Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.1-18
`
` "Hold out your hand and swear!" cried Athos and Aramis at once. `
` `
` Overcome by example, grumbling to himself, nevertheless, Porthos `
` stretched out his hand, and the four friends repeated with one `
` voice the formula dictated by d'Artagnan: `
` `
` "All for one, one for all." `
` `
` "That's well! Now let us everyone retire to his own home," said `
` d'Artagnan, as if he had done nothing but command all his life; `
` "and attention! For from this moment we are at feud with the `
` cardinal." `
` `
` `
` `
` 10 A MOUSETRAP IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY `
` `
` The invention of the mousetrap does not date from our days; as `
` soon as societies, in forming, had invented any kind of police, `
` that police invented mousetraps. `
` `
` As perhaps our readers are not familiar with the slang of the Rue `
` de Jerusalem, and as it is fifteen years since we applied this `
` word for the first time to this thing, allow us to explain to `
` them what is a mousetrap. `
` `
` When in a house, of whatever kind it may be, an individual `
` suspected of any crime is arrested, the arrest is held secret. `
` Four or five men are placed in ambuscade in the first room. The `
` door is opened to all who knock. It is closed after them, and `
` they are arrested; so that at the end of two or three days they `
` have in their power almost all the HABITUES of the establishment. `
` And that is a mousetrap. `
` `
` The apartment of M. Bonacieux, then, became a mousetrap; and `
` whoever appeared there was taken and interrogated by the `
` cardinal's people. It must be observed that as a separate `
` passage led to the first floor, in which d'Artagnan lodged, those `
` who called on him were exempted from this detention. `
` `
` Besides, nobody came thither but the three Musketeers; they had `
` all been engaged in earnest search and inquiries, but had `
` discovered nothing. Athos had even gone so far as to question M. `
` de Treville--a thing which, considering the habitual reticence of `
` the worthy Musketeer, had very much astonished his captain. But `
` M. de Treville knew nothing, except that the last time he had `
` seen the cardinal, the king, and the queen, the cardinal looked `
` very thoughtful, the king uneasy, and the redness of the queen's `
` eyes donated that she had been sleepless or tearful. But this `
` last circumstance was not striking, as the queen since her `
` marriage had slept badly and wept much. `
` `
` M. de Treville requested Athos, whatever might happen, to be `
` observant of his duty to the king, but particularly to the queen, `
` begging him to convey his desires to his comrades. `
` `
` As to d'Artagnan, he did not budge from his apartment. He `
` converted his chamber into an observatory. From his windows he `
` saw all the visitors who were caught. Then, having removed a `
` plank from his floor, and nothing remaining but a simple ceiling `
` between him and the room beneath, in which the interrogatories `
` were made, he heard all that passed between the inquisitors and `
` the accused. `
` `
` The interrogatories, preceded by a minute search operated upon `
` the persons arrested, were almost always framed thus: "Has Madame `
` Bonacieux sent anything to you for her husband, or any other `
` person? Has Monsieur Bonacieux sent anything to you for his `
` wife, or for any other person? Has either of them confided `
` anything to you by word of mouth?" `
` `
` "If they knew anything, they would not question people in this `
` manner," said d'Artagnan to himself. "Now, what is it they want `
` to know? Why, they want to know if the Duke of Buckingham is in `
` Paris, and if he has had, or is likely to have, an interview with `
` the queen." `
` `
` D'Artagnan held onto this idea, which, from what he had heard, `
` was not wanting in probability. `
` `
` In the meantime, the mousetrap continued in operation, and `
` likewise d'Artagnan's vigilance. `
` `
` On the evening of the day after the arrest of poor Bonacieux, as `
` Athos had just left d'Artagnan to report at M. de Treville's, as `
` nine o'clock had just struck, and as Planchet, who had not yet `
` made the bed, was beginning his task, a knocking was heard at the `
` street door. The door was instantly opened and shut; someone was `
` taken in the mousetrap. `
` `
` D'Artagnan flew to his hole, laid himself down on the floor at `
` full length, and listened. `
` `
` Cries were soon heard, and then moans, which someone appeared to `
` be endeavoring to stifle. There were no questions. `
` `
` "The devil!" said d'Artagnan to himself. "It seems like a woman! `
` They search her; she resists; they use force--the scoundrels!" `
` `
` In spite of his prudence, d'Artagnan restrained himself with `
