“You are pursued! — a conspiracy! Eh! my friend, what do you tell me?”

“The saddest truth. I am entirely ruined.”

“Well, but Porthos — this title of duke — what does all that mean?”

“That is the subject of my severest pain; that is the deepest of my wounds.

I have, believing in infallible success, drawn Porthos into my conspiracy. He threw himself into it, as you know he would do, with all his strength, without knowing what he was about; and now he is as much compromised as myself — as completely ruined as I am.”

“Good God!” And Athos turned towards Porthos, who was smiling complacently.