This affair made a great noise. M. de Treville scolded hisMusketeers in public, and congratulated them in private; but asno time was to be lost in gaining the king, M. de Trevillehastened to report himself at the Louvre. It was already toolate. The king was closeted with the cardinal, and M. deTreville was informed that the king was busy and could notreceive him at that moment. In the evening M. de Trevilleattended the king's gaming table. The king was winning; and ashe was very avaricious, he was in an excellent humor. PerceivingM. de Treville at a distance -

"Come here, Monsieur Captain," said he, "come here, that I maygrowl at you. Do you know that his Eminence has been makingfresh complaints against your Musketeers, and that with so muchemotion, that this evening his Eminence is indisposed? Ah, theseMusketeers of yours are very devils - fellows to be hanged."

"No, sire," replied Treville, who saw at the first glance howthings would go, "on the contrary, they are good creatures, asmeek as lambs, and have but one desire, I'll be their warranty.And that is that their swords may never leave their scabbards butin your majesty's service. But what are they to do? The Guardsof Monsieur the Cardinal are forever seeking quarrels with them,and for the honor of the corps even, the poor young men areobliged to defend themselves."

"Listen to Monsieur de Treville," said the king; "listen to him!Would not one say he was speaking of a religious community? Intruth, my dear Captain, I have a great mind to take away yourcommission and give it to Mademoiselle de Chemerault, to whom Ipromised an abbey. But don't fancy that I am going to take youon your bare word. I am called Louis the Just, Monsieur deTreville, and by and by, by and by we will see."

"Ah, sire; it is because I confide in that justice that I shallwait patiently and quietly the good pleasure of your Majesty."

"Wait, then, monsieur, wait," said the king; "I will not detainyou long."

In fact, fortune changed; and as the king began to lose what hehad won, he was not sorry to find an excuse for playingCharlemagne - if we may use a gaming phrase of whose origin weconfess our ignorance. The king therefore arose a minute after,and putting the money which lay before him into his pocket, themajor part of which arose from his winnings, "La Vieuville," saidhe, "take my place; I must speak to Monsieur de Treville on anaffair of importance. Ah, I had eighty louis before me; put downthe same sum, so that they who have lost may have nothing tocomplain of. Justice before everything."

Then turning toward M. de Treville and walking with him towardthe embrasure of a window, "Well, monsieur," continued he, "yousay it is his Eminence's Guards who have sought a quarrel withyour Musketeers?"

"Yes, sire, as they always do."

"And how did the thing happen? Let us see, for you know, my dearCaptain, a judge must hear both sides."

"Good Lord! In the most simple and natural manner possible.Three of my best soldiers, whom your Majesty knows by name, andwhose devotedness you have more than once appreciated, and whohave, I dare affirm to the king, his service much at heart - threeof my best soldiers, I say, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, had madea party of pleasure with a young fellow from Gascony, whom I hadintroduced to them the same morning. The party was to take placeat St. Germain, I believe, and they had appointed to meet at theCarmes-Deschaux, when they were disturbed by De Jussac, Cahusac,Bicarat, and two other Guardsmen, who certainly did not go therein such a numerous company without some ill intention against theedicts."

"Ah, ah! You incline me to think so," said the king. "There isno doubt they went thither to fight themselves."

"I do not accuse them, sire; but I leave your Majesty to judgewhat five armed men could possibly be going to do in such adeserted place as the neighborhood of the Convent des Carmes."

"Yes, you are right, Treville, you are right!"

"Then, upon seeing my Musketeers they changed their minds, andforgot their private hatred for partisan hatred; for your Majestycannot be ignorant that the Musketeers, who belong to the kingand nobody but the king, are the natural enemies of theGuardsmen, who belong to the cardinal."

"Yes, Treville, yes," said the king, in a melancholy tone; "andit is very sad, believe me, to see thus two parties in France,two heads to royalty. But all this will come to an end, Treville,will come to an end. You say, then, that the Guardsmen sought aquarrel with the Musketeers?"

"I say that it is probable that things have fallen out so, but Iwill not swear to it, sire. You know how difficult it is todiscover the truth; and unless a man be endowed with thatadmirable instinct which causes Louis XIII to be named theJust - "

"You are right, Treville; but they were not alone, yourMusketeers. They had a youth with them?"

