and can guess everything now. You went to see the king when the intelligence of
my arrest reached you; you implored him, he refused to listen to you; then you
threatened him with that secret, threatened to reveal it, and Louis XIV., alarmed
at the risk of its betrayal, granted to the terror of your indiscretion what he refused to your generous intercession. I understand, I understand; you have the
king in your power; I understand.”
“You understand nothing—as yet,” replied Aramis, “and again you interrupt
me. Then, too, allow me to observe that you pay no attention to logical
reasoning, and seem to forget what you ought most to remember.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know upon what I laid the greatest stress at the beginning of our
conversation?”
“Yes, his majesty’s hate, invincible
