You will reorganize the service as soon as possible." "Yes, sire." "You will not again quit my person." "Very well, sire." "You will march with me to the army, you will encamp round my tent." "Then, sire," said D'Artagnan, "if it is only to impose upon me a service like that, your majesty need not give me twenty thousand livres a year.

I shall not earn them." "I desire that you shall keep open house; I desire that you should keep a liberal table; I desire that my captain of musketeers should be a personage." "And I," said D'Artagnan, bluntly; "I do not like easily found money; I like money won! Your majesty gives me an idle trade, which the first comer would perform for four thousand livres." Louis XIV.

began to laugh.

"You are a true Gascon, Monsieur d'Artagnan; you will draw my heart's secret from me." "Bah! has your majesty a secret, then ?" "Yes, monsieur." "Well! then I accept the twenty thousand livres, for I will keep that secret, and discretion is above all price, in these times.

Will your majesty speak now ?" "Boot yourself, Monsieur d'Artagnan, and to horse!" "Directly, sire." "Within two days." "That is well, sire: for I have my affairs to settle before I set out; particularly if it is likely there should be any blows stirring." "That _may_ happen." "We can receive them! But, sire, you have addressed yourself to avarice, to ambition; you have addressed yourself to the heart of M.d'Artagnan, but you have forgotten one thing." "What is that ?" "You have said nothing to his vanity; when shall I be a knight of the king's orders ?" "Does that interest you ?" "Why, yes, sire.