The clock of St. Paul was striking seven as Aramis, onhorseback, dressed as a simple citizen, that is to say, incolored suit, with no distinctive mark about him, except akind of hunting-knife by his side, passed before the Rue duPetit-Muse, and stopped opposite the Rue des Tourelles, atthe gate of the Bastile. Two sentinels were on duty at thegate; they made no difficulty about admitting Aramis, whoentered without dismounting, and they pointed out the way hewas to go by a long passage with buildings on both sides.This passage led to the drawbridge, or, in other words, tothe real entrance. The drawbridge was down, and the duty ofthe day was about being entered upon. The sentinel at theouter guardhouse stopped Aramis's further progress, askinghim, in a rough tone of voice, what had brought him there.Aramis explained, with his usual politeness, that a wish tospeak to M. Baisemeaux de Montlezun had occasioned hisvisit. The first sentinel then summoned a second sentinel,stationed within an inner lodge, who showed his face at thegrating, and inspected the new arrival most attentively.Aramis reiterated the expression of his wish to see thegovernor, whereupon the sentinel called to an officer oflower grade, who was walking about in a tolerably spaciouscourtyard and who, in turn, on being informed of his object,ran to seek one of the officers of the governor's staff. Thelatter, after having listened to Aramis's request, beggedhim to wait a moment, then went away a short distance, butreturned to ask his name. "I cannot tell it you, monsieur,"said Aramis, "I need only mention that I have matters ofsuch importance to communicate to the governor, that I canonly rely beforehand upon one thing, that M. de Baisemeauxwill be delighted to see me; nay, more than that, when youhave told him that it is the person whom he expected on thefirst of June, I am convinced he will hasten here himself."The officer could not possibly believe that a man of thegovernor's importance should put himself out for a person ofso little importance as the citizen-looking visitor onhorseback. "It happens most fortunately, monsieur," he said,"that the governor is just going out, and you can perceivehis carriage with the horses already harnessed, in thecourtyard yonder; there will be no occasion for him to cometo meet you, as he will see you as he passes by." Aramisbowed to signify his assent; he did not wish to inspireothers with too exalted an opinion of himself, and thereforewaited patiently and in silence, leaning upon the saddle-bowof his horse. Ten minutes had hardly elapsed when thegovernor's carriage was observed to move. The governorappeared at the door, and got into the carriage, whichimmediately prepared to start. The same ceremony wasobserved for the governor himself as with a suspectedstranger; the sentinel at the lodge advanced as the carriagewas about to pass under the arch, and the governor openedthe carriage-door, himself setting the example of obedienceto orders; so that, in this way, the sentinel could convincehimself that no one quitted the Bastile improperly. Thecarriage rolled along under the archway, but at the momentthe iron-gate was opened, the officer approached thecarriage, which had been again stopped, and said somethingto the governor, who immediately put his head out of thedoor-way, and perceived Aramis on horseback at the end ofthe drawbridge. He immediately uttered almost a shout ofdelight, and got out, or rather darted out of his carriage,running towards Aramis, whose hands he seized, making athousand apologies. He almost embraced him. "What adifficult matter to enter the Bastile!" said Aramis. "Is itthe same for those who are sent here against their wills, asfor those who come of their own accord?"

"A thousand pardons, my lord. How delighted I am to see yourGrace!"

"Hush! What are you thinking of, my dear M. Baisemeaux? Whatdo you suppose would be thought of a bishop in my presentcostume?"

"Pray, excuse me, I had forgotten. Take this gentleman'shorse to the stables," cried Baisemeaux.

"No, no," said Aramis; "I have five thousand pistoles in thesaddle-bags."

The governor's countenance became so radiant, that if theprisoners had seen him they would have imagined some princeof the blood royal had arrived. "Yes, you are right, thehorse shall be taken to the government house. Will you getinto the carriage, my dear M. d'Herblay? and it shall takeus back to my house."

"Get into a carriage to cross a courtyard! do you believe Iam so great an invalid? No, no, we will go on foot."

Baisemeaux then offered his arm as a support, but theprelate did not accept it. They arrived in this manner atthe government house, Baisemeaux rubbing his hands andglancing at the horse from time to time, while Aramis waslooking at the bleak bare walls. A tolerably handsomevestibule and a staircase of white stone led to thegovernor's apartments, who crossed the ante-chamber, thedining-room, where breakfast was being prepared, opened asmall side door, and closeted himself with his guest in alarge cabinet, the windows of which opened obliquely uponthe courtyard and the stables. Baisemeaux installed theprelate with that all-inclusive politeness of which a goodman, or a grateful man, alone possesses the secret. Anarm-chair, a footstool, a small table beside him, on whichto rest his hand, everything was prepared by the governorhimself. With his own hands, too, he placed upon the table,with much solicitude, the bag containing the gold, which oneof the soldiers had brought up with the most respectfuldevotion; and the soldier having left the room, Baisemeauxhimself closed the door after him, drew aside one of thewindow-curtains, and looked steadfastly at Aramis to see ifthe prelate required anything further.

