you are ignorant - that if the king were to know this evening of the
presence of this musketeer, this abbe, this bishop, this confessor,
_here_ - he, who has risked everything to visit you, to-morrow would
behold the steely glitter of the executioner's axe in a dungeon more
gloomy, more obscure than yours."

While listening to these words, delivered with emphasis, the young man
had raised himself on his couch, and was now gazing more and more eagerly
at Aramis.

The result of his scrutiny was that he appeared to derive some confidence
from it. "Yes," he murmured, "I remember perfectly. The woman of whom
you speak came once with you, and twice afterwards with another." He
hesitated.

"With another, who came to see you every month - is it not so,
monseigneur?"

"Yes."

"Do you know who this lady was?"

The light seemed ready to flash from the prisoner's eyes. "I am aware
that she was one of the ladies of the court," he said.

"You remember that lady well, do you not?"

"Oh, my recollection can hardly be very confused on this head, " said the
young prisoner. "I saw that lady once with a gentleman about forty-five
years old. I saw her once with you, and with the lady dressed in black.