"Yes, sire, and one wounded man; so that three of the king'sMusketeers - one of whom was wounded - and a youth not onlymaintained their ground against five of the most terrible of thecardinal's Guardsmen, but absolutely brought four of them toearth."

"Why, this is a victory!" cried the king, all radiant, "acomplete victory!"

"Yes, sire; as complete as that of the Bridge of Ce."

"Four men, one of them wounded, and a youth, say you?"

"One hardly a young man; but who, however, behaved himself soadmirably on this occasion that I will take the liberty ofrecommending him to your Majesty."

"How does he call himself?"

"D'Artagnan, sire; he is the son of one of my oldest friends - theson of a man who served under the king your father, of gloriousmemory, in the civil war."

"And you say this young man behaved himself well? Tell me how,Treville - you know how I delight in accounts of war andfighting."

And Louis XIII twisted his mustache proudly, placing his handupon his hip.

"Sire," resumed Treville, "as I told you, Monsieur d'Artagnan islittle more than a boy; and as he has not the honor of being aMusketeer, he was dressed as a citizen. The Guards of thecardinal, perceiving his youth and that he did not belong to thecorps, invited him to retire before they attacked."

"so you may plainly see, Treville," interrupted the king, "it wasthey who attacked?"

"That is true, sire; there can be no more doubt on that head.They called upon him then to retire; but he answered that he wasa Musketeer at heart, entirely devoted to your Majesty, and thattherefore he would remain with Messieurs the Musketeers."

"Brave young man!" murmured the king.

"Well, he did remain with them; and your Majesty has in him sofirm a champion that it was he who gave Jussac the terrible swordthrust which has made the cardinal so angry."

"He who wounded Jussac!" cried the king, "he, a boy! Treville,that's impossible!"

"It is as I have the honor to relate it to your Majesty."

"Jussac, one of the first swordsmen in the kingdom?"

"Well, sire, for once he found his master."

"I will see this young, Treville - I will see him; and if anythingcan be done - well, we will make it our business."

"When will your Majesty deign to receive him?"

"Tomorrow, at midday, Treville."

"Shall I bring him alone?"

"No, bring me all four together. I wish to thank them all atonce. Devoted men are so rare, Treville, by the back staircase.It is useless to let the cardinal know."

"Yes, sire."

"You understand, Treville - an edict is still an edict, it isforbidden to fight, after all."

"But this encounter, sire, is quite out of the ordinaryconditions of a duel. It is a brawl; and the proof is that therewere five of the cardinal's Guardsmen against my three Musketeersand Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"That is true," said the king; "but never mind, Treville, comestill by the back staircase."

Treville smiled; but as it was indeed something to have prevailedupon this child to rebel against his master, he saluted the kingrespectfully, and with this agreement, took leave of him.

That evening the three Musketeers were informed of the honoraccorded them. As they had long been acquainted with the king,they were not much excited; but D'Artagnan, with his Gasconimagination, saw in it his future fortune, and passed the nightin golden dreams. By eight o'clock in the morning he was at theapartment of Athos.

D'Artagnan found the Musketeer dressed and ready to go out. Asthe hour to wait upon the king was not till twelve, he had made aparty with Porthos and Aramis to play a game at tennis in atennis court situated near the stables of the Luxembourg. Athosinvited D'Artagnan to follow them; and although ignorant of thegame, which he had never played, he accepted, not knowing what todo with his time from nine o'clock in the morning, as it thenscarcely was, till twelve.

The two Musketeers were already there, and were playing together.Athos, who was very expert in all bodily exercises, passed withD'Artagnan to the opposite side and challenged them; but at thefirst effort he made, although he played with his left hand, hefound that his wound was yet too recent to allow of suchexertion. D'Artagnan remained, therefore, alone; and as hedeclared he was too ignorant of the game to play it regularlythey only continued giving balls to one another without counting.But one of these balls, launched by Porthos' herculean hand,passed so close to D'Artagnan's face that he thought that if,instead of passing near, it had hit him, his audience would havebeen probably lost, as it would have been impossible for him topresent himself before the king. Now, as upon this audience, inhis Gascon imagination, depended his future life, he salutedAramis and Porthos politely, declaring that he would not resumethe game until he should be prepared to play with them on moreequal terms, and went and took his place near the cord and in thegallery.

