Colbert was completely thrown out of his saddle by it, and retired, thoroughly discomfited. Fortunately, the speech was now at an end; the king drank the wine which was pre- sented to him, and then every one resumed the progress through the city. The king bit his lips in anger, for the evening was closing in, and all hope of a walk with La Valliere was at an end.
In order that the whole of the king^s household should enter Vaux, four hours, at least, were necessary, owing to the different arrangements. The king, therefore, who was boiling with impatience, hurried forward as much as possi- ble, in order to reach it before nightfall. But, at the moment he was setting off again, other and fresh difficulties arose.
"Is not the king going to sleep at Melun?" said Colbert, in a low tone of voice, to D'Artagnan.
M. Colbert must have been badly inspired that day, to address himself in that manner to the chief of the musket- eers; for the latter guessed that the king's intention was very far from that of remaining where he was. D'Artagnan would not allow him to enter Vaux except he were well and strongly accompanied, and desired that his majesty would not enter except with all the escort. On the other hand, he felt that these delays would irritate that impatient char- acter beyond measure. In what way could he possibly reconcile these two difficulties? D'Artagnan took up Col- bert's remark, and determined to repeat it to the king.
"Sire," he said, "Monsieur Colbert has been asking me if your majesty does not intend to sleep at Melun."
"Sleep at Melun! What for?" exclaimed Louis XIY. "Sleep at Melun! Who, in Heaven's name, can have thought of such a thing, when Monsieur Fouquet is expect- ing us this evening?"
"It was simply," replied Colbert quickly, "the fear of causing your majesty any delay; for according to established etiquette, you can not enter any place, with the exception of your own royal residences, until the soldiers' quarters have been marked out by the quartermaster, and the garrison properly distributed."
D'Artagnan listened with the greatest attention, biting his mustache to conceal his vexation; and the queens listened attentively also. They were fatigued, and would have liked to have gone to rest without proceeding any further; and especially, in order to prevent the king walk- ing about in the evening with M. de St. Aignan and the
E Dumas— YoL. XVIL
