“Ay, ay!” said Porthos; “pass the pen to Aramis, who writes theses in Latin.”

“Well, so be it,” said d’Artagnan.  “Draw up this note for us, Aramis; but by our Holy Father the Pope, cut it short, for I shall prune you in my turn, I warn you.”

“I ask no better,” said Aramis, with that ingenious air of confidence which every poet has in himself; “but let me be properly acquainted with the subject.  I have heard here and there that this sister-in-law was a hussy.  I have obtained proof of it by listening to her conversation with the cardinal.”

“Lower!  Sacre BLEU!” said Athos.

“But,” continued Aramis, “the details escape me.”

“And me also,” said Porthos.

D’Artagnan and Athos looked at each other for some time in silence.  At length Athos, after serious reflection and becoming more pale than usual, made a sign of assent to d’Artagnan, who by it understood he was at liberty to speak.

“Well, this is what you have to say,” said d’Artagnan:  “My Lord, your sister-in-law is an infamous woman, who wished to have you killed that she might inherit your wealth; but she could not marry your brother, being already married in France, and having been—­” d’Artagnan stopped, as if seeking for the word, and looked at Athos.

“Repudiated by her husband,” said Athos.

“Because she had been branded,” continued d’Artagnan.

“Bah!” cried Porthos.  “Impossible!  What do you say—­that she wanted to have her brother-in-law killed?”

“Yes.”

“She was married?” asked Aramis.

“Yes.”

“And her husband found out that she had a fleur-de-lis on her shoulder?” cried Porthos.

“Yes.”

These three yeses had been pronounced by Athos, each with a sadder intonation.

“And who has seen this fleur-de-lis?” inquired Aramis.

“d’Artagnan and I. Or rather, to observe the chronological order, I and d’Artagnan,” replied Athos.

“And does the husband of this frightful creature still live?” said Aramis.

“He still lives.”

“Are you quite sure of it?”

“I am he.”

There was a moment of cold silence, during which everyone was affected according to his nature.

“This time,” said Athos, first breaking the silence, “d’Artagnan has given us an excellent program, and the letter must be written at once.”

“The devil!  You are right, Athos,” said Aramis; “and it is a rather difficult matter.  The chancellor himself would be puzzled how to write such a letter, and yet the chancellor draws up an official report very readily.  Never mind!  Be silent, I will write.”

Aramis accordingly took the quill, reflected for a few moments, wrote eight or ten lines in a charming little female hand, and then with a voice soft and slow, as if each word had been scrupulously weighed, he read the following: