."

"And why?"

"Because I have no longer anything to do here; and, indeed, I have
duties to fulfill elsewhere."

"Duties, so late as this?"

"Yes; understand me now, my dear De Baisemeaux; they told me at the
place whence I came, 'The aforesaid governor or captain will allow to
enter, as need shall arise, on the prisoner's demand, a confessor
affiliated with the order.' I came; you do not know what I mean, and so
I shall return to tell them that they are mistaken, and that they must
send me elsewhere."

"What! you are--" cried Baisemeaux, looking at Aramis almost in terror.

"The confessor affiliated to the order," said Aramis, without changing
his voice.

But, gentle as the words were, they had the same effect on the unhappy
governor as a clap of thunder. Baisemeaux became livid, and it seemed to
him as if Aramis' beaming eyes were two forks of flame, piercing to the
very bottom of his soul. "The confessor!" murmured he; "you,
monseigneur, the confessor of the order!"

"Yes, I; but we have nothing to unravel together, seeing that you are
not one of the affiliated."

"Monseigneur!"

"And I understand, that not being so, you refuse to comply with its
commands."

"Monseigneur, I beseech you, condescend to hear me."

"And wherefore?"

"Monseigneur, I do not say that I have nothing to do with the society."

"Ah! ah!"

"I say not that I refuse to obey."

"Nevertheless, M. de Baisemeaux, what has passed wears very much the air
of resistance."

"Oh, no! monseigneur, no; I only wished to be certain."

"To be certain of what?" said Aramis, in a tone of supreme contempt.

"Of nothing at all, monseigneur." Baisemeaux lowered his voice, and
bending before the prelate, said, "I am at all times and in all places
at the disposal of my masters, but--"

"Very good. I like you better thus, monsieur," said Aramis, as he
resumed his seat, and put out his glass to Baisemeaux, whose hand
trembled so that he could not fill it. "You were saying 'but'--"
continued Aramis.

"But," replied the unhappy man, "having no notice, I was far from
expecting."

"Does not the Gospel say, 'Watch, for the moment is known only of God.'
Do not the rules of the order say, 'Watch, for that which I will, you
ought always to will also.' And on what pretext is it that you did not
expect the confessor, M. de Baisemeaux?"

"Because, monseigneur, there is at present in the Bastille no prisoner
ill."

Aramis shrugged his shoulders. "