Page:Louise de la Valliere text.djvu/69

Rh LOUISE DE LA VALLIEKE. 59 Thei'e is a saying, one becomes an orator, one is born a poet; but it has never been said, one is born Porthos, and one becomes an engineer." "Your wit is always amusing," said Aramis coldly. "Well, then, I will go on." "Do so." "When you found out our secret, you made all the haste you could to communicate it to the king." "I certainly made as much haste as I could, since I saw that you were making still more. When a man weighing two hundred and fifty-eight pounds, as Porthos does, rides post; when a gouty prelate — I beg your pardon, but you told me you were so — when a prelate scours along the road; I naturally suppose that my two friends, who did not wish to be communicative with me, had certain matters of the highest importance to conceal from me, and so I made as much haste as my leanness and the absence of gout would allow." "Did it not occur to you, my dear friend, that you might be rendering Porthos and myself a very sad service?" "Yes, I thought it not unlikely; but you and Porthos made me play a very ridiculous part at Belle-Isle." "I beg your pardon," said Aramis. "Excuse me," said D'Artagnan. "So that," pursued Aramis, "you know now everything?" "No, indeed." "You know I was obliged to inform Monsieur Fouquet of what had happened, in order that he might anticipate what you might have to tell the king?" "That is rather obscure." "Not at all; Monsieur Fouquet has his enemies — you will admit that, I suppose?" "Certainly." "And one in particular.'* "A dangerous one?" "A mortal enemy. Well, in order to counteract that man's influence, it was necessary that Monsieur Fouqnet should give the king a proof of a great devotion to him, and of his readiness to make the greatest sacrifices. He surprised his majesty by offering him Belle-Isle. If you had been the first to reach Paris, the surprise would have been destroyed, it would have looked as if we had yielded to fear." "I understand." "That is the whole mystery," said Aramis, satisfied that he had quite convinced the musketeer.