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Vanel rose, bewildered by this offer which had been so suddenly and unexpectedly made to him. "You are not trifling with me, monseigneur?" he said. "Stay; you say that M. Gourville has spoken to you about M. Fouquet's post?" "Yes; and M. Pelisson, also." "Officially so, or only through their own suggestion?"
"Well, this pencil was a lead-pencil, consequently hard; so it marked in black upon the first sheet, and in white upon the second." "Go on." "Colbert, when tearing off the first sheet, took no notice of the second." "Well?" "Well, on the second was to be read what had been written on the first, Madame Vanel read it, and sent for me." "Yes, yes."
Vanel simply bowed, as he said, "I am overcome, monseigneur, at the honor you do me to consult me upon a matter of business which is already completed; but " "Nay, do not say but, dear Monsieur Vanel." "Alas! monseigneur, you see," he said, as he opened a large pocket-book, "I have brought the money with me, the whole sum, I mean.
"Far from that; it would be merely coquetting or playing with the truth. At all events, since you have finished with this Vanel; since you have deprived yourself of the happiness of confounding him by repudiating your word; and since you have given up, for the purpose of being used against yourself, the only weapon which can ruin you "
Colbert sighed; he could not read anything in Vanel's face, and Vanel might possibly be honest in his professions, but Colbert recollected that this man, inferior to himself in every other respect, was actually his master in virtue of the fact of his having a wife.
Madame Vanel had risen, paler, more livid, than Envy herself. Fouquet in vain addressed her, with the most agreeable, most pacific salutation; she only replied by a terrible glance darted at the marquise and Fouquet. This keen glance of a jealous woman is a stiletto which pierces every cuirass; Marguerite Vanel plunged it straight into the hearts of the two confidants.
I certainly owed poor Vanel that slight concession, and I am a gainer by it; since I, at the same time, can confer a pleasure on his wife." Aramis walked straight up to Fouquet, and took hold of his hand. "Do you know," he said, very calmly, "the name of Madame Vanel's new lover?" "Ah! she has a new lover, then? I was not aware of it; no, I have no idea what his name is."
"No; only a counselor, of the name of Vanel." Aramis became perfectly purple. "Vanel!" he cried, rising abruptly from his seat; "Vanel! the husband of Marguerite Vanel?" "Exactly." "Of your former mistress?" "Yes, my dear fellow; she is anxious to be the wife of the procureur-general.
Vanel began to tremble. "Yesterday I wished to sell " "Monseigneur did more than wish to sell, he actually sold." "Well, well, that may be so; but to-day I ask you the favor to restore me my word which I pledged you." "I received your word as a satisfactory assurance that it would be kept." "I know that, and that is the reason why I now entreat you; do you understand me?
Vanel remained perfectly silent; he, too, had understood him. Aramis observed his coldness of manner and his silence. "Very good," he said to himself, "you are waiting, I see, until you know the amount; but do not fear, I shall send you such a flight of crowns that you cannot but capitulate on the spot."
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