Unfortunately for D'Artagnan, among the spectators was one of hisEminence's Guardsmen, who, still irritated by the defeat of hiscompanions, which had happened only the day before, had promisedhimself to seize the first opportunity of avenging it. Hebelieved this opportunity was now come and addressed hisneighbor: "It is not astonishing that that young man should beafraid of a ball, for he is doubtless a Musketeer apprentice."

D'Artagnan turned round as if a serpent had stung him, and fixedhis eyes intensely upon the Guardsman who had just made thisinsolent speech.

"PARDIEU," resumed the latter, twisting his mustache, "look at meas long as you like, my little gentleman! I have said what Ihave said."

"And as since that which you have said is too clear to requireany explanation," replied D'Artagnan, in a low voice, "I beg youto follow me."

"And when?" asked the Guardsman, with the same jeering air.

"At once, if you please."

"And you know who I am, without doubt?"

"I? I am completely ignorant; nor does it much disquiet me."

"You're in the wrong there; for if you knew my name, perhaps youwould not be so pressing."

"What is your name?"

"Bernajoux, at your service."

"Well, then, Monsieur Bernajoux," said D'Artagnan, tranquilly, "Iwill wait for you at the door."

"Go, monsieur, I will follow you."

"Do not hurry yourself, monsieur, lest it be observed that we goout together. You must be aware that for our undertaking,company would be in the way."

"That's true," said the Guardsman, astonished that his name hadnot produced more effect upon the young man.

Indeed, the name of Bernajoux was known to all the world,D'Artagnan alone excepted, perhaps; for it was one of those whichfigured most frequently in the daily brawls which all the edictsof the cardinal could not repress.

Porthos and Aramis were so engaged with their game, and Athos waswatching them with so much attention, that they did not evenperceive their young companion go out, who, as he had told theGuardsman of his Eminence, stopped outside the door. An instantafter, the Guardsman descended in his turn. As D'Artagnan had notime to lose, on account of the audience of the king, which wasfixed for midday, he cast his eyes around, and seeing that thestreet was empty, said to his adversary, "My faith! It isfortunate for you, although your name is Bernajoux, to have onlyto deal with an apprentice Musketeer. Never mind; be content, Iwill do my best. On guard!"

"But," said he whom D'Artagnan thus provoked, "it appears to methat this place is badly chosen, and that we should be betterbehind the Abbey St. Germain or in the Pre-aux-Clercs."

"What you say is full of sense," replied D'Artagnan; "butunfortunately I have very little time to spare, having anappointment at twelve precisely. On guard, then, monsieur, onguard!"

Bernajoux was not a man to have such a compliment paid to himtwice. In an instant his sword glittered in his hand, and hesprang upon his adversary, whom, thanks to his greatyouthfulness, he hoped to intimidate.

But D'Artagnan had on the preceding day served hisapprenticeship. Fresh sharpened by his victory, full of hopes offuture favor, he was resolved not to recoil a step. So the twoswords were crossed close to the hilts, and as D'Artagnan stoodfirm, it was his adversary who made the retreating step; butD'Artagnan seized the moment at which, in this movement, thesword of Bernajoux deviated from the line. He freed his weapon,made a lunge, and touched his adversary on the shoulder.D'Artagnan immediately made a step backward and raised his sword;but Bernajoux cried out that it was nothing, and rushing blindlyupon him, absolutely spitted himself upon D'Artagnan's sword.As, however, he did not fall, as he did not declare himselfconquered, but only broke away toward the hotel of M. de laTremouille, in whose service he had a relative, D'Artagnan wasignorant of the seriousness of the last wound his adversary hadreceived, and pressing him warmly, without doubt would soon havecompleted his work with a third blow, when the noise which arosefrom the street being heard in the tennis court, two of thefriends of the Guardsman, who had seen him go out afterexchanging some words with D'Artagnan, rushed, sword in hand,from the court, and fell upon the conqueror. But Athos, Porthos,and Aramis quickly appeared in their turn, and the moment the twoGuardsmen attacked their young companion, drove them back.Bernajoux now fell, and as the Guardsmen were only two againstfour, they began to cry, "To the rescue! The Hotel de laTremouille!" At these cries, all who were in the hotel rushedout and fell upon the four companions, who on their side criedaloud, "To the rescue, Musketeers!"

