ttom of his soul--to leave the thoughts he had uttered sufficient time
to eat deeply into the mind of his companion.

"All that Heaven does, Heaven does well," continued the bishop of
Vannes; "and I am so persuaded of it, that I have long been thankful to
have been chosen depositary of the secret which I have aided you to
discover. To a just Providence was necessary an instrument, at once
penetrating, persevering, and convinced, to accomplish a great work. I
am this instrument. I possess penetration, perseverance, conviction; I
govern a mysterious people who has taken for its motto the motto of God,
'_Patiens quia aeternus_.'" The prince moved. "I divine, monseigneur, why
you are raising your head, and are surprised at the people I have under
my command. You did not know you were dealing with a king--oh!
monseigneur, king of a people very humble, much disinherited: humble,
because they have no force save when creeping; disinherited, because
never, almost never in this world, do my people reap the harvest they
sow, nor eat the fruit they cultivate. They labor for an abstract idea;
they heap together all the atoms of their power to form one man; and
round this man, with the sweat of their labor, they create a misty halo,
which his genius shall, in turn, render a glory gilded with the rays of
all the crowns in Christendom. Such is the man you have beside you,
monseigneur. It is to tell you that he has drawn you from the abyss for
a great purpose, and that he desires, for this sublime purpose, to raise
you above the powers of the earth--above himself."

The prince lightly touched Aramis' arm. "You speak to me," he said, "of
that religious order whose chief you are. For me, the result of your
words is, that the day you desire to hurl down the man you shall have
raised, the event will be accomplished; and that you will keep under
your hand your creation of yesterday."

"Undeceive yourself, monseigneur," replied the bishop. "I should not
take the trouble to play this terrible game with your royal highness, if
I had not a double interest in gaining it. The day you are elevated, you
are elevated forever; you will overturn the footstool as you rise, and
will send it rolling so far that not even the sight of it will ever
again recall to you its right to gratitude."

"Oh, monsieur!"

"Your movement, monseigneur, arises from an excellent disposition. I
thank you. Be well assured, I aspire to more than gratitude! I am
convinced