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　　〃Yes；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃I　am　extremely　careful　of　my　appearance。　Do　you　know　that　I　am　growing　old？　I　am　nearly　thirty…seven。〃
　　〃Mind；　Aramis〃　　D'Artagnan　smiled　as　he　spoke　　〃since　we　are　together　again；　let　us　agree　on　one　point：　what　age　shall　we　be　in　future？〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃Formerly　I　was　your　junior　by　two　or　three　years；　and　if　I　am　not　mistaken　I　am　turned　forty　years　old。〃
　　〃Indeed！　Then　'tis　I　who　am　mistaken；　for　you　have　always　been　a　good　chronologist。　By　your　reckoning　I　must　be　forty…three　at　least。　The　devil　I　am！　Don't　let　it　out　at　the　Hotel　Rambouillet；　it　would　ruin　me；〃　replied　the　abbe。
　　〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃I　never　go　there。〃
　　〃Why；　what　in　the　world；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃is　that　animal　Bazin　doing？　Bazin！　Hurry　up　there；　you　rascal；　we　are　mad　with　hunger　and　thirst！〃
　　Bazin　entered　at　that　moment　carrying　a　bottle　in　each　hand。
　　〃At　last；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　are　ready；　are　we？
　　〃Yes；　monsieur；　quite　ready；〃　said　Bazin；　〃but　it　took　me　some　time　to　bring　up　all　the　　〃
　　〃Because　you　always　think　you　have　on　your　shoulders　your　beadle's　robe；　and　spend　all　your　time　reading　your　breviary。　But　I　give　you　warning　that　if　in　polishing　your　chapel　utensils　you　forget　how　to　brighten　up　my　sword；　I　will　make　a　great　fire　of　your　blessed　images　and　will　see　that　you　are　roasted　on　it。〃
　　Bazin；　scandalized；　made　a　sign　of　the　cross　with　the　bottle　in　his　hand。　D'Artagnan；　more　surprised　than　ever　at　the　tone　and　manners　of　the　Abbe　d'Herblay；　which　contrasted　so　strongly　with　those　of　the　Musketeer　Aramis；　remained　staring　with　wide…open　eyes　at　the　face　of　his　friend。
　　Bazin　quickly　covered　the　table　with　a　damask　cloth　and　arranged　upon　it　so　many　things；　gilded；　perfumed；　appetizing；　that　D'Artagnan　was　quite　overe。
　　〃But　you　expected　some　one　then？〃　asked　the　officer。
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　always　try　to　be　prepared；　and　then　I　knew　you　were　seeking　me。〃
　　〃From　whom？〃
　　〃From　Master　Bazin；　to　be　sure；　he　took　you　for　the　devil；　my　dear　fellow；　and　hastened　to　warn　me　of　the　danger　that　threatened　my　soul　if　I　should　meet　again　a　panion　so　wicked　as　an　officer　of　musketeers。〃
　　〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　said　Bazin；　clasping　his　hands　supplicatingly。
　　〃e；　no　hypocrisy！　you　know　that　I　don't　like　it。　You　will　do　much　better　to　open　the　window　and　let　down　some　bread；　a　chicken　and　a　bottle　of　wine　to　your　friend　Planchet；　who　has　been　this　last　hour　killing　himself　clapping　his　hands。〃
　　Planchet；　in　fact；　had　bedded　and　fed　his　horses；　and　then　ing　back　under　the　window　had　repeated　two　or　three　times　the　signal　agreed　upon。
　　Bazin　obeyed；　fastened　to　the　end　of　a　cord　the　three　articles　designated　and　let　them　down　to　Planchet；　who　then　went　satisfied　to　his　shed。
　　〃Now　to　supper；〃　said　Aramis。
　　The　two　friends　sat　down　and　Aramis　began　to　cut　up　fowls；　partridges　and　hams　with　admirable　skill。
　　〃The　deuce！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃do　you　live　in　this　way　always？〃
　　〃Yes；　pretty　well。　The　coadjutor　has　given　me　dispensations　from　fasting　on　the　jours　maigres；　on　account　of　my　health；　then　I　have　engaged　as　my　cook　the　cook　who　lived　with　Lafollone　　you　know　the　man　I　mean？　　the　friend　of　the　cardinal；　and　the　famous　epicure　whose　grace　after　dinner　used　to　be；　‘Good　Lord；　do　me　the　favor　to　cause　me　to　digest　what　I　have　eaten。'〃
　　〃Nevertheless　he　died　of　indigestion；　in　spite　of　his　grace；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃What　can　you　expect？〃　replied　Aramis；　in　a　tone　of　resignation。　〃Every　man　that's　born　must　fulfil　his　destiny。〃
　　〃If　it　be　not　an　indelicate　question；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；　〃have　you　grown　rich？〃
　　〃Oh；　Heaven！　no。　I　make　about　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year；　without　counting　a　little　benefice　of　a　thousand　crowns　the　prince　gave　me。〃
　　〃And　how　do　you　make　your　twelve　thousand　francs？　By　your　poems？〃
　　〃No；　I　have　given　up　poetry；　except　now　and　then　to　write　a　drinking　song；　some　gay　sonnet　or　some　innocent　epigram；　I　pose　sermons；　my　friend。〃
