Chapter 46

Chapter XLVI:
Aramis's Correspondence.

When De Guiche's affairs, which had been suddenly set to right without
his having been able to guess the cause of their improvement, assumed the
unexpected aspect we have seen, Raoul, in obedience to the request of the
princess, had withdrawn in order not to interrupt an explanation, the
results of which he was far from guessing; and he soon after joined the
ladies of honor who were walking about in the flower-gardens. During
this time, the Chevalier de Lorraine, who had returned to his own room,
read De Wardes's latter with surprise, for it informed him by the hand of
his valet, of the sword-thrust received at Calais, and of all the details
of the adventure, and invited him to inform De Guiche and Monsieur,
whatever there might be in the affair likely to be most disagreeable to
both of them. De Wardes particularly endeavored to prove to the chevalier
the violence of Madame's affection for Buckingham, and he finished his
letter by declaring that he thought this feeling was returned. The
chevalier shrugged his shoulders at the last paragraph, and, in fact, De
Wardes was out of date, as we have seen. De Wardes was still only at
Buckingham's affair. The chevalier threw the letter over his shoulder
upon an adjoining table, and said in a disdainful tone, "It is really
incredible; and yet poor De Wardes is not deficient in ability; but the
truth is, it is not very apparent, so easy is it to grow rusty in the
country. The deuce take the simpleton, who ought to have written to me
about matters of importance, and yet he writes such silly stuff as that.
If it had not been for that miserable letter, which has no meaning at all
in it, I should have detected in the grove yonder a charming little
intrigue, which would have compromised a woman, would have perhaps have
been as good as a sword-thrust for a man, and have diverted Monsieur for
many days to come."

He looked at his watch. "It is now too late," he said. "One o'clock in
the morning; every one must have returned to the king's apartments, where
the night is to be finished; well, the scent is lost, and unless some
extraordinary chance - " And thus saying, as if to appeal to his good
star, the chevalier, greatly out of temper, approached the window, which
looked out upon a somewhat solitary part of the garden. Immediately, and
as if some evil genius was at his orders, he perceived returning towards
the chateau, accompanied by a man, a silk mantle of a dark color, and
recognized the figure which had struck his attention half an hour
previously.

"Admirable!" he thought, striking his hands together, "this is my
providential mysterious affair." And he started out precipitately, along
the staircase, hoping to reach