Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.1-18
`
` "That is likely," said d'Artagnan; "but the man who has abducted `
` her--do you know him?" `
` `
` "I have told you that I believe I know him." `
` `
` "His name?" `
` `
` "I do not know that; what I do know is that he is a creature of `
` the cardinal, his evil genius." `
` `
` "But you have seen him?" `
` `
` "Yes, my wife pointed him out to me one day." `
` `
` 'Has he anything remarkable about him by which one may recognize `
` him?" `
` `
` "Oh, certainly; he is a noble of very lofty carriage, black hair, `
` swarthy complexion, piercing eye, white teeth, and has a scar on `
` his temple." `
` `
` "A scar on his temple!" cried d'Artagnan; "and with that, white `
` teeth, a piercing eye, dark complexion, black hair, and haughty `
` carriage--why, that's my man of Meung." `
` `
` "He is your man, do you say?" `
` `
` "Yes, yes; but that has nothing to do with it. No, I am wrong. `
` On the contrary, that simplifies the matter greatly. If your man `
` is mine, with one blow I shall obtain two revenges, that's all; `
` but where to find this man?" `
` `
` "I know not." `
` `
` "Have you no information as to his abiding place?" `
` `
` "None. One day, as I was conveying my wife back to the Louvre, `
` he was coming out as she was going in, and she showed him to me." `
` `
` "The devil! The devil!" murmured d'Artagnan; "all this is vague `
` enough. From whom have you learned of the abduction of your `
` wife?" `
` `
` "From Monsieur Laporte." `
` `
` "Did he give you any details?" `
` `
` "He knew none himself." `
` `
` "And you have learned nothing from any other quarter?" `
` `
` "Yes, I have received--" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "I fear I am committing a great imprudence." `
` `
` "You always come back to that; but I must make you see this time `
` that it is too late to retreat." `
` `
` "I do not retreat, MORDIEU!" cried the citizen, swearing in order `
` to rouse his courage. "Besides, by the faith of Bonacieux--" `
` `
` "You call yourself Bonacieux?" interrupted d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Yes, that is my name." `
` `
` "You said, then, by the word of Bonacieux. Pardon me for `
` interrupting you, but it appears to me that that name is familiar `
` to me." `
` `
` "Possibly, monsieur. I am your landlord." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said d'Artagnan, half rising and bowing; "you are my `
` landlord?" `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur, yes. And as it is three months since you have `
` been here, and though, distracted as you must be in your `
` important occupations, you have forgotten to pay me my rent--as, `
` I say, I have not tormented you a single instant, I thought you `
` would appreciate my delicacy." `
` `
` "How can it be otherwise, my dear Bonacieux?" replied d'Artagnan; `
` "trust me, I am fully grateful for such unparalleled conduct, and `
` if, as I told you, I can be of any service to you--" `
` `
` "I believe you, monsieur, I believe you; and as I was about to `
` say, by the word of Bonacieux, I have confidence in you." `
` `
` "Finish, then, what you were about to say." `
` `
` The citizen took a paper from his pocket, and presented it to `
` d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "A letter?" said the young man. `
` `
` "Which I received this morning." `
` `
` D'Artagnan opened it, and as the day was beginning to decline, he `
` approached the window to read it. The citizen followed him. `
` `
` "'Do not seek your wife,'" read d'Artagnan; "'she will be `
` restored to you when there is no longer occasion for her. If you `
` make a single step to find her you are lost.' `
` `
` "That's pretty positive," continued d'Artagnan; "but after all, `
` it is but a menace." `
` `
` "Yes; but that menace terrifies me. I am not a fighting man at `
` all, monsieur, and I am afraid of the Bastille." `
` `
` "Hum!" said d'Artagnan. "I have no greater regard for the `
` Bastille than you. If it were nothing but a sword thrust, why `
` then--" `
` `
` "I have counted upon you on this occasion, monsieur." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "Seeing you constantly surrounded by Musketeers of a very superb `
` appearance, and knowing that these Musketeers belong to Monsieur `
` de Treville, and were consequently enemies of the cardinal, I `
` thought that you and your friends, while rendering justice to `
` your poor queen, would be pleased to play his Eminence an ill `
` turn." `
` `
` "Without doubt." `
` `
` "And then I have thought that considering three months' lodging, `
` about which I have said nothing--" `
` `
` "Yes, yes; you have already given me that reason, and I find it `
` excellent." `
` `
` "Reckoning still further, that as long as you do me the honor to `
` remain in my house I shall never speak to you about rent--" `
` `
` "Very kind!" `
` `
` "And adding to this, if there be need of it, meaning to offer you `
