Meanwhile time was passing on for the prisoner, as well as for those who were preparing his escape; only for him it passed more slowly. Unlike other men, who enter with upon a resolution and grow cold as the moment of execution approaches, the Duc de Beaufort, whose buoyant courage had become a proverb, seemed to push time before him and sought most eagerly to hasten the hour of action. In his escape alone, apart from his plans for the future, which, it must be admitted, were for the present vague and uncertain, there was a beginning of which filled his heart. In the first place his escape would be a serious misfortune to Monsieur de Chavigny, whom he hated for the petty persecutions he owed to him. It would be a still worse affair for Mazarin, whom he for the greater offences he had committed. It may be observed that there was a proper proportion in his sentiments toward the governor of the prison and the minister--toward the subordinate and the master.  
Then Monsieur de Beaufort, who was so familiar with the interior of the Palais Royal, though he did not know the relations existing between the queen and the , pictured to himself, in his prison, all that dramatic excitement which would ensue when the should run from the minister’s cabinet to the of Anne of Austria: “Monsieur de Beaufort has escaped!” Whilst saying that to himself, Monsieur de Beaufort smiled pleasantly and imagined himself already outside, breathing the air of the plains and the forests, pressing a strong horse between his knees and crying out in a loud voice, “I am free!”
 
It is true that on coming to himself he found that he was still within four walls; he saw La Ramee twirling his thumbs ten feet from him, and his guards laughing and drinking in the ante-chamber. The only thing that was pleasant to him in that tableau--such is the instability of the human mind--was the face of Grimaud, for whom he had at first conceived such a and who now was all his hope. Grimaud seemed to him an Antinous. It is needless to say that this was visible only to the prisoner’s imagination. Grimaud was still the same, and therefore he retained the entire confidence of his superior, La Ramee, who now relied upon him more than he did upon himself, for, as we have said, La Ramee felt at the bottom of his heart a certain weakness for Monsieur de Beaufort.
 
And so the good La Ramee made a festivity of the little supper with his prisoner. He had but one fault--he was a ; he had found the good, the wine excellent. Now the successor of Pere Marteau had promised him a of pheasant instead of a pate of , and Chambertin wine instead of Macon. All this, set off by the presence of that excellent prince, who was so good-natured, who invented so tricks against Monsieur de Chavigny and so fine jokes against Mazarin, made for La Ramee the approaching Pentecost one of the four great feasts of the year. He therefore looked forward to six o’clock with as much as the duke himself.
 
Since daybreak La Ramee had been occupied with the preparations, and trusting no one but himself, he had visited personally the successor of Pere Marteau. The latter had surpassed himself; he showed La Ramee a pate, with Monsieur de Beaufort’s coat-of-arms. It was empty as yet, but a pheasant and two partridges were lying near it. La Ramee’s mouth watered and he returned to the duke’s chamber rubbing his hands. To crown his happiness, Monsieur de Chavigny had started on a journey that morning and in his absence La Ramee was deputy-governor of the .
 
As for Grimaud, he seemed more sullen than ever.
 
In the course of the forenoon Monsieur de Beaufort had a game of tennis with La Ramee; a sign from Grimaud put him on the alert. Grimaud, going in advance, followed the course which they were to take in the evening. The game was played in an inclosure called the little court of the chateau, a place quite except when Monsieur de Beaufort was playing; and even then the precaution seemed , the wall was so high.
 
There were three gates to open before reaching the inclosure, each by a different key. When they arrived Grimaud went carelessly and sat down by a loophole in the wall, letting his legs outside. It was evident that there the rope ladder was to be attached.
 
This , to the Duc de Beaufort, was quite to La Ramee.
 
The game at tennis, which, upon a sign from Grimaud, Monsieur de Beaufort had consented to play, began in the afternoon. The duke was in full strength and beat La Ramee completely.
 
Four of the guards, who were constantly near the prisoner, assisted in picking up the tennis balls. When the game was over, the duke, laughing at La Ramee for his bad play, offered these men two louis d’or to go and drink his health, with their four other comrades.
 
The guards asked permission of La Ramee, who gave it to them, but not till the evening, however; until then he had business and the prisoner was not to be left alone.
 
