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“My mother, who had it from her mother. As I told you, it’s an old jewel…which should never have left the family.”

“And you…sold it?” d’Artagnan asked hesitantly.

“No,” Athos picked up with a singular smile, “I gave it away during a night of love, as it was given to you.”

D’Artagnan waxed pensive in his turn. He seemed to see abysses of a dark and unknown depth in Milady’s soul.

He put the ring not on his finger but in his pocket.

“Listen,” Athos said to him, taking his hand, “you know that I love you, d’Artagnan. If I had a son, I couldn’t love him more than you. Well, then, believe what I say: give up that woman. I don’t know her, but a sort of intuition tells me that she’s a lost creature, and that there is something fatal in her.”

“And you’re right,” said d’Artagnan. “So I’ll break with her. I confess to you that the woman really frightens me.”

“Will you have the courage?” asked Athos.

“I will,” replied d’Artagnan, “and even at once.”

“Well, true enough, my lad, you’re right,” said the gentleman, pressing the Gascon’s hand with an almost paternal affection. “God grant that this woman, who has barely entered your life, leaves no baneful trace on it!”

And Athos bowed his head to d’Artagnan, as a man who means to make it understood that he is not sorry to be left alone with his thoughts.

On returning home, d’Artagnan found Kitty waiting for him. A month of fever could not have changed the poor girl more than had that one night of insomnia and grief.

She had been sent by her mistress to the false de Wardes. Her mistress was mad with love, drunk with joy; she wanted to know when the count would grant her a second meeting.

And poor Kitty, pale and trembling, awaited d’Artagnan’s reply.

Athos had great influence over the young man. His friend’s advice, together with the cries of his own heart, had determined him, now that his pride had been saved and his vengeance satisfied, not to see Milady again. For his whole reply, then, he took a pen and wrote the following letter:

Do not count on me, Madame, for the next rendezvous: since my convalescence, I have so much business of the same sort that I have had to put it in a certain order. When your turn comes, I shall have the honor of informing you of it.

I kiss your hands.

Comte de Wardes

Not a word of the sapphire. Did the Gascon want to keep it as a weapon against Milady? Or else, to be frank, was he not keeping this sapphire as a last resource for outfitting himself?

It would be wrong, however, to judge the actions of one age from the point of view of another. What would be regarded today as shameful for a gallant man was at that time quite a simple and natural thing, and the cadets of the best families generally had themselves kept by their mistresses.

D’Artagnan handed the unsealed letter to Kitty, who first read it without understanding, and nearly became mad with joy on reading it a second time.

Kitty could not believe in this happiness. D’Artagnan was forced to repeat aloud the assurances that the letter gave her in writing. And whatever the danger the poor girl was running, given the fiery nature of Milady, in delivering this note to her mistress, she nevertheless went back to the place Royale as fast as her legs would carry her.

The heart of the best woman is pitiless towards the sufferings of a rival.

Milady opened the letter with an eagerness equal to that with which Kitty had brought it. But at the first word, she became livid; then she crumpled the paper; then she turned to Kitty with lightning in her eyes.

“What is this letter?” she said.

“Why, it’s the reply to Madame’s,” Kitty replied, trembling all over.

“Impossible!” cried Milady. “It’s impossible that a gentleman should write such a letter to a woman!”

Then, shuddering all at once:

“My God!” she said, “could he know?…” And she stopped.

She ground her teeth, her face was the color of ash. She tried to take a step towards the window to get some air, but she could only hold out her arms; her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto a chair.

Kitty thought she was unwell and rushed to open