But d’Artagnan well suspected that that which was deferred was not relinquished.
D’Artagnan remained all day in his quarters, assigning as a reason to himself that the weather was bad.
At nine o’clock the next morning, the drums beat to arms. The Duc d’Orleans visited the posts. The guards were under arms, and d’Artagnan took his place in the midst of his comrades.
Monsieur passed along the front of the line; then all the superior officers approached him to pay their compliments, M. Dessessart, captain of the Guards, as well as the others.
At the expiration of a minute or two, it appeared to d’Artagnan that M. Dessessart made him a sign to approach. He waited for a fresh gesture on the part of his superior, for fear he might be mistaken; but this gesture being repeated, he left the ran
