Do you hear, you rascals?" I continued to the trembling
culprits. "Off, and do your duty, or I will have your backs
bare."
But the wretch, as cowardly as he had been cruel, flung himself
down and crawled, sobbing and crying, to my feet. I had no
mercy, however. "Take him away," I said, "It is such men as
these give kings a bad name. Take him away, and see you flay him
well."
He sprang up then, forgetting his gout, and made a frantic
attempt to escape. But in a moment he was overcome, hauled away,
and tied up; and though I did not wait to see the sentence
carried out, but entered the inn, the shrill screams he uttered
under the punishment reached me, even there, and satisfied me
that Fonvelle and his fellows were not; holding their hands.
It is a sad reflection, however, that for one such sinner brought
to justice ten, who commit the same crimes, go free, and
flourishing on iniquity, bring the King's service, and his
officers, into evil repute.
XI. THE CAT AND THE KING.
It was in the spring of the year 1609 that at the King's instance
I had a suite of apartments fitted up for him at the Arsenal,
that he might visit me, whenever it pleased him, without putting
my family to inconvenience; in another place will be found an
account of the six thousand crowns a year which he was so
obliging as to allow me for this purpose.
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