\"Heisamanwhohasasureglancetodiscern，whenashipislaunched，whatarethedefectsandqualitiesofthatship—thatisvaluable，observe！？Natureistrulywhimsical。？Well，thisDestouchesappearedtometobeamanlikelytoproveusefulinmarineaffairs，andheissuperintendingtheconstructionofsixvesselsofseventy—eightguns，whichtheProvincesarebuildingforhismajesty。？Itresultsfromthis，mydearMonsieurd\'Artagnan，thattheking，ifhewishedtoquarrelwiththeProvinces，wouldhaveaveryprettyfleet。？Now，youknowbetterthananybodyelseifthelandarmyisefficient。\"
D\'ArtagnanandAramislookedateachother，wonderingatthemysteriouslaborsthismanhadundertakeninsoshortatime。？Colbertunderstoodthem，andwastouchedbythisbestofflatteries。
\"Ifwe，inFrance，wereignorantofwhatwasgoingon，\"saidD\'Artagnan，\"outofFrancestilllessmustbeknown。\"
\"ThatiswhyItoldmonsieurl\'ambassadeur，\"saidColbert，\"that，Spainpromisingitsneutrality，Englandhelpingus—\"
\"IfEnglandassistsyou，\"saidAramis，\"IpromisetheneutralityofSpain。\"