"What! make my escape! Fly!"

"No; I do not mean that; you forget that all such proceedings originate
in the parliament, that they are instituted by the procureur-general,
and that you are the procureur-general. You see that unless you wish to
condemn yourself--"

"Oh!" cried Fouquet, suddenly, dashing his fist upon the table.

"Well! what? what is the matter?"

"I am procureur-general no longer."

Aramis at this reply became as livid as death; he pressed his hands
together convulsively, and with a wild, haggard look, which almost
annihilated Fouquet, he said, laying a stress upon every distinct
syllable, "You are procureur-general no longer, do you say?"

"No."

"Since when?"

"Since the last four or five hours."

"Take care," interrupted Aramis, coldly; "I do not think you are in the
full possession of your senses, my friend; collect yourself."

"I tell you," returned Fouquet, "that a little while ago, some one came
to me, brought by my friends, to offer me fourteen hundred thousand
francs for the appointment, and that I sold the appointment."

Aramis looked as if he had been thunder-stricken; the intelligent and
mocking expression of his countenance assumed an aspect of such profound
gloom and terror that it had more effect upon the surintendant that all
the exclamations and speeches in the world. "You had need of money
then?" he said, at last.

"Yes; to discharge a debt of honor." And, in a few words, he gave Aramis
an account of Madame de la Belliere's generosity, and the manner in
which he had thought it but right to discharge that act of generosity.

"Yes," said Aramis; "that is, indeed, a fine trait. What has it cost?"

"Exactly the fourteen hundred thousand francs--the price of my
appointment."

"Which you received in that manner, without reflection. Oh! imprudent
man."

"I have not yet received the amount, but I shall to-morrow."

"It is not yet completed, then?"

"It must be carried out, though: for I have given the goldsmith, for
twelve o'clock to-morrow, an order upon my treasury, into which the
purchaser's money will be paid at six or seven o'clock."

"Heaven be praised!" cried Aramis, clapping his hands together, "nothing
is yet completed, since you have not been paid."

"But the goldsmith?"

"You shall receive the fourteen hundred thousand francs from me at a
quarter before twelve."

"Stay a moment; it is at six o'clock, this very morning, that I am to
sign."

"Oh! I will a