　　〃What！　sermons？　Do　you　preach　them？〃
　　〃No；　I　sell　them　to　those　of　my　cloth　who　wish　to　bee　great　orators。〃
　　〃Ah；　indeed！　and　you　have　not　been　tempted　by　the　hopes　of　reputation　yourself？〃
　　〃I　should；　my　dear　D'Artagnan；　have　been　so；　but　nature　said
　　‘No。'　When　I　am　in　the　pulpit；　if　by　chance　a　pretty　woman　looks　at　me；　I　look　at　her　again：　if　she　smiles；　I　smile　too。　Then　I　speak　at　random；　instead　of　preaching　about　the　torments　of　hell　I　talk　of　the　joys　of　Paradise。　An　event　took　place　in　the　Church　of　St。　Louis　au　Marais。　A　gentleman　laughed　in　my　face。　I　stopped　short　to　tell　him　that　he　was　a　fool；　the　congregation　went　out　to　get　stones　to　stone　me　with；　but　whilst　they　were　away　I　found　means　to　conciliate　the　priests　who　were　present；　so　that　my　foe　was　pelted　instead　of　me。　'Tis　true　that　he　came　the　next　morning　to　my　house；　thinking　that　he　had　to　do　with　an　abbe　　like　all　other　abbes。〃
　　〃And　what　was　the　end　of　the　affair？〃
　　〃We　met　in　the　Place　Royale　　Egad！　you　know　about　it。〃
　　〃Was　I　not　your　second？〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
　　〃You　were；　you　know　how　I　settled　the　matter。〃
　　〃Did　he　die？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　But；　at　all　events；　I　gave　him　absolution　in　articulo　mortis。　'Tis　enough　to　kill　the　body；　without　killing　the　soul。〃
　　Bazin　made　a　despairing　sign　which　meant　that　while　perhaps　he　approved　the　moral　he　altogether　disapproved　the　tone　in　which　it　was　uttered。
　　〃Bazin；　my　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃you　don't　seem　to　be　aware　that　I　can　see　you　in　that　mirror；　and　you　forget　that　once　for　all　I　have　forbidden　all　signs　of　approbation　or　disapprobation。　You　will　do　me　the　favor　to　bring　us　some　Spanish　wine　and　then　to　withdraw。　Besides；　my　friend　D'Artagnan　has　something　to　say　to　me　privately；　have　you　not；　D'Artagnan？〃
　　D'Artagnan　nodded　his　head　and　Bazin　retired；　after　placing　on　the　table　the　Spanish　wine。
　　The　two　friends；　left　alone；　remained　silent；　face　to　face。　Aramis　seemed　to　await　a　fortable　digestion；　D'Artagnan；　to　be　preparing　his　exordium。　Each　of　them；　when　the　other　was　not　looking；　hazarded　a　sly　glance。　It　was　Aramis　who　broke　the　silence。
　　〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　D'Artagnan？〃　he　began。
　　〃I　was　thinking；　my　dear　old　friend；　that　when　you　were　a　musketeer　you　turned　your　thoughts　incessantly　to　the　church；　and　now　that　you　are　an　abbe　you　are　perpetually　longing　to　be　once　more　a　musketeer。〃
　　〃'Tis　true；　man；　as　you　know；〃　said　Aramis；　〃is　a　strange　animal；　made　up　of　contradictions。　Since　I　became　an　abbe　I　dream　of　nothing　but　battles。〃
　　〃That　is　apparent　in　your　surroundings；　you　have　rapiers　here　of　every　form　and　to　suit　the　most　exacting　taste。　Do　you　still　fence　well？〃
　　〃I　　I　fence　as　well　as　you　did　in　the　old　time　　better　still；　perhaps；　I　do　nothing　else　all　day。〃
　　〃And　with　whom？〃
　　〃With　an　excellent　master…at…arms　that　we　have　here。〃
　　〃What！　here？〃
　　Yes；　here；　in　this　convent；　my　dear　fellow。　There　is　everything　in　a　Jesuit　convent。〃
　　〃Then　you　would　have　killed　Monsieur　de　Marsillac　if　he　had　e　alone　to　attack　you；　instead　of　at　the　head　of　twenty　men？〃
　　〃Undoubtedly；〃　said　Aramis；　〃and　even　at　the　head　of　his　twenty　men；　if　I　could　have　drawn　without　being　recognized。〃
　　〃God　pardon　me！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃I　believe　he　has　bee　more　Gascon　than　I　am！〃　Then　aloud：　〃Well；　my　dear　Aramis；　do　you　ask　me　why　I　came　to　seek　you？〃
　　〃No；　I　have　not　asked　you　that；〃　said　Aramis；　with　his　subtle　manner；　〃but　I　have　expected　you　to　tell　me。〃
　　〃Well；　I　sought　you　for　the　single　purpose　of　offering　you　a　chance　to　kill　Monsieur　de　Marsillac　whenever　you　please；　prince　though　he　is。〃
　　〃Hold　on！　wait！〃　said　Aramis；　〃that　is　an　idea！〃
　　〃Of　which　I　invite　you　to　take　advantage；　my　friend。　Let　us　see；　with　your　thousand　crowns　from　the　abbey　and　the　twelve　thousand　francs　you　make　by　selling　sermons；　are　you　rich？　Answer　frankly。〃
　　〃I？　I　am　as　poor　as　Job；　and　were　you　to　search　my　pockets　and　my　boxes　I　don't　believe　you　would　find　a　hundred　pistoles。〃
　　〃Peste！　a　hundred　pistoles！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃he　calls　that　being　as　poor　as　Job！　If　I　had　them　I　should　think　myself　as　rich　as　Croesus。〃