manner,” said Aramis, “I prefer not to enter at all, but
will take my measure from outside.”
“No fear of that, monsieur architect, the one we are now
going to see is as gentle as a lamb; before he could call
after his mother he must open his lips, and he never says a
word.”
“Let us go in, then,” said Aramis, gloomily.
“Are you the architect of the prisons, monsieur?” said the
jailer.
“I am.”
“It is odd, then, that you are not more accustomed to all
this.”
Aramis perceived that, to avoid giving rise to any
suspicions he must summon all his strength of mind to his
assistance. Baisemeaux, who carried the keys, opened the
door. “Stay outside,” he said to the jailer, “and wait for
us at the bottom of the steps.” The jailer obeyed and
withdrew.
Baisemeaux entered first and opened the second door himself.
By the light which filtered through the iron-barred window,
could be seen a handsome young man, short in stature, with
closely cut hair, and a beard beginning to grow; he was
sitting on a stool, his elbow resting on an armchair, and
all the upper part of his body reclining against it. His
dress, thrown upon the bed, was of rich black velvet, and he
inhaled the fresh air which blew in upon his breast through
a shirt of the very finest cambric. As the governor entered,
the young man turned his head with a look full of
indifference; and on recognizing Baisemeaux, he arose and
saluted him courteously. But when his eyes fell upon Aramis,
who remained in the background, the latter trembled, turned
pale, and his hat, which he held in his hand, fell upon the
ground, as if all his muscles had become relaxed at once.
Baisemeaux, habituated to the presence of his prisoner, did
not seem to share any of the sensations which Aramis
experienced, but, with all the zeal of a good servant, he
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busied himself in arranging on the table the pasty and
crawfish he had brought with him. Occupied in this manner,
he did not remark how disturbed his guest had become. When
he had finished, however, he turned to the young prisoner
and said: “You are looking very well, — are you so?”
“Quite well, I thank you, monsieur,” replied the young man.
The effect of the voice was such as almost to overpower
Aramis, and notwithstanding his control over himself, he
advanced a few steps towards him, with his eyes wide open
and his lips trembling. The movement he made was so marked
that Baisemeaux, notwithstanding his preoccupation, observed
it. “This gentleman is an architect who has come to examine
your chimney,” said Baisemeaux, “does it smoke?”
“Never, monsieur.”
“You were saying just now,” said the governor, rubbing his
hands together, “that it was not possible for a man to be
happy in prison; here, however, is one who is so. You have
nothing to complain of, I hope?”
“Nothing.”
“Do you ever feel weary?” said Aramis.
“Never.”
“Ha, ha,” said Baisemeaux, in a low tone of voice; “was I
right?”
“Well, my dear governor, it is impossible not to yield to
evidence. Is it allowed to put any question to him?”
“As many as you like.”
“Very well; be good enough to ask him if he knows why he is
here.”
“This gentleman requests me to ask you,” said Baisemeaux,
“if you are aware of the cause of your imprisonment?”
“No, monsieur,” said the young man, unaffectedly, “I am
not.”
“That is hardly possible,” said Aramis, carried away by his
feelings in spite of himself; “if you were really ignorant
of the cause of your detention, you would be furious.”
“I was so during the early days of my imprisonment.”
“Why are you not so now?”
“Because I have reflected.”
“That is strange,” said Aramis.
“Is it not odd?” said Baisemeaux.
“May one venture to ask you, monsieur, on what you have
reflected?”
“I felt that as I had committed no crime, Heaven could not
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punish me.”
“What is a prison, then,” inquired Aramis, “if it be not a