` great difficulty from taking a part in the scene that was going `
` on below. `
` `
` "But I tell you that I am the mistress of the house, gentlemen! `
` I tell you I am Madame Bonacieux; I tell you I belong to the `
` queen!" cried the unfortunate woman. `
` `
` "Madame Bonacieux!" murmured d'Artagnan. "Can I be so lucky as `
` to find what everybody is seeking for?" `
` `
` The voice became more and more indistinct; a tumultuous movement `
` shook the partition. The victim resisted as much as a woman `
` could resist four men. `
` `
` "Pardon, gentlemen--par--" murmured the voice, which could now `
` only be heard in inarticulate sounds. `
` `
` "They are binding her; they are going to drag her away," cried `
` d'Artagnan to himself, springing up from the floor. "My sword! `
` Good, it is by my side! Planchet!" `
` `
` "Monsieur." `
` `
` "Run and seek Athos, Porthos and Aramis. One of the three will `
` certainly be at home, perhaps all three. Tell them to take arms, `
` to come here, and to run! Ah, I remember, Athos is at Monsieur `
` de Treville's." `
` `
` "But where are you going, monsieur, where are you going?" `
` `
` "I am going down by the window, in order to be there the sooner," `
` cried d'Artagnan. "You put back the boards, sweep the floor, go `
` out at the door, and run as I told you." `
` `
` "Oh, monsieur! Monsieur! You will kill yourself," cried `
` Planchet. `
` `
` "Hold your tongue, stupid fellow," said d'Artagnan; and laying `
` hold of the casement, he let himself gently down from the first `
` story, which fortunately was not very elevated, without doing `
` himself the slightest injury. `
` `
` He then went straight to the door and knocked, murmuring, "I will `
` go myself and be caught in the mousetrap, but woe be to the cats `
` that shall pounce upon such a mouse!" `
` `
` The knocker had scarcely sounded under the hand of the young man `
` before the tumult ceased, steps approached, the door was opened, `
` and d'Artagnan, sword in hand, rushed into the rooms of M. `
` Bonacieux, the door of which doubtless acted upon by a spring, `
` closed after him. `
` `
` Then those who dwelt in Bonacieux's unfortunate house, together `
` with the nearest neighbors, heard loud cries, stamping of feet, `
` clashing of swords, and breaking of furniture. A moment after, `
` those who, surprised by this tumult, had gone to their windows to `
` learn the cause of it, saw the door open, and four men, clothed `
` in black, not COME out of it, but FLY, like so many frightened `
` crows, leaving on the ground and on the corners of the furniture, `
` feathers from their wings; that is to say, patches of their `
` clothes and fragments of their cloaks. `
` `
` D'Artagnan was conqueror--without much effort, it must be `
` confessed, for only one of the officers was armed, and even he `
` defended himself for form's sake. It is true that the three `
` others had endeavored to knock the young man down with chairs, `
` stools, and crockery; but two or three scratches made by the `
` Gascon's blade terrified them. Ten minutes sufficed for their `
` defeat, and d'Artagnan remained master of the field of battle. `
` `
` The neighbors who had opened their windows, with the coolness `
` peculiar to the inhabitants of Paris in these times of perpetual `
` riots and disturbances, closed them again as soon as they saw the `
` four men in black flee--their instinct telling them that for the `
` time all was over. Besides, it began to grow late, and then, as `
` today, people went to bed early in the quarter of the Luxembourg. `
` `
` On being left alone with Mme. Bonacieux, d'Artagnan turned toward `
` her; the poor woman reclined where she had been left, `
` half-fainting upon an armchair. D'Artagnan examined her with a `
` rapid glance. `
` `
` She was a charming woman of twenty-five or twenty-six years, with `
` dark hair, blue eyes, and a nose slightly turned up, admirable `
` teeth, and a complexion marbled with rose and opal. There, `
` however, ended the signs which might have confounded her with a `
` lady of rank. The hands were white, but without delicacy; the `
` feet did not bespeak the woman of quality. Happily, d'Artagnan `
` was not yet acquainted with such niceties. `
` `
` While d'Artagnan was examining Mme. Bonacieux, and was, as we `
` have said, close to her, he saw on the ground a fine cambric `
` handkerchief, which he picked up, as was his habit, and at the `
` corner of which he recognized the same cipher he had seen on the `
` handkerchief which had nearly caused him and Aramis to cut each `
` other's throat. `
` `
` From that time, d'Artagnan had been cautious with respect to `
` handkerchiefs with arms on them, and he therefore placed in the `
` pocket of Mme. Bonacieux the one he had just picked up. `
