these
gentlemen being my prisoners I am theirs; but, gentlemen, I warn you,
unless you kill me, your victory will be of very short duration; people
will come to the rescue."

"Ah! my lord!" cried the Gascon, "don't threaten! 'tis a bad example.
We are so good and gentle to your eminence. Come, let us put aside all
rancor and talk pleasantly."

"There's nothing I wish more," replied Mazarin. "But don't think
yourselves in a better position than you are. In ensnaring me you have
fallen into the trap yourselves. How are you to get away from here?
remember the soldiers and sentinels who guard these doors. Now, I am
going to show you how sincere I am."

"Good," thought D'Artagnan; "we must look about us; he's going to play
us a trick."

"I offered you your liberty," continued the minister; "will you take it?
Before an hour has passed you will be discovered, arrested, obliged to
kill me, which would be a crime unworthy of loyal gentlemen like you."

"He is right," thought Athos.

And, like every other reflection passing in a mind that entertained none
but noble thoughts, this feeling was expressed in his eyes.

"And therefore," said D'Artagnan, to clip the hope which Athos's tacit
adhesion had imparted to Mazarin, "we shall not proceed to that violence
save in the last extremity."

"If on the contrary," resumed Mazarin, "you accept your liberty----"

"Why you, my lord, might take it away from us in less than five minutes
afterward; and from my knowledge of you I believe you will so take it
away from us."

"No--on the faith of a cardinal. You do not believe me?"

"My lord, I never believe cardinals who are not priests."

"Well, on the faith of a minister."

"You are no longer a minister, my lord; you are a prisoner."

"Then, on the honor of a Mazarin, as I am and ever shall be, I hope,"
said the cardinal.

"Hem," replied D'Artagnan. "I have heard speak of a Mazarin who had not
much religion when his oaths were in question. I fear he may have been
an ancestor of your eminence."

"Monsieur d'Artagnan, you are a great wit and I am really sorry to be on
bad terms with you."

"My lord, let us come to terms; I ask nothing better."

"Very well," said Mazarin, "if I place you in security, in a manner
evident, palpable----"

"Ah! that is another thing," said Porthos.

"Let us see," said Athos.

"Let us see," said D'Artagnan.

"In the first place, do you accept?" asked the cardinal.

"Unfold your plan, my