414 LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. Baisemeaux turned pale, and then red, looked at Aramis, who looked at him, and finished by stammering out: "Certainly — I am delighted — but upon my honor — I have not the slightest — Ah! I have such a wretched memory!" "Well, I am wrong, I see," said D'Artagnan, as if he were offended. "Wrong, what for?" "Wrong to remember anything about it, it seems." Baisemeaux hurried toward him. "Do not stand on ceremony, my dear captain," he said, "I have the worst memory in the world. I no sooner leave ofE thinking of my pigeons and their pigeon-house, than I am no better than the rawest recruit." "At all events, you remember it now!" said D'Artagnan boldly. "Yes, yes," replied the governor hesitating; "I think I remember." "It was when you came to the palace to see me; you told me some story or other about your accounts with Monsieur de Louviere and Monsieur de Tremblay." "Oh, yes, perfectly." "And about Monsieur d'Herblay's kindness toward you." "Ah!" exclaimed Aramis, looking the unhappy governor full in the face, "and yet you just now said you had no memory. Monsieur de Baisemeaux." Baisemeaux interrupted the musketeer in the midst of his revelations. "Yes, yes; you're quite right. How could I have for- gotten? I remember it now as well as possible; I beg you a thousand pardons. But now, once for all, my dear Mon- sieur d'Artagnan, be sure that at this present time, as at any other, whether invited or not, you are perfectly at home here, you and Monsieur d'Herblay, your friend," he said, turning toward Aramis; "and this gentleman, too," he added, bowing to Athos. "Well, I thought it would be sure to turn out so," re- plied D'Artagnan, "and that is the reason I came. Hav- ing nothing to do this evening at the Palais Eoyal, I wished to judge for mvself what your ordinary style of living was like; ana as i was coming along, I met the Comte de la Fere." Athos bowed. "The comte, who had just left his majesty, handed me an order which required immediate attention. We were close by here; I wished to call in, even if it were for no
