[The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas]@TWC D-Link book
The Three Musketeers

6 HIS MAJESTY KING LOUIS XIII
19/28

After me it will all be over, and people will hunt with gins, snares, and traps.

If I had but the time to train pupils! But there is the cardinal always at hand, who does not leave me a moment's repose; who talks to me about Spain, who talks to me about Austria, who talks to me about England! Ah! A PROPOS of the cardinal, Monsieur de Treville, I am vexed with you!" This was the chance at which M.de Treville waited for the king.

He knew the king of old, and he knew that all these complaints were but a preface--a sort of excitation to encourage himself--and that he had now come to his point at last.
"And in what have I been so unfortunate as to displease your Majesty ?" asked M.de Treville, feigning the most profound astonishment.
"Is it thus you perform your charge, monsieur ?" continued the king, without directly replying to de Treville's question.

"Is it for this I name you captain of my Musketeers, that they should assassinate a man, disturb a whole quarter, and endeavor to set fire to Paris, without your saying a word?
But yet," continued the king, "undoubtedly my haste accuses you wrongfully; without doubt the rioters are in prison, and you come to tell me justice is done." "Sire," replied M.de Treville, calmly, "on the contrary, I come to demand it of you." "And against whom ?" cried the king.
"Against calumniators," said M.de Treville.
"Ah! This is something new," replied the king.

"Will you tell me that your three damned Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and your youngster from Bearn, have not fallen, like so many furies, upon poor Bernajoux, and have not maltreated him in such a fashion that probably by this time he is dead?
Will you tell me that they did not lay siege to the hotel of the Duc de la Tremouille, and that they did not endeavor to burn it ?--which would not, perhaps, have been a great misfortune in time of war, seeing that it is nothing but a nest of Huguenots, but which is, in time of peace, a frightful example.


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