"Well, my lord," he said, still standing up, "of all men oftheir word, you still continue to be the most punctual."

"In matters of business, dear M. de Baisemeaux, exactitudeis not a virtue only, it is a duty as well."

"Yes, in matters of business, certainly; but what you havewith me is not of that character; it is a service you arerendering me."

"Come, confess, dear M. de Baisemeaux, that, notwithstandingthis exactitude, you have not been without a littleuneasiness."

"About your health, I certainly have," stammered outBaisemeaux.

"I wished to come here yesterday, but I was not able, as Iwas too fatigued," continued Aramis. Baisemeaux anxiouslyslipped another cushion behind his guest's back. "But,"continued Aramis, "I promised myself to come and pay you avisit to-day, early in the morning."

"You are really very kind, my lord."

"And it was a good thing for me I was punctual, I think."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, you were going out." At which latter remark Baisemeauxcolored and said, "It is true I was going out."

"Then I prevent you," said Aramis; whereupon theembarrassment of Baisemeaux became visibly greater. "I amputting you to inconvenience," he continued, fixing a keenglance upon the poor governor; "if I had known that, Ishould not have come."

"How can your lordship imagine that you could everinconvenience me?"

"Confess you were going in search of money."

"No," stammered out Baisemeaux, "no! I assure you I wasgoing to - - "

"Does the governor still intend to go to M. Fouquet?"suddenly called out the major from below. Baisemeaux ran tothe window like a madman. "No, no," he exclaimed in a stateof desperation, "who the deuce is speaking of M. Fouquet?are you drunk below there? why an I interrupted when I amengaged on business?"

"You were going to M. Fouquet's," said Aramis biting hislips, "to M. Fouquet, the abbe, or the superintendent?"

Baisemeaux almost made up his mind to tell an untruth, buthe could not summon courage to do so. "To thesuperintendent," he said.

"It is true, then, that you were in want of money, since youwere going to a person who gives it away!"

"I assure you, my lord - - "

"You were afraid?"

"My dear lord, it was the uncertainty and ignorance in whichI was as to where you were to be found."

"You would have found the money you require at M. Fouquet's,for he is a man whose hand is always open."

"I swear that I should never have ventured to ask M. Fouquetfor money. I only wished to ask him for your address."

"To ask M. Fouquet for my address?" exclaimed Aramis,opening his eyes in real astonishment.

"Yes," said Baisemeaux, greatly disturbed by the glancewhich the prelate fixed upon him, - "at M. Fouquet'scertainly."

"There is no harm in that, dear M. Baisemeaux, only I wouldask, why ask my address of M. Fouquet?"

"That I might write to you."

"I understand," said Aramis, smiling, "but that is not whatI meant; I do not ask you what you required my address for;I only ask why you should go to M. Fouquet for it?"

"Oh!" said Baisemeaux, "as Belle-Isle is the property of M.Fouquet, and as Belle-Isle is in the diocese of Vannes, andas you are bishop of Vannes - - "

"But, my dear Baisemeaux, since you knew I was bishop ofVannes, you had no occasion to ask M. Fouquet for myaddress."

"Well, monsieur," said Baisemeaux, completely at bay, "if Ihave acted indiscreetly, I beg your pardon most sincerely."

"Nonsense," observed Aramis, calmly: "how can you possiblyhave acted indiscreetly?" And while he composed his face,and continued to smile cheerfully on the governor, he wasconsidering how Baisemeaux, who was not aware of hisaddress, knew, however, that Vannes was his residence. "Ishall clear all this up," he said to himself, and thenspeaking aloud, added, - "Well, my dear governor, shall wenow arrange our little accounts?"

"I am at your orders, my lord; but tell me beforehand, mylord, whether you will do me the honor to breakfast with meas usual?"

"Very willingly, indeed."

"Thai's well," said Baisemeaux, as he struck the bell beforehim three times.

"What does that mean?" inquired Aramis.

"That I have some one to breakfast with me, and thatpreparations are to be made accordingly."

"And you rang thrice. Really, my dear governor, I begin tothink you are acting ceremoniously with me."

"No, indeed. Besides, the least I can do is to receive youin the best way I can."

"But why so?"

"Because not even a prince could have done what you havedone for me."

"Nonsense! nonsense!"

"Nay, I assure you - - "

"Let us speak of other matters," said Aramis. "Or rather,tell me how your affairs here are getting on."

