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〃Madame；〃 replied De Winter； 〃your majesty will be served by a man devoted to you。 I hasten to deposit these two objects in a safe place； nor should I accept them if the resources of our ancient fortune were left to us； but our estates are confiscated； our ready money is exhausted； and we are reduced to turn to service everything we possess。 In an hour hence I shall be with the te de la Fere； and to…morrow your majesty shall have a definite reply。〃
The queen tendered her hand to Lord de Winter； who； kissing it respectfully； went out and traversed alone and unconducted those large； dark and deserted apartments； brushing away tears which； blase as he was by fifty years spent as a courtier； he could not withhold at the spectacle of royal distress so dignified； yet so intense。
Uncle and Nephew
The horse and servant belonging to De Winter were waiting for him at the door； he proceeded toward his abode very thoughtfully； looking behind him from time to him to contemplate the dark and silent frontage of the Louvre。 It was then that he saw a horseman； as it were； detach himself from the wall and follow him at a little distance。 In leaving the Palais Royal he remembered to have observed a similar shadow。
〃Tony；〃 he said； motioning to his groom to approach。
〃Here I am； my lord。〃
〃Did you remark that man who is following us？〃
〃Yes； my lord。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃I do not know； only he has followed your grace from the Palais Royal； stopped at the Louvre to wait for you； and now leaves the Louvre with you。〃
〃Some spy of the cardinal；〃 said De Winter to him； aside。 〃Let us pretend not to notice that he is watching us。〃
And spurring on he plunged into the labyrinth of streets which led to his hotel； situated near the Marais； for having for so long a time lived near the Place Royale； Lord de Winter naturally returned to lodge near his ancient dwelling。
The unknown spurred his horse to a gallop。
De Winter dismounted at his hotel and went up into his apartment； intending to watch the spy； but as he was about to place his gloves and hat on a table； he saw reflected in a glass opposite to him a figure which stood on the threshold of the room。 He turned around and Mordaunt stood before him。
There was a moment of frozen silence between these two。
〃Sir；〃 said De Winter； 〃I thought I had already made you aware that I am weary of this persecution； withdraw； then； or I shall call and have you turned out as you were in London。 I am not your uncle； I know you not。〃
〃My uncle；〃 replied Mordaunt； with his harsh and bantering tone； 〃you are mistaken； you will not have me turned out this time as you did in London you dare not。 As for denying that I am your nephew； you will think twice about it； now that I have learned some things of which I was ignorant a year ago。〃
〃And how does it concern me what you have learned？〃 said De Winter。
〃Oh； it concerns you very closely； my uncle； I am sure； and you will soon be of my opinion；〃 added he； with a smile which sent a shudder through the veins of him he thus addressed。 〃When I presented myself before you for the first time in London； it was to ask you what had bee of my fortune； the second time it was to demand who had sullied my name； and this time I e before you to ask a question far more terrible than any other； to say to you as God said to the first murderer： ‘Cain； what hast thou done to thy brother Abel？' My lord； what have you done with your sister your sister； who was my mother？〃
De Winter shrank back from the fire of those scorching eyes。
〃Your mother？〃 he said。
〃Yes； my lord； my mother；〃 replied the young man； advancing into the room until he was face to face with Lord de Winter； and crossing his arms。 〃I have asked the headsman of Bethune；〃 he said； his voice hoarse and his face livid with passion and grief。 〃And the headsman of Bethune gave me a reply。〃
De Winter fell back in a chair as though struck by a thunderbolt and in vain attempted a reply。
〃Yes；〃 continued the young man； 〃all is now explained； with this key I open the abyss。 My mother inherited an estate from her husband； you have assassinated her； my name would have secured me the paternal estate； you have deprived me of it； you have despoiled me of my fortune。 I am no longer astonished that you knew me not。 I am not surprised that you refused to recognize me。 When a man is a robber it is hard to call him nephew whom he has impoverished； when one is a murderer； to recognize the man whom one has made an orphan。〃
These words produced a contrary effect to that which Mordaunt had anticipated。 De Winter remembered the monster that Milady had been； he rose； dignified and calm； restraining by the severity of his look the wild glance of the young man。
〃You desire to fathom this horrible secret？〃 said De Winter； 〃well； then； so be it。 Know； then； what manner of woman it was for whom to…day you call me to account。 That woman had； in all probability； poisoned my brother； and in order to inherit from me she was about to assassinate me in my turn。 I have proof of it。 What say you to that？〃
〃I say that she was my mother。〃
〃She caused the unfortunate Duke of Buckingham to be stabbed by a man who was； ere that； honest； good and pure。 What say you to that crime； of which I have the proof？〃
〃She was my mother。〃
〃On our return to France she had a young woman who was attached to one of her opponents poisoned in the convent of the Augustines at Bethune。 Will this crime persuade you of the justice of her punishment for of all this I have the proofs？〃
〃She was my mother！〃 cried the young man； who uttered these three successive exclamations with constantly increasing force。
〃At last； charged with murders； with debauchery； hated by every one and yet threatening still； like a panther thirsting for blood； she fell under the blows of men whom she had rendered desperate； though they had never done her the least injury； she met with judges whom her hideous crimes had evoked； and that executioner you saw that executioner who you say told you everything that executioner； if he told you everything； told you that he leaped wi