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JJ3 LOmSE DE LA VALLIBRB. "Very well, indeed. He had me attended to by Monsieur Fouquet's own doctor. But just imagine, at the end of a week I could not breathe any longer!" "What do you mean?" "The room was too small, I absorbed too much air." "Indeed?" "I was told so, at least; and so I was removed into an- other apartment." "Where you were able to breathe that time, I hope." "Yes, more freely; but no exercise — nothing to do. The doctor pretended that I was not to stir; I, on the con- trary, felt that I was stronger than ever; that was the cause of a very serious accid-^nt. " "What accident?" "Fancy, my dear fellow, that I revolted against the direc- tions of that ass of a doctor, and I resolved to go out, whether it suited him or not; and, consequently, I told the valet who waited on me to bring me my clothes." "You were quite naked, then?" "Oh, no! on the contrary, I had a magnificent dressing- gown to wear. The lackey obeyed; I dressed myself in my own clothes, which had become too large for me; but a strange circumstance had happened — my feet had become too large." "Yes, I quite understand." "And my boots had become too small." "You mean your feet were still swollen." "Exactly; you have hit it." '^Pardieu! And is that the accident you were going to tell me about?" "Oh, yes! I did not make the same reflection you have done. I said to myself: 'Since my feet have entered my boots ten times, there is no reason why they should not go in an eleventh." "Allow me to tell you, my dear Porthos, that, on this occasion, you have failed in your logic." "In short, then, they placed me opposite to a part of the room which was partitioned. I tried to get my boot on; I pulled it with my hands, I pushed with all the strength of the muscles of my leg, making the most unheard-of efforts, when suddenly the two tags of my boots remained in my hands, and my foot struck out like a catapult." "Catapult! how learned you are in fortifications, dear Porthos." "My foot darted out like a catapult, and came against