During the time which Lord de Winter took to shut the door, closea shutter, and draw a chair near to his sister-in-law's fauteuil,Milady, anxiously thoughtful, plunged her glance into the depthsof possibility, and discovered all the plan, of which she couldnot even obtain a glance as long as she was ignorant into whosehands she had fallen. She knew her brother-in-law to be a worthygentleman, a bold hunter, an intrepid player, enterprising withwomen, but by no means remarkable for his skill in intrigues.How had he discovered her arrival, and caused her to be seized?Why did he detain her?

Athos had dropped some words which proved that the conversationshe had with the cardinal had fallen into outside ears; but shecould not suppose that he had dug a countermine so promptly andso boldly. She rather feared that her preceding operations inEngland might have been discovered. Buckingham might haveguessed that it was she who had cut off the two studs, and avengehimself for that little treachery; but Buckingham was incapableof going to any excess against a woman, particularly if thatwoman was supposed to have acted from a feeling of jealousy.

This supposition appeared to her most reasonable. It seemed toher that they wanted to revenge the past, and not to anticipatethe future. At all events, she congratulated herself upon havingfallen into the hands of her brother-in-law, with whom shereckoned she could deal very easily, rather than into the handsof an acknowledged and intelligent enemy.

"Yes, let us chat, brother," said she, with a kind ofcheerfulness, decided as she was to draw from the conversation,in spite of all the dissimulation Lord de Winter could bring, therevelations of which she stood in need to regulate her futureconduct.

"You have, then, decided to come to England again," said Lord deWinter, "in spite of the resolutions you so often expressed inParis never to set your feet on British ground?"

Milady replied to this question by another question. "To beginwith, tell me," said she, "how have you watched me so closely asto be aware beforehand not only of my arrival, but even of theday, the hour, and the port at which I should arrive?"

Lord de Winter adopted the same tactics as Milady, thinking thatas his sister-in-law employed them they must be the best.

"But tell me, my dear sister," replied he, "what makes you cometo England?"

"I come to see you," replied Milady, without knowing how much sheaggravated by this reply the suspicions to which D'Artagnan'sletter had given birth in the mind of her brother-in-law, andonly desiring to gain the good will of her auditor by afalsehood.

"Ah, to see me?" said De Winter, cunningly.

"To be sure, to see you. What is there astonishing in that?"

"And you had no other object in coming to England but to see me?"

"No."

"So it was for me alone you have taken the trouble to cross theChannel?"

"For you alone."

"The deuce! What tenderness, my sister!"

"But am I not your nearest relative?" demanded Milady, with atone of the most touching ingenuousness.

"And my only heir, are you not?" said Lord de Winter in his turn,fixing his eyes on those of Milady.

Whatever command she had over herself, Milady could not helpstarting; and as in pronouncing the last words Lord de Winterplaced his hand upon the arm of his sister, this start did notescape him.

In fact, the blow was direct and severe. The first idea thatoccurred to Milady's mind was that she had been betrayed byKitty, and that she had recounted to the baron the selfishaversion toward himself of which she had imprudently allowed somemarks to escape before her servant. She also recollected thefurious and imprudent attack she had made upon D'Artagnan when hespared the life of her brother.

"I do not understand, my Lord," said she, in order to gain timeand make her adversary speak out. "What do you mean to say? Isthere any secret meaning concealed beneath your words?"

"Oh, my God, no!" said Lord de Winter, with apparent good nature."You wish to see me, and you come to England. I learn thisdesire, or rather I suspect that you feel it; and in order tospare you all the annoyances of a nocturnal arrival in a port andall the fatigues of landing, I send one of my officers to meetyou, I place a carriage at his orders, and he brings you hitherto this castle, of which I am governor, whither I come every day,and where, in order to satisfy our mutual desire of seeing eachother, I have prepared you a chamber. What is there moreastonishing in all that I have said to you than in what you havetold me?"

"No; what I think astonishing is that you should expect mycoming."

"And yet that is the most simple thing in the world, my dearsister. Have you not observed that the captain of your littlevessel, on entering the roadstead, sent forward, in order toobtain permission to enter the port, a little boat bearing hislogbook and the register of his voyagers? I am commandant of theport. They brought me that book. I recognized your name in it.My heart told me what your mouth has just confirmed - that is tosay, with what view you have exposed yourself to the dangers of asea so perilous, or at least so troublesome at this moment - and Isent my cutter to meet you. You know the rest."

