e
Musketeer had nothing in it to render his friends uneasy, his weakness
having been purely and simply caused by loss of blood.

Then M. de Treville made a sign with his hand, and all retired except
d'Artagnan, who did not forget that he had an audience, and with the
tenacity of a Gascon remained in his place.

When all had gone out and the door was closed, M. de Treville, on
turning round, found himself alone with the young man. The event which
had occurred had in some degree broken the thread of his ideas. He
inquired what was the will of his persevering visitor. d'Artagnan then
repeated his name, and in an instant recovering all his remembrances of
the present and the past, M. de Treville grasped the situation.

"Pardon me," said he, smiling, "pardon me my dear compatriot, but I
had wholly forgotten you. But what help is there for it! A captain
is nothing but a father of a family, charged with even a greater
responsibility than the father of an ordinary family. Soldiers are
big children; but as I maintain that the orders of the king, and more
particularly the orders of the cardinal, should be executed--"

D'Artagnan could not restrain a smile. By this smile M. de Treville
judged that he had not to deal with a fool, and changing the
conversation, came straight to the point.

"I respected your father very much," said he. "What can I do for the
son? Tell me quickly; my time is not my own."

"Monsieur," said d'Artagnan, "on quitting Tarbes and coming hither, it
was my intention to request of you, in remembrance of the friendship
which you have not forgotten, the uniform of a Musketeer; but after all
that I have seen during the last two hours, I comprehend that such a
favor is enormous, and tremble lest I should not merit it."

"It is indeed a favor, young man," replied M. de Treville, "but it may
not be so far beyond your hopes as you believe, or rather as you appear
to believe. But his majesty's decision is always necessary; and I inform
you with regret that no one becomes a Musketeer without the preliminary
ordeal of several campaigns, certain brilliant actions, or a service of
two years in some other regiment less favored than ours."

D'Artagnan bowed without replying, feeling his desire to don the
Musketeer's uniform vastly increased by the great difficulties which
preceded the attainment of it.

"But," continued M. de Treville, fixing upon his compatriot a look so
piercing that it might be said he wished t