Two things concerned us though. Laurent informed us that the innkeeper had been taken to the Bastille as I had already mentioned and also that we had been forced to ride out without the Castillian. Once again I cursed him for having left the wagon. We determined that I would return to the city and see if I could find him and help him out. Further I would meet up again with them in Manche and then take a ship on to Ussura.

Up ahead there I noticed a bridge crossing a small stream. In the Spring, when the snow melts in the mountains this stream becomes a torrent but now it would serve my purposes nicely. Checking behind me I noted that we were, for the moment, out of site of the pursuing musketeers and so I bid adieu to my friends and turned off the road. The stream banks were not steep and the water only to their knees. We hid beneath the bridge until we heard the musketeers horses pass us by. We then cut across country to and came in on one of the smaller roads. I changed into some spare clothes of Laurent's and we rode with some merchants traveling into the city and met no resistance.

From these merchants on the road we learned two things. That the Castillian had some help in escaping the guards at the city gates and that indeed the innkeeper had been taken to the Bastille. I determined that the best course of action was for Laurent to take to the streets and find some sign of the Castillian and that I would try to find out what could be done about the innkeeper.

Remembering that opera I had participated in this morning I went there. I remembered an acquaintance of mine that I was sure would be there and whom I believed might have some ideas. This then is Le Vicompte du Alexandre in whose company Laurent and I find ourselves this night.

I have talked to him and he has promised to do what he can for us.