in
my presence that such explanations, and made in this tone, should take
place."

"I have acted for the good of the king," said Colbert, in a faltering
voice; "it is hard to be so treated by one of your majesty's officers,
and that without vengeance, on account of the respect I owe the king."

"The respect you owe the king!" cried D'Artagnan, whose eyes flashed
fire, "consists, in the first place, in making his authority respected,
and making his person beloved. Every agent of a power without control
represents that power, and when people curse the hand which strikes
them, it is to the royal hand that God makes the reproach, do you hear?
Must a soldier, hardened by forty years of wounds and blood, give you
this lesson, monsieur? Must mercy be on my side, and ferocity on yours?
You have caused the innocent to be arrested, bound, and imprisoned!"

"The accomplices, perhaps, of M. Fouquet," said Colbert.

"Who told you that M. Fouquet had accomplices, or even that he was
guilty? The king alone knows that, his justice is not blind! When he
shall say, 'Arrest and imprison' such and such people, then he shall be
obeyed. Do not talk to me then any more of the respect you owe the king,
and be careful of your words, that they may not chance to convey any
menace; for the king will not allow those to be threatened who do him
service by others who do him disservice; and if in case I should have,
which God forbid! a master so ungrateful, I would make myself
respected."

Thus saying, D'Artagnan took his station haughtily in the king's
cabinet, his eye flashing, his hand on his sword, his lips trembling,
affecting much more anger than he really felt. Colbert, humiliated and
devoured with rage, bowed to the king as if to ask his permission to
leave the room. The king, crossed in his pride and in his curiosity,
knew not which part to take. D'Artagnan saw him hesitate. To remain
longer would have been an error; it was necessary to obtain a triumph
over Colbert, and the only means was to touch the king so near and so
strongly to the quick, that his majesty would have no other means of
extricating himself but choosing between the two antagonists. D'Artagnan
then bowed as Colbert had done; but the king, who, in preference to
everything else was anxious to have all the exact details of the arrest
of the surintendant of the finances from him who had made him tremble
for a moment--the king, perceiving that the ill-humor of D'Artagnan
w