Man in the Iron Mask by Dumas, Alexandre part one

“M. de Baisemeaux is greatly indebted to you, d’Artagnan told me.”

“True, he is so.”

“And the address of a creditor is as easily ascertained as that of a debtor.”

“Also very true; and so Baisemeaux indicated to you-”

“St. Mande, where I forwarded a letter to you-”

“Which I have in my hand, and which is most precious to me,” said Aramis, “because I am indebted to it for the pleasure of seeing you.”

The duchess, satisfied at having so successfully passed over the various difficulties of so delicate an explanation, began to breathe freely again; which Aramis, however, could not succeed in doing. “We had got as far as your visit to Baisemeaux, I believe?” said he.

“Nay,” said the duchess, laughing, “further than that.”

“In that case we must have been speaking about your grudge against the Queen-Mother.”

“Further still,” returned the duchess, “further still; we were talking of the connection-”

“Which existed between you and the Franciscan,” said Aramis, interrupting her eagerly; “well, I am listening to you very attentively.”

“It is easily explained,” returned the duchess, making up her mind. “You know that I am living at Brussels with M. de Laicques?”

“I have heard so, Madame.”

“You know that my children have ruined and stripped me of everything?”

“How terrible, dear Duchess!”

“Terrible, indeed! This obliged me to resort to some means of obtaining a livelihood, and particularly to avoid vegetating. I had old hatreds to turn to account, old friendships to serve; I no longer had either credit or protectors.”

“You, too, who had extended protection towards so many persons,” said Aramis, blandly.

“It is always the case, Chevalier. Well, at that time I saw the King of Spain.”

“Ah!” “Who had just nominated a general of the Jesuits, according to the usual custom.”

“Is it usual, indeed?”

“Were you not aware of it?”

“I beg your pardon; I was inattentive.”

“You must be aware of that,- you who were on such good terms with the Franciscan.”

“With the general of the Jesuits, you mean?”

“Exactly. Well, then, I saw the King of Spain, who wished to do me a service, but was unable. He gave me recommendations, however, to Flanders, both for myself and for Laicques, and conferred a pension on me out of the funds of the order.”

“Of Jesuits?”

“Yes. The general- I mean the Franciscan- was sent to me; and in order to give regularity to the transaction, in accordance with the statutes of the order, I was reputed to be in a position to render certain services. You are aware that that is the rule?”

“I was not aware of it.”

Madame de Chevreuse paused to look at Aramis, but it was quite dark. “Well, such is the rule,” she resumed. “I ought, therefore, to seem to possess a power of usefulness of some kind or other. I proposed to travel for the order, and I was placed on the list of affiliated travellers. You understand that it was a formality, by means of which I received my pension, which was very convenient for me.”

“Good Heavens! Duchess, what you tell me is like a dagger-thrust to me. You obliged to receive a pension from the Jesuits?”

“No, Chevalier; from Spain.”

“Ah! except as a conscientious scruple, Duchess, you will admit that it is pretty nearly the same thing.”

“No, not at all.”

“But, surely, of your magnificent fortune there must remain-”

“Dampierre is all that remains.”

“And that is handsome enough.”

“Yes; but Dampierre is burdened, mortgaged, and somewhat in ruins, like its owner.”

“And can the Queen-Mother see all that without shedding a tear?” said Aramis, with a penetrating look, which encountered nothing but the darkness.

“Yes, she has forgotten everything.”

“You have, I believe, Duchess, attempted to get restored to favor?”

“Yes; but, most singularly, the young King inherits the antipathy that his dear father had for me. Ah, you too will tell me that I am indeed a woman to be hated, and that I am no longer one who can be loved.”

“Dear Duchess, pray arrive soon at the circumstance which brought you here; for I think we can be of service to each other.”

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