Six o’clock came and, although they were not to sit down to table until seven o’clock, dinner was ready and served up. Upon a sideboard appeared the pie with the duke’s arms on it, and seemingly cooked to a turn, as far as one could judge by the golden color which the crust.
 
The rest of the dinner was to come.
 
Every one was impatient, La Ramee to sit down to table, the guards to go and drink, the duke to escape.
 
Grimaud alone was calm as ever. One might have fancied that Athos had educated him with the express forethought of such a great event.
 
There were moments when, looking at Grimaud, the duke asked himself if he was not dreaming and if that marble figure was really at his service and would grow when the moment came for action.
 
La Ramee sent away the guards, desiring them to drink to the duke’s health, and as soon as they were gone shut all the doors, put the keys in his pocket and showed the table to the prince with an air that signified:
 
“Whenever my lord pleases.”
 
The prince looked at Grimaud, Grimaud looked at the clock; it was hardly a quarter-past six. The escape was to take place at seven o’clock; there was therefore three-quarters of an hour to wait.
 
The duke, in order to pass away another quarter of an hour, pretended to be reading something that interested him and muttered that he wished they would allow him to finish his chapter. La Ramee went up to him and looked over his shoulder to see what sort of a book it was that had so singular an influence over the prisoner as to make him put off taking his dinner.
 
It was “Caesar’s Commentaries,” which La Ramee had lent him, contrary to the orders of the governor; and La Ramee resolved never again to disobey these injunctions.
 
Meantime he uncorked the bottles and went to smell if the pie was good.
 
At half-past six the duke arose and said very gravely:
 
“Certainly, Caesar was the greatest man of ancient times.”
 
“You think so, my lord?” answered La Ramee.
 
“Yes.”
 
“Well, as for me, I prefer Hannibal.”
 
“And why, pray, Master La Ramee?” asked the duke.
 
“Because he left no Commentaries,” replied La Ramee, with his coarse laugh.
 
The duke no reply, but sitting down at the table made a sign that La Ramee should seat himself opposite. There is nothing so as the face of an who finds himself before a well spread table, so La Ramee, when receiving his plate of soup from Grimaud, presented a type of perfect .
 
The duke smiled.
 
“Zounds!” he said; “I don’t suppose there is a more man at this moment in all the kingdom than yourself!”
 
“You are right, my lord duke,” answered the officer; “I don’t know any pleasanter sight on earth than a well covered table; and when, added to that, he who does the honors is the grandson of Henry IV., you will, my lord duke, easily comprehend that the honor fairly doubles the pleasure one enjoys.”
 
The duke, in his turn, bowed, and an imperceptible smile appeared on the face of Grimaud, who kept behind La Ramee.
 
“My dear La Ramee,” said the duke, “you are the only man to turn such faultless compliments.”
 
“No, my lord duke,” replied La Ramee, in the fullness of his heart; “I say what I think; there is no compliment in what I say to you----”
 
“Then you are attached to me?” asked the duke.
 
“To own the truth, I should be inconsolable if you were to leave Vincennes.”
 
“A droll way of showing your affliction.” The duke meant to say “affection.”
 
“But, my lord,” returned La Ramee, “what would you do if you got out? Every you committed would you with the court and they would put you into the Bastile, instead of Vincennes. Now, Monsieur de Chavigny is not , I allow, but Monsieur du Tremblay is worse.”
 
“Indeed!” exclaimed the duke, who from time to time looked at the clock, the fingers of which seemed to move with sickening slowness.
 
“But what can you expect from the brother of a capuchin , brought up in the school of Cardinal Richelieu? Ah, my lord, it is a great happiness that the queen, who always wished you well, had a fancy to send you here, where there’s a and a tennis court, good air, and a good table.”
 
“In short,” answered the duke, “if I comprehend you aright, La Ramee, I am ungrateful for having ever thought of leaving this place?”
 
“Oh! my lord duke, ‘tis the height of ; but your highness has never seriously thought of it?”
 
“Yes,” returned the duke, “I must confess I sometimes think of it.”
 
“Still by one of your forty methods, your highness?”
 
“Yes, yes, indeed.”
 
“My lord,” said La Ramee, “now we are quite at our ease and enjoying ourselves, pray tell me one of those forty ways invented by your highness.”
 
“Willingly,” answered the duke, “give ............