This cry was generally heeded; for the Musketeers were known tobe enemies of the cardinal, and were beloved on account of thehatred they bore to his Eminence. Thus the soldiers of othercompanies than those which belonged to the Red Duke, as Aramishad called him, often took part with the king's Musketeers inthese quarrels. Of three Guardsmen of the company of M.Dessessart who were passing, two came to the assistance of thefour companions, while the other ran toward the hotel of M. deTreville, crying, "To the rescue, Musketeers! To the rescue!"As usual, this hotel was full of soldiers of this company, whohastened to the succor of their comrades. The MELEE becamegeneral, but strength was on the side of the Musketeers. Thecardinal's Guards and M. de la Tremouille's people retreated intothe hotel, the doors of which they closed just in time to preventtheir enemies from entering with them. As to the wounded man, hehad been taken in at once, and, as we have said, in a very badstate.

Excitement was at its height among the Musketeers and theirallies, and they even began to deliberate whether they should notset fire to the hotel to punish the insolence of M. de laTremouille's domestics in daring to make a SORTIE upon the king'sMusketeers. The proposition had been made, and received withenthusiasm, when fortunately eleven o'clock struck. D'Artagnanand his companions remembered their audience, and as they wouldvery much have regretted that such an opportunity should be lost,they succeeded in calming their friends, who contented themselveswith hurling some paving stones against the gates; but the gateswere too strong. They soon tired of the sport. Besides, thosewho must be considered the leaders of the enterprise had quit thegroup and were making their way toward the hotel of M. deTreville, who was waiting for them, already informed of thisfresh disturbance.

"Quick to the Louvre," said he, "to the Louvre without losing aninstant, and let us endeavor to see the king before he isprejudiced by the cardinal. We will describe the thing to him asa consequence of the affair of yesterday, and the two will passoff together."

M. de Treville, accompanied by the four young fellows, directedhis course toward the Louvre; but to the great astonishment ofthe captain of the Musketeers, he was informed that the king hadgone stag hunting in the forest of St. Germain. M. de Trevillerequired this intelligence to be repeated to him twice, and eachtime his companions saw his brow become darker.

"Had his Majesty," asked he, "any intention of holding thishunting party yesterday?"

"No, your Excellency," replied the valet de chambre, "the Masterof the Hounds came this morning to inform him that he had markeddown a stag. At first the king answered that he would not go;but he could not resist his love of sport, and set out afterdinner."

"And the king has seen the cardinal?" asked M. de Treville.

"In all probability he has," replied the valet, "for I saw thehorses harnessed to his Eminence's carriage this morning, andwhen I asked where he was going, they told me, "To St. Germain.'"

"He is beforehand with us," said M. de Treville. "Gentlemen, Iwill see the king this evening; but as to you, I do not adviseyou to risk doing so."

This advice was too reasonable, and moreover came from a man whoknew the king too well, to allow the four young men to disputeit. M. de Treville recommended everyone to return home and waitfor news.

On entering his hotel, M. de Treville thought it best to be firstin making the complaint. He sent one of his servants to M. de laTremouille with a letter in which he begged of him to eject thecardinal's Guardsmen from his house, and to reprimand his peoplefor their audacity in making SORTIE against the king'sMusketeers. But M. de la Tremouille - already prejudiced by hisesquire, whose relative, as we already know, Bernajoux was - replied that it was neither for M. de Treville nor the Musketeersto complain, but, on the contrary, for him, whose people theMusketeers had assaulted and whose hotel they had endeavored toburn. Now, as the debate between these two nobles might last along time, each becoming, naturally, more firm in his ownopinion, M. de Treville thought of an expedient which mightterminate it quietly. This was to go himself to M. de laTremouille.

He repaired, therefore, immediately to his hotel, and causedhimself to be announced.

The two nobles saluted each other politely, for if no friendshipexisted between them, there was at least esteem. Both were menof courage and honor; and as M. de la Tremouille - a Protestant,and seeing the king seldom - was of no party, he did not, ingeneral, carry any bias into his social relations. This time,however, his address, although polite, was cooler than usual.

"Monsieur," said M. de Treville, "we fancy that we have eachcause to complain of the other, and I am come to endeavor toclear up this affair."

