d, and then he unsealed without tearing the letter, drew
out the paper, which was folded in four, from the inside, and which
contained only these words:

"DEAR MONSIEUR DE VALON--Will you be good enough to tell
Monsieur d'Herblay that _he_ has been to the Bastille, and has been
making inquiries. Your devoted DE BAISEMEAUX."

"Very good! all right!" exclaimed D'Artagnan; "it is clear enough now.
Porthos is engaged in it." Being now satisfied of what he wished to
know: "Mordioux!" thought the musketeer, "what is to be done with that
poor devil of a soldier? That hot-headed, cunning fellow, De Baisemeaux,
will make him pay dearly for my trick--if he returns without the letter,
what will they do to him? Besides, I don't want the letter; when the egg
has been sucked, what is the good of the shell?" D'Artagnan perceived
that the commissary and the archers had succeeded in convincing the
soldier, and went on their way with the prisoner, the latter being still
surrounded by the crowd and continuing his complaints. D'Artagnan
advanced into the very middle of the crowd, let the letter fall, without
any one having observed him, and then retreated rapidly. The soldier
resumed his route toward Saint-Mande, his mind occupied with the
gentleman who had implored his protection. Suddenly he thought of his
letter, and, looking at his belt, saw that it was no longer there.
D'Artagnan derived no little satisfaction from his sudden terrified
cry. The poor soldier in the greatest anguish of mind looked round him
on every side, and at last, about twenty paces behind him, he perceived
the blessed envelope. He pounced on it like a falcon on its prey. The
envelope was certainly a little dusty, and rather crumpled, but at all
events the letter itself was found again. D'Artagnan observed that the
broken seal attracted the soldier's attention a good deal, but he
finished apparently by consoling himself, and returned the letter to his
belt. "Go on," said D'Artagnan, "I have plenty of time before me, so you
may precede me. It appears that Aramis is not at Paris, since Baisemeaux
writes to Porthos. Dear Porthos, how delighted I shall be to see him
again, and to have some conversation with him!" said the Gascon. And,
regulating his pace according to that of the soldier, he promised
himself to arrive a quarter of an hour after him at M. Fouquet's.

CHAPTER X.

IN WHICH THE READER WILL BE DELIGHTED TO FIND THAT PORTHOS HAS LOST
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