"I?" inquired D'Artagnan.

"Yes; I do not see you in this way without some reason for it," said
Athos, smiling.

"The deuce!" said D'Artagnan.

"I will place you at your ease. The king is furious, I suppose?"

"Well, I must say he is not altogether pleased."

"And you have come to arrest me, then?"

"My dear friend, you have hit the very mark."

"Oh, I expected it! I am quite ready to go with you."

"Deuce take it!" said D'Artagnan, "what a hurry you are in."

"I am afraid of delaying you," said Athos, smiling.

"I have plenty of time. Are you not curious, besides, to know how things
went on between the king and me?"

"If you will be good enough to tell me, I will listen with the greatest
pleasure," said Athos, pointing out to D'Artagnan a large chair, into
which the latter threw himself, assuming the easiest possible attitude.

"Well, I will do so willing enough," continued D'Artagnan, "for the
conversation is rather curious, I must say. In the first place, the king
sent for me."

"As soon as I had left?"

"You were just going down the last steps of the staircase, as the
musketeers told me. I arrived. My dear Athos, he was not red in the face
merely, he was positively purple. I was not aware, of course, of what
had passed; only, on the ground, lying on the floor, I saw a sword
broken in two.

"'Captain d'Artagnan,' cried the king, as soon as he saw me.

"'Sire,' I replied.

"'M. de la Fere has just left me; he is an insolent man.'

"'An insolent man!' I exclaimed, in such a tone that the king stopped
suddenly short.

"'Captain d'Artagnan,' resumed the king, with his teeth clenched, 'you
will be good enough to listen to and hear me.'

"'That is my duty, sire.'

"'I have, out of consideration for M. de la Fere, wished to spare him,
of whom I still retain some kind recollections, the discredit of being
arrested in my palace. You will therefore take a carriage.' At this I
made a slight movement.

"'If you object to arrest him yourself,' continued the king, 'send me my
captain of the guards here.'

"'Sire,' I replied, 'there is no necessity for the captain of the
guards, since I am on duty.'

"'I should not like to annoy you,' said the king, kindly, 'for you have
always served me well, Monsieur d'Artagnan.'

"'You do not "annoy" me, sire,' I replied; 'I am on duty, that is all.'

"'But,' said the king, in astonishment, 'I believe the comte is your
friend?'

"'If he were my father, sire,