THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK. 439
- In what has the chevalier been able to displease your
majesty? cried he, darting a furious look at madame. "I will tell you that when he is gone/' replied the impas- sible king. *^And also when madame, here, shall have crossed over into England." ' 'Madame! into England!" murmured Monsieur, in a perfect state of stupor. In a week, my brother," continued the king, "while we two will go whither I will tell you." And the king turned upon his heel, after having smiled in his brother's face, to sweeten a little the bitter draught he had given him. During this time Colbert was talking with the Due d'Almeda. "Monsieur," said Colbert to Aramis, "this is the moment for us to come to an understanding. I have made your peace with the king, and I owed that clearly to a man of your merit; but as you have often expressed friendship for me, an opportunity presents itself for giving me a proof of it. You are, besides, more a Frenchman than a Spaniard. Shall we have, answer me frankly, the neutrality of Spain, if we undertake anything against the United Provinces?" "Monsieur," replied Aramis, "the interest of Spain is very clear. To imbrqil Europe with the United Provinces, against whom subsists the ancient malice of their conquered liberty, is our policy, but the King of France is allied with the United Provinces. You are not ignorant, besides, that it would be a maritime war, and that France is not in a state to make such a one with advantage." Colbert, turning round at this moment, saw D'Artagnan, who was seeking an interlocutor during the "aside" of the king and Monsieur. He called him, at the same time say- ing, in a low voice, to Aramis: "We may talk with D'Artagnan, I suppose?" "Oh! certainly," replied the embassador. "We were saying, Monsieur d'Almeda and I," said Col- bert, "that war with the United Provinces would be a mari- time war." "That's evident enough," replied the musketeer. "And what do you think of it. Monsieur d'Artagnan?" "I think that to carry that war on successfully you must have a very large land army." "What did you say?" said Colbert, thinking he had ill anderstood him.
"Why such a land army?" said Aramis.
