, and the famous epicure whose grace after dinner
used to be, 'Good Lord, do me the favor to cause me to digest what I
have eaten.'"

"Nevertheless he died of indigestion, in spite of his grace," said
D'Artagnan.

"What can you expect?" replied Aramis, in a tone of resignation. "Every
man that's born must fulfil his destiny."

"If it be not an indelicate question," resumed D'Artagnan, "have you
grown rich?"

"Oh, Heaven! no. I make about twelve thousand francs a year, without
counting a little benefice of a thousand crowns the prince gave me."

"And how do you make your twelve thousand francs? By your poems?"

"No, I have given up poetry, except now and then to write a drinking
song, some gay sonnet or some innocent epigram; I compose sermons, my
friend."

"What! sermons? Do you preach them?"

"No; I sell them to those of my cloth who wish to become great orators."

"Ah, indeed! and you have not been tempted by the hopes of reputation
yourself?"

"I should, my dear D'Artagnan, have been so, but nature said 'No.' When
I am in the pulpit, if by chance a pretty woman looks at me, I look at
her again: if she smiles, I smile too. Then I speak at random; instead
of preaching about the torments of hell I talk of the joys of Paradise.
An event took place in the Church of St. Louis au Marais. A gentleman
laughed in my face. I stopped short to tell him that he was a fool; the
congregation went out to get stones to stone me with, but whilst they
were away I found means to conciliate the priests who were present, so
that my foe was pelted instead of me. 'Tis true that he came the next
morning to my house, thinking that he had to do with an abbe--like all
other abbes."

"And what was the end of the affair?"

"We met in the Place Royale--Egad! you know about it."

"Was I not your second?" cried D'Artagnan.

"You were; you know how I settled the matter."

"Did he die?"

"I don't know. But, at all events, I gave him absolution in articulo
mortis. 'Tis enough to kill the body, without killing the soul."

Bazin made a despairing sign which meant that while perhaps he approved
the moral he altogether disapproved the tone in which it was uttered.

"Bazin, my friend," said Aramis, "you don't seem to be aware that I
can see you in that mirror, and you forget that once for all I have
forbidden all signs of approbation or disapprobation. You will do me the
favor to bring us some Spanish wine and then to withdraw. Besides