it is quite certain you have insulted
him, since he himself told me you had. Yes, monsieur, you have seriously
insulted him, mortally insulted him, I repeat."

"It is impossible, monsieur le baron, I swear, quite impossible."

"Besides," added Porthos, "you cannot be ignorant of the circumstance,
since M. de Bragelonne informed me that he had already apprised you of
it by a note."

"I give you my word of honor, monsieur, that I have received no note
whatever."

"This is most extraordinary," replied Porthos.

"I will convince you," said Saint-Aignan, "that have received nothing
in any way from him." And he rang the bell. "Basque," he said to the
servant who entered, "how many letters have or notes were sent here
during my absence?"

"Three, monsieur le comte--a note from M. de Fiesque, one from Madame de
Laferte, and a letter from M. de las Fuentes."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, monsieur le comte."

"Speak the truth before this gentleman--the truth, you understand. I
will take care you are not blamed."

"There was a note, also, from--from--"

"Well, from whom?"

"From Mademoiselle--de--"

"Out with it!"

"De Laval."

"That is quite sufficient," interrupted Porthos. "I believe you,
monsieur le comte."

Saint-Aignan dismissed the valet, and followed him to the door, in order
to close it after him; and when he had done so, looking straight before
him, he happened to see in the keyhole of the adjoining apartment the
paper which Bragelonne had slipped in there as he left. "What is this?"
he said.

Porthos, who was sitting with his back to the room, turned round. "Aha!"
he said.

"A note in the keyhole!" exclaimed Saint-Aignan.

"That is not unlikely to be the missing letter, monsieur le comte," said
Porthos.

Saint-Aignan took out the paper. "A note from M. de Bragelonne!" he
exclaimed.

"You see, monsieur, I was right. Oh, when I say a thing--"

"Brought here by M. de Bragelonne himself," the comte murmured, turning
pale. "This is infamous! How could he possibly have come here?" And the
comte rang again.

"Who has been here during my absence with the king?"

"No one, monsieur."

"That is impossible! Some one must have been here."

"No one could possibly have entered, monsieur, since the keys have never
left my pocket."

"And yet I find the letter in yonder lock; some one must have put it
there; it could not have come here of its own accord."

Basque opened his arms as if signifying the mos