eux, "you have rendered me a
service, and I thank you for it; for if you had not deceived me, I might
have deceived myself. In what, then, have you deceived me, say?"

"In that I was serving the usurper against whom Louis XIV., at this
moment, is directing his efforts."

"The usurper!" said Porthos, scratching his head. "That is--well I do
not too clearly comprehend that!"

"He is one of the two kings who are contending for the crown of France."

"Very well! Then you were serving him who is not Louis XIV.?"

"You have hit upon the matter in a word."

"It results that--"

"It results that we are rebels, my poor friend."

"The devil! the devil!" cried Porthos, much disappointed.

"Oh! but, dear Porthos, be calm, we shall still find means of getting
out of the affair, trust me."

"It is not that which makes me uneasy," replied Porthos; "that which
alone touches me is that ugly word _rebels_."

"Ah! but--"

"And so, according to this, the duchy that was promised me--"

"It was the usurper who was to give it to you."

"And that is not the same thing, Aramis," said Porthos, majestically.

"My friend, if it had only depended upon me, you should have become a
prince." Porthos began to bite his nails after a melancholy fashion.

"That is where you have been wrong," continued he, "in deceiving me; for
that promised duchy I reckoned upon. Oh! I reckoned upon it seriously,
knowing you to be a man of your word, Aramis."

"Poor Porthos! pardon me, I implore you!"

"So then," continued Porthos, without replying to the bishop's prayer,
"so then, it seems, I have quite fallen out with Louis XIV.?"

"Oh! I will settle all that, my good friend, I will settle all that. I
will take it upon myself alone!"

"Aramis!"

"No, no, Porthos, I conjure you, let me act. No false generosity! No
inopportune devotedness! You knew nothing of my projects. You have done
nothing of yourself. With me it is different. I am alone the author of
the plot. I stood in need of my inseparable companion: I called upon
you, and you came to me, in remembrance of our ancient device, 'All for
one, one for all.' My crime was being an egotist."

"Now, that is the word I like," said Porthos; "and seeing that you have
acted entirely for yourself, it is impossible for me to blame you. It is
natural." And upon this sublime reflection, Porthos pressed the hand of
his friend cordially.

In presence of this ingenuous greatness of soul, Aramis felt hims