You are modest." "No, Monsieur le Baron; I speak the plain truth.

I have rooms for a couple of friends, that is all." "But, in that case, whereabouts do your friends walk ?" "In the first place, they can walk about the king's forest, which is very beautiful." "Yes, I know the forest is very fine," said Porthos; "nearly as beautiful as my forest at Berry." Planchet opened his eyes very wide.

"Have you a forest of the same kind as the forest at Fontainebleau, Monsieur le Baron ?" he stammered out.
"Yes; I have two, indeed, but the one at Berry is my favorite." "Why so ?" asked Planchet.
"Because I don't know where it ends; and, also, because it is full of poachers." "How can the poachers make the forest so agreeable to you ?" "Because they hunt my game, and I hunt them--which in these peaceful times is for me a picture of war on a small scale." They had reached this turn of the conversation, when Planchet, looking up, perceived the houses at the commencement of Fontainebleau, the outline of which stood out strongly upon the dark face of the heavens; while, rising above the compact and irregularly formed mass of buildings, the pointed roofs of the chateau were clearly visible, the slates of which glistened beneath the light of the moon, like the scales of an immense fish.

"Gentlemen," said Planchet, "I have the honor to inform you that we have arrived at Fontainebleau.".