"Well, now, for my part," said he, with the most natural air possible, "I am not an enemy of jesting, my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan; my soldiers will tell you that even many times in camp, I listened very indifferently, and with a certain pleasure, to the satirical songs which the army of Lambert passed into mine, and which, certainly, would have caused the ears of a general more susceptible than I am to tingle." "Oh, my lord," said D'Artagnan, "I know you are a complete man; I know you have been, for a long time, placed above human miseries; but there are jests and jests of a certain kind, which have the power of irritating me beyond expression." "May I inquire what kind, my friend ?" "Such as are directed against my friends or against people I respect, my lord!" Monk made a slight movement, which D'Artagnan perceived.

"Eh! and in what," asked Monk, "in what can the stroke of a pin which scratches another tickle your skin?
Answer me that." "My lord, I can explain it to you in a single sentence; it concerns you." Monk advanced a single step towards D'Artagnan.

"Concerns me ?" said he.
"Yes, and this is what I cannot explain; but that arises, perhaps, from my want of knowledge of his character.

How can the king have the heart to jest about a man who has rendered him so many and such great services?
How can one understand that he should amuse himself in setting by the ears a lion like you with a gnat like me ?" "I cannot conceive that in any way," said Monk.
"But so it is.

The king, who owed me a reward, might have rewarded me as a soldier, without contriving that history of the ransom, which affects you, my lord." "No," said Monk, laughing: "it does not affect me in any way, I can assure you." "Not as regards me, I can understand; you know me, my lord, I am so discreet that the grave would appear a babbler compared to me; but--do you understand, my lord ?" "No," replied Monk, with persistent obstinacy.
"If another knew the secret which I know--" "What secret ?" "Eh! my lord, why, that unfortunate secret of Newcastle." "Oh! the million of the Comte de la Fere ?" "No, my lord, no; the enterprise made upon your grace's person." "It was well played, chevalier, that is all, and no more is to be said about it: you are a soldier, both brave and cunning, which proves that you unite the qualities of Fabius and Hannibal.