He then began to inspect most carefully, on foot and with his lantern in his hand, the whole surface of the Rond-point, went forward, turned back again, measured, examined, and after half an hour's minute inspection, he returned silently to where he had left his horse, and pursued his way in deep reflection and at a foot-pace to Fontainebleau.

Louis was waiting in his cabinet; he was alone, and with a pencil was scribbling on paper certain lines which D'Artagnan at the first glance recognized as unequal and very much touched up.

The conclusion he arrived at was, that they must be verses.

The king raised his head and perceived D'Artagnan.

"Well, monsieur," he said, "do you bring me any news ?" "Yes, sire." "What have you seen ?" "As far as probability goes, sire--" D'Artagnan began to reply.
"It was certainty I requested of you." "I will approach it as near as I possibly can.