D’Artagnan learnt all this without appearing the least in the world astonished.  He also learnt the best way to get intelligence was to go to La Roche-Bernard, a tolerably important city at the mouth of the Vilaine.  Perhaps there he could embark; if not, crossing the salt marshes, he would repair to Guerande or Le Croisic, to wait for an opportunity to cross over to Belle-Isle.  He had discovered, besides, since his departure from Chateaubriand, that nothing would be impossible for Furet under the impulsion of M. Agnan, and nothing to M. Agnan through the initiative of Furet.  He prepared, then, to sup off a teal and a torteau, in a hotel of La Roche-Bernard, and ordered to be brought from the cellar, to wash down these two Breton dishes, some cider, which, the moment it touched his lips, he perceived to be more Breton still.

Chapter LXVII:  How D’Artagnan became Acquainted with a Poet, who had turned Printer for the Sake of Printing his own Verses.

Before taking his place at table, D’Artagnan acquired, as was his custom, all the information he could; but it is an axiom of curiosity, that every man who wishes to question well and fruitfully ought in the first place to lay himself open to questions.  D’Artagnan sought, then, with his usual skill, a promising questioner in the hostelry of La Roche-Bernard.  At the moment, there were in the house, on the first story, two travelers either preparing for supper, or at supper itself.  D’Artagnan had seen their nags in the stable, and their equipages in the salle.  One traveled with a lackey, undoubtedly a person of consideration; — two Perche mares, sleek, sound beasts, were suitable means of locomotion.  The other, a little fellow, a traveler of meagre appearance, wearing a dusty surtout, dirty linen, and boots more worn by the pavement than the stirrup, had come from Nantes with a cart drawn by a horse so like Furet in color, that D’Artagnan might have gone a hundred miles without finding a better match.  This cart contained divers large packets wrapped in pieces of old stuff.

“That traveler yonder,” said D’Artagnan to himself, “is the man for my money.  He will do, he suits me; I ought to do for him and suit him; M. Agnan, with the gray doublet and the rusty calotte, is not unworthy of supping with the gentleman of the old boots and still older horse.”

This said, D’Artagnan called the host, and desired him to send his teal, tourteau, and cider up to the chamber of the gentleman of modest exterior.  He himself climbed, a plate in his hand, the wooden staircase which led to the chamber, and began to knock at the door.

“Come in!” said the unknown.  D’Artagnan entered, with a simper on his lips, his plate under his arm, his hat in one hand, his candle in the other.