My lord cardinal, besides, can endow his niece royally, nay, more than royally.

There will be money, festivities, and fire-works--everybody will be delighted." "Well, for my part," replied the gentleman, shaking his head, "it appears to me that this letter is very light to contain all that." "My friend," replied Bernouin, "I am certain of what I tell you.

M.
d'Artagnan related all that passed to me." "Ay, ay! and what did he tell you?
Let us hear." "I accosted him by asking him, on the part of the cardinal, if there were any news, without discovering my designs, observe, for M.
d'Artagnan is a cunning hand.

'My dear Monsieur Bernouin,' he replied, 'the king is madly in love with Mademoiselle de Mancini, that is all I have to tell you.' And then I asked him: 'Do you think, to such a degree that it will urge him to act contrary to the designs of his eminence ?' 'Ah! don't ask me,' said he; 'I think the king capable of anything; he has a will of iron, and what he wills he wills in earnest.

If he takes it into his head to marry Mademoiselle de Mancini, he will marry her, depend upon it.' And thereupon he left me and went straight to the stables, took a horse, saddled it himself, jumped upon its back, and set off as if the devil were at his heels." "So that you believe, then--" "I believe that monsieur the lieutenant of the guards knew more than he was willing to say." "In you opinion, then, M.d'Artagnan--" "Is gone, according to all probability, after the exiles, to carry out all that can facilitate the success of the king's love." Chatting thus, the two confidants arrived at the door of his eminence's apartment.