“Your sentence,” continued Louis, “fell upon the king and fell upon the man. But, Monsieur d’Artagnan, that weakness, for you considered it a weakness?” — D’Artagnan made no reply — ”you reproached me also with regard to monsieur, the defunct cardinal. Now, monsieur le cardinal, did he not bring me up, did he not support me? — elevating himself and supporting himself at the same time, I admit; but the benefit was discharged. As an ingrate or an egotist, would you, then, have better loved or served me?”
“Sire!”
“We will say no more about it, monsieur; it would only create in you too many regrets, and me too much pain.”
D’Artagnan was not convinced.