Milady knew that Lord de Winter lied, and she was the morealarmed.

"My brother," continued she, "was not that my Lord Buckinghamwhom I saw on the jetty this evening as we arrived?"

"Himself. Ah, I can understand how the sight of him struck you,"replied Lord de Winter. "You came from a country where he mustbe very much talked of, and I know that his armaments againstFrance greatly engage the attention of your friend the cardinal."

"My friend the cardinal!" cried Milady, seeing that on this pointas on the other Lord de Winter seemed well instructed.

"Is he not your friend?" replied the baron, negligently. "Ah,pardon! I thought so; but we will return to my Lord Dukepresently. Let us not depart from the sentimental turn ourconversation had taken. You came, you say, to see me?"

"Yes."

"Well, I reply that you shall be served to the height of yourwishes, and that we shall see each other every day."

"Am I, then, to remain here eternally?" demanded Milady, with acertain terror.

"Do you find yourself badly lodged, sister? Demand anything youwant, and I will hasten to have you furnished with it."

"But I have neither my women nor my servants."

"You shall have all, madame. Tell me on what footing yourhousehold was established by your first husband, and although Iam only your brother-in-law, I will arrange one similar."

"My first husband!" cried Milady, looking at Lord de Winter witheyes almost starting from their sockets.

"Yes, your French husband. I don't speak of my brother. If youhave forgotten, as he is still living, I can write to him and hewill send me information on the subject."

A cold sweat burst from the brow of Milady.

"You jest!" said she, in a hollow voice.

"Do I look so?" asked the baron, rising and going a stepbackward.

"Or rather you insult me," continued she, pressing with herstiffened hands the two arms of her easy chair, and raisingherself upon her wrists.

"I insult you!" said Lord de Winter, with contempt. "In truth,madame, do you think that can be possible?"

"Indeed, sir," said Milady, "you must be either drunk or mad.Leave the room, and send me a woman."

"Women are very indiscreet, my sister. Cannot I serve you as awaiting maid? By that means all our secrets will remain in thefamily."

"Insolent!" cried Milady; and as if acted upon by a spring, shebounded toward the baron, who awaited her attack with his armscrossed, but nevertheless with one hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Come!" said he. "I know you are accustomed to assassinatepeople; but I warn you I shall defend myself, even against you."

"You are right," said Milady. "You have all the appearance ofbeing cowardly enough to lift your hand against a woman."

"Perhaps so; and I have an excuse, for mine would not be thefirst hand of a man that has been placed upon you, I imagine."

And the baron pointed, with a slow and accusing gesture, to theleft shoulder of Milady, which he almost touched with his finger.

Milady uttered a deep, inward shriek, and retreated to a cornerof the room like a panther which crouches for a spring.

"Oh, growl as much as you please," cried Lord de Winter, "butdon't try to bite, for I warn you that it would be to yourdisadvantage. There are here no procurators who regulatesuccessions beforehand. There is no knight-errant to come andseek a quarrel with me on account of the fair lady I detain aprisoner; but I have judges quite ready who will quickly disposeof a woman so shameless as to glide, a bigamist, into the bed ofLord de Winter, my brother. And these judges, I warn you, willsoon send you to an executioner who will make both your shouldersalike."

The eyes of Milady darted such flashes that although he was a manand armed before an unarmed woman, he felt the chill of fearglide through his whole frame. However, he continued all thesame, but with increasing warmth: "Yes, I can very wellunderstand that after having inherited the fortune of my brotherit would be very agreeable to you to be my heir likewise; butknow beforehand, if you kill me or cause me to be killed, myprecautions are taken. Not a penny of what I possess will passinto your hands. Were you not already rich enough - you whopossess nearly a million? And could you not stop your fatalcareer, if you did not do evil for the infinite and supreme joyof doing it? Oh, be assured, if the memory of my brother werenot sacred to me, you should rot in a state dungeon or satisfythe curiosity of sailors at Tyburn. I will be silent, but youmust endure your captivity quietly. In fifteen or twenty days Ishall set out for La Rochelle with the army; but on the eve of mydeparture a vessel which I shall see depart will take you henceand convey you to our colonies in the south. And be assured thatyou shall be accompanied by one who will blow your brains out atthe first attempt you make to return to England or theContinent."

