e broken down, gouty,
impotent. Therefore, then sire----"

"Monsieur," interrupted the king, "remember your words of yesterday. You
said to me in this very place where you now are, that you were endowed
with the best health of any man in France; that fatigue was unknown to
you! that you did not mind spending whole days and nights at your post.
Did you tell me that, monsieur, or not? Try and recall, monsieur."

The officer sighed. "Sire," said he, "old age is boastful; and it is
pardonable for old men to praise themselves when others no longer do it.
It is very possible I said that; but the fact is, sire, I am very much
fatigued, and request permission to retire."

"Monsieur," said the king, advancing towards the officer with a gesture
full of majesty, "you are not assigning me the true reason. You wish to
quit my service, it may be true, but you disguise from me the motive of
your retreat."

"Sire, believe that----"

"I believe what I see, monsieur; I see a vigorous, energetic man, full
of presence of mind, the best soldier in France, perhaps; and this
personage cannot persuade me the least in the world that you stand in
need of rest."

"Ah! sire," said the lieutenant, with bitterness, "what praise! Indeed,
your majesty confounds me! Energetic, vigorous, brave, intelligent, the
best soldier in the army! But, sire, your majesty exaggerates my small
portion of merit to such a point, that however good an opinion I may
have of myself, I do not recognize myself; in truth I do not. If I
were vain enough to believe only half of your majesty's words, I should
consider myself a valuable, indispensable man. I should say that a
servant possessed of such brilliant qualities was a treasure beyond
all price. Now, sire, I have been all my life--I feel bound to say
it--except at the present time, appreciated, in my opinion, much below
my value. I therefore repeat, your majesty exaggerates."

The king knitted his brow, for he saw a bitter raillery beneath the
words of the officer. "Come, monsieur," said he, "let us meet the
question frankly. Are you dissatisfied with my service, say? No
evasions; speak boldly, frankly--I command you to do so."

The officer, who had been twisting his hat about in his hands, with an
embarrassed air, for several minutes, raised his head at these words.
"Oh! sire," said he, "that puts me a little more at my ease. To a
question put so frankly, I will reply frankly. To tell the truth is
a good thing