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Rh TEN YEAKS LATER. 479 reneAV the assurance of my utmost esteem and respect," said Fouquet. Then, bowing, he left the room to seek Aramis,.who was waiting for him in his own apartment, and leaving La Valliere to ask herself whether the surin- tendant had not lost his senses. "Well," inquired Aramis, who was impatiently waiting Fouquet's return, ''are you satisfied with the favorite?" "Enchanted," replied Fouquet; "she is a woman full of intelligence and fine feeling." "She did not get angry, then?" "Far from that — 'She did not even seem to understand." "To understand what?" "To understand that I had written to her." "She must, however, have understood you sufficiently to give the letter back to you, for I presume she returned it." "Not at all." "At least, you satisfied yourself that she had burned it." "My dear Monsieur d'Herblay, I have been playing at cross-purposes for more than an hour; and, however amus- ing it may be, / begin to have had enough of this game. So understand me thoroughly: the girl pretended not to understand what I was saying to her; she denied having received any letter; therefore, having positively denied its receipt, she was unable either to return or burn it." "Oh! oh!" said Aramis, with uneasiness, "what is that you say?" "I say that she swore most positively she had not received any letter." "That is too much. And did you not insist?" "On the contrary, I did insist, almost impertinently so, even." "And she persisted in her denial?" "Unhesitatingly." "And she did not contradict herself once?" "Not once." "But, in that case, then, you have left our letter in her hands?" "How could I do otherwise?" "Oh! it was a great mistake." "What the deuce would you have done in my place?" "One could not force her, certainly, but it is very em- bar'-assing; such a letter ought not to remain in existeuco against us."
 * 'Upon my honor, none," replied La Valliere firmly.
 * 'Very well; that is quite snflficient; permit me, then, to