Milady listened with an attention that dilated her inflamed eyes.

"Yes, at present," continued Lord de Winter, "you will remain inthis castle. The walls are thick, the doors strong, and the barssolid; besides, your window opens immediately over the sea. Themen of my crew, who are devoted to me for life and death, mountguard around this apartment, and watch all the passages that leadto the courtyard. Even if you gained the yard, there would stillbe three iron gates for you to pass. The order is positive. Astep, a gesture, a word, on your part, denoting an effort toescape, and you are to be fired upon. If they kill you, Englishjustice will be under an obligation to me for having saved ittrouble. Ah! I see your features regain their calmness, yourcountenance recovers its assurance. You are saying to yourself:'Fifteen days, twenty days? Bah! I have an inventive mind;before that is expired some idea will occur to me. I have aninfernal spirit. I shall meet with a victim. Before fifteendays are gone by I shall be away from here.' Ah, try it!"

Milady, finding her thoughts betrayed, dug her nails into herflesh to subdue every emotion that might give to her face anyexpression except agony.

Lord de Winter continued: "The officer who commands here in myabsence you have already seen, and therefore know him. He knowshow, as you must have observed, to obey an order - for you didnot, I am sure, come from Portsmouth hither without endeavoringto make him speak. What do you say of him? Could a statue ofmarble have been more impassive and more mute? You have alreadytried the power of your seductions upon many men, andunfortunately you have always succeeded; but I give you leave totry them upon this one. PARDIEU! if you succeed with him, Ipronounce you the demon himself."

He went toward the door and opened it hastily.

"Call Mr. Felton," said he. "Wait a minute longer, and I willintroduce him to you."

There followed between these two personages a strange silence,during which the sound of a slow and regular step was heardapproaching. Shortly a human form appeared in the shade of thecorridor, and the young lieutenant, with whom we are alreadyacquainted, stopped at the threshold to receive the orders of thebaron.

"Come in, my dear John," said Lord de Winter, "come in, and shutthe door."

The young officer entered.

"Now," said the baron, "look at this woman. She is young; she isbeautiful; she possesses all earthly seductions. Well, she is amonster, who, at twenty-five years of age, has been guilty of asmany crimes as you could read of in a year in the archives of ourtribunals. Her voice prejudices her hearers in her favor; herbeauty serves as a bait to her victims; her body even pays whatshe promises - I must do her that justice. She will try to seduceyou, perhaps she will try to kill you. I have extricated youfrom misery, Felton; I have caused you to be named lieutenant; Ionce saved your life, you know on what occasion. I am for younot only a protector, but a friend; not only a benefactor, but afather. This woman has come back again into England for thepurpose of conspiring against my life. I hold this serpent in myhands. Well, I call you, and say to you: Friend Felton, John,my child, guard me, and more particularly guard yourself, againstthis woman. Swear, by your hopes of salvation, to keep hersafely for the chastisement she has merited. John Felton, Itrust your word! John Felton, I put faith in your loyalty!"

"My Lord," said the young officer, summoning to his mildcountenance all the hatred he could find in his heart, "my Lord,I swear all shall be done as you desire."

Milady received this look like a resigned victim; it wasimpossible to imagine a more submissive or a more mild expressionthan that which prevailed on her beautiful countenance. Lord deWinter himself could scarcely recognize the tigress who, a minutebefore, prepared apparently for a fight.

"She is not to leave this chamber, understand, John," continuedthe baron. "She is to correspond with nobody; she is to speak tono one but you - if you will do her the honor to address a word toher."

"That is sufficient, my Lord! I have sworn."

"And now, madame, try to make your peace with God, for you arejudged by men!"

Milady let her head sink, as if crushed by this sentence. Lordde Winter went out, making a sign to Felton, who followed him,shutting the door after him.

One instant after, the heavy step of a marine who served assentinel was heard in the corridor - his ax in his girdle and hismusket on his shoulder.

Milady remained for some minutes in the same position, for shethought they might perhaps be examining her through the keyhole;she then slowly raised her head, which had resumed its formidableexpression of menace and defiance, ran to the door to listen,looked out of her window, and returning to bury herself again inher large armchair, she reflected.