"I have no objection," replied M. de la Tremouille, "but I warnyou that I am well informed, and all the fault is with yourMusketeers."

"You are too just and reasonable a man, monsieur!" said Treville,"not to accept the proposal I am about to make to you."

"Make it, monsieur, I listen."

"How is Monsieur Bernajoux, your esquire's relative?"

"Why, monsieur, very ill indeed! In addition to the sword thrustin his arm, which is not dangerous, he has received another rightthrough his lungs, of which the doctor says bad things."

"But has the wounded man retained his senses?"

"Perfectly."

"Does he talk?"

"With difficulty, but he can speak."

"Well, monsieur, let us go to him. Let us adjure him, in thename of the God before whom he must perhaps appear, to speak thetruth. I will take him for judge in his own cause, monsieur, andwill believe what he will say."

M. de la Tremouille reflected for an instant; then as it wasdifficult to suggest a more reasonable proposal, he agreed to it.

Both descended to the chamber in which the wounded man lay. Thelatter, on seeing these two noble lords who came to visit him,endeavored to raise himself up in his bed; but he was too weak,and exhausted by the effort, he fell back again almost senseless.

M. de la Tremouille approached him, and made him inhale somesalts, which recalled him to life. Then M. de Treville,unwilling that it should be thought that he had influenced thewounded man, requested M. de la Tremouille to interrogate himhimself.

That happened which M. de Treville had foreseen. Placed betweenlife and death, as Bernajoux was, he had no idea for a moment ofconcealing the truth; and he described to the two nobles theaffair exactly as it had passed.

This was all that M. de Treville wanted. He wished Bernajoux aspeedy convalescence, took leave of M. de la Tremouille, returnedto his hotel, and immediately sent word to the four friends thathe awaited their company at dinner.

M. de Treville entertained good company, wholly anticardinalst,though. It may easily be understood, therefore, that theconversation during the whole of dinner turned upon the twochecks that his Eminence's Guardsmen had received. Now, asD'Artagnan had been the hero of these two fights, it was upon himthat all the felicitations fell, which Athos, Porthos, and Aramisabandoned to him, not only as good comrades, but as men who hadso often had their turn that could very well afford him his.

Toward six o'clock M. de Treville announced that it was time togo to the Louvre; but as the hour of audience granted by hisMajesty was past, instead of claiming the ENTREE by the backstairs, he placed himself with the four young men in theantechamber. The king had not yet returned from hunting. Ouryoung men had been waiting about half an hour, amid a crowd ofcourtiers, when all the doors were thrown open, and his Majestywas announced.

At his announcement D'Artagnan felt himself tremble to the verymarrow of his bones. The coming instant would in all probabilitydecide the rest of his life. His eyes therefore were fixed in asort of agony upon the door through which the king must enter.

Louis XIII appeared, walking fast. He was in hunting costumecovered with dust, wearing large boots, and holding a whip in hishand. At the first glance, D'Artagnan judged that the mind ofthe king was stormy.

This disposition, visible as it was in his Majesty, did notprevent the courtiers from ranging themselves along his pathway.In royal antechambers it is worth more to be viewed with an angryeye than not to be seen at all. The three Musketeers thereforedid not hesitate to make a step forward. D'Artagnan on thecontrary remained concealed behind them; but although the kingknew Athos, Porthos, and Aramis personally, he passed before themwithout speaking or looking - indeed, as if he had never seen thembefore. As for M. de Treville, when the eyes of the king fellupon him, he sustained the look with so much firmness that it wasthe king who dropped his eyes; after which his Majesty,grumbling, entered his apartment.

"Matters go but badly," said Athos, smiling; "and we shall not bemade Chevaliers of the Order this time."

"Wait here ten minutes," said M. de Treville; "and if at theexpiration of ten minutes you do not see me come out, return tomy hotel, for it will be useless for you to wait for me longer."

The four young men waited ten minutes, a quarter of an hour,twenty minutes; and seeing that M. de Treville did not return,went away very uneasy as to what was going to happen.

M. de Treville entered the king's cabinet boldly, and found hisMajesty in a very ill humor, seated on an armchair, beating hisboot with the handle of his whip. This, however, did not preventhis asking, with the greatest coolness, after his Majesty'shealth.

"Bad, monsieur, bad!" replied the king; "I am bored."

