At the moment D'Artagnan made his request, his majesty was on the point of going to bed, quite exhausted from dancing.
"You wish to leave me, Monsieur d'Artagnan ?" inquired the king, with an air of astonishment; for Louis XIV.

could never understand that any one, who had the distinguished honor of being near him, could wish to leave him.
"Sire," said D'Artagnan, "I leave you simply because I am not of the slightest service to you in anything.

Ah! if I could only hold the balancing pole while you were dancing, it would be a very different affair." "But, my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the king, gravely, "people dance without a balancing-pole." "Ah! indeed," said the musketeer, continuing his imperceptible tone of irony, "I had no idea at all of that." "You have not seen me dance, then ?" inquired the king.
"Yes; but I always thought it would make you firmer.

I was mistaken--a greater reason, therefore, that I should leave for a time.

Sire, I repeat, you have no present occasion for my services; besides, if your majesty should have any need of me, you would know where to find me." "Very well," said the king; and he granted him his leave of absence.
We shall not look for D'Artagnan, therefore, at Fontainebleau, for this would be quite useless; but, with the permission of our readers, we shall follow him to the Rue des Lombards, where he was located at the sign of the "Pilon d'Or," in the house of our old friend Planchet.