All at once he uttered a terrible cry.
"What is the matter ?" exclaimed d'Artagnan, anxiously; "what has happened to you, my Lord ?" "All is lost!" cried Buckingham, becoming as pale as a corpse; "two of the studs are wanting, there are only ten." "Can you have lost them, my Lord, or do you think they have been stolen ?" "They have been stolen," replied the duke, "and it is the cardinal who has dealt this blow.

Hold; see! The ribbons which held them have been cut with scissors." "If my Lord suspects they have been stolen, perhaps the person who stole them still has them in his hands." "Wait, wait!" said the duke.

"The only time I have worn these studs was at a ball given by the king eight days ago at Windsor.

The Comtesse de Winter, with whom I had quarreled, became reconciled to me at that ball.
That reconciliation was nothing but the vengeance of a jealous woman.
I have never seen her from that day.

The woman is an agent of the cardinal." "He has agents, then, throughout the world ?" cried d'Artagnan.
"Oh, yes," said Buckingham, grating his teeth with rage.