This was, in fact, the worst complaint of Louis XIII, who wouldsometimes take one of his courtiers to a window and say,"Monsieur So-and-so, let us weary ourselves together."

"How! Your Majesty is bored? Have you not enjoyed the pleasuresof the chase today?"

"A fine pleasure, indeed, monsieur! Upon my soul, everythingdegenerates; and I don't know whether it is the game which leavesno scent, or the dogs that have no noses. We started a stag often branches. We chased him for six hours, and when he was nearbeing taken - when St.-Simon was already putting his horn to hismouth to sound the HALALI - crack, all the pack takes the wrongscent and sets off after a two-year-older. I shall be obliged togive up hunting, as I have given up hawking. Ah, I am anunfortunate king, Monsieur de Treville! I had but one gerfalcon,and he died day before yesterday."

"Indeed, sire, I wholly comprehend your disappointment. Themisfortune is great; but I think you have still a good number offalcons, sparrow hawks, and tiercets."

"And not a man to instruct them. Falconers are declining. Iknow no one but myself who is acquainted with the noble art ofvenery. After me it will all be over, and people will hunt withgins, snares, and traps. If I had but the time to train pupils!But there is the cardinal always at hand, who does not leave me amoment's repose; who talks to me about Spain, who talks to meabout Austria, who talks to me about England! Ah! A PROPOS ofthe cardinal, Monsieur de Treville, I am vexed with you!"

This was the chance at which M. de Treville waited for the king.He knew the king of old, and he knew that all these complaintswere but a preface - a sort of excitation to encourage himself - and that he had now come to his point at last.

"And in what have I been so unfortunate as to displease yourMajesty?" asked M. de Treville, feigning the most profoundastonishment.

"Is it thus you perform your charge, monsieur?" continued theking, without directly replying to De Treville's question. "Isit for this I name you captain of my Musketeers, that they shouldassassinate a man, disturb a whole quarter, and endeavor to setfire to Paris, without your saying a word? But yet," continuedthe king, "undoubtedly my haste accuses you wrongfully; withoutdoubt the rioters are in prison, and you come to tell me justiceis done."

"Sire," replied M. de Treville, calmly, "on the contrary, I cometo demand it of you."

"And against whom?" cried the king.

"Against calumniators," said M. de Treville.

"Ah! This is something new," replied the king. "Will you tellme that your three damned Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis,and your youngster from Bearn, have not fallen, like so manyfuries, upon poor Bernajoux, and have not maltreated him in sucha fashion that probably by this time he is dead? Will you tellme that they did not lay siege to the hotel of the Duc de laTremouille, and that they did not endeavor to burn it? - whichwould not, perhaps, have been a great misfortune in time of war,seeing that it is nothing but a nest of Huguenots, but which is,in time of peace, a frightful example. Tell me, now, can youdeny all this?"

"And who told you this fine story, sire?" asked Treville,quietly.

"Who has told me this fine story, monsieur? Who should it be buthe who watches while I sleep, who labors while I amuse myself,

who conducts everything at home and abroad - in France as inEurope?"

"Your Majesty probably refers to God," said M. de Treville; "forI know no one except God who can be so far above your Majesty."

"No, monsieur; I speak of the prop of the state, of my onlyservant, of my only friend - of the cardinal."

"His Eminence is not his holiness, sire."

"What do you mean by that, monsieur?"

"That it is only the Pope who is infallible, and that thisinfallibility does not extend to cardinals."

"You mean to say that he deceives me; you mean to say that hebetrays me? You accuse him, then? Come, speak; avow freely thatyou accuse him!"

"No, sire, but I say that he deceives himself. I say that he isill-informed. I say that he has hastily accused your Majesty'sMusketeers, toward whom he is unjust, and that he has notobtained his information from good sources."

"The accusation comes from Monsieur de la Tremouille, from theduke himself. What do you say to that?"

"I might answer, sire, that he is too deeply interested in thequestion to be a very impartial witness; but so far from that,sire, I know the duke to be a royal gentleman, and I refer thematter to him - but upon one condition, sire."

"What?"

"It is that your Majesty will make him come here, willinterrogate him yourself, TETE-A-TETE, without witnesses, andthat I shall see your Majesty as soon as you have seen the duke."

"What, then! You will bind yourself," cried the king, "by whatMonsieur de la Tremouille shall say?"

