D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 305: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

286 As the Knight, so His Squire. “Are you addressing me, sirrah!” cried D’Artagnan, - seeing that he ‘had to do with an amateur apprehender of noble offenders. “T ought to say ‘sire,’ ’ stammered the poor man, think- ing he resented his oversight. The splendid dress did its work. As a draper, he knew that only princes could array themselves in velvet at a doubloon the Flemish ell. “All resistance is useless, for I am in force without. Your sword, if you please, my prince!” “Are you not well enough armed to do without my sword?” “He jokes,” thought the sergeant; “oh, we have an easy catch here!” Then he added, aloud: “Your sword!” “You do not seem partial to a little parley “Not in these times, sire, when the fluctuations out- number those of the Tagus in the spring floods. At any time the town, which is nobody’s, may be somebody else’s! Your sword, or fi “Oh, well, since you are so set upon it, take it!” and the Gascon tendered him the court blade. “Kindly wrap your cloak round you, for the smoke will taint your doublet—astonishing how smoke lays the nap in velvet! ‘Yhe mob ‘has fired a house or two, I be- lieve! Then, to the palace!” “Any particular palace?’ asked D’Artagnan, merrily; “for the vice-regal one surrendered to the mob, as you call the patriotic citizens, long ago.” “Has that gone? Then, to the citadel!” “Are you truly of Lisbon, not to know it was occu- pied by my friends over night?” “But the Corregidor’s “The House of Correction has been corrected, knocked into a cocked that by Messrs. Tag, Rag and Bobtail.” “Then to the next watchhouse !” “Ts not that too abrupt a transition from the steps of a throne? But one moment; what is your post?” “T am sergeant of the town militia, at your majesty’s esteemed service!” “Arrest me by a sergeant? Your employers have no idea of etiquette! I make you a captain! It ill consorts with one like me to yield up sword and liberty to a sub- — Comicbooks-co » ‘