s his friends of his own sex； a woman； strange to say； had remembered him。 It is true that she had not； perhaps； been scupulously faithful to him； but she had remembered him； that was something。
So the duke had more than enough to think about； accordingly he fared at chess as he had fared at tennis； he made blunder upon blunder and the officer with whom he played found him easy game。
But his successive defeats did service to the duke in one way they killed time for him till eight o'clock in the evening； then would e night； and with night； sleep。 So； at least； the duke believed； but sleep is a capricious fairy； and it is precisely when one invokes her presence that she is most likely to keep him waiting。 The duke waited until midnight； turning on his mattress like St。 Laurence on his gridiron。 Finally he slept。
But at daybreak he awoke。 Wild dreams had disturbed his repose。 He dreamed that he was endowed with wings he wished to fly away。 For a time these wings supported him； but when he reached a certain height this new aid failed him。 His wings were broken and he seemed to sink into a bottomless abyss； whence he awoke； bathed in perspiration and nearly as much overe as if he had really fallen。 He fell asleep again and another vision appeared。 He was in a subterranean passage by which he was to leave Vincennes。 Grimaud was walking before him with a lantern。 By degrees the passage narrowed； yet the duke continued his course。 At last it became so narrow that the fugitive tried in vain to proceed。 The sides of the walls seem to close in； even to press against him。 He made fruitless efforts to go on； it was impossible。 Nevertheless； he still saw Grimaud with his lantern in front； advancing。 He wished to call out to him but could not utter a word。 Then at the other extremity he heard the footsteps of those who were pursuing him。 These steps came on； came fast。 He was discovered； all hope of flight was gone。 Still the walls seemed to be closing on him； they appeared to be in concert with his enemies。 At last he heard the voice of La Ramee。 La Ramee took his hand and laughed aloud。 He was captured again； and conducted to the low and vaulted chamber； in which Ornano； Puylaurens； and his uncle had died。 Their three graves were there； rising above the ground； and a fourth was also there； yawning for its ghastly tenant。
The duke was obliged to make as many efforts to awake as he had done to go to sleep； and La Ramee found him so pale and fatigued that he inquired whether he was ill。
〃In fact；〃 said one of the guards who had remained in the chamber and had been kept awake by a toothache； brought on by the dampness of the atmosphere； 〃my lord has had a very restless night and two or three times； while dreaming； he called for help。〃
〃What is the matter with your highness？〃 asked La Ramee。
〃'Tis your fault； you simpleton；〃 answered the duke。 〃With your idle nonsense yesterday about escaping； you worried me so that I dreamed that I was trying to escape and broke my neck in doing so。〃
La Ramee laughed。
〃e；〃 he said； 〃'tis a warning from Heaven。 Never mit such an imprudence as to try to escape； except in your dreams。〃
〃And you are right； my dear La Ramee；〃 said the duke； wiping away the sweat that stood on his brow； wide awake though he was； 〃after this I will think of nothing but eating and drinking。〃
〃Hush！〃 said La Ramee； and one by one he sent away the guards； on various pretexts。
〃Well？〃 asked the duke when they were alone。
〃Well！〃 replied La Ramee； 〃your supper is ordered。〃
〃Ah！ and what is it to be？ Monsieur； my majordomo； will there be a pie？〃
〃I should think so； indeed almost as high as a tower。〃
〃You told him it was for me？〃
〃Yes； and he said he would do his best to please your highness。〃
〃Good！〃 exclaimed the duke； rubbing his hands。
〃Devil take it； my lord！ what a gourmand you are growing； I haven't seen you with so cheerful a face these five years。〃
The duke saw that he had not controlled himself as he ought； but at that moment； as if he had listened at the door and prehended the urgent need of diverting La Ramee's ideas； Grimaud entered and made a sign to La Ramee that he had something to say to him。
La Ramee drew near to Grimaud； who spoke to him in a low voice。
The duke meanwhile recovered his self…control。
〃I have already forbidden that man；〃 he said； 〃to e in here without my permission。〃
〃You must pardon him； my lord；〃 said La Ramee； 〃for I directed him to e。〃
