h as
Croesus." Then aloud: "Are you ambitious?"

"As Enceladus."

"Well, my friend, I bring you the means of becoming rich, powerful, and
free to do whatever you wish."

The shadow of a cloud passed over Aramis's face as quickly as that which
in August passes over the field of grain; but quick as it was, it did
not escape D'Artagnan's observation.

"Speak on," said Aramis.

"One question first. Do you take any interest in politics?"

A gleam of light shone in Aramis's eyes, as brief as the shadow that
had passed over his face, but not so brief but that it was seen by
D'Artagnan.

"No," Aramis replied.

"Then proposals from any quarter will be agreeable to you, since for the
moment you have no master but God?"

"It is possible."

"Have you, my dear Aramis, thought sometimes of those happy, happy,
happy days of youth we passed laughing, drinking, and fighting each
other for play?"

"Certainly, and more than once regretted them; it was indeed a glorious
time."

"Well, those splendidly wild days may chance to come again; I am
commissioned to find out my companions and I began by you, who were the
very soul of our society."

Aramis bowed, rather with respect than pleasure at the compliment.

"To meddle in politics," he exclaimed, in a languid voice, leaning back
in his easy-chair. "Ah! dear D'Artagnan! see how regularly I live and
how easy I am here. We have experienced the ingratitude of 'the great,'
as you well know."

"'Tis true," replied D'Artagnan. "Yet the great sometimes repent of
their ingratitude."

"In that case it would be quite another thing. Come! let's be merciful
to every sinner! Besides, you are right in another respect, which is
in thinking that if we were to meddle in politics there could not be a
better time than the present."

"How can you know that? You who never interest yourself in politics?"

"Ah! without caring about them myself, I live among those who are much
occupied in them. Poet as I am, I am intimate with Sarazin, who is
devoted to the Prince de Conti, and with Monsieur de Bois-Robert, who,
since the death of Cardinal Richelieu, is of all parties or any party;
so that political discussions have not altogether been uninteresting to
me."

"I have no doubt of it," said D'Artagnan.

"Now, my dear friend, look upon all I tell you as merely the statement
of a monk--of a man who resembles an echo--repeating simply what he
hears. I understand that Mazarin is at this very mo