“Yes, you were going out.” At which latter remark Baisemeaux colored and said, “It is true I was going out.”
“Then I prevent you,” said Aramis; whereupon the embarrassment of Baisemeaux became visibly greater. “I am putting you to inconvenience,” he continued, fixing a keen glance upon the poor governor; “if I had known that, I should not have come.”
“How can your lordship imagine that you could ever inconvenience me?”
“Confess you were going in search of money.”
“No,” stammered out Baisemeaux, “no! I assure you I was going to——”
“Does the governor still intend to go to M. Fouquet?” suddenly called out the major from below. Baisemeaux ran to the window like a madman. “No, no,” he exclaimed in a state of desperation, “who the deuce is speaking of M. Fouquet? are you drunk below there? why an I interrupted when I am engaged on business?”
“You were going to M. Fouquet’s,” said Aramis biting his lips, “to M. Fouquet, the abbe, or the superintendent?”
Baisemeaux almost made up his mind to tell an untruth, but he could not summon courage to do so. “To the superintendent,” he said.
“It is true, then, that you were in want of money, since you were going to a person who gives it away!”
“I assure you, my lord——”