TEN YEAKS LATER. 481 "From the outside, but from the interior." "From the place where I was secreted, I could see to the very end of the room." "Now listen to me," said Fouquet, looking fixedly at the lackey; "if this letter did not reach its proper destination, confess it; for, if a mistake has been made, your head shall be the forfeit." Toby started, but immediately recovered himself. "Mon- siegneur," he said, "I placed the letter on the very place I told you; and I ask only half an hour to prove to you that the letter is in Mademoiselle de la Valliere's hand, or to bring you back the letter itself." Aramis looked at the latter scrutinizingly. Fouquet was ready in placing confidence in people, and for twenty years this man had served him faithfully. "Go," he said; "but bring me the proof you speak of." The lackey quitted the room. ""Well, what do you think of it?" inquired Fouquet of Aramis. "I think that you must, by some means or another, assure yourself of the truth, either that the letter has or has not reached La Valliere; that, in the first case. La Valliere must return it to you, or satisfy you by burning it in your presence; that, in the second, you must have the letter back again, even were it to cost you a million. Come, is not that your opinion?" "Yes; but still, my dear bishop, I believe you are ex- aggerating the position of the affair." "Blind, how blind you are!" murmured Aramis. "La Valliere," returned Fouquet, "whom ^ve assume to be a politician of the greatest ability, is simply nothing more than a coquette, who hopes that 1 shall pay my court to her, because I have already done so, and who, now that she has received a confirmation of the king's regard, hopes to keep me in leading-strings with the letter. It is natural enough." Aramis shook his head. "Is not that your opinion?" said Fouquet. "She is not a coquette," he replied. "Allow me to tell you " "Qfh! I am well enough acquainted with women who are coquettes," said Aramis. "My dear friend!" "It is a long time ago since I finished my studies, you mean. But women do not change." "True; but men change, and you at the present day are Dumas — Vol. XV. 21
