The Man in the Iron Mask

ral of t

only half decided to disturb himself thus in the middle of supper, and it was clear he was trying to invent some pretext,

is impossibl

ramis. "Give me a glimps

iberty at such an hour. Where can he go

a place wher

might as well set

and will take him

is, tell monsieur le major to go and open

mis, very naturally. "Y

rse. 'Tis the name of

o say Marchiali

yes, indeed. N

aking a mistake, M

read the

I a

rs as large as that," and Ba

cters as large as this," said Ar

ter," said Baisemeaux, confident he was right.

eturned Aramis, spreadi

"Yes, yes," he said, quite overwhelmed; "yes, Marc

h!

so much? The man whom they are every

li,'" repeated the

igneur. But I underst

your eyes,

y plainly there

ood handwri

e of Seldon, Irishman. I see it. Ah! I even recoll

no ink; no, th

ecause I rubbed my finger - this very on

aid Aramis, "and whatever you may have seen, the ord

iali," replied Baisemeaux, mechanical

clare to you I will not oppose it the least in the world." Aramis accompanied this remark with a smi

prisoner whom the other day a priest confessor of our ord

at, monsieur," r

time ago, dear Mo

s good that the man of today should no l

e visit of the Jesuit confessor mus

his investigation, under ordinary circumstances, would have made the ears of the impatient Aramis burn with anger; but the bishop of Vannes did not become incensed for so little, above

archiali when I have summoned the courier who brought the order, a

is ignorant of the contents. What do

d to the ministry, and M. de Lyonne wil

of all that?" as

t go

is your obj

in the respect which a subaltern owes to his superior officers, nor inf

ue that a subaltern owes respect to his superiors; he is guilty when he deceives himse

d at the bishop

ou are going to ask advice, to put yo

monsei

fficer gives you ord

bt it, mon

's signature well,

monsei

n this order

rue, but

ged, yo

vident, mo

. And that of

son that the king's signature may have been forged, so al

Aramis; "and your reasoning is irresistible. But on what specia

thing checks his majesty's signature; and M. de

e on the governor, "I adopt so frankly your doubts, and your mode o

ux gave

f white paper,

handed him

, I- am going to write an order to which I am cert

e bishop's, but just now so playful and gay, had become funereal and sad; that the wax lights

te. Baisemeaux, in terror

reater glory of God;" and thus he continued: "It is our pleasure that the order brought to M. de Baisemeaux de Montlezun, gove

d) D'H

e Order, by th

bout the candles. Aramis, without even deigning to look at the man whom he had reduced to so miserable a condition, drew from his pocket a small case of black wax; he sealed the letter, and stamped it with a seal suspended at his breast, beneath his doublet, and when the operation was

s senses, "do not lead me to believe, dear Baisemeaux, that the presence of the general of the order is as terrib

ied, obeyed, kissed Aramis's hand, a

ost; take your place again, and do th

his; I who have laughed, who have jested with you! I

us it would have been to break it; "say nothing about it. Let us each live in our own way; to you, my protection

of a prisoner by means of a forged order; and, putting in the scale the guarantee

"you are a simpleton. Lose this habit of reflectio

, Baisemeaux bowed again. "How

ocess for relea

the regu

low the regulati

ner's room, and conduct him, if

t an important personage,

ernor, as if he would have said,

ht; so act towards Marchiali as you

t that the turnkey, or one of the lower officials, shall

ery wise, tha

t the time of his imprisonment, his clothes and papers,

ister's order as

ved here without jewels, without p

ou make a mountain of everything. Remain here, and m

him an order, which the latter passed on, without dist

Aramis blew out all the candles which lighted the room but one, which he left burning behind the door. This flickering glare prevented the sight f

r men," said Ara

aced himself in the shade; he saw without being seen. Baisemeaux, in an agitated tone of voice, made the young man acqu

s it)," added the governor, "never to reveal anyt

t his hands and swore with his lips. "And now, mon

which he ought to rely. Then was it that Aramis came out of the shade: "I am

t of Aramis. "God have you in his holy keeping," he said, in a voice the firmness o

o him; "Does my order trouble you? Do you fear t

d it here, it would be a certain indication I should be lost, and

answered Aramis, shrugging his shou

heard his "sealed heart knock against his ribs." The prisoner, buried in a corner of the carriage, made no more sign of life than his companion. At length, a jolt more sever than the others announced to them that they had cleared the last watercourse. Behind the carriage closed the last gate, that in the Rue St. Antoine. No more walls either on the right or the left; heaven everywhere, liberty everywhere, and life everywhere. The horses, kept in check by a vigorous hand, went quietly as far as the middle of the faubourg. There they began t

ked the prisoner, as if

"that before going further, it is necessary

tunity, monsieur," ans

eigneur. We are in the middle of

posti

is relay is deaf and

r service, M

sure to remain i

, and I like this carriage, for

there is yet a pre

ha

ourselves might pass, and seeing us stopping, deem us in some diffi

to conceal the carriage i

at I wished to d

e, and led them over the velvet sward and the mossy grass of a winding alley, at the bottom of which, on this moonless night, the deep shades fo

young prince to Aramis; "bu

ols, of which we have no further