"Well then, Sir, answer me as a man of honour and a French noble," said the Cardinal--"Are you not aware of a correspondence that has been, and is now, carried on between Anne of Austria and Don Francisco de Mello, Governor of the Low Countries?" "I know not whom you mean, Sir, by Anne of Austria," replied De Blenau. "If it be her Majesty, your Queen and mine, that you so designate, I reply at once that I know of no such correspondence, nor do I believe that it exists." "Do you mean to say, Monsieur de Blenau," demanded the Cardinal, fixing his keen sunken eyes upon the young Count with that basilisk glance for which he was famous--"Do you mean to say, that you yourself have not forwarded letters from the Queen to Madame de Chevreuse, and Don Francisco de Mello, by a private channel?--Pause, Monsieur de Blenau, before you answer, and be well assured that I am acquainted with every particular of your conduct." "Your Eminence is, no doubt, acquainted with much more intricate subjects than any of my actions," replied the Count. "With regard to Madame de Chevreuse, her Majesty has no need to conceal a correspondence with her, which has been fully permitted and sanctioned, both by your Eminence and the still higher authority of the King; and I may add, that to my certain knowledge, letters have gone to that lady by your own courier. On the other point, I have answered already; and have only to say once more, that I know of no such correspondence, nor would I, assuredly, lend myself to any such measures, which I should conceive to be treasonable." "I have always hitherto supposed you to be a man of honour," said the Cardinal coolly; "but what must I conceive now, Monsieur le Comte, when I tell you that I have those very letters in my possession?" "You may conceive what you please, Sir," replied De Blenau, giving way to his indignation; "but I will dare any man to lay before me a letter from her Majesty to the person you mention, which has passed through the hands of De Blenau." The Cardinal did not reply, but opening an ebony cabinet, which stood on his right hand, he took from one of the compartments a small bundle of papers, from which he selected one, and laid it on the table before the Count, who had hitherto looked on with no small wonder and expectation. "Do you know that writing, Sir?" demanded the Cardinal, still keeping his hand upon the paper, in such a manner as to allow only a word or two to be visible. De Blenau examined the line which the Cardinal suffered to appear, and replied--"From what little I can see, I should imagine it to be the hand-writing of her Majesty. But that does not show that I have any thing to do with it." "But there is that in it which does," answered Richelieu, folding down a line or two of the letter, and pointing out to the Count a sentence which said, "This will be conveyed to you by the Count de Blenau, who you know never fails."