all this; place me, to-morrow, in some dark cavern at a mountain's base;
yield me the delight of hearing in freedom sounds of the river, plain
and valley, of beholding in freedom the sun of the blue heavens, or the
stormy sky, and it is enough. Promise me no more than this, for, indeed,
more you cannot give, and it would be a crime to deceive me, since you
call yourself my friend."

Aramis waited in silence. "Monseigneur," he resumed, after a moment's
reflection, "I admire the firm, sound sense which dictates your words; I
am happy to have discovered my monarch's mind."

"Again, again! oh, God! for mercy's sake," cried the prince, pressing
his icy hands upon his clammy brow, "do not play with me! I have no need
to be a king to be the happiest of men."

"But I, monseigneur, wish you to be a king for the good of humanity."

"Ah!" said the prince, with fresh distrust inspired by the word; "ah!
with what, then, has humanity to reproach my brother?"

"I forgot to say, monseigneur, that if you would allow me to guide you,
and if you consent to become the most powerful monarch in Christendom,
you will have promoted the interests of all the friends whom I devote to
the success of your cause, and these friends are numerous."

"Numerous?"

"Less numerous than powerful, monseigneur."

"Explain yourself."

"It is impossible; I will explain, I swear before Heaven, on that day
that I see you sitting on the throne of France."

"But my brother?"

"You shall decree his fate. Do you pity him?"

"Him, who leaves me to perish in a dungeon? No, no. For him I have no
pity!"

"So much the better."

"He might have himself come to this prison, have taken me by the hand,
and have said, 'My brother, Heaven created us to love, not to contend
with one another. I come to you. A barbarous prejudice has condemned you
to pass your days in obscurity, far from mankind, deprived of every joy.
I will make you sit down beside me; I will buckle round your waist our
father's sword. Will you take advantage of this reconciliation to put
down or restrain me? Will you employ that sword to spill my blood?' 'Oh!
never,' I would have replied to him, 'I look on you as my preserver,
I will respect you as my master. You give me far more than Heaven
bestowed; for through you I possess liberty and the privilege of loving
and being loved in this world.'"

"And you would have kept your word, monseigneur?"

"On my life! While now--now that I have guilty