the king alone has a right to command my musketeers; but, as to you, I forbid you to do it, and I tell you so before his majesty; gentlemen who carry swords do not sling pens behind their ears.”

“D’Artagnan! D’Artagnan!” murmured the king.

“It is humiliating,” continued the musketeer; “my soldiers are disgraced. I do not command reitres, thank you, nor clerks of the intendant, mordioux!”

“Well! but what is all this about?” said the king with authority.

“About this, sire; monsieur — monsieur, who could not guess your majesty’s orders, and consequently could not know I was gone to arrest M.

Fouquet; monsieur, who has caused the iron cage to be constructed for his patron of yesterday —