LITMIR.BIZ

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to burn it—which, during a period of war, would have been of little consequence, seeing it is merely a nest of Huguenots, but which, nevertheless, in time of peace, is a bad example. Say, are you about to deny these matters?”

      “And who has related to your majesty all this fine story?” quietly demanded M. de Treville.

      “Who has related to me this fine story, sir? Who should it be, pray, but he who watches whilst I sleep; who labours whilst I amuse myself; who manages everything within and without the realm; in Europe, as well as in France?”

      “Your majesty no doubt means God,” said M. de Treville, “for I know no other being who can be so far above your majesty.”

      “No, sir; I speak of the pillar of the state; of my only servant—of my only friend—of the cardinal.”

      “His eminence is not his holiness, sir!”

      “What do you mean by that, sir?”

      “That it is only the pope who is infallible; the infallibility which he possesses does not extend to cardinals.”

      “You would say, then,” said the king, “that he deceives me; you would say that he betrays me?”

      “No, sire,” said M. de Treville, “but I say that he deceives himself; I say, that he has been deceived; I say, that he has hastily accused his majesty’s musketeers, towards whom he is unjust; and that he has not drawn his information from authentic sources.”

      “The accusation comes from M. de la Tremouille—from the duke himself. What say you to that?” asked the king.

      “I might say that he is too deeply interested in the question, to be an impartial witness; but, far from doing that, sire, I, knowing the duke for a loyal gentleman, willingly refer to him, but on one condition.”

      “What is that?” said the king.

      “It is that your majesty will send for him; will question him, but by yourself, face to face, without witnesses; and that I may see your majesty as soon as you have parted from the duke.”

      “Ay, marry, indeed!” said the king; “and you will be judged by what the duke may say?”

      “Yes, sire.”

      “You will accept his judgment?”

      “Without hesitation!” replied Treville.

      “And you will submit to the reparations he may require?”

      “Entirely!”

      “La Chesnaye!” exclaimed the king, “La Chesnaye, let some one go immediately to inquire for M. de la Tremouille. I wish to speak with him this evening.”

      “Your majesty gives me your word that you will not speak with any one between M. de la Tremouille and myself?” asked Treville.

      “With no one, on the word of a gentleman!” replied the king.

      “Tomorrow, then, sire?”

      “Tomorrow, sir.”

      “At what hour will it please your majesty?”

      “At any hour you desire!”

      “But in coming too early in the morning, I fear I may wake your majesty!”

      “Wake me! Do I sleep? I never sleep now, sir! I may dream sometimes; nothing more. So come as early as you like, at seven o’clock if you choose; but I will not spare you, if your musketeers are in fault!”

      “If my musketeers are guilty, sire, the guilty shall be delivered up to your majesty to await your pleasure. Does your majesty require anything else? You have but to speak and you shall be obeyed!”

      “No, sir, no! It is not without reason that I have been named Louis the Just. Farewell, then, till tomorrow, sir! Farewell!”

      “May God preserve your majesty till then!”

      However little the king might sleep, M. de Treville slept even less. He had told the three musketeers and their comrade, to be with him at half-past six in the morning; and he took them with him without telling them anything, or making them any promise; confessing to them that their favour, as well as his own, was not worth more than the chances of a cast of dice.

      He left them at the foot of the staircase. If the king remained angry with them, they were to go away unnoticed; but, if his majesty consented to receive them, they would be ready at a call.

      On entering the king’s antechamber, M. de Treville found Chesnaye there, who informed him that M. de la Tremouille could not be found the evening before, and returned too late to be presented at the Louvre; that he had, in fact, but just arrived, and was now with the king.

      This circumstance much pleased M. de Treville, who was certain that nothing could come between M. de la Tremouille’s deposition, and his own audience. Scarcely, indeed, had ten minutes elapsed before the door of the king’s cabinet opened, and de Treville saw M. de la Tremouille come out. The duke immediately said to him,

      “M. de Treville, his majesty sent for me; to inquire into the affair that happened yesterday morning at my hotel. I have told him the truth, that the fault lay with my people, and that I was ready to make you my excuses. As I have met you, will you now receive them, and do me the favour always to consider me as one of your friends!”

      “Sir,” said M. de Treville, “I was so convinced of your loyalty, that I did not wish for any other defender with his majesty than yourself. I see that I did not deceive myself; and I thank you that there is still one man in France, of whom I may say what I have said of you, without danger, deception, or mistake.”

      “It is well! it is well!” said the king, who had heard all these compliments. “Only tell him, Treville, since he wishes for your friendship, that I also wish for his, but that he neglects me; that it is just three years since I have seen him; and that he only comes to a levee when invited. Tell him this for me; for those are the kind of things which a king cannot say for himself!”

      “Thanks, sire! thanks!” exclaimed the duke. “But let me assure your majesty that it is not those whom you see every day (I do not refer to M. de Treville) who are the most devoted to you.”

      “Ah! you heard what I said! So much the better, duke! so much the better!” said the king, advancing to the door. “Ah! it is you, Treville! where are your musketeers? I commanded you the day before yesterday to bring them! Why are they not here?”

      “They are below, sire, and with your permission, Chesnaye will call them up.”

      “Yes, yes! let them come directly; it will soon be eight o’clock, and at nine I have an appointment. Go, duke! and, above all things, forget not to return. Come in, Treville!”

      The Duke bowed and departed. The moment that he opened the door, the three musketeers and d’Artagnan conducted by Chesnaye, appeared at the top of the stairs.

      “Come, my brave fellows!” said the king, “I must scold you!”

      The musketeers approached, with obeisances, d’Artagnan following behind.

      “What! the devil!” continued the king, “seven of his eminence’s guards regularly doubled up by you four in two days! It is too many, gentlemen; it is too many: at this rate, his eminence will have to renew his regiment in three weeks, and I shall have to enforce the edicts in their full rigour. I say nothing of one by chance; but seven in two days, I repeat it, are too many, a great deal too many!”

      “But your majesty perceives that they have come in sorrow and repentance, to excuse themselves.”

      “In sorrow and repentance! hum!” said the king. “I do not put much trust in their hypocritical faces. There is, above all, a Gascon face in the background there! Come here, you, sir!”

      D’Artagnan, who comprehended that the compliment was addressed to him, approached his majesty with a desperately desponding look.

      “What!

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