Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/175

Rh "In matters of business, dear Monsieur de Baisemeaux, exactitude is not a virtue only, but a duty as well."

"Yes, in matters of business, certainly; but what you have with me is not of that character — it is a service you are rendering me."

"Come, confess, dear Monsieur de Baisemeaux, that, notwithstanding this exactitude, you have not been without a little uneasiness."

"About your health, I certainly have," stammered out Baisemeaux.

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

"You are really very kind, my lord."

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

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, you were going out." At which latter remark Baisemeaux colored, and said, "Yes, it is true I was going out."

"Then I prevent you," said Aramis; whereupon the embarrassment of Baisemeaux became visibly greater. "I am putting you to inconvenience," he continued, fixing a keen glance upon the poor governor; "if I had known that I should not have come."

"How can your lordship imagine that you could ever inconvenience me?"

"Confess you were going in search of money."

"No," stammered out Baisemeaux, "no! I assure you I was going to "

"Does the governor still intend to go to Monsieur Fouquet's?" suddenly called out the major from below. Baisemeaux ran to the window like a madman.

"No, no," he exclaimed, in a state of desperation; "who the deuce is speaking of Monsieur Fouquet? are you drunk below there? why am I interrupted when I am engaged on business?"

"You were going to Monsieur Fouquet's," said Aramis, biting his lips, "to Monsieur Fouquet, the abbe, or the surintendant?"

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