“Nevertheless, M. de Baisemeaux, what has passed wears very much the air of resistance.”
“Oh, no! monseigneur, no; I only wished to be certain.”
“To be certain of what?” said Aramis, in a tone of supreme contempt.
“Of nothing at all, monseigneur.” Baisemeaux lowered his voice, and bending before the prelate, said, “I am at all times and in all places at the disposal of my superiors, but—”
“Very good. I like you better thus, monsieur,” said Aramis, as he resumed his seat, and put out his glass to Baisemeaux, whose hand trembled so that he could not fill it. “You were saying ‘but’—” continued Aramis.
“But,” replied the unhappy man, “having received no notice, I was very far from expecting it.”
“Does not the Gospel say, ‘Watch, for the moment is known only of God?’ Do not the rules of the order say, ‘Watch, for that which I will, you ought always to will also.’ And what pretext will serve you now that you did not expect the confessor, M. de Baisemeaux?”
“Because, monseigneur, there is at present in the Bastile no prisoner ill.”
Aramis shrugged his shoulders. “What do you know about that?” said he.
“But, nevertheless, it appears to me—”