,
haughty air, as though willing to accept the defiance which the latter
seemed to throw down.

"Ah! these gentlemen are good friends, then," said the king.

"Excellent friends, sire, the one can answer for the other. Ask M. de
Vannes now in what manner Belle-Isle was fortified?" Fouquet moved back
a step.

"Belle-Isle," said Aramis coldly, "has been fortified by that
gentleman," and he indicated Porthos with his hand, who bowed a second
time. Louis could not withhold his admiration, though at the same time
his suspicions were aroused.

"Yes," said D'Artagnan, "but ask Monsieur le Baron whose assistance he
had in carrying the works out?"

"Aramis'," said Porthos, frankly, and he pointed to the bishop.

"What the deuce does all this mean," thought the bishop, "and what sort
of a termination are we to expect to this comedy?"

"What!" exclaimed the king, "is the cardinal's, I mean the bishop's,
name Aramis?"

"A _nom de guerre_," said D'Artagnan.

"A name of friendship," said Aramis.

"A truce to modesty," exclaimed D'Artagnan; "beneath the priest's robe,
sire, is concealed the most brilliant officer, a gentleman of the most
unparalleled intrepidity, and the wisest theologian in your kingdom."

Louis raised his head. "And an engineer, also, it appears," he said,
admiring Aramis' calm imperturbable self-possession.

"An engineer for a particular purpose, sire," said the latter.

"My companion in the musketeers, sire," said D'Artagnan, with great
warmth of manner, "the man who has more than a hundred times aided your
father's ministers by his advice--M. d'Herblay, in a word, who with M.
de Valon, myself, and M. le Comte de la Fere, who is known to your
majesty, formed that quadrille which was a good deal talked about during
the late king's reign, and during your majesty's minority."

"And who has fortified Belle-Isle?" the king repeated in a significant
tone.

Aramis advanced and said: "In order to serve the son as I have served
the father."

D'Artagnan looked at Aramis most narrowly while he uttered these words,
which displayed so much true respect, so much warm devotion, such entire
frankness and sincerity, that even he, D'Artagnan, the eternal doubter,
he, the almost infallible in his judgment, was deceived by it. "A man
who lies cannot speak in such a tone as that," he said.

Louis was overcome by it. "In that case," he said to Fouquet, who
anxiously awaited the result of this proof, "the cardinal's