would such an honor make me!"

"I shall send your companion back to you," said the king. "Farewell! or,
rather, adieu till we meet again; do not forget me in your prayers, I
entreat."

"Oh! no," said La Valliere, "be assured that you and heaven are in my
heart together."

These words of Louise elated the king, who, full of happiness, hurried
Saint-Aignan down the stairs. Madame had not anticipated this
termination, and neither the Naiad nor the Dryad had said a word about
it.

CHAPTER II.

THE NEW GENERAL OF THE JESUITS.

While La Valliere and the king were mingling together, in their first
confession of love, all the bitterness of the past, all the happiness of
the present, and all the hopes of the future, Fouquet had retired to the
apartments which had been assigned to him in the chateau, and was
conversing with Aramis precisely upon the very subjects which the king
at that moment was forgetting.

"Now tell me," began Fouquet, after having installed his guest in an
armchair, and seated himself by his side, "tell me, Monsieur d'Herblay,
what is our position with regard to the Belle-Isle affair, and whether
you have received any news about it."

"Everything is going on in that direction as we wish," replied Aramis;
"the expenses have been paid, and nothing has transpired of our
designs."

"But what about the soldiers whom the king wished to send there?"

"I have received news this morning that they had arrived there fifteen
days ago."

"And how have they been treated?"

"In the best manner possible."

"What has become of the former garrison?"

"The soldiers were landed at Sarzeau, and were sent off at once toward
Quimper."

"And the new garrison?"

"Belongs to us from this very moment."

"Are you sure of what you say, my dear Monsieur de Vannes?"

"Quite sure, and, moreover, you will see by-and-by how matters have
turned out."

"Still you are very well aware that, of all the garrison towns,
Belle-Isle is precisely the very worst."

"I know it, and have acted accordingly; no space to move about, no
communications, no cheerful society, no gambling permitted; well, it is
a great pity," added Aramis, with one of those smiles so peculiar to
him, "to see how much young people at the present day seek amusement,
and how much, consequently, they incline toward the man who procures and
pays for such amusements for them."

"But if they amuse themselves at Belle-Isle?"

"If they amuse themse