.

D'Artagnan continues his Investigations.
At daybreak D'Artagnan saddled Furet, who had fared sumptuously all night, devouring the remainder of the oats and hay left by his companions.

The musketeer sifted all he possibly could out of the host, who he found cunning, mistrustful, and devoted, body and soul, to M.
Fouquet.

In order not to awaken the suspicions of this man, he carried on his fable of being a probable purchaser of some salt-mines.

To have embarked for Belle-Isle at Roche-Bernard, would have been to expose himself still further to comments which had, perhaps, been already made, and would be carried to the castle.