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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 40 at Prostate Health
not expose myself to the chance ofa fault. If the devil had a trick to play on me, youunderstand, sire, as he knows the man with whom he has todeal, he would choose the moment when I should not be there.My duty and the peace of my conscience before everything,sire.""But such duty will kill you, monsieur.""Eh! sire, I have performed it for thirty years, and in allFrance and Navarre there is not a man in better health thanI am. Moreover, I entreat you, sire, not to trouble yourselfabout me. That would appear very strange to me, seeing thatI am not accustomed to it."The king cut short the conversation by a fresh question."Shall you be here, then, to-morrow morning?""As at present? yes, sire."The king walked several times up and down his chamber; itwas very plain that he burned with a desire to speak, butthat he was restrained by some fear or other. Thelieutenant, standing motionless, hat in hand, watched himmaking these evolutions, and, whilst looking at him,grumbled to himself, biting his mustache:"He has not half a crown worth of resolution! Paroledhonneur! I would lay a wager he does not speak at all!"The king continued to walk about, casting from time to timea side glance at the lieutenant. "He is the very image ofhis father," continued the latter, in his secret soliloquy,"he is at once proud, avaricious, and timid. The devil takehis master, say I."The king stopped. "Lieutenant," said he."I am here, sire.""Why did you cry out this evening, down below in the salons-- `The kings service! His majestys musketeers!""Because you gave me the order, sire.""I?""Yourself.""Indeed, I did not say a word, monsieur.""Sire, an order is given by a sign, by a gesture, by aglance, as intelligibly, as freely, and as clearly as byword of mouth. A servant who has nothing but ears is nothalf a good servant.""Your eyes are very penetrating, then, monsieur.""How is that, sire?""Because they see what is not.""My eyes are good, though, sire, although they have servedtheir master long and much: when they have anything to see,they seldom miss the opportunity. Now, this evening, theysaw that your majesty colored with endeavoring to concealthe inclination to yawn, that your majesty looked witheloquent supplications, first at his eminence, and then ather majesty, the queen-mother, and at length to the entrancedoor, and they so thoroughly remarked all I have said, thatthey saw your majestys lips articulate these words: `Whowill get me out of this?""Monsieur!""Or something to this effect, sire -- `My musketeers! Icould then no longer hesitate. That look was for me -- theorder was for me. I cried out instantly, `His Majestysmusketeers! And, besides, that was shown to be true, sire,not only by your majestys not saying I was wrong, butproving I was right by going out at once."The king turned away to smile; then, after a few seconds, heagain fixed his limpid eye upon that countenance, sointelligent, so bold, and so firm, that it might have beensaid to be the proud and energetic profile of the eaglefacing the sun. "That is all very well," said he, after ashort silence, during which he endeavored, in vain, to makehis officer lower his eyes.But seeing the king said no more, the latter pirouetted onhis heels, and took three steps towards the door, muttering,"He will not speak! Mordioux! he will not speak!""Thank you, monsieur," said the king at last."Humph!" continued the lieutenant; "there was only wantingthat. Blamed for having been less of a fool than anothermight have been." And he went to the door, allowing hisspurs to jingle in true military style. But when he was onthe threshold, feeling that the kings desire drew him back,he returned."Has your majesty told me all?" asked he, in a tone wecannot describe, but which, without appearing to solicit theroyal confidence, contained so much persuasive frankness,that the king immediately replied:"Yes, but draw near, monsieur.""Now then," murmured the officer, "he is coming to it atlast.""Listen to me.""I shall not lose a word, sire.""You will mount on horseback to-morrow, at about half-pastfour in the morning, and you will have a horse saddled forme.""From your majestys stables?""No, one of your musketeers horses.""Very well, sire. Is that all?""And you will accompany me.""Alone?""Alone.""Shall I come to seek your majesty, or shall I
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