r I gave you."

"For Monsieur de Wardes?" said Kitty.

"To be sure; for Monsieur de Wardes."

"Now, there is one," said Kitty, "who appears to me quite a different
sort of a man from that poor Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"Go to bed, mademoiselle," said Milady; "I don't like comments."

D'Artagnan heard the door close; then the noise of two bolts by which
Milady fastened herself in. On her side, but as softly as possible,
Kitty turned the key of the lock, and then d'Artagnan opened the closet
door.

"Oh, good Lord!" said Kitty, in a low voice, "what is the matter with
you? How pale you are!"

"The abominable creature," murmured d'Artagnan.

"Silence, silence, begone!" said Kitty. "There is nothing but a wainscot
between my chamber and Milady's; every word that is uttered in one can
be heard in the other."

"That's exactly the reason I won't go," said d'Artagnan.

"What!" said Kitty, blushing.

"Or, at least, I will go--later."

He drew Kitty to him. She had the less motive to resist, resistance
would make so much noise. Therefore Kitty surrendered.

It was a movement of vengeance upon Milady. D'Artagnan believed it right
to say that vengeance is the pleasure of the gods. With a little more
heart, he might have been contented with this new conquest; but the
principal features of his character were ambition and pride. It must,
however, be confessed in his justification that the first use he made of
his influence over Kitty was to try and find out what had become of Mme.
Bonacieux; but the poor girl swore upon the crucifix to d'Artagnan that
she was entirely ignorant on that head, her mistress never admitting her
into half her secrets--only she believed she could say she was not dead.

As to the cause which was near making Milady lose her credit with the
cardinal, Kitty knew nothing about it; but this time d'Artagnan was
better informed than she was. As he had seen Milady on board a vessel
at the moment he was leaving England, he suspected that it was, almost
without a doubt, on account of the diamond studs.

But what was clearest in all this was that the true hatred, the profound
hatred, the inveterate hatred of Milady, was increased by his not having
killed her brother-in-law.

D'Artagnan came the next day to Milady's, and finding her in a very
ill-humor, had no doubt that it was lack of an answer from M. de Wardes
that provoked her thus. Kitty came in, but Milady was very cross with
her. The poor girl vent