Will you facilitate the means of my fulfilling that mission, or will you not ?" "I am astonished," said Mazarin,--quite delighted at having recovered his memory, and bristling with malice,--"I am astonished, Monsieur--Athos--that a _Frondeur_ like you should have accepted a mission for the Perfidious Mazarin, as used to be said in the good old times--" And Mazarin began to laugh, in spite of a painful cough, which cut short his sentences, converting them into sobs.
"I have only accepted the mission near the king of France, monsieur le cardinal," retorted the comte, though with less asperity, for he thought he had sufficiently the advantage to show himself moderate.
"And yet, _Monsieur le Frondeur_," said Mazarin, gayly, "the affair which you have taken in charge must, from the king--" "With which I have been given in charge, monseigneur.

I do not run after affairs." "Be it so.

I say that this negotiation must pass through my hands.

Let us lose no precious time, then.

Tell me the conditions." "I have had the honor of assuring your eminence that only the letter of his majesty King Charles II.