much of it. To live under
the paw of these hungry wolves is hard for a man who reckoned upon
independence."

At this moment someone scratched at the door of the cabinet; the king
raised his head proudly. "Your pardon, Monsieur d'Artagnan," said he;
"it is M. Colbert, who comes to make me a report. Come in, M. Colbert."

D'Artagnan drew back. Colbert entered with papers in his hand, and went
up to the king. There can be little doubt that the Gascon did not lose
the opportunity of applying his keen, quick glance to the new figure
which presented itself.

"Is the inquiry made?"

"Yes, sire."

"And the opinion of the inquisitors?"

"Is that the accused merit confiscation and death."

"Ah! ah!" said the king, without changing countenance, and casting an
oblique look at D'Artagnan. "And your own opinion, M. Colbert?" said he.

Colbert looked at D'Artagnan is his turn. That imposing countenance
checked the words upon his lips. Louis perceived this. "Do not disturb
yourself," said he; "it is M. d'Artagnan,--do you not know M. d'Artagnan
again?"

These two men looked at each other--D'Artagnan, with eyes open and
bright as the day--Colbert, with his half closed, and dim. The frank
intrepidity of the financier annoyed the other; the circumspection of
the financier disgusted the soldier. "Ah! ah! this is the gentleman
who made that brilliant stroke in England," said Colbert. And he bowed
slightly to D'Artagnan.

"Ah! ah!" said the Gascon, "this is the gentleman who clipped off the
lace from the uniform of the Swiss! A praiseworthy piece of economy."

The financier thought to pierce the musketeer; but the musketeer ran the
financier through.

"Monsieur d'Artagnan," resumed the king, who had not remarked all the
shades of which Mazarin would have missed not one, "this concerns the
farmers of the revenue who have robbed me, whom I am hanging, and whose
death-warrants I am about to sign."

"Oh! oh!" said D'Artagnan, starting.

"What did you say?"

"Oh! nothing, sire. This is no business of mine."

The king had already taken up the pen, and was applying it to the paper.
"Sire," said Colbert in a subdued voice, "I beg to warn your majesty,
that if an example be necessary, there will be difficulty in the
execution of your orders."

"What do you say?" said Louis.

"You must not conceal from yourself," continued Colbert quietly, "that
attacking the farmers-general is attacking the superintendence. The
two unfortuna