"Not over well."

"The deuce!"

"M. de Mazarin was not hard enough."

"Yes, I see; you require a government full of suspicion - like that of the old cardinal, for instance."

"Yes; matters went on better under him. The brother of his`gray eminence' made his fortune here."

"Believe me, my dear governor," said Aramis, drawing closerto Baisemeaux, "a young king is well worth an old cardinal.Youth has its suspicions, its fits of anger, its prejudices,as old age has its hatreds, its precautions, and its fears.Have you paid your three years' profits to Louviere andTremblay?"

"Most certainly I have."

"So that you have nothing more to give them than the fiftythousand francs I have brought with me?"

"Nothing."

"Have you not saved anything, then?"

"My lord, in giving the fifty thousand francs of my own tothese gentlemen, I assure you that I give them everything Igain. I told M. d'Artagnan so yesterday evening."

"Ah!" said Aramis, whose eyes sparkled for a moment, butbecame immediately afterwards as unmoved as before; "so youhave seen my old friend D'Artagnan; how was he?"

"Wonderfully well."

"And what did you say to him, M. de Baisemeaux?"

"I told him," continued the governor, not perceiving his ownthoughtlessness, "I told him that I fed my prisoners toowell."

"How many have you?" inquired Aramis, in an indifferent toneof voice.

"Sixty."

"Well, that is a tolerably round number."

"In former times, my lord, there were, during certain years,as many as two hundred."

"Still a minimum of sixty is not to be grumbled at."

"Perhaps not; for, to anybody but myself, each prisonerwould bring in two hundred and fifty pistoles; for instance,for a prince of the blood I have fifty francs a day."

"Only you have no prince of the blood; at least, I supposeso," said Aramis, with a slight tremor in his voice.

"No, thank Heaven! - I mean, no, unfortunately."

"What do you mean by unfortunately?"

"Because my appointment would be improved by it. So, fiftyfrancs per day for a prince of the blood, thirty-six for amarechal of France - - "

"But you have as many marechals of France, I suppose, as youhave princes of the blood?"

"Alas! no more. It is true lieutenant-generals andbrigadiers pay twenty-six francs, and I have two of them.After that, come councilors of parliament, who bring mefifteen francs, and I have six of them."

"I did not know," said Aramis, "that councilors were soproductive."

"Yes, but from fifteen francs I sink at once to ten francs;namely, for an ordinary judge, and for an ecclesiastic."

"And you have seven, you say; an excellent affair."

"Nay, a bad one, and for this reason. How can I possiblytreat these poor fellows, who are of some good, at allevents, otherwise than as a councilor of parliament?"

"Yes, you are right; I do not see five francs differencebetween them."

"You understand; if I have a fine fish, I pay four or fivefrancs for it; if I get a fine fowl, it costs me a franc anda half. I fatten a good deal of poultry, but I have to buygrain, and you cannot imagine the army of rats that infestthis place."

"Why not get half a dozen cats to deal with them?"

"Cats, indeed; yes, they eat them, but I was obliged to giveup the idea because of the way in which they treated mygrain. I have been obliged to have some terrier dogs sent mefrom England to kill the rats. These dogs, unfortunately,have tremendous appetites; they eat as much as a prisoner ofthe fifth order, without taking into account the rabbits andfowls they kill."

Was Aramis really listening or not? No one could have told;his downcast eyes showed the attentive man; but the restlesshand betrayed the man absorbed in thought - Aramis wasmeditating.

"I was saying," continued Baisemeaux, "that a good-sizedfowl costs me a franc and a half, and that a fine fish costsme four or five francs. Three meals are served at theBastile, and, as the prisoners, having nothing to do, arealways eating, a ten-franc man costs me seven francs and ahalf."

"But did you not say that you treated those at ten francslike those at fifteen?"

"Yes, certainly."

"Very well! Then you gain seven francs and a half upon thosewho pay you fifteen francs."

"I must compensate myself somehow," said Baisemeaux, who sawhow he had been snapped up.

"You are quite right, my dear governor; but have you noprisoners below ten francs?"

"Oh, yes! we have citizens and barristers at five francs.

"And do they eat, too?"

"Not a doubt about it; only you understand that they do notget fish or poultry, nor rich wines at every meal; but atall events thrice a week they have a good dish at theirdinner."

"Really, you are quite a philanthropist, my dear governor,and you will ruin yourself."

"No, understand me; when the fifteen-franc has not eaten hisfowl, or the ten-franc has left his dish unfinished, I sendit to the five-franc prisoner; it is a feast for the poordevil, and one must be charitable, you know."

"And what do you make out of your five-franc prisoners?"

"A franc and a half."

"Baisemeaux, you're an honest fellow; in honest truth I sayso."

