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LOUISE DE LA VALLIEfiE. 3ll At this moment Fouquet addressed the king. **Sire," he said, "I have a favor to solicit of your majesty. Monsieur d'Herblay is not ambitious, but he knows he can be of some service to you. Your majesty needs a representative at Rome, who should be able to exercise a powerful influence there; may 1 request a cardinal's hat for Monsieur d'Herblay?" The king started. "I do not often solicit anything of your majesty," said Eouquet. That is a reason, certainly," replied the king, who always expressed any hesitation he might have in that manner, and to which remark there was nothing to say in reply. Fouquet and Aramis looked at each other. The king resumed: "Monsieur d'Herblay can serve us equally well in France; an archbishopric, for instance." "Sire," objected Fouquet, with a grace of manner pecul- liarly his own, "your majesty overwhelms Monsieur d'Her- blay; the archbishopric may, in your majesty's extreme kindness, be conferred in addition to the hat; the one does not exclude the other." The king admired the readiness which he displayed, and smiled, saying: "D'Artagnan himself could not have an- swered better." He had no sooner pronounced the name than D'Artagnan appeared. "Did your majesty call me?" he said. Aramis and Fouquet drew back a step, as if they were about to retire. "Will your majesty allow me," said D'Artagnan quickly, as he led forward Porthos, "to present to your majesty Monsieur le Baron du Vail on, one of the bravest gentlemen of France?" As soon as Aramis saw Porthos he turned as pale as death, while Fouquet clinched his hands under his ruffles. D'Ar- tagnan smiled at both of them, while Porthos bowed, visibly overcome before the royal presence. "Porthos here?" murmured Fouquet in Aramis' ear. "Hush! there is some treachery at work," said the latter. "Sire," said D'Artagnan, "it is more than six years ago that I ought to have presented Monsieur du Vallon to your majesty; but certain men resemble stars, they move not unless their friends accompany them. The Pleiades are never disunited, and that is the reason I have selected, for the person of presenting him to you, the very moment when you see Monsieur d'Herblay by his side."