It results that from the last day of a year on which we saw white, to the first day of the year on which we shall see black, there is the interval of but a single night.
Now, D'Artagnan, when he left Calais with his ten scamps, would have hesitated as little in attacking a Goliath, a Nebuchadnezzar, or a Holofernes, as he would in crossing swords with a recruit or caviling with a land-lady.

Then he resembled the sparrow-hawk, which, when fasting, will attack a ram.

Hunger is blind.

But D'Artagnan satisfied--D'Artagnan rich--D'Artagnan a conqueror--D'Artagnan proud of so difficult a triumph--D'Artagnan had too much to lose not to reckon, figure by figure, with probable misfortune.
His thoughts were employed, therefore, all the way on the road from his presentation, with one thing, and that was, how he should conciliate a man like Monk, a man whom Charles himself, king as he was, conciliated with difficulty; for, scarcely established, the protected might again stand in need of the protector, and would, consequently, not refuse him, such being the case, the petty satisfaction of transporting M.
d'Artagnan, or of confining him in one of the Middlesex prisons, or drowning him a little on his passage from Dover to Boulogne.

Such sorts of satisfaction kings are accustomed to render to viceroys without disagreeable consequences.
It would not be at all necessary for the king to be active in that _contrepartie_ of the play in which Monk should take his revenge.