scretion
itself, in order to ascertain it, but he answered that he was not aware
of your address."

"So like Athos," thought the bishop; "that which is actually good never
alters."

"Well, then, you know that I cannot venture to show myself here, and
that the queen-mother has always some grievance or other against me."

"Yes, indeed, and I am surprised at it."

"Oh! there are various reasons for it. But, to continue, being obliged
to conceal myself, I was fortunate enough to meet with M. d'Artagnan,
who was formerly one of your old friends, I believe?"

"A friend of mine still, duchesse."

"He gave me some information, and sent me to M. Baisemeaux, the governor
of the Bastille."

Aramis was somewhat agitated at this remark, and a light flashed from
his eyes in the darkness of the room, which he could not conceal from
his keen-sighted friend. "M. de Baisemeaux!" he said; "why did
D'Artagnan send you to M. de Baisemeaux?"

"I cannot tell you."

"What can this possibly mean?" said the bishop, summoning all the
resources of his mind to his aid, in order to carry on the combat in a
befitting manner.

"M. de Baisemeaux is greatly indebted to you, D'Artagnan told me."

"True, he is so."

"And the address of a creditor is as easily ascertained as that of a
debtor."

"Very true; and so Baisemeaux indicated to you--"

"Saint-Mande, where I forwarded a letter to you."

"Which I have in my hand, and which is most precious to me," said
Aramis, "because I am indebted to it for the pleasure of seeing you
here." The duchesse, satisfied at having successfully alluded to the
various difficulties of so delicate an explanation, began to breathe
freely again, which Aramis, however, could not succeed in doing. "We had
got as far as your visit to M. Baisemeaux, I believe?"

"Nay," she said, laughing, "farther than that."

"In that case we must have been speaking about the grudge you have
against the queen-mother."

"Further still," she returned--"further still; we were talking of the
connection--"

"Which existed between you and the Franciscan," said Aramis,
interrupting her eagerly; "well, I am listening to you very
attentively."

"It is easily explained," returned the duchesse. "You know that I am
living at Brussels with M. de Laicques?"

"I have heard so."

"You know that my children have ruined and stripped me of everything."

"How terrible, dear duchesse."

"Terrible indeed; this obliged me to resort to