第41章

"Eh! sire, that is the fate of truth; she is a stern companion; she bristles all over with steel; she wounds those whom she attacks, and sometimes him who speaks her.""No, monsieur," replied the king; "I bade you speak -- speak then.""After the service of the king and the cardinal came the service of the regency, sire; I fought pretty well in the Fronde -- much less, though, than the first time.The men began to diminish in stature.I have, nevertheless, led your majesty's musketeers on some perilous occasions, which stand upon the orders of the day of the company.Mine was a beautiful luck at that time.I was the favorite of M.de Mazarin.Lieutenant here! lieutenant there! lieutenant to the right! lieutenant to the left! There was not a buffet dealt in France, of which your humble servant did not have the dealing; but soon France was not enough.The cardinal sent me to England on Cromwell's account; another gentleman who was not over gentle, I assure you, sire.I had the honor of knowing him, and I was well able to appreciate him.Agreat deal was promised me on account of that mission.So, as I did much more than I had been bidden to do, I was generously paid, for I was at length appointed captain of the musketeers, that is to say, the most envied position in court, which takes precedence over the marshals of France, and justly, for who says captain of the musketeers says the flower of chivalry and king of the brave.""Captain, monsieur!" interrupted the king, "you make a mistake.Lieutenant, you mean.""Not at all, sire -- I make no mistake; your majesty may rely upon me in that respect.Monsieur le cardinal gave me the commission himself.""Well!"

"But M.de Mazarin, as you know better than anybody, does not often give, and sometimes takes back what he has given;he took it back again as soon as peace was made and he was no longer in want of me.Certainly I was not worthy to replace M.de Treville, of illustrious memory; but they had promised me, and they had given me; they ought to have stopped there.""Is that what dissatisfies you, monsieur? Well I shall make inquiries.I love justice; and your claim, though made in military fashion, does not displease me.""Oh, sire!" said the officer, "your majesty has ill understood me; I no longer claim anything now.""Excess of delicacy, monsieur; but I will keep my eye upon your affairs, and later ---- ""Oh, sire! what a word! -- later! Thirty years have I lived upon that promising word, which has been pronounced by so many great personages, and which your mouth has, in its turn, just pronounced.Later -- that is how I have received a score of wounds, and how I have reached fifty-four years of age without ever having had a louis in my purse, and without ever having met with a protector on my way, -- I who have protected so many people! So I change my formula, sire;and when any one says to me `Later,' I reply `Now.' It is rest that I solicit, sire.That may be easily granted me.

That will cost nobody anything."

"I did not look for this language, monsieur, particularly from a man who has always lived among the great.You forget you are speaking to the king, to a gentleman who is, Isuppose, of as good a house as yourself; and when I say later, I mean a certainty.""I do not at all doubt it, sire, but this is the end of the terrible truth I had to tell you.If I were to see upon that table a marshal's stick, the sword of constable, the crown of Poland, instead of later, I swear to you, sire, that Ishould still say Now! Oh, excuse me, sire! I am from the country of your grandfather, Henry IV.I do not speak often;but when I do speak, I speak all."

"The future of my reign has little temptation for you, monsieur, it appears," said Louis, haughtily.