“He suffers imprisonment, at all events.”
“No doubt; there is no help for that, but this suffering is sweetened for him. You must admit that this young fellow was not born to eat all the good things he does eat; for instance, such things as we have on the table now; this pasty that has not been touched, these crawfish from the River Marne, of which we have hardly taken any, and which are almost as large as lobsters; all these things will at once be taken to second Bertaudiere, with a bottle of that Volnay which you think so excellent. After you have seen it you will believe it, I hope.”
“Yes, my dear governor, certainly; but all this time you are thinking only of your very happy fifteen-franc prisoner, and you forget poor Seldon, my protege.”
“Well, out of consideration for you, it shall be a gala day for him; he shall have some biscuits and preserves with this small bottle of port.”
“You are a good-hearted fellow; I have said so already, and I repeat it, my dear Baisemeaux.”
“Well, let us set off, then,” said the governor, a little bewildered, partly from the wine he had drunk, and partly from Aramis’s praises.
“Do not forget that I only go to oblige you,” said the prelate.
“Very well; but you will thank me when you get there.”
“Let us go, then.”
“Wait until I have summoned the jailer,” said Baisemeaux, as he struck the bell twice, at which summons a man appeared. “I am going to visit the towers,” said the governor. “No guards, no drums, no noise at all.”