e musketeer.

"The handwriting of monsieur le comte," said Raoul.

"Yes, yes." And D'Artagnan broke the seal.

"Dear friend," said Athos, "a person has just been here to beg me to
seek for you, on the part of the king."

"Seek me!" said D'Artagnan, letting the paper fall upon the table. Raoul
picked it up, and continued to read aloud:--

"Make haste. His majesty is very anxious to speak to you, and expects
you at the Louvre."

"Expects me?" again repeated the musketeer.

"He, he, he!" laughed Raoul.

"Oh, oh!" replied D'Artagnan. "What the devil can this mean?"

Chapter LIII. The King.

The first moment of surprise over, D'Artagnan reperused Athos's note.
"It is strange," said he, "that the king should send for me."

"Why so?" said Raoul; "do you not think, monsieur, that the king must
regret such a servant as you?"

"Oh, oh!" cried the officer, laughing with all his might; "you are
poking fun at me, Master Raoul. If the king had regretted me, he would
not have let me leave him. No, no; I see in it something better, or
worse, if you like."

"Worse! What can that be, monsieur le chevalier?"

"You are young, you are a boy, you are admirable. Oh, how I should like
to be as you are! To be but twenty-four, with an unfortunate brow,
under which the brain is void of everything but women, love, and good
intentions. Oh, Raoul, as long as you have not received the smiles
of kings, the confidence of queens; as long as you have not had two
cardinals killed under you, the one a tiger, the other a fox; as long as
you have not--But what is the good of all this trifling? We must part,
Raoul."

"How you say the word! What a serious face!"

"Eh! but the occasion is worthy of it. Listen to me. I have a very good
recommendation to tender you."

"I am all attention, Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"You will go and inform your father of my departure."

"Your departure?"

"_Pardieu!_ You will tell him I am gone into England; and that I am
living in my little country-house."

"In England, you!--And the king's orders?"

"You get more and more silly: do you imagine that I am going to
the Louvre, to place myself at the disposal of that little crowned
wolf-cub?"

"The king a wolf-cub? Why, monsieur le chevalier, you are mad!"

"On the contrary, I never was so sane. You do not know what he wants to
do with me, this worthy son of _Louis le Juste!_--But, _mordioux!_ that
is policy. He wishes to ensconce me snugly in the Bas