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LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE

LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 431 CHAPTER LXVI. IN WHICH PORTHOS IS CONVINCED, WITHOUT HAVING UNDERSTOOD ANYTHING. The good and worthy Porthos, faithful to all the laws of ancient chivalry, had determined to wait for M. de St. Aig- nan until sunset; and, as St. Aignan did not come, as Eaoul had forgotten to communicate with his second, and as he found that waiting so long was very wearisome, Por- thos had desired one of the gatekeepers to fetch him a few bottles of good wine and a good joint of meat — so that he, at least, might pass away the time with a glass of wine and a mouthful of something to eat. He had just finished when Raoul arrived, escorted by Grimaud, both of them riding at full speed. As soon as Porthos saw the two cavaliers riding at such a pace along the road, he did not for a moment doubt but that they were the men he was expecting, and he rose from the grass upon which he had been indolently re- clining and began to stretch his legs and arms, saying, "See what it is to have good habits. The fellow has finished by coming, after all. If I had gone away, he would have found no one here, and would have taken an advantage from that." He then threw himself into a martial atti- tude, and drew himself up to the full height of his gigantic stature. But, instead of St. Aignan, he only saw Eaoul, who, with the most despairing gestures, accosted him by crying out; "Pray forgive me, my dear friend, I am most wretched." "Eaoul!" cried Porthos, surprised. "You have been angry with me?" said Eaoul, embracing Porthos. "I? What for?" "For having forgotten you. But I assure you my head seems utterly lost. If you only knew!" "You have killed him?" "Who?" "St. Aignan; or, if that is not the case, what is the matter?" "The matter is that Monsieur le Comte de la Fere has by this time been arrested." Porthos gave a start that would have thrown down a wall. "Arrested!" he cried out; "by whom?" "By D'Artagnan."