At this moment one of his penitents passed, and as she was young and pretty Aramis took off his cap to her with his most gracious smile.
A most affectionate greeting, as one can well believe took place between him and Lord de Winter.
“Where are we going?” inquired Aramis; “are we going to fight, perchance? I carry no sword this morning and cannot return home to procure one.”
“No,” said Lord de Winter, “we are going to pay a visit to Her Majesty the Queen of England.”
“Oh, very well,” replied Aramis; then bending his face down to Athos’s ear, “what is the object of this visit?” continued he.
“Nay, I know not; some evidence required from us, perhaps.”
“May it not be about that cursed affair?” asked Aramis, “in which case I do not greatly care to go, for it will be to pocket a lecture; and since it is my function to give them to others I am rather averse to receiving them myself.”
“If it were so,” answered Athos, “we should not be taken there by Lord de Winter, for he would come in for his share; he was one of us.”
“You’re right; yes, let us go.”
On arriving at the Louvre Lord de Winter entered first; indeed, there was but one porter there to receive them at the gate.