A last gleam of feeling played over his features, and he fell, as if thunder-struck, on a chair.
"Come, come," said Aramis, after a long silence, during which the governor of the Bastile had slowly recovered his senses, "do not lead me to believe, dear Baisemeaux, that the presence of the general of the order is as terrible as His, and that men die merely from having seen Him.

Take courage, rouse yourself; give me your hand--obey." Baisemeaux, reassured, if not satisfied, obeyed, kissed Aramis's hand, and rose.

"Immediately ?" he murmured.
"Oh, there is no pressing haste, my host; take your place again, and do the honors over this beautiful dessert." "Monseigneur, I shall never recover such a shock as this; I who have laughed, who have jested with you! I who have dared to treat you on a footing of equality!" "Say nothing about it, old comrade," replied the bishop, who perceived how strained the cord was and how dangerous it would have been to break it; "say nothing about it.

Let us each live in our own way; to you, my protection and my friendship; to me, your obedience.

Having exactly fulfilled these two requirements, let us live happily." Baisemeaux reflected; he perceived, at a glance, the consequence of this withdrawal of a prisoner by means of a forged order; and, putting in the scale the guarantee offered him by the official order of the general, did not consider it of any value.
Aramis divined this.