"Yes, sire."

"You will accept his judgment?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Any you will submit to the reparation he may require?"

"Certainly."

"La Chesnaye," said the king. "La Chesnaye!"

Louis XIII's confidential valet, who never left the door, enteredin reply to the call.

"La Chesnaye," said the king, "let someone go instantly and findMonsieur de la Tremouille; I wish to speak with him thisevening."

"Your Majesty gives me your word that you will not see anyonebetween Monsieur de la Tremouille and myself?"

"Nobody, by the faith of a gentleman."

"Tomorrow, then, sire?"

"Tomorrow, monsieur."

"At what o'clock, please your Majesty?"

"At any hour you will."

"But in coming too early I should be afraid of awakening yourMajesty."

"Awaken me! Do you think I ever sleep, then? I sleep no longer,monsieur. I sometimes dream, that's all. Come, then, as earlyas you like - at seven o'clock; but beware, if you and yourMusketeers are guilty."

"If my Musketeers are guilty, sire, the guilty shall be placed inyour Majesty's hands, who will dispose of them at your goodpleasure. Does your Majesty require anything further? Speak, Iam ready to obey."

"No, monsieur, no; I am not called Louis the Just without reason.Tomorrow, then, monsieur - tomorrow."

"Till then, God preserve your Majesty!"

However ill the king might sleep, M. de Treville slept stillworse. He had ordered his three Musketeers and their companionto be with him at half past six in the morning. He took themwith him, without encouraging them or promising them anything,and without concealing from them that their luck, and even hisown, depended upon the cast of the dice.

Arrived at the foot of the back stairs, he desired them to wait.If the king was still irritated against them, they would departwithout being seen; if the king consented to see them, they wouldonly have to be called.

On arriving at the king's private antechamber, M. de Trevillefound La Chesnaye, who informed him that they had not been ableto find M. de la Tremouille on the preceding evening at hishotel, that he returned too late to present himself at theLouvre, that he had only that moment arrived and that he was atthat very hour with the king.

This circumstance pleased M. de Treville much, as he thus becamecertain that no foreign suggestion could insinuate itself betweenM. de la Tremouille's testimony and himself.

In fact, ten minutes had scarcely passed away when the door ofthe king's closet opened, and M. de Treville saw M. de laTremouille come out. The duke came straight up to him, and said:"Monsieur de Treville, his Majesty has just sent for me in orderto inquire respecting the circumstances which took placeyesterday at my hotel. I have told him the truth; that is tosay, that the fault lay with my people, and that I was ready tooffer you my excuses. Since I have the good fortune to meet you,I beg you to receive them, and to hold me always as one of yourfriends."

"Monsieur the Duke," said M. de Treville, "I was so confident ofyour loyalty that I required no other defender before his Majestythan yourself. I find that I have not been mistaken, and I thankyou that there is still one man in France of whom may be said,without disappointment, what I have said of you."

"That's well said," cried the king, who had heard all thesecompliments through the open door; "only tell him, Treville,since he wishes to be considered your friend, that I also wish tobe one of his, but he neglects me; that it is nearly three yearssince I have seen him, and that I never do see him unless I sendfor him. Tell him all this for me, for these are things which aking cannot say for himself."

"Thanks, sire, thanks," said the duke; "but your Majesty may beassured that it is not those - I do not speak of Monsieur deTreville - whom your Majesty sees at all hours of the day that aremost devoted to you."

"Ah! You have heard what I said? So much the better, Duke, somuch the better," said the king, advancing toward the door. "Ah!It is you, Treville. Where are your Musketeers? I told you theday before yesterday to bring them with you; why have you notdone so?"

"They are below, sire, and with your permission La Chesnaye willbid them come up."

"Yes, yes, let them come up immediately. It is nearly eighto'clock, and at nine I expect a visit. Go, Monsieur Duke, andreturn often. Come in, Treville."

The Duke saluted and retired. At the moment he opened the door,the three Musketeers and D'Artagnan, conducted by La Chesnaye,appeared at the top of the staircase.

"Come in, my braves," said the king, "come in; I am going toscold you."

The Musketeers advanced, bowing, D'Artagnan following closelybehind them.

