He was about to speak again, when, after tapping at the door, an officer entered the room. His clothes were torn and soiled, there was a smear of blood on the sleeve of his coat, and he glanced at his master sheepishly. "Alone!" exclaimed the latter in astonishment, upon which the soldier approached him and began to speak in whispers. Mazarin was evidently displeased, but he listened courteously to the end. "What bad luck!" he cried. "I thought they were all nicely trapped. However, no doubt you did your best. Now go and let a surgeon attend to your hurts. I see you have been wounded." "A mere scratch, your Eminence," replied the officer saluting, and, when he had withdrawn, the Cardinal again turned his attention to me. "Yes," said he, as if in answer to a question, "your companions have escaped: so much the better for them. But, deprived of the bell-wether, the flock counts for little. Now, as you value your life, tell me who sent you here. I warn you to speak the truth; there are deep dungeons in the Bastille." "My story is a curious one, your Eminence, but it throws little light on the affair. My father is the head of the De Lalande family, but he is poor, and has lost his estates. The other day our friend, M. Belloc----" "Belloc?" exclaimed the Cardinal quickly, "what Belloc?" "Roland Belloc, your Eminence, a stout soldier and your faithful servant. He offered, if I came to Paris, to speak to you on my behalf." "Go on," said Mazarin, with evident interest. "Shortly after his return to Paris I had the misfortune to offend Baron Maubranne of Vancey, and then my mother, who had before been unwilling to part from me, agreed to my leaving home. I came to Paris, and inquired for my friend at the Palais Royal. The soldiers declared he was absent, which was unfortunate for me. However, I remembered the name of an inn at which another friend sometimes puts up, and I went there." "One must go somewhere," said Mazarin. "Yesterday," I continued, "a man brought me a note. It was intended for some one else, but, not knowing that, I opened it. It was very mysterious, but I gathered there was a conspiracy on foot, and that you were to be the victim." "That is generally the case," exclaimed Mazarin with a sigh. "As the conspirators mistook me for some one else----" "For your cousin!" "I resolved to play the part, in the hope of being able to put you on your guard." "A remarkable story!" said Mazarin thoughtfully. "Eh, Martin?" "It seems to ring true, your Eminence," replied the astrologer. "There are two or three points, though, to be considered. For instance," turning to me, "to which party does this second friend of yours belong?" "I really do not know that he belongs to any party." "Well, it is of small consequence. Now, as to the people who came here with you?" and he cast a searching glance at my face. "I should not recognise them in the street."