Part 103 (1/2)

D'Artagnan likewise preserved an obstinate silence

”Monsieur,” at length resuo and do at Belle-Isle? Tellthese words looked intently at his captain

Here D'Artagnan was fortunate; the king seeame in his hands

”I believe,” replied he, ”that your majesty does me the honor to ask what I went to Belle-Isle to accomplish?”

”Yes,about it; it is not of me that question should be asked, but of that infinite nuiven innumerable orders of all kinds, whilst toprecise was said or stated in any for was hurt: he showed it by his reply ”Monsieur,” said he, ”orders have only been given to such as were judged faithful”

”And, therefore, I have been astonished, sire,” retorted the musketeer, ”that a captain like myself, who ranks with a marechal of France, should have found hiood to make spies of, possibly, but not at all fit to conduct a warlike expedition It was upon this subject I came to demand an explanation of your ainst me, which, the final insult offered to a brave man, has led me to quit your , ”you still believe that you are living in an age when kings were, as you co been, under the orders and at the discretion of their inferiors You see owes an account of his actions to none but God”

”I forget nothing, sire,” said the musketeer, wounded by this lesson

”Besides, I do not see in what an honesthow he has ill-served him, offends hi with ainst me”

”Who are your eneht”

”Two men the enemies of the whole of your majesty's are of e of my own friendshi+ps, sire”

”He who serves his friends does not serve his master”

”I so well understand this, sire, that I have respectfully offered your nation”

”And I have accepted it,separated fro to prove to you that I kno to keep my word”

”Your majesty has kept more than your word, for your nan, with his cold, bantering air; ”you did not pro would not condescend to perceive the pleasantry, and continued, seriously, ”You see, rave steps your disobedience forces er

”It is the”My idea was to take and punish rebels; was I bound to inquire whether these rebels were your friends or not?”

”But I was,” replied D'Artagnan ”It was a cruelty on your majesty's part to send ibbets”

”It was a trial I had to make, monsieur, of pretended servants, who eat my bread and _should_ defend nan”

”For one bad servant your majesty loses,” said the musketeer, with bitterness, ”there are ten who, on that sah a like ordeal Listen to me, sire; I am not accustomed to that service Mine is a rebel shen I am required to do ill It was ill to send me in pursuit of two men whose lives M Fouquet, your majesty's preserver, implored you to save Still further, these men were my friends They did not attack your er Besides, ere they not allowed to escape? What criht of judging their conduct

But why suspect race me before the army? Why me, in whom till now you showed the most entire confidence--who for thirty years have been attached to your person, and have given you a thousand proofs of my devotion--for it must be said, now that I a's soldiers ainst two otten what these , in a hollow voice, ”and that it was no ine you forget that I was there”

”Enough, Monsieur d'Artagnan, enough of these do interests which arise to keep the sun itself fro a state in which there shall be but one master, as I promised you; the moment is at hand forto your tastes or private friendshi+ps, free to destroy my plans and save my enemies? I will thwart you or will drop you--seek awould not conduct himself as I do, and would allow hi you some day to keep company with M Fouquet and the rest; but I have an excellent ratitude, to inan, as the punishment of your want of discipline, and I will not i imitated them in favor And, then, other reasons make me act mildly towards you; in the first place, because you are a man of sense, a man of excellent sense, a man of heart, and that you will be a capital servant to him who shall have mastered you; secondly, because you will cease to have any motives for insubordination Your friends are now destroyed or ruined by me These supports on which your capricious mind instinctively relied I have caused to disappear At this moment, my soldiers have taken or killed the rebels of Belle-Isle”