The day will arrive--_must_ arrive--when I shall have to say, 'Impossible, sire,' and on that very day I am a lost man." Aramis raised his shoulders slightly, saying: "A man in your position, my lord, is only lost when he wishes to be so." "A man, whatever his position may be, cannot hope to struggle against a king." "Nonsense; when I was young I wrestled successfully with the Cardinal Richelieu, who was king of France,--nay more--cardinal." "Where are my armies, my troops, my treasures?
I have not even Belle-Isle." "Bah! necessity is the mother of invention, and when you think all is lost, something will be discovered which will retrieve everything." "Who will discover this wonderful something ?" "Yourself." "I! I resign my office of inventor." "Then _I_ will." "Be it so.

But set to work without delay." "Oh! we have time enough!" "You kill me, D'Herblay, with your calmness," said the superintendent, passing his handkerchief over his face.
"Do you not remember that I one day told you not to make yourself uneasy, if you possessed courage?
_Have_ you any ?" "I believe so." "Then don't make yourself uneasy." "It is decided then, that, at the last moment, you will come to my assistance." "It will only be the repayment of a debt I owe you." "It is the vocation of financiers to anticipate the wants of men such as yourself, D'Herblay." "If obligingness is the vocation of financiers, charity is the virtue of the clergy.

Only, on this occasion, do you act, monsieur.

You are not yet sufficiently reduced, and at the last moment we will see what is to be done." "We shall see, then, in a very short time." "Very well.

However, permit me to tell you that, personally, I regret exceedingly that you are at present so short of money, because I myself was about to ask you for some." "For yourself ?" "For myself, or some of my people, for mine or for ours." "How much do you want ?" "Be easy on that score; a roundish sum, it is true, but not too exorbitant." "Tell me the amount." "Fifty thousand francs." "Oh! a mere nothing.