es the breaking of my neck, to salute me on my arrival with
such intelligence. Sire, when people are not trusted, or are deemed
insufficient, they should scarcely be employed." And D'Artagnan, with
a movement perfectly military, stamped with his foot, and left upon the
floor dust stained with blood. The king looked at him, inwardly enjoying
his first triumph.

"Monsieur," said he, at the expiration of a minute, "not only is
Belle-Isle known to me, but, still further, Belle-Isle is mine."

"That is well! that is well, sire, I ask but one thing more," replied
D'Artagnan.--"My discharge."

"What! your discharge?"

"Without doubt I am too proud to eat the bread of the king without
earning it, or rather by gaining it badly.--My discharge, sire!"

"Oh, oh!"

"I ask for my discharge, or I will take it."

"You are angry, monsieur?"

"I have reason, _mordioux!_ Thirty-two hours in the saddle, I ride day
and night, I perform prodigies of speed, I arrive stiff as the corpse of
a man who has been hung--and another arrives before me! Come, sire, I am
a fool!--My discharge, sire!"

"Monsieur d'Artagnan," said Louis, leaning his white hand upon the dusty
arm of the musketeer, "what I tell you will not at all affect that which
I promised you. A king's word given must be kept." And the king going
straight to his table, opened a drawer, and took out a folded paper.
"Here is your commission of captain of musketeers; you have won it,
Monsieur d'Artagnan."

D'Artagnan opened the paper eagerly, and scanned it twice. He could
scarcely believe his eyes.

"And this commission is given you," continued the king, "not only on
account of your journey to Belle-Isle but, moreover, for your brave
intervention at the Place de Greve. There, likewise, you served me
valiantly."

"Ah, ah!" said D'Artagnan, without his self-command being able to
prevent a blush from mounting to his eyes--"you know that also, sire?"

"Yes, I know it."

The king possessed a piercing glance and an infallible judgment when it
was his object to read men's minds. "You have something to say," said
he to the musketeer, "something to say which you do not say. Come, speak
freely, monsieur; you know that I told you, once and for all, that you
are to be always quite frank with me."

"Well, sire! what I have to say is this, that I would prefer being made
captain of the musketeers for having charged a battery at the head of my
company, or taken a city, than for causin