h its
command."

"Monseigneur, I beseech you, condescend to hear me."

"And wherefore?"

"Monseigneur, I do not say that I have nothing to do with the society."

"Ah! ah!"

"I say not that I refuse to obey."

"Nevertheless, M. de Baisemeaux, what has passed wears very much the air
of resistance."

"Oh, no! monseigneur, no; I only wished to be certain."

"To be certain of what?" said Aramis, in a tone of supreme contempt.

"Of nothing at all, monseigneur." Baisemeaux lowered his voice, and
bending before the prelate, said, "I am at all times and in all places
at the disposal of my superiors, but--"

"Very good. I like you better thus, monsieur," said Aramis, as he
resumed his seat, and put out his glass to Baisemeaux, whose hand
trembled so that he could not fill it. "You were saying 'but'--"
continued Aramis.

"But," replied the unhappy man, "having received no notice, I was very
far from expecting it."

"Does not the Gospel say, 'Watch, for the moment is known only of God?'
Do not the rules of the order say, 'Watch, for that which I will, you
ought always to will also.' And what pretext will serve you now that you
did not expect the confessor, M. de Baisemeaux?"

"Because, monseigneur, there is at present in the Bastile no prisoner
ill."

Aramis shrugged his shoulders. "What do you know about that?" said he.

"But, nevertheless, it appears to me--"

"M. de Baisemeaux," said Aramis, turning round in his chair, "here is
your servant, who wishes to speak with you;" and at this moment, De
Baisemeaux's servant appeared at the threshold of the door.

"What is it?" asked Baisemeaux, sharply.

"Monsieur," said the man, "they are bringing you the doctor's return."

Aramis looked at De Baisemeaux with a calm and confident eye.

"Well," said he, "let the messenger enter."

The messenger entered, saluted, and handed in the report. Baisemeaux
ran his eye over it, and raising his head, said in surprise, "No. 12 is
ill!"

"How was it, then," said Aramis, carelessly, "that you told me everybody
was well in your hotel, M. de Baisemeaux?" And he emptied his glass
without removing his eyes from Baisemeaux.

The governor then made a sign to the messenger, and when he had quitted
the room, said, still trembling, "I think that there is in the article,
'on the prisoner's demand.'"

"Yes, it is so," answered Aramis. "But see what it is they want with you
now."

And that moment a sergeant put his head in at th