“It must be so, my son,” said Anne of Austria. “But if they say, ‘it must be’ to me, am I no longer king?” The queen remained silent. “Sire,” said D’Artagnan, “will your majesty permit me to ask you a question?” Louis XIV. turned around, astonished that any one should dare to address him. But the queen pressed the child’s hand. “Yes, sir.” he said. “Does your majesty remember, when playing in the park of Fontainebleau, or in the palace courts at Versailles, ever to have seen the sky grow suddenly dark and heard the sound of thunder?” “Yes, certainly.” “Well, then, this noise of thunder, however much your majesty may have wished to continue playing, has said, ‘go in, sire. You must do so.’” “Certainly, sir; but they tell me that the noise of thunder is the voice of God.” “Well then, sire,” continued D’Artagnan, “listen to the noise of the people; you will perceive that it resembles that of thunder.” In truth at that moment a terrible murmur was wafted to them by the night breeze; then all at once it ceased. “Hold, sire,” said D’Artagnan, “they have just told the people that you are asleep; you see, you still are king.” The queen looked with surprise at this strange man, whose brilliant courage made him the equal of the bravest, and who was, by his fine and quick intelligence, the equal of the most astute. Laporte entered. “Well, Laporte?” asked the queen. “Madame,” he replied, “Monsieur d’Artagnan’s prediction has been accomplished; they are calm, as if by enchantment. The doors are about to be opened and in five minutes they will be here.” “Laporte,” said the queen, “suppose you put one of your sons in the king’s place; we might be off during the time.” “If your majesty desires it,” said Laporte, “my sons, like myself, are at the queen’s service.” “Not at all,” said D’Artagnan; “should one of them know his majesty and discover but a substitute, all would be lost.” “You are right, sir, always right,” said Anne of Austria. “Laporte, place the king in bed.” Laporte placed the king, dressed as he was, in the bed and then covered him as far as the shoulders with the sheet. The queen bent over him and kissed his brow. “Pretend to sleep, Louis,” said she. “Yes,” said the king, “but I do not wish to be touched by any of those men.” “Sire, I am here,” said D’Artagnan, “and I give you my word, that if a single man has the audacity, his life shall pay for it.” “And now what is to be done?” asked the queen, “for I hear them.” “Monsieur Laporte, go to them and again recommend silence. Madame, wait at the door, whilst I shall be at the head of the king’s bed, ready to die for him.” Laporte went out; the queen remained standing near the hangings, whilst D’Artagnan glided behind the curtains. Then the heavy and collected steps of a multitude of men were heard, and the queen herself raised the tapestry hangings and put her finger on her lips. On seeing the queen, the men stopped short, respectfully.