ied Athos, promptly; "but because the king is not
willing that the secret of his family should transpire among the people,
and cover with shame the executioners of the son of Louis XIII."

"Do not talk in such a childish manner, Athos, or I shall begin to think
you have lost your senses. Besides, explain to me how it is possible
Louis XIII. should have a son in the Isle of Sainte-Marguerite?"

"A son whom you have brought hither masked, in a fishing boat," said
Athos. "Why not?"

D'Artagnan was brought to a pause.

"Ah! ah!" said he: "whence do you know that a fishing boat--"

"Brought you to Sainte-Marguerite's with the carriage containing the
prisoner--with a prisoner whom you styled monseigneur. Oh! I am
acquainted with all that," resumed the comte. D'Artagnan bit his
mustache.

"If it were true," said he, "that I had brought hither in a boat and
with a carriage a masked prisoner, nothing proves that this prisoner
must be a prince--a prince of the house of France?"

"Oh! ask that of Aramis," replied Athos coolly.

"Of Aramis!" cried the musketeer, quite at a stand. "Have you seen
Aramis?"

"After his discomfiture at Vaux, yes; I have seen Aramis, a fugitive,
pursued, ruined; and Aramis has told me enough to make me believe in the
complaints that this unfortunate young man cut upon the bottom of the
plate."

D'Artagnan's head sunk upon his breast with confusion. "This is the
way," said he, "in which God turns to nothing that which men call their
wisdom? A fine secret must that be of which twelve or fifteen persons
hold the tattered fragments! Athos, cursed be the chance which has
brought you face to face with me in this affair: for now--"

"Well," said Athos, with his customary mild severity, "is your secret
lost because I know it? Consult your memory, my friend. Have I not
borne secrets as heavy as this?"

"You have never borne one so dangerous," replied D'Artagnan, in a tone
of sadness. "I have something like a sinister idea that all who are
concerned with this secret will die, and die unfortunately."

"The will of God be done!" said Athos, "but here is your governor."

D'Artagnan and his friends immediately resumed their parts. The
governor, suspicious and hard, behaved toward D'Artagnan with a
politeness almost amounting to obsequiousness. With respect to the
travelers, he contented himself with offering them good cheer, and never
taking his eye from them. Athos and Raoul observed that he often tr