"Thank you, my lord. But I feel most for the small tradesmenand bailiffs' clerks, who are rated at three francs. They donot often see Rhine carp or Channel sturgeon."

"But do not the five-franc gentlemen sometimes leave somescraps?"

"Oh! my lord, do not believe I am so stingy as that; Idelight the heart of some poor little tradesman or clerk bysending him a wing of a red partridge, a slice of venison,or a slice of a truffled pasty, dishes which he never tastedexcept in his dreams; these are the leavings of thetwenty-four franc prisoners; and as he eats and drinks, atdessert he cries `Long live the King,' and blesses theBastile; with a couple of bottles of champagne, which costme five sous, I made him tipsy every Sunday. That class ofpeople call down blessings upon me, and are sorry to leavethe prison. Do you know that I have remarked, and it does meinfinite honor, that certain prisoners, who have been set atliberty, have, almost immediately afterwards, got imprisonedagain? Why should this be the case, unless it be to enjoythe pleasures of my kitchen? It is really the fact."

Aramis smiled with an expression of incredulity.

"You smile," said Baisemeaux.

"I do," returned Aramis.

"I tell you that we have names which have been inscribed onour books thrice in the space of two years."

"I must see it before I believe it," said Aramis.

"Well, I can show it to you, although it is prohibited tocommunicate the registers to strangers; and if you reallywish to see it with your own eyes - - "

"I should be delighted, I confess."

"Very well," said Baisemeaux, and he took out of a cupboarda large register. Aramis followed him most anxiously withhis eyes, and Baisemeaux returned, placed the register uponthe table, and turned over the leaves for a minute, andstayed at the letter M.

"Look here," said he, "Martinier, January, 1659; Martinier,June, 1660; Martinier, March, 1661. Mazarinades, etc.; youunderstand it was only a pretext; people were not sent tothe Bastile for jokes against M. Mazarin; the fellowdenounced himself in order to get imprisoned here."

"And what was his object?"

"None other than to return to my kitchen at three francs aday,."

"Three francs - poor devil!"

"The poet, my lord, belongs to the lowest scale, the samestyle of board as the small tradesman and bailiff's clerk;but I repeat, it is to those people only that I give theselittle surprises."

Aramis mechanically turned over the leaves of the register,continuing to read the names, but without appearing to takeany interest in the names he read.

"In 1661, you perceive," said Baisemeaux, "eighty entries;and in 1659, eighty also."

"Ah!" said Aramis. "Seldon; I seem to know that name. Was itnot you who spoke to me about a certain young man?"

"Yes, a poor devil of a student, who made - What do youcall that where two Latin verses rhyme together?"

"A distich."

"Yes; that is it."

"Poor fellow; for a distich."

"Do you know that he made this distich against the Jesuits?"

"That makes no difference; the punishment seems verysevere."

"Do not pity him; last year you seemed to interest yourselfin him."

"Yes, I did so."

"Well, as your interest is all-powerful here, my lord, Ihave treated him since that time as a prisoner at fifteenfrancs."

"The same as this one, then," said Aramis, who had continuedturning over the leaves, and who had stopped at one of thenames which followed Martinier.

"Yes, the same as that one."

"Is that Marchiali an Italian?" said Aramis, pointing withhis finger to the name which had attracted his attention.

"Hush!" said Baisemeaux.

"Why hush?" said Aramis, involuntarily clenching his whitehand.

"I thought I had already spoken to you about thatMarchiali."

"No, it is the first time I ever heard his name pronounced."

"That may be, but perhaps I have spoken to you about himwithout naming him."

"Is he an old offender?" asked Aramis, attempting to smile.

"On the contrary, he is quite young."

"Is his crime, then, very heinous?"

"Unpardonable."

"Has he assassinated any one?"

"Bah!"

"An incendiary, then?"

"Bah!"

"Has he slandered any one?"

"No, no! It is he who - " and Baisemeaux approachedAramis's ear, making a sort of ear-trumpet of his hands, andwhispered: "It is he who presumes to resemble the - - "

"Yes, yes." said Aramis, "I now remember you already spokeabout it last year to me; but the crime appeared to me soslight.

"Slight, do you say?"

"Or rather, so involuntary."

"My lord, it is not involuntarily that such a resemblance isdetected."

"Well, the fact is, I had forgotten it. But, my dear host,"said Aramis, closing the register, "if I am not mistaken, weare summoned."

Baisemeaux took the register, hastily restored it to itsplace in the closet, which he locked, and put the key in hispocket. "Will it be agreeable to your lordship to breakfastnow?" said he; "for you are right in supposing thatbreakfast was announced."

"Assuredly, my dear governor," and they passed into thedining-room.