Aramis, "the interest of Spain is very clear. To
embroil Europe with the United Provinces, against which subsists the
ancient malice of their conquered liberty, is our policy, but the king
of France is allied with the United Provinces. You are not ignorant,
besides, that it would be a maritime war, and that France is not in a
state to make such a one with advantage."

Colbert, turning round at this moment, saw D'Artagnan, who was seeking
an interlocutor, during the "aside" of the king and Monsieur. He called
him, at the same time saying in a low voice to Aramis. "We may talk with
M. d'Artagnan. I suppose?"

"Oh! certainly," replied the ambassador.

"We were saying, M. d'Almeda and I," said Colbert, "that war with the
United Provinces would be a maritime war."

"That's evident enough," replied the musketeer.

"And what do you think of it, Monsieur d'Artagnan?"

"I think that to carry that war on successfully, you must have a very
large land army."

"What did you say?" said Colbert, thinking he had ill-understood him.

"Why such a land army?" said Aramis.

"Because the king will be beaten by sea if he has not the English with
him, and that when beaten by sea, he will be soon invaded, either by the
Dutch in his ports, or by the Spaniards by land."

"And Spain neutral?" asked Aramis.

"Neutral as long as the king shall be the stronger," rejoined
D'Artagnan.

Colbert admired that sagacity which never touched a question without
enlightening it thoroughly. Aramis smiled, as he had long known that in
diplomacy D'Artagnan acknowledged no master. Colbert, who, like all
proud men, dwelt upon his fantasy with a certainty of success, resumed
the subject, "Who told you, M. d'Artagnan, that the king had no navy?"

"Oh! I have taken no heed of these details," replied the captain. "I am
but a middling sailor. Like all nervous people, I hate the sea; and yet
I have an idea that with ships, France being a seaport with two hundred
heads, we might have sailors."

Colbert drew from his pocket a little oblong book, divided into two
columns. On the first were the names of vessels, on the other the
figures recapitulating the number of cannon and men requisite to equip
these ships. "I have had the same idea as you," said he to D'Artagnan,
"and I have had an account drawn up of the vessels we have
altogether--thirty-five ships."

"Thirty-five ships! that is impossible!" cried D'Artagnan.

"Something like two thousand pieces o