Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/494

Rh 483 TEN" YEARS LATER. far more suspicions than you formerly were." And then, beginning to laugh, he added, ''Come, if La Valliere is willing to love me only to the extent of a third, and the king two-thirds, do you think the condition acceistable?" Aramis rose imijatiently. "La Valliere," he said, "has never loved, and will never love any one but a king." "At all events," said Fouquet, "what would you do?" "Ask me rather what I would have done?" "Well! what would you have done?" "In the first place, I should not have allowed that man to go." "Toby!" "Yes; Toby is a traitor. Nay, I am sure of it, and I would not have let him go until he had told me the truth." "There is still time. I will recall him, and do you ques- tion him in your turn." "Agreed." "But I assure you it is quite useless. He has been with me for the last twenty years, and has never made the slight- est mistake, and yet," added Fouquet, laughing, "it has been easy enough." "Still, call him back. This morning I fancy I saw that face in earnest conversation with one of Monsieur Colbert's men." . "Where was that?" . "Opposite the stables." "Bah! all my people are at daggers drawn with that fellow." "I saw him, I tell you, and his face, which I ought not to have recognized when he entered just now, struck me in a disagreeable manner." "Why did you not say something, then, while he was here?" "Because it is only at this very minute that my memory is clear upon the subject." "Eeally," said Fouquet, "you alarm me." And he again rang the bell. "Provided that it is not already too late," said Aramis. Fouquet once more rang impatiently. The valet usually in attendance appeared. "Toby!" said Fouquet, "send Toby." The valet again shut the door. "You leave me at perfect liberty, I suppose?" "Entirely so." "I may employ all means, then, to ascertain the truth?"