“Of the⁠—” d’Artagnan checked himself.

“Yes, Monsieur,” replied the terrified citizen, in a tone so low that he was scarcely audible.

“And with whom?”

“With whom can it be, if not the Duke of⁠—”

“The Duke of⁠—”

“Yes, Monsieur,” replied the citizen, giving a still fainter intonation to his voice.

“But how do you know all this?”

“How do I know it?”

“Yes, how do you know it? No half-confidence, or⁠—you understand!”

“I know it from my wife, Monsieur⁠—from my wife herself.”