To-day I am at liberty,--speak." "My lord, you have done much better in receiving me, for what I have to say has nothing to do with the battle you are about to fight with General Lambert, or with your camp; and the proof is, that I turned away my head that I might not see your men, and closed my eyes that I might not count your tents.

No, I come to speak to you, my lord, on my own account." "Speak, then, monsieur," said Monk.
"Just now," continued Athos, "I had the honor of telling your lordship that for a long time I lived in Newcastle; it was in the time of Charles I., and when the king was given up to Cromwell by the Scots." "I know," said Monk, coldly.
"I had at that time a large sum in gold, and on the eve of the battle, from a presentiment perhaps of the turn which things would take on the morrow, I concealed it in the principal vault of the convent of Newcastle, in the tower whose summit you now see silvered by the moonbeams.

My treasure has then remained interred there, and I have come to entreat your honor to permit me to withdraw it before, perhaps, the battle turning that way, a mine or some other war engine has destroyed the building and scattered my gold, or rendered it so apparent that the soldiers will take possession of it." Monk was well acquainted with mankind, he saw in the physiognomy of this gentleman all the energy, all the reason, all the circumspection possible, he could therefore only attribute to a magnanimous confidence the revelation the Frenchman had made him, and he showed himself profoundly touched by it.
"Monsieur," said he, "you have augured well of me.

But is the sum worth the trouble to which you expose yourself?
Do you even believe that it can be in the place where you left it ?" "It is there, monsieur, I do not doubt." "That is a reply to one question; but to the other.

I asked you if the sum was so large as to warrant your exposing yourself thus." "It is really large; yes, my lord, for it is a million I inclosed in two barrels." "A million!" cried Monk, at whom this time, in turn, Athos looked earnestly and long.