The affair is serious, apparently, since it necessitates your attendance in Paris, at a moment when your presence was so urgent elsewhere." "You are right, it could not be more serious." "Thank you! thank you! What is it about?
But, for God's sake! before anything else, take time to breathe, dear friend.

You are so pale, you frighten me." "I am really in great pain.

But, for Heaven's sake, think nothing about me.

Did M.du Vallon tell you nothing, when he delivered the letter to you ?" "No; I heard a great noise; I went to the window; I saw at the foot of the _perron_ a sort of horseman of marble; I went down, he held the letter out to me, and his horse fell down dead." "But he ?" "He fell with the horse; he was lifted, and carried to an apartment.
Having read the letter, I went up to him, in hopes of obtaining more ample information; but he was asleep, and, after such a fashion, that it was impossible to wake him.

I took pity on him; I gave orders that his boots should be cut from off his legs, and that he should be left quite undisturbed." "So far well; now, this is the question in hand, monseigneur.