“Then give me quickly one solution. My time is valuable. What have you been doing since your discharge?”
“Making my fortune, sire.”
“The expression is crude, Monsieur d’Artagnan.”
“Your majesty takes it in bad part, certainly. I entertain nothing but the profoundest respect for the king; and if I have been impolite, which might be excused by my long sojourn in camps and barracks, your majesty is too much above me to be offended at a word that innocently escapes from a soldier.”
“In fact, I know you performed a brilliant action in England, monsieur. I only regret that you have broken your promise.”
“I!” cried D’Artagnan.
“Doubtless. You engaged your word not to serve any other prince on quitting my service. Now it was for King Charles II. that you undertook the marvelous carrying off of M. Monk.”
“Pardon me, sire, it was for myself.”
“And did you succeed?”
“Like the captains of the fifteenth century, coups-de-main and adventures.”