Page:The Vicomte de Bragelonne 2.djvu/369

Rh He then applied the tip of his finger to the nail parallel to the one he had drawn. Immediately the glass moved like the fold of a door and discovered a secret closet, rather deep, in which the surintendant disappeared as if going into a vast box. When there, he touched another spring, which opened, not a board, but a block of the wall, and he went out by that opening, leaving the door to shut of itself. Then Fouquet descended about a score of steps which sank, winding, underground, and came to a long, subterranean passage lighted by imperceptible loopholes. The walls of this vault were covered with slabs or tiles, and the floor with carpeting. This passage was under the street itself, which separated Fouquet's house from the Park of Vincennes. At the end of the passage ascended a winding staircase parallel with that by which Fouquet had entered. He mounted these other stairs, entered by means of a spring placed in a closet similar to that in his cabinet, and from this closet into a chamber perfectly empty, although furnished with the utmost elegance. As soon as he entered he examined carefully whether the glass closed without leaving any trace; and doubtless, satisfied with his observation, he opened by means of a small gold key the triple fastenings of a door in front of him. This time the door opened upon a handsome cabinet, sumptuously furnished, in which was seated upon cushions a lady of surpassing beauty, who at the sound of the lock sprang toward Fouquet.

"Ah, good heavens!" cried the latter, starting back with astonishment. "Madame la Marquise de Bellière, you here?"

"Yes," murmured la marquise. "Yes; it is I, monsieur."

"Marquise, dear marquise!" added Fouquet, ready to prostrate himself. "Ah, my God! how did you come here? And I to keep you waiting!"

"A long time, monsieur; yes, a very long time."

"I am happy in thinking this waiting has appeared long to you, marquise!"

"Oh! an eternity, monsieur; oh! I rang more than twenty times. Did you not hear me?"

"Marquise, you are pale, you tremble."

"Did you not hear, then, that you were summoned?"

"Oh, yes; I heard plainly enough, madame; but I could not come. After your rigor and your refusal, how could I dream it was you? If I could have had any suspicion of the happiness that awaited me, believe me, madame, I