438 THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.
- That may easily be conceived, sire."
- I see with pain that these kings of the sea — they call
themselves so — keep trade from France in the Indies, and that their vessels will soon occupy all the ports of Europe. Such a power is too near me, sister." ^'They are your allies, nevertheless." "That is why they were wrong in having the medal you have heard of struck — a medal which represents Holland stopping the sun, as Joshua did, with this legend: 'The sun has stopped before me.^ There is not much fraternity in that, is there?"
- I thought you had forgotten that miserable affair."
- 'I never forget anything, my sister. And if my true
friends, such as your brother Charles, are willing to succeed me " The princess remained pensively silent.
- 'Listen to me; there is the empire of the seas to be
shared," said Louis XIV. 'Tor this partition, which Eng- land submits to, could I not represent the second party as well as the Dutch?"
- 'We have Mademoiselle de Keroualle to treat that ques-
tion," replied madame. "Your second condition for going, if you please, sister?" "The consent of Monsieur, my husband." "You shall have it." "Then consider me gone, my brother." On hearing these words, Louis XIV. turned round toward the corner of the room in which D'Artagnan, Colbert, and Aramis stood, and made an affirmative sign to his minister. Colbert then broke the conversation at the point it hap- pened to be at, and said to Aramis: "Monsieur TAmbassadeur, shall we talk about business?" D'Artagnan immediately withdrew, from politeness. He directed his steps toward the chimney, within hearing of what the king was going to say to Monsieur, who, evidently uneasy, had gone to him. The face of the king was ani- mated. Upon his brow was stamped a will, the redoubtable expression of which already met with no more contradiction in France, and was soon to meet with no more in Europe. "Monsieur," said the king to his brother, "I am not pleased with Monsieur le Chevalier de Lorraine. You, who do him the honor to protect him, must advise him to travel for a few months." These words fell with the crush of an avalanche upon Monsieur, who adored this favorite, and concentrated all his
affections in him.