`
` "Hold out your hand and swear!" cried Athos and Aramis at once. `
` `
` Overcome by example, grumbling to himself, nevertheless, Porthos `
` stretched out his hand, and the four friends repeated with one `
` voice the formula dictated by d'Artagnan: `
` `
` "All for one, one for all." `
` `
` "That's well! Now let us everyone retire to his own home," said `
` d'Artagnan, as if he had done nothing but command all his life; `
` "and attention! For from this moment we are at feud with the `
` cardinal." `
` `
` `
` `
` 10 A MOUSETRAP IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY `
` `
` The invention of the mousetrap does not date from our days; as `
` soon as societies, in forming, had invented any kind of police, `
` that police invented mousetraps. `
` `
` As perhaps our readers are not familiar with the slang of the Rue `
` de Jerusalem, and as it is fifteen years since we applied this `
` word for the first time to this thing, allow us to explain to `
` them what is a mousetrap. `
` `
` When in a house, of whatever kind it may be, an individual `
` suspected of any crime is arrested, the arrest is held secret. `
` Four or five men are placed in ambuscade in the first room. The `
` door is opened to all who knock. It is closed after them, and `
` they are arrested; so that at the end of two or three days they `
` have in their power almost all the HABITUES of the establishment. `
` And that is a mousetrap. `
` `
` The apartment of M. Bonacieux, then, became a mousetrap; and `
` whoever appeared there was taken and interrogated by the `
` cardinal's people. It must be observed that as a separate `
` passage led to the first floor, in which d'Artagnan lodged, those `
` who called on him were exempted from this detention. `
` `
` Besides, nobody came thither but the three Musketeers; they had `
` all been engaged in earnest search and inquiries, but had `
` discovered nothing. Athos had even gone so far as to question M. `
` de Treville--a thing which, considering the habitual reticence of `
` the worthy Musketeer, had very much astonished his captain. But `
` M. de Treville knew nothing, except that the last time he had `
` seen the cardinal, the king, and the queen, the cardinal looked `
` very thoughtful, the king uneasy, and the redness of the queen's `
` eyes donated that she had been sleepless or tearful. But this `
` last circumstance was not striking, as the queen since her `
` marriage had slept badly and wept much. `
` `
` M. de Treville requested Athos, whatever might happen, to be `
` observant of his duty to the king, but particularly to the queen, `
` begging him to convey his desires to his comrades. `
` `
` As to d'Artagnan, he did not budge from his apartment. He `
` converted his chamber into an observatory. From his windows he `
` saw all the visitors who were caught. Then, having removed a `
` plank from his floor, and nothing remaining but a simple ceiling `
` between him and the room beneath, in which the interrogatories `
` were made, he heard all that passed between the inquisitors and `
` the accused. `
` `
` The interrogatories, preceded by a minute search operated upon `
` the persons arrested, were almost always framed thus: "Has Madame `
` Bonacieux sent anything to you for her husband, or any other `
` person? Has Monsieur Bonacieux sent anything to you for his `
` wife, or for any other person? Has either of them confided `
` anything to you by word of mouth?" `
` `
` "If they knew anything, they would not question people in this `
` manner," said d'Artagnan to himself. "Now, what is it they want `
` to know? Why, they want to know if the Duke of Buckingham is in `
` Paris, and if he has had, or is likely to have, an interview with `
` the queen." `
` `
` D'Artagnan held onto this idea, which, from what he had heard, `
` was not wanting in probability. `
` `
` In the meantime, the mousetrap continued in operation, and `
` likewise d'Artagnan's vigilance. `
` `
` On the evening of the day after the arrest of poor Bonacieux, as `
` Athos had just left d'Artagnan to report at M. de Treville's, as `
` nine o'clock had just struck, and as Planchet, who had not yet `
` made the bed, was beginning his task, a knocking was heard at the `
` street door. The door was instantly opened and shut; someone was `
` taken in the mousetrap. `
` `
` D'Artagnan flew to his hole, laid himself down on the floor at `
` full length, and listened. `
` `
` Cries were soon heard, and then moans, which someone appeared to `
` be endeavoring to stifle. There were no questions. `
` `
` "The devil!" said d'Artagnan to himself. "It seems like a woman! `
` They search her; she resists; they use force--the scoundrels!" `
` `
` In spite of his prudence, d'Artagnan restrained himself with `
