d wounded
Jussac, they looked upon him with a smile of singular meaning.

This smile appeared to d'Artagnan to be of bad augury. Only, as our
Gascon was not easily intimidated--or rather, thanks to a great pride
natural to the men of his country, he did not allow one easily to
see what was passing in his mind when that which was passing at all
resembled fear--he placed himself haughtily in front of Messieurs the
Guards, and waited with his hand on his hip, in an attitude by no means
deficient in majesty.

The usher returned and made a sign to d'Artagnan to follow him. It
appeared to the young man that the Guards, on seeing him depart,
chuckled among themselves.

He traversed a corridor, crossed a grand saloon, entered a library, and
found himself in the presence of a man seated at a desk and writing.

The usher introduced him, and retired without speaking a word.
D'Artagnan remained standing and examined this man.

D'Artagnan at first believed that he had to do with some judge examining
his papers; but he perceived that the man at the desk wrote, or rather
corrected, lines of unequal length, scanning the words on his fingers.
He saw then that he was with a poet. At the end of an instant the poet
closed his manuscript, upon the cover of which was written "Mirame, a
Tragedy in Five Acts," and raised his head.

D'Artagnan recognized the cardinal.

40 A TERRIBLE VISION

The cardinal leaned his elbow on his manuscript, his cheek upon his
hand, and looked intently at the young man for a moment. No one had a
more searching eye than the Cardinal de Richelieu, and d'Artagnan felt
this glance run through his veins like a fever.

He however kept a good countenance, holding his hat in his hand and
awaiting the good pleasure of his Eminence, without too much assurance,
but also without too much humility.

"Monsieur," said the cardinal, "are you a d'Artagnan from Bearn?"

"Yes, monseigneur," replied the young man.

"There are several branches of the d'Artagnans at Tarbes and in its
environs," said the cardinal; "to which do you belong?"

"I am the son of him who served in the Religious Wars under the great
King Henry, the father of his gracious Majesty."

"That is well. It is you who set out seven or eight months ago from your
country to seek your fortune in the capital?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"You came through Meung, where something befell you. I don't very well
know what, but still something."

"Monseign