"Now tell me," began Fouquet, after having installed his guest in an armchair, and seated himself by his side, "tell me, Monsieur d'Herblay, what is our position with regard to the Belle-Isle affair, and whether you have received any news about it." "Everything is going on in that direction as we wish," replied Aramis; "the expenses have been paid, and nothing has transpired of our designs." "But what about the soldiers whom the king wished to send there?" "I have received news this morning that they had arrived there fifteen days ago." "And how have they been treated?" "In the best manner possible." "What has become of the former garrison?" "The soldiers were landed at Sarzeau, and were sent off at once toward Quimper." "And the new garrison?" "Belongs to us from this very moment." "Are you sure of what you say, my dear Monsieur de Vannes?" "Quite sure, and, moreover, you will see by-and-by how matters have turned out." "Still you are very well aware that, of all the garrison towns, Belle-Isle is precisely the very worst." "I know it, and have acted accordingly; no space to move about, no communications, no cheerful society, no gambling permitted; well, it is a great pity," added Aramis, with one of those smiles so peculiar to him, "to see how much young people at the present day seek amusement, and how much, consequently, they incline toward the man who procures and pays for such amusements for them." "But if they amuse themselves at Belle-Isle?" "If they amuse themselves through the king's means, they will attach themselves to the king; but if they get bored to death through the king's means, and amuse themselves through M. Fouquet, they will attach themselves to M. Fouquet." "And you informed my intendant, of course, so that immediately on their arrival--" "By no means; they were left alone a whole week, to weary themselves at their ease; but, at the end of the week, they cried out, saying that the last officers amused themselves more than they did. Whereupon they were told that the old officers had been able to make a friend of M. Fouquet, and that M. Fouquet, knowing them to be friends of his, had from that moment done all he possibly could to prevent their getting wearied or bored upon his estates. Upon this they began to reflect. Immediately afterward, however, the intendant added, that without anticipating M. Fouquet's orders, he knew his master sufficiently well to be aware that he took an interest in every gentleman in the king's service, and that, although he did not know the new comers, he would do as much for them as he had done for the others." "Excellent! and I trust that the promises were followed up; I desire, as you know, that no promise should ever be made in my name without being kept."