` fifty pistoles, if, against all probability, you should be short `
` at the present moment." `
` `
` "Admirable! You are rich then, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux?" `
` `
` "I am comfortably off, monsieur, that's all; I have scraped `
` together some such thing as an income of two or three thousand `
` crown in the haberdashery business, but more particularly in `
` venturing some funds in the last voyage of the celebrated `
` navigator Jean Moquet; so that you understand, monsieur--But" `
` cried the citizen. `
` `
` "What!" demanded d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Whom do I see yonder?" `
` `
` "Where?" `
` `
` "In the street, facing your window, in the embrasure of that `
` door--a man wrapped in a cloak." `
` `
` "It is he!" cried d'Artagnan and the citizen at the same time, `
` each having recognized his man. `
` `
` "Ah, this time," cried d'Artagnan, springing to his sword, "this `
` time he will not escape me!" `
` `
` Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he rushed out of the `
` apartment. On the staircase he met Athos and Porthos, who were `
` coming to see him. They separated, and d'Artagnan rushed between `
` them like a dart. `
` `
` "Pah! Where are you going?" cried the two Musketeers in a breath. `
` `
` "The man of Meung!" replied d'Artagnan, and disappeared. `
` `
` D'Artagnan had more than once related to his friends his `
` adventure with the stranger, as well as the apparition of the `
` beautiful foreigner, to whom this man had confided some important `
` missive. `
` `
` The opinion of Athos was that d'Artagnan had lost his letter in `
` the skirmish. A gentleman, in his opinion--and according to `
` d'Artagnan's portrait of him, the stranger must be a gentleman-- `
` would be incapable of the baseness of stealing a letter. `
` `
` Porthos saw nothing in all this but a love meeting, given by a `
` lady to a cavalier, or by a cavalier to a lady, which had been `
` disturbed by the presence of d'Artagnan and his yellow horse. `
` `
` Aramis said that as these sorts of affairs were mysterious, it `
` was better not to fathom them. `
` `
` They understood, then, from the few words which escaped from `
` d'Artagnan, what affair was in hand, and as they thought that `
` overtaking his man, or losing sight of him, d'Artagnan would `
` return to his rooms, they kept on their way. `
` `
` When they entered d'Artagnan's chamber, it was empty; the `
` landlord, dreading the consequences of the encounter which was `
`
` "That is likely," said d'Artagnan; "but the man who has abducted `
` her--do you know him?" `
` `
` "I have told you that I believe I know him." `
` `
` "His name?" `
` `
` "I do not know that; what I do know is that he is a creature of `
` the cardinal, his evil genius." `
` `
` "But you have seen him?" `
` `
` "Yes, my wife pointed him out to me one day." `
` `
` 'Has he anything remarkable about him by which one may recognize `
` him?" `
` `
` "Oh, certainly; he is a noble of very lofty carriage, black hair, `
` swarthy complexion, piercing eye, white teeth, and has a scar on `
` his temple." `
` `
` "A scar on his temple!" cried d'Artagnan; "and with that, white `
` teeth, a piercing eye, dark complexion, black hair, and haughty `
` carriage--why, that's my man of Meung." `
` `
` "He is your man, do you say?" `
` `
` "Yes, yes; but that has nothing to do with it. No, I am wrong. `
` On the contrary, that simplifies the matter greatly. If your man `
` is mine, with one blow I shall obtain two revenges, that's all; `
` but where to find this man?" `
` `
` "I know not." `
` `
` "Have you no information as to his abiding place?" `
` `
` "None. One day, as I was conveying my wife back to the Louvre, `
` he was coming out as she was going in, and she showed him to me." `
` `
` "The devil! The devil!" murmured d'Artagnan; "all this is vague `
` enough. From whom have you learned of the abduction of your `
` wife?" `
` `
` "From Monsieur Laporte." `
` `
` "Did he give you any details?" `
` `
` "He knew none himself." `
` `
` "And you have learned nothing from any other quarter?" `
` `
` "Yes, I have received--" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "I fear I am committing a great imprudence." `
` `
` "You always come back to that; but I must make you see this time `
` that it is too late to retreat." `
` `
` "I do not retreat, MORDIEU!" cried the citizen, swearing in order `
` to rouse his courage. "Besides, by the faith of Bonacieux--" `
` `
` "You call yourself Bonacieux?" interrupted d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Yes, that is my name." `
` `
` "You said, then, by the word of Bonacieux. Pardon me for `
` interrupting you, but it appears to me that that name is familiar `
` to me." `
` `
` "Possibly, monsieur. I am your landlord." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said d'Artagnan, half rising and bowing; "you are my `
` landlord?" `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur, yes. And as it is three months since you have `
