s moment at least."

"Sirs, accept my thanks for your politeness," said the young man,
retreating.

"What do you think of that interrogator?" asked Aramis.

"I think he is either a dull provincial person or a spy in search of
information."

"And you replied to him with that notion?"

"Nothing warranted me to answer him otherwise; he was polite to me and I
was so to him."

"But if he be a spy----"

"What do you think a spy would be about here? We are not living in the
time of Cardinal Richelieu, who would have closed the ports on bare
suspicion."

"It matters not; you were wrong to reply to him as you did," continued
Aramis, following with his eyes the young man, now vanishing behind the
cliffs.

"And you," said Athos, "you forget that you committed a very different
kind of imprudence in pronouncing Lord de Winter's name. Did you not see
that at that name the young man stopped?"

"More reason, then, when he spoke to you, for sending him about his
business."

"A quarrel?" asked Athos.

"And since when have you become afraid of a quarrel?"

"I am always afraid of a quarrel when I am expected at any place and
when such a quarrel might possibly prevent my reaching it. Besides, let
me own something to you. I am anxious to see that young man nearer."

"And wherefore?"

"Aramis, you will certainly laugh at me, you will say that I am
always repeating the same thing, you will call me the most timorous of
visionaries; but to whom do you see a resemblance in that young man?"

"In beauty or on the contrary?" asked Aramis, laughing.

"In ugliness, in so far as a man can resemble a woman."

"Ah! Egad!" cried Aramis, "you set me thinking. No, in truth you are
no visionary, my dear friend, and now I think of it--you--yes, i'faith,
you're right--those delicate, yet firm-set lips, those eyes which seem
always at the command of the intellect and never of the heart! Yes, it
is one of Milady's bastards!"

"You laugh Aramis."

"From habit, that is all. I swear to you, I like no better than yourself
to meet that viper in my path."

"Ah! here is De Winter coming," said Athos.

"Good! one thing now is only awanting and that is, that our grooms
should not keep us waiting."

"No," said Athos. "I see them about twenty paces behind my lord. I
recognize Grimaud by his long legs and his determined slouch. Tony
carries our muskets."

"Then we set sail to-night?" asked Aramis, glancing toward the west,
where the sun had