Only we conspire against the Rochellais." "Ah, you gentlemen of policy!" replied the cardinal, knitting his brow in his turn, "the secret of many unknown things might perhaps be found in your brains, if we could read them as you read that letter which you concealed as soon as you saw me coming." The color mounted to the face of Athos, and he made a step toward his Eminence.
"One might think you really suspected us, monseigneur, and we were undergoing a real interrogatory.

If it be so, we trust your Eminence will deign to explain yourself, and we should then at least be acquainted with our real position." "And if it were an interrogatory!" replied the cardinal.

"Others besides you have undergone such, Monsieur Athos, and have replied thereto." "Thus I have told your Eminence that you had but to question us, and we are ready to reply." "What was that letter you were about to read, Monsieur Aramis, and which you so promptly concealed ?" "A woman's letter, monseigneur." "Ah, yes, I see," said the cardinal; "we must be discreet with this sort of letters; but nevertheless, we may show them to a confessor, and you know I have taken orders." "Monseigneur," said Athos, with a calmness the more terrible because he risked his head in making this reply, "the letter is a woman's letter, but it is neither signed Marion de Lorme, nor Madame d'Aiguillon." The cardinal became as pale as death; lightning darted from his eyes.

He turned round as if to give an order to Cahusac and Houdiniere.

Athos saw the movement; he made a step toward the muskets, upon which the other three friends had fixed their eyes, like men ill-disposed to allow themselves to be taken.