"But, mark this well, M. Colbert. M. d'Herblay is never discouraged; and if he has missed one blow, he will be sure to make another: he will begin again. If he has allowed an opportunity to escape of making a king for himself, sooner or later, he will make another, of whom, to a certainty, you will not be prime minister."
Colbert knitted his brow with a menacing expression.
"I feel assured that a prison will settle this affair for us, madame, in a manner satisfactory for both." The duchesse smiled again.
"Oh! if you knew," said she, "how many times Aramis has got out of prison!"
"Oh!" replied Colbert, "we will take care he shall not get out this time."
"But you have not attended to what I said to you just now. Do you remember that Aramis was one of the four invincibles whom Richelieu dreaded? And at that period the four musketeers were not in possession of that which they have now—money and experience."
Colbert bit his lips.
"We will renounce the idea of the prison," said he, in a lower tone; "we will find a retreat from which the invincible will not possibly escape."
"That is well spoken, our ally!" replied the duchesse. "But it is getting late; had we not better return?"
"The more willingly, madame, from my having my preparations to make for setting out with the king."