LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 29
- Nay, let me speak. Have you any letters, I say?'*
"I have just received one for him." Interesting?" "I suppose so." "You do not read them, then?" "I am not at all curious," said Porthos, as he drew out of his pocket the soldier's letter which Porthos had not read, but which D'Artagnan had. "Do you know what to do with it?" said D'Artagnan. "Of course; do as I always do, send it to him." "Not so." "Why not? Keep it, then?" "Did they not tell you that this letter was very im- portant?" "Very important." "Well, you must take it yourself to Fontainebleau." "To Aramis?" "Yes." "Very good." "And since the king is there '* "You will profit by that." "I shall profit by the opportunity to present you to the king." "Ah! D'Artagnan, there is no one like you to find ex- pedients." "Therefore, instead of forwarding to our friend any messages, which may or may not be faithfully delivered, we will ourselves be the bearers of the letter." "I had never even thought of that, and yet it is simple enough." "And, therefore, because it is urgent, Porthos, we ought to set off at once." "In fact," said Porthos, "the sooner we set off the less chance there is of Aramis' letter meeting with any delay." "Porthos, your reasoning is always very accurate, and, in your case, logic seems to serve as an auxiliary to the imagination." "Do you think so?" said Porthos. "It is the result of your hard reading," replied D'Ar- tagnan. "So come along, let us be off." "But," said Porthos, "my promise to Monsieur Fouquet?" "Which?" "Not to leave St. Mande without telling him of it." "Ah, Porthos!" said D'Artagnan, "how very young you axel"
