d which then
fell from your lips has escaped my memory; and, when I asked your
majesty to accord me Mademoiselle de la Valliere's hand for M. de
Bragelonne, you refused."

"Quite true," said Louis, dryly.

"Alleging," Athos hastened to say, "that the young lady had no position
in society." Louis could hardly force himself to listen patiently.

"That," added Athos, "she had but little fortune." The king threw
himself back in his armchair.

"That her extraction was indifferent." A renewed impatience on the part
of the king.

"And little beauty," added Athos, pitilessly. This last bolt buried
itself deep in the king's heart, and made him almost bound from his
seat.

"You have a good memory, monsieur," he said.

"I invariably have, on all occasions when I have had the distinguished
honor of an interview with your majesty," retorted the comte, without
being in the least disconcerted.

"Very good; it is admitted I said all that."

"And I thanked your majesty for your remarks at the time, because they
testified an interest in M. de Bragelonne, which did him much honor."

"And you may possibly remember," said the king, very deliberately, "that
you had the greatest repugnance for this marriage."

"Quite true, sire."

"And that you solicited my permission, much against your own
inclination?"

"Yes, sire."

"And, finally, I remember, for I have a memory nearly as good as your
own; I remember, I say, that you observed at the time: 'I do not believe
that Mademoiselle de la Valliere loves M. de Bragelonne.' Is that true?"

The blow told well, but Athos did not draw back. "Sire," he said, "I
have already begged your majesty's forgiveness; but there are certain
particulars in that conversation which are only intelligible from the
_denouement_."

"Well, what is the _denouement_, monsieur?"

"This: your majesty then said, that you would defer the marriage out of
regard for M. de Bragelonne's own interests."

The king remained silent. "M. de Bragelonne is now so exceedingly
unhappy that he cannot any longer defer asking your majesty for a
solution of the matter."

The king turned pale; Athos looked at him with fixed attention.

"And what," said the king, with considerable hesitation, "does M. de
Bragelonne request?"

"Precisely the very thing that I came to ask your majesty for at my last
audience, namely, your majesty's consent to his marriage."

The king remained perfectly silent.

"The questions which re