“Sire, I have, as I have said, now served the house of France thirty-five years; few people have worn out so many swords in that service as I have, and the swords I speak of were good swords, too, sire.  I was a boy, ignorant of everything except courage, when the king your father guessed that there was a man in me.  I was a man, sire, when the Cardinal de Richelieu, who was a judge of manhood, discovered an enemy in me.  Sire, the history of that enmity between the ant and the lion may be read from the first to the last line, in the secret archives of your family.  If ever you feel an inclination to know it, do so, sire; the history is worth the trouble — it is I who tell you so.  You will there read that the lion, fatigued, harassed, out of breath, at length cried for quarter, and the justice must be rendered him to say, that he gave as much as he required.  Oh! those were glorious times, sire, strewed over with battles like one of Tasso’s or Ariosto’s epics.  The wonders of those times, to which the people of ours would refuse belief, were every-day occurrences.  For five years together, I was a hero every day; at least, so I was told by persons of judgment; and that is a long period for heroism, trust me, sire, a period of five years.  Nevertheless, I have faith in what these people told me, for the were good judges.  They were named M. de Richelieu, M. de Buckingham, M. de Beaufort, M. de Retz, a mighty genius himself in street warfare, — in short, the king, Louis XIII., and even the queen, your noble mother, who one day condescended to say, ‘Thank you.’  I don’t know what service I had had the good fortune to render her.  Pardon me, sire, for speaking so boldly; but what I relate to you, as I have already had the honor to tell your majesty, is history.”  The king bit his lips, and threw himself violently on a chair.

“I appear importunate to your majesty,” said the lieutenant.  “Eh! sire, that is the fate of truth; she is a stern companion; she bristles all over with steel; she wounds those whom she attacks, and sometimes him who speaks her.”

“No, monsieur,” replied the king:  “I bade you speak — speak then.”

“After the service of the king and the cardinal, came the service of the regency, sire; I fought pretty well in the Fronde — much less, though, than the first time.  The men began to diminish in stature.  I have, nevertheless, led your majesty’s musketeers on some perilous occasions, which stand upon the orders of the day of the company.  Mine was a beautiful luck at that time.  I was the favorite of M. de Mazarin.  Lieutenant here! lieutenant there! lieutenant to the right! lieutenant to the left!  There was not a buffet dealt in France, of which your humble servant did not have the dealing; but soon France was not enough.  The cardinal sent me to England on Cromwell’s account; another gentleman who was not over gentle, I assure you, sire.  I had the honor of knowing him, and I was well able