"What the devil!" continued the king. "Seven of his Eminence'sGuards placed HORS DE COMBAT by you four in two days! That's toomany, gentlemen, too many! If you go on so, his Eminence will beforced to renew his company in three weeks, and I to put theedicts in force in all their rigor. One now and then I don't saymuch about; but seven in two days, I repeat, it is too many, itis far too many!"

"Therefore, sire, your Majesty sees that they are come, quitecontrite and repentant, to offer you their excuses."

"Quite contrite and repentant! Hem!" said the king. "I place noconfidence in their hypocritical faces. In particular, there isone yonder of a Gascon look. Come hither, monsieur."

D'Artagnan, who understood that it was to him this compliment wasaddressed, approached, assuming a most deprecating air.

"Why you told me he was a young man? This is a boy, Treville, amere boy! Do you mean to say that it was he who bestowed thatsevere thrust at Jussac?"

"And those two equally fine thrusts at Bernajoux."

"Truly!"

"Without reckoning," said Athos, "that if he had not rescued mefrom the hands of Cahusac, I should not now have the honor ofmaking my very humble reverence to your Majesty."

"Why he is a very devil, this Bearnais! VENTRE-SAINT-GRIS,Monsieur de Treville, as the king my father would have said. Butat this sort of work, many doublets must be slashed and manyswords broken. Now, Gascons are always poor, are they not?"

"Sire, I can assert that they have hitherto discovered no goldmines in their mountains; though the Lord owes them this miraclein recompense for the manner in which they supported thepretensions of the king your father."

"Which is to say that the Gascons made a king of me, myself,seeing that I am my father's son, is it not, Treville? Well,happily, I don't say nay to it. La Chesnaye, go and see if byrummaging all my pockets you can find forty pistoles; and if youcan find them, bring them to me. And now let us see, young man,with your hand upon your conscience, how did all this come topass?"

D'Artagnan related the adventure of the preceding day in all itsdetails; how, not having been able to sleep for the joy he feltin the expectation of seeing his Majesty, he had gone to histhree friends three hours before the hour of audience; how theyhad gone together to the tennis court, and how, upon the fear hehad manifested lest he receive a ball in the face, he had beenjeered at by Bernajoux who had nearly paid for his jeer with hislife and M. de la Tremouille, who had nothing to do with thematter, with the loss of his hotel.

"This is all very well," murmured the king, "yes, this is justthe account the duke gave me of the affair. Poor cardinal!Seven men in two days, and those of his very best! But that'squite enough, gentlemen; please to understand, that's enough.You have taken your revenge for the Rue Ferou, and even exceededit; you ought to be satisfied."

"If your Majesty is so," said Treville, "we are."

"Oh, yes; I am," added the king, taking a handful of gold from LaChesnaye, and putting it into the hand of D'Artagnan. "Here,"said he, "is a proof of my satisfaction."

At this epoch, the ideas of pride which are in fashion in ourdays did not prevail. A gentleman received, from hand to hand,money from the king, and was not the least in the worldhumiliated. D'Artagnan put his forty pistoles into his pocketwithout any scruple - on the contrary, thanking his Majestygreatly.

"There," said the king, looking at a clock, "there, now, as it ishalf past eight, you may retire; for as I told you, I expectsomeone at nine. Thanks for your devotedness, gentlemen. I maycontinue to rely upon it, may I not?"

"Oh, sire!" cried the four companions, with one voice, "we wouldallow ourselves to be cut to pieces in your Majesty's service."

"Well, well, but keep whole; that will be better, and you will bemore useful to me. Treville," added the king, in a low voice, asthe others were retiring, "as you have no room in the Musketeers,and as we have besides decided that a novitiate is necessarybefore entering that corps, place this young man in the companyof the Guards of Monsieur Dessessart, your brother-in-law. Ah,PARDIEU, Treville! I enjoy beforehand the face the cardinal willmake. He will be furious; but I don't care. I am doing what isright."

The king waved his hand to Treville, who left him and rejoinedthe Musketeers, whom he found sharing the forty pistoles withD'Artagnan.

The cardinal, as his Majesty had said, was really furious, sofurious that during eight days he absented himself from theking's gaming table. This did not prevent the king from being ascomplacent to him as possible whenever he met him, or from askingin the kindest tone, "Well, Monsieur Cardinal, how fares it withthat poor Jussac and that poor Bernajoux of yours?"