De Wardes wished the quarrel to be only in Madame's name, while De Guiche would not accept it except on La Valliere's account.

From this moment, it became a series of feigned attacks, which would have continued until one of the two had been touched home.

De Guiche therefore resumed all the self-possession he could command.
"There is not the slightest question in the world of Madame in this matter, my dear De Wardes." said Guiche, "but simply of what you were talking about just now." "What was I saying ?" "That you had concealed certain things from Bragelonne." "Certain things which you know as well as I do," replied De Wardes.
"No, upon my honor." "Nonsense." "If you tell me what they are, I shall know, but not otherwise, I swear." "What! I who have just arrived from a distance of sixty leagues, and you who have not stirred from this place, who have witnessed with your own eyes that which rumor informed me of at Calais! Do you now tell me seriously that you do not know what it is about?
Oh! comte, this is hardly charitable of you." "As you like, De Wardes; but I again repeat, I know nothing." "You are truly discreet--well!--perhaps it is very prudent of you." "And so you will not tell me anything, will not tell me any more than you told Bragelonne ?" "You are pretending to be deaf, I see.

I am convinced that Madame could not possibly have more command over herself than _you_ have." "Double hypocrite," murmured Guiche to himself, "you are again returning to the old subject." "Very well, then," continued De Wardes, "since we find it so difficult to understand each other about La Valliere and Bragelonne let us speak about your own affairs." "Nay," said De Guiche, "I have no affairs of my own to talk about.

You have not said anything about me, I suppose, to Bragelonne, which you cannot repeat to my face ?" "No; but understand me, Guiche, that however much I may be ignorant of certain matters, I am quite as conversant with others.