"Not more so than your Majesty," was the frank reply.
"Yes, your Majesty, she answered, "for I was born in the North Country."
"Scratches himself?" inquired the duke, "what does your majesty mean?"
"I say, sire, that the minister of police is greatly deceived or I am; and as it is impossible it can be the minister of police as he has the guardianship of the safety and honor of your majesty, it is probable that I am in error.
"For that purpose, yes, sire; your majesty will be at the head of ten thousand men in less than an hour."
"If I am guilty, I place myself in your majesty's hands."
Three of my best soldiers, whom your Majesty knows by name, and whose devotedness you have more than once appreciated, and who have, I dare affirm to the king, his service much at heart--three of my best soldiers, I say, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, had made a party of pleasure with a young fellow from Gascony, whom I had introduced to them the same morning.
"I do not accuse them, sire; but I leave your Majesty to judge what five armed men could possibly be going to do in such a deserted place as the neighborhood of the Convent des Carmes."
I cried out instantly, `His Majesty's musketeers!' And, besides, that was shown to be true, sire, not only by your majesty's not saying I was wrong, but proving I was right by going out at once."
"Has your majesty told me all?" asked he, in a tone we cannot describe, but which, without appearing to solicit the royal confidence, contained so much persuasive frankness, that the king immediately replied:
As the news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it brought prodigious numbers of rich, idle, and curious people to see me; so that the villages were almost emptied; and great neglect of tillage and household affairs must have ensued, if his imperial majesty had not provided, by several proclamations and orders of state, against this inconveniency.
(for so I interpret the words QUINBUS FLESTRIN,) "after the strictest search, we found only one great piece of coarse-cloth, large enough to be a foot-cloth for your majesty's chief room of state.
"I have provided for everything; a carriage below is waiting for your majesty."
"Your majesty has given me the control of this business; we had better wait and see what they want."
"The price of the irresistible gun would have been much greater, your
Majesty, but for the fact that its missiles can be so effectively averted by my peculiar method of treating the armour plates with a new- "
