me in that manner,” said the young man, in utter distress.

“The first man I meet may be either evilly disposed or a fool, — if the former, he will tell me a lie to make me suffer more than I do now; if the latter, he will do worse still. Ah! De Guiche, De Guiche, before two hours are over, I shall have been told ten falsehoods, and shall have as many duels on my hands. Save me, then; is it not best to know the worst always?”

“But I know nothing, I tell you; I was wounded, attacked by fever: out of my senses; and I have only a very faint recollection of it all. But there is on reason why we should search very far, when the very man we want is close at hand.

Is not D’Artagnan