“Answer him as you please,” said Fouquet.

“Eh! good Lord!” said the abbe, still full of malice, like an egotistical man; “tell him there is no money, particularly for musketeers.”

But scarcely had the abbe uttered this imprudent speech, when the partly open door was thrown back, and D’Artagnan appeared.

“Eh!  Monsieur Fouquet,” said he, “I was well aware there was no money for musketeers here.  Therefore I did not come to obtain any, but to have it refused.  That being done, receive my thanks.  I give you good-day, and will go and seek it at M. Colbert’s.”  And he went out, making an easy bow.

“Gourville,” said Fouquet, “run after that man and bring him back.”  Gourville obeyed, and overtook D’Artagnan on the stairs.

D’Artagnan, hearing steps behind him, turned round and perceived Gourville. “Mordioux! my dear monsieur,” said he, “there are sad lessons which you gentlemen of finance teach us; I come to M. Fouquet to receive a sum accorded by his majesty, and I am received like a mendicant who comes to ask charity, or a thief who comes to steal a piece of plate.”

“But you pronounced the name of M. Colbert, my dear M. d’Artagnan; you said you were going to M. Colbert’s?”

“I certainly am going there, were it only to ask satisfaction of the people who try to burn houses, crying ‘Vive Colbert!’”

Gourville pricked up his ears.  “Oh, oh!” said he, “you allude to what has just happened at the Greve?”

“Yes, certainly.”

“And in what did that which has taken place concern you?”

“What! do you ask me whether it concerns me or does not concern me, if M. Colbert pleases to make a funeral-pile of my house?”

“So, ho, your house — was it your house they wanted to burn?”

“Pardieu! was it!”

“Is the cabaret of the Image-de-Notre-Dame yours, then?”

“It has been this week.”

“Well, then, are you the brave captain, are you the valiant blade who dispersed those who wished to burn the condemned?”

“My dear Monsieur Gourville, put yourself in my place.  I was an agent of the public force and a landlord, too.  As a captain, it is my duty to have the orders of the king accomplished.  As a proprietor, it is to my interest my house should not be burnt.  I have at the same time attended to the laws of interest and duty in replacing Messieurs Lyodot and D’Eymeris in the hands of the archers.”

“Then it was you who threw the man out of the window?”

“It was I, myself,” replied D’Artagnan, modestly.

“And you who killed Menneville?”

“I had that misfortune,” said D’Artagnan, bowing like a man who is being congratulated.

“It was you, then, in short, who caused the two condemned persons to be hung?”

“Instead of being burnt, yes, monsieur, and I am proud of it.  I saved the poor devils from horrible tortures.  Understand, my dear Monsieur de Gourville, that they wanted to burn them alive.  It exceeds imagination!”