But we have already said that the incense of flattery was very pleasing to the king, and, provided he received it, he was not very particular as to its quality.
"Very well, very well," he said, as he dismissed Manicamp, "I will see De Guiche myself, and make him listen to reason." And as Manicamp left the apartment, the king turned round toward the three spectators of this scene, and said, "Tell me, Monsieur d'Artagnan, how does it happen that your sight is so imperfect ?--you, whose eyes are generally so very good." "My sight bad, sire ?" "Certainly." "It must be the case, since your majesty says so; but in what respect, may I ask ?" "Why, with regard to what occurred in the Bois-Rochin." "Ah! ah!" "Certainly.

You pretend to have seen the tracks of two horses, to have detected the foot-prints of two men; and have described the particulars of an engagement, which you assert took place.

Nothing of the sort occurred; pure illusion on your part." "Ah! ah!" said D'Artagnan.
"Exactly the same thing with the galloping to and fro of the horses, and the other indications of a struggle.

It was the struggle of De Guiche against the wild boar, and absolutely nothing else; only the struggle was a long and a terrible one, it seems." "Ah! ah!" continued D'Artagnan.
"And when I think that I almost believed it for a moment; but, then, you speak with such confidence." "I admit, sire, that I must have been very short-sighted," said D'Artagnan, with a readiness of humor which delighted the king.
"You do admit, then ?" "Admit it, sire, most assuredly I do." "So that now you see the thing--" "In quite a different light to what I saw it half an hour ago." "And to what, then, do you attribute this difference in your opinion ?" "Oh! a very simple thing, sire; half an hour ago I returned from the Bois-Rochin, where I had nothing to light me but a stupid stable lantern--" "While now ?" "While now, I have all the wax-lights of your cabinet, and more than that, your majesty's own eyes, which illuminate everything, like the blazing sun at noon-day." The king began to laugh, and Saint-Aignan broke out into convulsions of merriment.
"It is precisely like M.Valot," said D'Artagnan, resuming the conversation where the king had left off; "he has been imagining all along, that, not only was M.de Guiche wounded by a bullet, but still more, that he extracted it even from his chest." "Upon my word," said Valot, "I assure you--" "Now, did you not believe that ?" continued D'Artagnan.
"Yes," said Valot, "not only did I believe it, but at this very moment I would swear it." "Well, my dear doctor, you have dreamed it." "I have dreamed it!" "M.

de Guiche's wound--a mere dream; the bullet a dream.