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Rh LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 409 the pieces at his feet, I presume that will dispense with the necessity of delivering it over to yon." "You are quite right; and, besides that, what the deuce do you suppose I could do with your sword?" "Am I to walk behind or before you?" inquired Athos, laughing. "You will walk arm in arm with me," replied D'Artagnan, as he took the comte's arm to descend the staircase; and in this manner they arrived at the landing. Grimaud, whom they had met in the anteroom, looked at them as they went out together in this manner, with some little uneasiness; his experience of affairs was quite sufficient to give him good reason to suspect that there was some- thing wrong. "Ah! is that you, Grimaud?" said Athos kindly. "We are going " "To take a turn in my carriage," interrupted D'Artag- nan, with a friendly nod of the head. Grimaud thanked D'Artagnan by a grimace, which was evidently intended for a smile, and accompanied both the friends to the door. Athos entered first into the carriage; D'Artagnan followed him, without saying a word to the coachman. The departure had taken place so quietly that it excited no disturbance or attention even in the neighbor- hood. When the carriage had reached the quays: "You are taking me to the Bastile, I perceive," said Athos. "I?" said D'Artagnan, "I take you wherever you may choose to go; nowhere else, I can assure you." "What do you mean?" said the comte, surprised. "Why, surely, my dear friend," said D'Artagnan, "you quite understand that I undertook the mission with no other object in view than that of carrying it out exactly as you liked. You surely did not expect that I was going to get you thrown into prison like that, brutally, and Avithout any reflection? If I had not anticipated that, I should have let the captain of the guards undertake it." "And so?" said Athos. "And so, I repeat again, we will go wherever you may choose." "My dear friend," said Athos, embracing D'Artagnan, "how like you that is!" "Well, it seems simple enough to me. The coachman will take you to the barrier of the Cours la Eeine; you will find a horse there which I have ordered to be kept ready for R Ddmas— Vol. XVI.