What ought I to do? As we walked along, Armand d'Arçy rallied me on my silence, but happily the darkness hid my face, or he must have suspected something was wrong.
"Are you growing nervous, De Lalande?" he asked banteringly. "I have always heard that nothing could alarm you."
"I am not alarmed."
"The old fox will be surprised by our visit. I wonder if he has gone to the astrologer's to have his fortune told?"
"Very likely. He believes in the stars and their influence."
"Now, for me, I put more faith in a sharp sword," said D'Arçy, laughing, "but everyone to his taste. Steady, now, some of our fellows ought to be posted here."
"Suppose," I asked, suddenly coming to a halt, "that instead of trapping Mazarin, we are walking into a trap ourselves?"
"Why, in that case, my friend, you will be the only one caught. We shall remain in hiding till you give the signal."
"Of course," and I heaved a sigh of relief, "I had not thought of that."
D'Arçy's words had shown me a way out of the difficulty. I intended, if possible, to save the Cardinal, yet I could not in honour betray the men whose secret I had discovered by such a series of strange accidents.