〃And why did you so direct when you know that he displeases me？〃
〃My lord will remember that it was agreed between us that he should wait upon us at that famous supper。 My lord has forgotten the supper。〃
〃No； but I have forgotten Monsieur Grimaud。〃
〃My lord understands that there can be no supper unless he is allowed to be present。〃
〃Go on； then； have it your own way。〃
〃e here； my lad；〃 said La Ramee； 〃and hear what I have to say。〃
Grimaud approached； with a very sullen expression on his face。
La Ramee continued： 〃My lord has done me the honor to invite me to a supper to…morrow en tete…a…tete。〃
Grimaud made a sign which meant that he didn't see what that had to do with him。
〃Yes； yes；〃 said La Ramee； 〃the matter concerns you； for you will have the honor to serve us； and besides； however good an appetite we may have and however great our thirst； there will be something left on the plates and in the bottles； and that something will be yours。〃
Grimaud bowed in thanks。
〃And now；〃 said La Ramee； 〃I must ask your highness's pardon； but it seems that Monsieur de Chavigny is to be away for a few days and he has sent me word that he has certain directions to give me before his departure。〃
The duke tried to exchange a glance with Grimaud； but there was no glance in Grimaud's eyes。
〃Go； then；〃 said the duke； 〃and return as soon as possible。〃
〃Does your highness wish to take revenge for the game of tennis yesterday？〃
Grimaud intimated by a scarcely perceptible nod that he should consent。
〃Yes；〃 said the duke； 〃but take care； my dear La Ramee； for I propose to beat you badly。〃
La Ramee went out。 Grimaud looked after him； and when the door was closed he drew out of his pocket a pencil and a sheet of paper。
〃Write； my lord；〃 he said。
〃And what？〃
Grimaud dictated。
〃All is ready for to…morrow evening。 Keep watch from seven to nine。 Have two riding horses ready。 We shall descend by the first window in the gallery。〃
〃What next？〃
〃Sign your name； my lord。〃
The duke signed。
〃Now； my lord； give me； if you have not lost it； the ball that which contained the letter。〃
The duke took it from under his pillow and gave it to Grimaud。 Grimaud gave a grim smile。
〃Well？〃 asked the duke。
〃Well； my lord； I sew up the paper in the ball and you； in your game of tennis； will send the ball into the ditch。〃
〃But will it not be lost？〃
〃Oh no； there will be some one at hand to pick it up。〃
〃A gardener？〃
Grimaud nodded。
〃The same as yesterday？〃
Another nod on the part of Grimaud。
〃The Count de Rochefort？〃
Grimaud nodded the third time。
〃e； now；〃 said the duke； 〃give some particulars of the plan for our escape。〃
〃That is forbidden me；〃 said Grimaud； 〃until the last moment。〃
〃Who will be waiting for me beyond the ditch？〃
〃I know nothing about it； my lord。〃
〃But at least； if you don't want to see me turn crazy； tell what that famous pate will contain。〃
〃Two poniards； a knotted rope and a poire d'angoisse。〃*
*This poire d'angoisse was a famous gag； in the form of a pear； which； being thrust into the mouth； by the aid of a spring； dilated； so as to distend the jaws to their greatest width。
〃Yes； I understand。〃
〃My lord observes that there will be enough to go around。〃
〃We shall take to ourselves the poniards and the rope；〃 replied the duke。
〃And make La Ramee eat the pear；〃 answered Grimaud。
〃My dear Grimaud； thou speakest seldom； but when thou dost； one must do thee justice thy words are words of gold。〃
One of Marie Michon's Adventures
Whilst these projects were being formed by the Duc de Beaufort and Grimaud； the te de la Fere and the Vite de Bragelonne were entering Paris by the Rue du Faubourg Saint Marcel。
They stopped at the sign of the Fox； in the Rue du Vieux Colombier； a tavern known for many years by Athos； and asked for two bedrooms。
〃You must dress yourself； Raoul；〃 said Athos； 〃I am going to present you to some one。〃
〃To…day； monsieur？〃 asked the young man。
〃In half an hour。〃
The young man bowed。 Perhaps； not being endowed with the endurance of Athos； who seemed to be made of iron； he would have preferred a bath in the river Seine of which he had heard so much； and afterward his bed； but the te de la Fere had spoken and he had no thought but to obey。
〃By the way；〃 said Athos； 〃take some pains with your toilet； Raoul； I want you to be approved。〃
〃I hope； sir；〃 replied the youth； smiling； 〃that there's no idea of a marriage for me； you know of my engagement to Louise？〃
Athos； in his turn； smiled also。