what I mean."

"Alas, no, my lord!" replied D'Artagnan, surprised.

"You are discreet--so much the better. I speak of that adventure in
behalf of the queen, of the ornaments, of the journey you made with
three of your friends."

"Aha!" thought the Gascon; "is this a snare or not? Let me be on my
guard."

And he assumed a look of stupidity which Mendori or Bellerose, two of
the first actors of the day, might have envied.

"Bravo!" cried Mazarin; "they told me that you were the man I wanted.
Come, let us see what you will do for me."

"Everything that your eminence may please to command me," was the reply.

"You will do for me what you have done for the queen?"

"Certainly," D'Artagnan said to himself, "he wishes to make me speak
out. He's not more cunning than De Richelieu was! Devil take him!" Then
he said aloud:

"The queen, my lord? I don't comprehend."

"You don't comprehend that I want you and your three friends to be of
use to me?"

"Which of my friends, my lord?"

"Your three friends--the friends of former days."

"Of former days, my lord! In former days I had not only three friends, I
had thirty; at two-and-twenty one calls every man one's friend."

"Well, sir," returned Mazarin, "prudence is a fine thing, but to-day you
might regret having been too prudent."

"My lord, Pythagoras made his disciples keep silence for five years that
they might learn to hold their tongues."

"But you have been silent for twenty years, sir. Speak, now the queen
herself releases you from your promise."

"The queen!" said D'Artagnan, with an astonishment which this time was
not pretended.

"Yes, the queen! And as a proof of what I say she commanded me to show
you this diamond, which she thinks you know."

And so saying, Mazarin extended his hand to the officer, who sighed as
he recognized the ring so gracefully given to him by the queen on the
night of the ball at the Hotel de Ville and which she had repurchased
from Monsieur des Essarts.

"'Tis true. I remember well that diamond, which belonged to the queen."

"You see, then, that I speak to you in the queen's name. Answer me
without acting as if you were on the stage; your interests are concerned
in your so doing."

"Faith, my lord, it is very necessary for me to make my fortune, your
eminence has so long forgotten me."

"We need only a week to amend all that. Come, you are accounted for, you
are here, but where are your friends?"

"I do not know, my