lves through the king's means, they will attach
themselves to the king; but if they get bored to death through the
king's means, and amuse themselves through M. Fouquet, they will attach
themselves to M. Fouquet."

"And you informed my intendant, of course, so that immediately on their
arrival--"

"By no means; they were left alone a whole week, to weary themselves at
their ease; but, at the end of the week, they cried out, saying that the
last officers amused themselves more than they did. Whereupon they were
told that the old officers had been able to make a friend of M. Fouquet,
and that M. Fouquet, knowing them to be friends of his, had from that
moment done all he possibly could to prevent their getting wearied or
bored upon his estates. Upon this they began to reflect. Immediately
afterward, however, the intendant added, that without anticipating M.
Fouquet's orders, he knew his master sufficiently well to be aware that
he took an interest in every gentleman in the king's service, and that,
although he did not know the new comers, he would do as much for them as
he had done for the others."

"Excellent! and I trust that the promises were followed up; I desire, as
you know, that no promise should ever be made in my name without being
kept."

"Without a moment's loss of time, our two privateers, and your own
horses, were placed at the disposal of the officers; the keys of the
principal mansion were handed over to them, so that they made up
hunting-parties, and walking-excursions with such ladies as are to be
found in Belle-Isle; and such others as they are enabled to enlist from
the neighborhood, who have no fear of sea-sickness."

"And there is a fair sprinkling to be met with at Sarzeau and Vannes, I
believe, your eminence?"

"Yes; all along the coast," said Aramis, quietly.

"And now, for the soldiers?"

"Everything is precisely the same, in a relative degree, you understand;
the soldiers have plenty of wine, excellent provisions, and good pay."

"Very good; so that?--"

"So that this garrison can be depended upon, and it is a better one than
the last."

"Good."

"The result is, if Fortune favors us, so that the garrisons are changed
in this manner, only every two months, that at the end of every three
years, the whole army will, in its turn, have been there; and,
therefore, instead of having one regiment in our favor, we shall have
fifty thousand men."

"Yes, yes; I knew perfectly well," said F