“It is of no use for you to know anything about it,” said the young woman, whom an instinctive mistrust now impelled to draw back. “It was about one of those purchases that interest women—a purchase by which much might have been gained.” But the more the young woman excused herself, the more important Bonacieux thought the secret which she declined to confide to him. He resolved then to hasten immediately to the residence of the Comte de Rochefort, and tell him that the queen was seeking for a messenger to send to London. “Pardon me for quitting you, my dear Madame Bonacieux,” said he; “but, not knowing you would come to see me, I had made an engagement with a friend. I shall soon return; and if you will wait only a few minutes for me, as soon as I have concluded my business with that friend, as it is growing late, I will come back and reconduct you to the Louvre.” “Thank you, monsieur, you are not brave enough to be of any use to me whatever,” replied Mme. Bonacieux. “I shall return very safely to the Louvre all alone.” “As you please, Madame Bonacieux,” said the ex-mercer. “Shall I see you again soon?” “Next week I hope my duties will afford me a little liberty, and I will take advantage of it to come and put things in order here, as they must necessarily be much deranged.” “Very well; I shall expect you. You are not angry with me?” “Not the least in the world.” “Till then, then?” “Till then.” Bonacieux kissed his wife’s hand, and set off at a quick pace. “Well,” said Mme. Bonacieux, when her husband had shut the street door and she found herself alone; “that imbecile lacked but one thing: to become a cardinalist. And I, who have answered for him to the queen—I, who have promised my poor mistress—ah, my God, my God! She will take me for one of those wretches with whom the palace swarms and who are placed about her as spies! Ah, Monsieur Bonacieux, I never did love you much, but now it is worse than ever. I hate you, and on my word you shall pay for this!” At the moment she spoke these words a rap on the ceiling made her raise her head, and a voice which reached her through the ceiling cried, “Dear Madame Bonacieux, open for me the little door on the alley, and I will come down to you.” Chapter XVIII. LOVER AND HUSBAND Ah, Madame,” said D’Artagnan, entering by the door which the young woman opened for him, “allow me to tell you that you have a bad sort of a husband.” “You have, then, overheard our conversation?” asked Mme. Bonacieux, eagerly, and looking at D’Artagnan with disquiet. “The whole.” “But how, my God?” “By a mode of proceeding known to myself, and by which I likewise overheard the more animated conversation which he had with the cardinal’s police.” “And what did you understand by what we said?”