djoining salon,
after having recommended her to the most reasonable of his guests. And
then, taking Aramis by the arm, he led him toward his cabinet. As soon
as Aramis was there, throwing aside the respectful air he had assumed,
he threw himself into a chair, saying: "Guess whom I have seen this
evening?"

"My dear chevalier, every time you begin in that manner I am sure to
hear you announce something disagreeable."

"Well, and this time you will not be mistaken, either, my dear friend,"
replied Aramis.

"Do not keep me in suspense," added Fouquet, phlegmatically.

"Well, then, I have seen Madame de Chevreuse."

"The old duchesse, do you mean?"

"Yes."

"Her ghost, perhaps?"

"No, no; the old she-wolf herself."

"Without teeth?"

"Possibly, but not without claws."

"Well! what harm can she meditate against me? I am no miser, with women
who are not prudes. That is a quality that is always prized, even by the
woman who no longer dares to provoke love."

"Madame de Chevreuse knows very well that you are not avaricious, since
she wishes to draw some money out of you."

"Indeed! under what pretext?"

"Oh; pretexts are never wanting with her. Let me tell you what hers is:
it seems that the duchesse has a good many letters of M. de Mazarin's in
her possession."

"I am not surprised at that, for the prelate was gallant enough."

"Yes, but these letters have nothing whatever to do with the prelate's
love affairs. They concern, it is said, financial matters rather."

"And accordingly they are less interesting."

"Do you not suspect what I mean?"

"Not at all."

"Have you ever heard speak of a prosecution being instituted for an
embezzlement, or appropriation, rather, of public funds?"

"Yes, a hundred, nay, a thousand times, ever since I have been engaged
in public matters, I have hardly heard anything else but that. It is
precisely your own case, when, as a bishop, people reproach you for your
impiety; or, as a musketeer, for your cowardice; the very thing of which
they are always accusing ministers of finance is the embezzlement of
public funds."

"Very good; but take a particular instance, for the duchesse asserts
that M. de Mazarin alludes to certain particular instances."

"What are they?"

"Something like a sum of thirteen millions of francs, of which it would
be very difficult for you to define the precise nature of the
employment."

"Thirteen millions!" said the surintendant, stretching