cution."

"And what does his eminence think of this love, which is, by the bye, no
secret to anybody?"

Bernouin took the gentleman by the arm, and whilst ascending the
staircase,--"In confidence," said he, in a low voice, "his eminence
looks for success in the affair. I know very well we shall have war with
Spain; but, bah! war will please the nobles. My lord cardinal, besides,
can endow his niece royally, nay, more than royally. There will be
money, festivities, and fireworks--everybody will be delighted."

"Well, for my part," replied the gentleman, shaking his head, "it
appears to me that this letter is very light to contain all that."

"My friend," replied Bernouin, "I am certain of what I tell you. M.
d'Artagnan related all that passed to me."

"Ay, ay! and what did he tell you? Let us hear."

"I accosted him by asking him, on the part of the cardinal, if
there were any news, without discovering my designs, observe, for M.
d'Artagnan is a cunning hand. 'My dear Monsieur Bernouin,' he replied,
'the king is madly in love with Mademoiselle de Mancini, that is all I
have to tell you.' And then I asked him 'Do you think, to such a degree
that it will urge him to act contrary to the designs of his eminence?'
'Ah! don't ask me,' said he; 'I think the king capable of anything; he
has a will of iron, and what he wills he wills in earnest. If he takes
it into his head to marry Mademoiselle de Mancini, he will marry her,
depend upon it.' And thereupon he left me and went straight to the
stables, took a horse, saddled it himself, jumped upon its back, and set
off as if the devil were at his heels."

"So that you believe, then----"

"I believe that monsieur the lieutenant of the guards knew more than he
was willing to say."

"In your opinion, then, M. d'Artagnan----"

"Is gone, according to all probability, after the exiles, to carry out
all that can facilitate the success of the king's love."

Chatting thus, the two confidants arrived at the door of his eminence's
apartment. His eminence's gout had left him; he was walking about his
chamber in a state of great anxiety, listening at doors and looking out
of windows. Bernouin entered, followed by the gentleman, who had orders
from the king to place the letter in the hands of the cardinal himself.
Mazarin took the letter, but before opening it, he got up a ready smile,
a smile of circumstance, able to throw a veil over emotions of whatever
sort they might be. So pre