rable! 'Urgent'!--a man who has been there ten years! It is
_urgent_ to set him free to-day, this very evening, at eight
o'clock!--_urgent_!" And Baisemeaux, shrugging his shoulders with an air
of supreme disdain, flung the order on the table and began eating again.
"They are fond of these dodges!" he said, with his mouth full; "they
seize a man, some fine day, maintain him for ten years, and write to
you, 'Watch this fellow well,' or 'Keep him very strictly.' And then, as
soon as you are accustomed to look upon the prisoner as a dangerous man,
all of a sudden, without cause or precedent, they write--'Set him at
liberty;' and actually add to their missive--'urgent.' You will own, my
lord, 'tis enough to make any one shrug his shoulders!"

"What do you expect? It is they who write," said Aramis, "and it is for
you to execute the order."

"Good! good! execute it! Oh, patience! You must not imagine that I am a
slave."

"Gracious Heaven! my very good M. Baisemeaux, who ever said so? Your
independence is known."

"Thank Heaven!"

"But your good heart also is known."

"Ah! don't speak of it!"

"And your obedience to your superiors. Once a soldier, you see,
Baisemeaux, always a soldier."

"And so I shall strictly obey; and, to-morrow morning, at daybreak, the
prisoner referred to shall be set free."

"To-morrow?"

"At dawn."

"Why not this evening, seeing that the _lettre de cachet_ bears, both on
the direction and inside, '_urgent_!'"

"Because this evening we are at supper, and our affairs are urgent too!"

"Dear Baisemeaux, booted though I be, I feel myself a priest, and
charity has higher claims upon me than hunger and thirst. This
unfortunate man has suffered long enough, since you have just told me
that he has been your prisoner these ten years. Abridge his suffering.
His good time has come; give him the benefit quickly. God will repay you
in Paradise with years of felicity."

"You wish it?"

"I entreat you."

"What! in the very middle of our repast?"

"I implore you; such an action is worth ten Benedicites."

"It shall be as you desire, only our supper will get cold."

"Oh! never heed that."

Baisemeaux leaned back to ring for Francois, and by a very natural
motion turned round toward the door. The order had remained on the
table; Aramis seized the opportunity when Baisemeaux was not looking to
change the paper for another, folded in the same manner, and which he
took from his pocket. "Franco