your majesty when poor, neither did I betray you. I have shed my blood
for nothing; I have watched like a dog at a door, knowing full well that
neither bread nor bone would be thrown to me. I, although poor likewise,
asked nothing of your majesty but the discharge you speak of."

"I know you are a brave man, but I was a young man, and you ought to
have had some indulgence for me. What had you to reproach the king
with?--that he left King Charles II. without assistance?--let us say
further--that he did not marry Mademoiselle de Mancini?" When saying
these words, the king fixed upon the musketeer a searching look.

"Ah! ah!" thought the latter, "he is doing far more than remembering, he
divines. The devil!"

"Your sentence," continued Louis, "fell upon the king and fell upon the
man. But, Monsieur d'Artagnan, that weakness, for you considered it
a weakness?"--D'Artagnan made no reply--"you reproached me also with
regard to monsieur, the defunct cardinal. Now, monsieur le cardinal,
did he not bring me up, did he not support me?--elevating himself
and supporting himself at the same time, I admit; but the benefit was
discharged. As an ingrate or an egotist, would you, then, have better
loved or served me?"

"Sire!"

"We will say no more about it, monsieur; it would only create in you too
many regrets, and me too much pain."

D'Artagnan was not convinced. The young king, in adopting a tone of
_hauteur_ with him, did not forward his purpose.

"You have since reflected?" resumed Louis.

"Upon what, sire?" asked D'Artagnan, politely.

"Why, upon all that I have said to you, monsieur."

"Yes, sire, no doubt--"

"And you have only waited for an opportunity of retracting your words?"

"Sire!"

"You hesitate, it seems."

"I do not understand what your majesty did me the honor to say to me."

Louis's brow became cloudy.

"Have the goodness to excuse me, sire; my understanding is particularly
thick; things do not penetrate it without difficulty; but it is true,
once they get in, they remain there."

"Yes, yes; you appear to have a memory."

"Almost as good a one as your majesty's."

"Then give me quickly one solution. My time is valuable. What have you
been doing since your discharge?"

"Making my fortune, sire."

"The expression is crude, Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"Your majesty takes it in bad part, certainly. I entertain nothing but
the profoundest respect for the king; and if I have been impolite, which