After chatting on general subjects, he asked his friend if he had not a house at the seaside, and receiving an affirmative answer, he invited himself to breakfast there the next day; the proposal naturally enough was agreed to with pleasure.  The next day at the appointed hour Bonafoux arrived at Bonette, which was the name of the country house where M. Marouin’s wife and daughter were staying.  M. Marouin himself was kept by his work at Toulon.  After the ordinary greetings, Bonafoux stepped to the window, beckoning to Marouin to rejoin him.

“I thought,” he said uneasily, “that your house was by the sea.”

“We are hardly ten minutes’ walk from it.”

“But it is not in sight.”

“That hill prevents you from seeing it.”

“May we go for a stroll on the beach before breakfast is served?”

“By all means.  Well, your horse is still saddled.  I will order mine—­I will come back for you.”

Marouin went out.  Bonafoux remained at the window, absorbed in his thoughts.  The ladies of the house, occupied in preparations for the meal, did not observe, or did not appear to observe, his preoccupation.  In five minutes Marouin came back.  He was ready to start.  The avocat and his friend mounted their horses and rode quickly down to the sea.  On the beach the captain slackened his pace, and riding along the shore for about half an hour, he seemed to be examining the bearings of the coast with great attention.  Marouin followed without inquiring into his investigations, which seemed natural enough for a naval officer.

After about an hour the two men went back to the house.

Marouin wished to have the horses unsaddled, but Bonafoux objected, saying that he must go back to Toulon immediately after lunch.  Indeed, the coffee was hardly finished before he rose and took leave of his hosts.  Marouin, called back to town by his work, mounted his horse too, and the two friends rode back to Toulon together.  After riding along for ten minutes, Bonafoux went close to his companion and touched him on the thigh—­

“Marouin,” he said, “I have an important secret to confide to you.”

“Speak, captain.  After a father confessor, you know there is no one so discreet as a notary, and after a notary an avocat.”

“You can quite understand that I did not come to your country house just for the pleasure of the ride.  A more important object, a serious responsibility, preoccupied me; I have chosen you out of all my friends, believing that you were devoted enough to me to render me a great service.”

“You did well, captain.”

“Let us go straight to the point, as men who respect and trust each other should do.  My uncle, King Joachim, is proscribed, he has taken refuge with me; but he cannot remain there, for I am the first person they will suspect.  Your house is in an isolated position, and consequently we could not find a better retreat for him.  You must put it at our disposal until events enable the king to come to some decision.”