He stooped over the brim, looked into the well, and again cried out, and made wild and affrighted gestures.

Where I was, I could not only see, but hear--and see and hear I did." "Go on, I pray you," said Aramis.
"Dame Perronnette came running up, hearing the governor's cries.

He went to meet her, took her by the arm, and drew her quickly towards the edge; after which, as they both bent over it together, 'Look, look,' cried he, 'what a misfortune!' "'Calm yourself, calm yourself,' said Perronnette; 'what is the matter ?' "'The letter!' he exclaimed; 'do you see that letter ?' pointing to the bottom of the well.
"'What letter ?' she cried.
"'The letter you see down there; the last letter from the queen.' "At this word I trembled.

My tutor--he who passed for my father, he who was continually recommending me modesty and humility--in correspondence with the queen! "'The queen's last letter!' cried Perronnette, without showing more astonishment than at seeing this letter at the bottom of the well; 'but how came it there ?' "'A chance, Dame Perronnette--a singular chance.

I was entering my room, and on opening the door, the window, too, being open, a puff of air came suddenly and carried off this paper--this letter of her majesty's; I darted after it, and gained the window just in time to see it flutter a moment in the breeze and disappear down the well.' "'Well,' said Dame Perronnette; 'and if the letter has fallen into the well, 'tis all the same as if it was burnt; and as the queen burns all her letters every time she comes--' "And so you see this lady who came every month was the queen," said the prisoner.
"'Doubtless, doubtless,' continued the old gentleman; 'but this letter contained instructions--how can I follow them ?' "'Write immediately to her; give her a plain account of the accident, and the queen will no doubt write you another letter in place of this.' "'Oh! the queen would never believe the story,' said the good gentleman, shaking his head; 'she will imagine that I want to keep this letter instead of giving it up like the rest, so as to have a hold over her.
She is so distrustful, and M.de Mazarin so--Yon devil of an Italian is capable of having us poisoned at the first breath of suspicion.'" Aramis almost imperceptibly smiled.
"'You know, Dame Perronnette, they are both so suspicious in all that concerns Philippe.' "Philippe was the name they gave me," said the prisoner.
"'Well, 'tis no use hesitating,' said Dame Perronnette, 'somebody must go down the well.' "'Of course; so that the person who goes down may read the paper as he is coming up.' "'But let us choose some villager who cannot read, and then you will be at ease.' "'Granted; but will not any one who descends guess that a paper must be important for which we risk a man's life?
However, you have given me an idea, Dame Perronnette; somebody shall go down the well, but that somebody shall be myself.' "But at this notion Dame Perronnette lamented and cried in such a manner, and so implored the old nobleman, with tears in her eyes, that he promised her to obtain a ladder long enough to reach down, while she went in search of some stout-hearted youth, whom she was to persuade that a jewel had fallen into the well, and that this jewel was wrapped in a paper.