Ten Years Later: Louise de la Valliere by Alexandre Dumas Chapter 64 Page 12

“Me, sire?”

“Did I not give you the choice to arrest, or not to arrest M.

le Comte de la Fere?”

“Yes, sire, but — ”

“But what?” exclaimed the king, impatiently.

“But you warned me, sire, that if I did not arrest him, your captain of the guard should do so.”

“Was I not considerate enough towards you, from the very moment I did not compel you to obey me?”

“To me, sire, you were, but not to my friend, for my friend would be arrested all the same, whether by myself or by the captain of the guards.”