` great difficulty from taking a part in the scene that was going `
` on below. `
` `
` "But I tell you that I am the mistress of the house, gentlemen! `
` I tell you I am Madame Bonacieux; I tell you I belong to the `
` queen!" cried the unfortunate woman. `
` `
` "Madame Bonacieux!" murmured d'Artagnan. "Can I be so lucky as `
` to find what everybody is seeking for?" `
` `
` The voice became more and more indistinct; a tumultuous movement `
` shook the partition. The victim resisted as much as a woman `
` could resist four men. `
` `
` "Pardon, gentlemen--par--" murmured the voice, which could now `
` only be heard in inarticulate sounds. `
` `
` "They are binding her; they are going to drag her away," cried `
` d'Artagnan to himself, springing up from the floor. "My sword! `
` Good, it is by my side! Planchet!" `
` `
` "Monsieur." `
` `
` "Run and seek Athos, Porthos and Aramis. One of the three will `
` certainly be at home, perhaps all three. Tell them to take arms, `
` to come here, and to run! Ah, I remember, Athos is at Monsieur `
` de Treville's." `
` `
` "But where are you going, monsieur, where are you going?" `
` `
` "I am going down by the window, in order to be there the sooner," `
` cried d'Artagnan. "You put back the boards, sweep the floor, go `
` out at the door, and run as I told you." `
` `
` "Oh, monsieur! Monsieur! You will kill yourself," cried `
` Planchet. `
` `
` "Hold your tongue, stupid fellow," said d'Artagnan; and laying `
` hold of the casement, he let himself gently down from the first `
` story, which fortunately was not very elevated, without doing `
` himself the slightest injury. `
` `
` He then went straight to the door and knocked, murmuring, "I will `
` go myself and be caught in the mousetrap, but woe be to the cats `
` that shall pounce upon such a mouse!" `
` `
` The knocker had scarcely sounded under the hand of the young man `
` before the tumult ceased, steps approached, the door was opened, `
` and d'Artagnan, sword in hand, rushed into the rooms of M. `
` Bonacieux, the door of which doubtless acted upon by a spring, `
` closed after him. `
` `
` Then those who dwelt in Bonacieux's unfortunate house, together `
` with the nearest neighbors, heard loud cries, stamping of feet, `
` clashing of swords, and breaking of furniture. A moment after, `
` those who, surprised by this tumult, had gone to their windows to `
` learn the cause of it, saw the door open, and four men, clothed `
` in black, not COME out of it, but FLY, like so many frightened `
` crows, leaving on the ground and on the corners of the furniture, `
` feathers from their wings; that is to say, patches of their `
` clothes and fragments of their cloaks. `
` `
` D'Artagnan was conqueror--without much effort, it must be `
` confessed, for only one of the officers was armed, and even he `
` defended himself for form's sake. It is true that the three `
` others had endeavored to knock the young man down with chairs, `
` stools, and crockery; but two or three scratches made by the `
` Gascon's blade terrified them. Ten minutes sufficed for their `
` defeat, and d'Artagnan remained master of the field of battle. `
` `
` The neighbors who had opened their windows, with the coolness `
` peculiar to the inhabitants of Paris in these times of perpetual `
` riots and disturbances, closed them again as soon as they saw the `
` four men in black flee--their instinct telling them that for the `
` time all was over. Besides, it began to grow late, and then, as `
` today, people went to bed early in the quarter of the Luxembourg. `
` `
` On being left alone with Mme. Bonacieux, d'Artagnan turned toward `
` her; the poor woman reclined where she had been left, `
` half-fainting upon an armchair. D'Artagnan examined her with a `
` rapid glance. `
` `
` She was a charming woman of twenty-five or twenty-six years, with `
` dark hair, blue eyes, and a nose slightly turned up, admirable `
` teeth, and a complexion marbled with rose and opal. There, `
` however, ended the signs which might have confounded her with a `
` lady of rank. The hands were white, but without delicacy; the `
` feet did not bespeak the woman of quality. Happily, d'Artagnan `
` was not yet acquainted with such niceties. `
` `
` While d'Artagnan was examining Mme. Bonacieux, and was, as we `
` have said, close to her, he saw on the ground a fine cambric `
` handkerchief, which he picked up, as was his habit, and at the `
` corner of which he recognized the same cipher he had seen on the `
` handkerchief which had nearly caused him and Aramis to cut each `
` other's throat. `
` `
` From that time, d'Artagnan had been cautious with respect to `
` handkerchiefs with arms on them, and he therefore placed in the `
` pocket of Mme. Bonacieux the one he had just picked up. `
`