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.'"