is restless. Only as, in addition to the instinct of the animal,
Grimaud subjoined the reasoning faculties of the man, Grimaud therefore
felt uneasy and restless too. Not having found any indication which
could serve as a guide, and having neither seen nor discovered anything
which could satisfy his doubts, Grimaud began to imagine what could
possibly have happened. Besides, the imagination is the resource, or
rather the punishment, of good and affectionate hearts. In fact, never
does a good heart represent its absent friend to itself as being happy
or cheerful. Never does the pigeon who travels in search of adventure
inspire anything but terror to the pigeon who remains at home.

Grimaud soon passed from uneasiness to terror; he carefully went over,
in his own mind, everything that had taken place: D'Artagnan's letter to
Athos, the letter which had seemed to distress Athos so much after he
had read it; then Raoul's visit to Athos, which resulted in Athos
desiring him (Grimaud) to get his various orders and his court dress
ready to put on; then his interview with the king, at the end of which
Athos had returned home so unusually gloomy; then the explanation
between the father and the son, at the termination of which Athos had
embraced Raoul with such sadness of expression, while Raoul himself
went away equally sad and melancholy; and, finally, D'Artagnan's
arrival, biting, as if he were vexed, the end of his mustache, and his
leaving again in the carriage, accompanied by the Comte de la Fere. All
this composed a drama in five acts very clearly, particularly for so
analytical an examiner as Grimaud.

The first step he took was to search in his master's coat for M.
d'Artagnan's letter; he found the letter still there, which contained
the following:

"MY DEAR FRIEND--Raoul has been to ask me for some
particulars about the conduct of Mademoiselle de la Valliere,
during our young friend's residence in London. I am a poor captain
of musketeers, and am sickened to death every day by hearing all
the scandal of the barracks and bedside conversations. If I had
told Raoul all I believe I know, the poor fellow would have died
from it; but I am in the king's service, and cannot relate all I
hear about the king's affairs. If your heart tells you to do it,
set off at once; the matter concerns you more than myself, and
almost as much as Raoul."

Grimaud tore, not a handful, but a f