` been here, and though, distracted as you must be in your `
` important occupations, you have forgotten to pay me my rent--as, `
` I say, I have not tormented you a single instant, I thought you `
` would appreciate my delicacy." `
` `
` "How can it be otherwise, my dear Bonacieux?" replied d'Artagnan; `
` "trust me, I am fully grateful for such unparalleled conduct, and `
` if, as I told you, I can be of any service to you--" `
` `
` "I believe you, monsieur, I believe you; and as I was about to `
` say, by the word of Bonacieux, I have confidence in you." `
` `
` "Finish, then, what you were about to say." `
` `
` The citizen took a paper from his pocket, and presented it to `
` d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "A letter?" said the young man. `
` `
` "Which I received this morning." `
` `
` D'Artagnan opened it, and as the day was beginning to decline, he `
` approached the window to read it. The citizen followed him. `
` `
` "'Do not seek your wife,'" read d'Artagnan; "'she will be `
` restored to you when there is no longer occasion for her. If you `
` make a single step to find her you are lost.' `
` `
` "That's pretty positive," continued d'Artagnan; "but after all, `
` it is but a menace." `
` `
` "Yes; but that menace terrifies me. I am not a fighting man at `
` all, monsieur, and I am afraid of the Bastille." `
` `
` "Hum!" said d'Artagnan. "I have no greater regard for the `
` Bastille than you. If it were nothing but a sword thrust, why `
` then--" `
` `
` "I have counted upon you on this occasion, monsieur." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "Seeing you constantly surrounded by Musketeers of a very superb `
` appearance, and knowing that these Musketeers belong to Monsieur `
` de Treville, and were consequently enemies of the cardinal, I `
` thought that you and your friends, while rendering justice to `
` your poor queen, would be pleased to play his Eminence an ill `
` turn." `
` `
` "Without doubt." `
` `
` "And then I have thought that considering three months' lodging, `
` about which I have said nothing--" `
` `
` "Yes, yes; you have already given me that reason, and I find it `
` excellent." `
` `
` "Reckoning still further, that as long as you do me the honor to `
` remain in my house I shall never speak to you about rent--" `
` `
` "Very kind!" `
` `
` "And adding to this, if there be need of it, meaning to offer you `
` fifty pistoles, if, against all probability, you should be short `
` at the present moment." `
` `
` "Admirable! You are rich then, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux?" `
` `
` "I am comfortably off, monsieur, that's all; I have scraped `
` together some such thing as an income of two or three thousand `
` crown in the haberdashery business, but more particularly in `
` venturing some funds in the last voyage of the celebrated `
` navigator Jean Moquet; so that you understand, monsieur--But" `
` cried the citizen. `
` `
` "What!" demanded d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Whom do I see yonder?" `
` `
` "Where?" `
` `
` "In the street, facing your window, in the embrasure of that `
` door--a man wrapped in a cloak." `
` `
` "It is he!" cried d'Artagnan and the citizen at the same time, `
` each having recognized his man. `
` `
` "Ah, this time," cried d'Artagnan, springing to his sword, "this `
` time he will not escape me!" `
` `
` Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he rushed out of the `
` apartment. On the staircase he met Athos and Porthos, who were `
` coming to see him. They separated, and d'Artagnan rushed between `
` them like a dart. `
` `
` "Pah! Where are you going?" cried the two Musketeers in a breath. `
` `
` "The man of Meung!" replied d'Artagnan, and disappeared. `
` `
` D'Artagnan had more than once related to his friends his `
` adventure with the stranger, as well as the apparition of the `
` beautiful foreigner, to whom this man had confided some important `
` missive. `
` `
` The opinion of Athos was that d'Artagnan had lost his letter in `
` the skirmish. A gentleman, in his opinion--and according to `
` d'Artagnan's portrait of him, the stranger must be a gentleman-- `
` would be incapable of the baseness of stealing a letter. `
` `
` Porthos saw nothing in all this but a love meeting, given by a `
` lady to a cavalier, or by a cavalier to a lady, which had been `
` disturbed by the presence of d'Artagnan and his yellow horse. `
` `
` Aramis said that as these sorts of affairs were mysterious, it `
` was better not to fathom them. `
` `
` They understood, then, from the few words which escaped from `
` d'Artagnan, what affair was in hand, and as they thought that `
` overtaking his man, or losing sight of him, d'Artagnan would `
` return to his rooms, they kept on their way. `
` `
` When they entered d'Artagnan's chamber, it was empty; the `
` landlord, dreading the consequences of the encounter which was `
`