rrived. My dear Athos, he was not red in the face
merely, he was positively purple. I was not aware, of course, of what
had passed; only, on the ground, lying on the floor, I saw a sword
broken in two."

"'Captain d'Artagnan,' cried the king, as soon as he saw me.

"'Sire,' I replied.

"'M. de la Fere has just left me; he is an insolent man.'

"'An insolent man!' I exclaimed, in such a tone that the king stopped
suddenly short.

"'Captain d'Artagnan,' resumed the king, with his teeth clenched, 'you
will be good enough to listen to and hear me.'

"'That is my duty, sire.'

"'I have, out of consideration for M. de la Fere, wished to spare
him--he is a man of whom I still retain some kind recollections--the
discredit of being arrested in my palace. You will therefore take a
carriage.' At this I made a slight movement.

"'If you object to arrest him yourself,' continued the king, 'send me my
captain of the guards.'

"'Sire,' I replied, 'there is no necessity for the captain of the
guards, since I am on duty.'

"'I should not like to annoy you,' said the king, kindly, 'for you have
always served me well, Monsieur D'Artagnan.'

"'You do not "annoy" me, sire,' I replied; 'I am on duty, that is all.'

"'But,' said the king, in astonishment, 'I believe the comte is your
friend?'

"'If he were my father, sire, it would not make me less on duty than I
am.'

"The king looked at me; he saw how unmoved my face was, and seemed
satisfied. 'You will arrest M. le Comte de la Fere, then?' he inquired.

"'Most certainly, sire, if you give me the order to do so.'

"'Very well; I order you to do so.'

"I bowed, and replied, 'Where is the comte, sire?'

"'You will look for him.'

"'And am I to arrest him, wherever he may be?'

"'Yes; but try that he may be at his own house. If he should have
started for his own estate, leave Paris at once, and arrest him on his
way thither.'

"I bowed; but as I did not move, he said, 'Well, what are you waiting
for?'

"'For the order to arrest the comte, signed by yourself.'

"The king seemed annoyed; for, in point of fact, it was the exercise of
a fresh act of authority, a repetition of the arbitrary act, if, indeed,
it is to be considered as such. He took hold of his pen slowly, and
evidently in no very good temper; and then he wrote, 'Order for M. le
Chevalier d'Artagnan, captain of my musketeers, to arrest M. le Comte de
la Fere, wherever he is to be found.' He then turned t