Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.19-40
`
` "What does all this mean?" asked Aramis. `
` `
` "Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow `
` me." `
` `
` "But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing--" `
` `
` Aramis stopped. `
` `
` "What is become of her? I suppose you mean--" continued `
` d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Become of whom?" replied Aramis. `
` `
` "The woman who was here--the woman with the embroidered `
` handkerchief." `
` `
` "Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becoming `
` as pale as death. `
` `
` "I saw her." `
` `
` "And you know who she is?" `
` `
` "I believe I can guess, at least." `
` `
` "Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things, `
` can you tell me what is become of that woman?" `
` `
` "I presume that she has returned to Tours." `
` `
` "To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But why `
` did she return to Tours without telling me anything?" `
` `
` "Because she was in fear of being arrested." `
` `
` "Why has she not written to me, then?" `
` `
` "Because she was afraid of compromising you." `
` `
` "d'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied `
` myself despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! `
` I could not have believed she would risk her liberty for me, and `
` yet for what other cause could she have returned to Paris?" `
` `
` "For the cause which today takes us to England." `
` `
` "And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis. `
` `
` "Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I must `
` imitate the discretion of 'the doctor's niece.'" `
` `
` Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friends `
` on a certain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, and `
` you are sure of it, d'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am `
` ready to follow you. You say we are going--" `
` `
` "To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to `
` make haste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, inform `
` Bazin." `
` `
` "Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis. `
` `
` "Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us `
` to Athos's." `
` `
` Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join them `
` at Athos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same time `
` taking his cloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly two `
` or three drawers to see if he could not find stray coin. When `
` well assured this search was superfluous, he followed d'Artagnan, `
` wondering to himself how this young Guardsman should know so well `
` who the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that he `
` should know better than himself what had become of her. `
` `
` Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of `
` d'Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken of `
` this lady?" said he. `
` `
` "To nobody in the world." `
` `
` "Not even to Athos or Porthos?" `
` `
` "I have not breathed a syllable to them." `
` `
` "Good enough!" `
` `
` Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way with `
` d'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. They `
` found him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de `
` Treville's note in the other. `
` `
` "Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence and `
` this letter, which I have just received?" said the astonished `
` Athos. `
` `
` `
` My dear Athos, `
` `
` I wish, as your health absolutely requires it, `
` that you should rest for a fortnight. Go, then, and take the `
` waters of Forges, or any that may be more agreeable to you, and `
` recuperate yourself as quickly as possible. `
` `
` Yours affectionate `
` `
` de Treville `
` `
` `
` "Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must `
` follow me, Athos." `
` `
` "To the waters of Forges?" `
` `
` "There or elsewhere." `
` `
` "In the king's service?" `
` `
` "Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties' `
` servants?" `
` `
` At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is a `
` strange thing! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did they `
` grant men leave of absence without their asking for it?" `
` `
` "Since," said d'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for `
` them." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something fresh `
` here." `
` `
` "Yes, we are going--" said Aramis. `
` `
` "To what country?" demanded Porthos. `
` `
` "My faith! I don't know much about it," said Athos. "Ask `
` d'Artagnan." `
` `
` "To London, gentlemen," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to `
` do in London?" `
` `
` "That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you `
` must trust to me." `
` `
` "But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed, `
` and I have none." `
` `
` "Nor I," said Aramis. `
` `
` "Nor I," said Athos. `
` `
` "I have," replied d'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his `
` pocket, and placing it on the table. "There are in this bag `
` three hundred pistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that is `
` enough to take us to London and back. Besides, make yourselves `
` easy; we shall not all arrive at London." `
` `
` "Why so?" `
` `
` "Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on the `
` road." `
` `
` "Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?" `
` `
` "One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice." `
` `
` "Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I `
` should like to know what for." `
` `
` "You would be all the wiser," said Athos. `
` `
` "And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion." `
` `
` "Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says `
` to you jauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in `
` Gascony or in Flanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why? `
` You need give yourselves no more uneasiness about this." `
` `
` "d'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of `
` absence which came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are three `
` hundred pistoles which came from I don't know where. So let us `
` go and get killed where we are told to go. Is life worth the `
` trouble of so many questions? D'Artagnan, I am ready to follow `
` you." `
` `
` "And I also," said Porthos. `
` `
` "And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit `
` Paris; I had need of distraction." `
` `
` "Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," `
` said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos. `
` `
` "Immediately," replied d'Artagnan; "we have not a minute to `
` lose." `
` `
`
` "What does all this mean?" asked Aramis. `
` `
` "Pack up all you want for a journey of a fortnight, and follow `
` me." `
` `
` "But I cannot leave Paris just now without knowing--" `
` `
` Aramis stopped. `
` `
` "What is become of her? I suppose you mean--" continued `
` d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Become of whom?" replied Aramis. `
` `
` "The woman who was here--the woman with the embroidered `
` handkerchief." `
` `
` "Who told you there was a woman here?" replied Aramis, becoming `
` as pale as death. `
` `
` "I saw her." `
` `
` "And you know who she is?" `
` `
` "I believe I can guess, at least." `
` `
` "Listen!" said Aramis. "Since you appear to know so many things, `
` can you tell me what is become of that woman?" `
` `
` "I presume that she has returned to Tours." `
` `
` "To Tours? Yes, that may be. You evidently know her. But why `
` did she return to Tours without telling me anything?" `
` `
` "Because she was in fear of being arrested." `
` `
` "Why has she not written to me, then?" `
` `
` "Because she was afraid of compromising you." `
` `
` "d'Artagnan, you restore me to life!" cried Aramis. "I fancied `
` myself despised, betrayed. I was so delighted to see her again! `
` I could not have believed she would risk her liberty for me, and `
` yet for what other cause could she have returned to Paris?" `
` `
` "For the cause which today takes us to England." `
` `
` "And what is this cause?" demanded Aramis. `
` `
` "Oh, you'll know it someday, Aramis; but at present I must `
` imitate the discretion of 'the doctor's niece.'" `
` `
` Aramis smiled, as he remembered the tale he had told his friends `
` on a certain evening. "Well, then, since she has left Paris, and `
` you are sure of it, d'Artagnan, nothing prevents me, and I am `
` ready to follow you. You say we are going--" `
` `
` "To see Athos now, and if you will come thither, I beg you to `
` make haste, for we have lost much time already. A PROPOS, inform `
` Bazin." `
` `
` "Will Bazin go with us?" asked Aramis. `
` `
` "Perhaps so. At all events, it is best that he should follow us `
` to Athos's." `
` `
` Aramis called Bazin, and, after having ordered him to join them `
` at Athos's residence, said "Let us go then," at the same time `
` taking his cloak, sword, and three pistols, opening uselessly two `
` or three drawers to see if he could not find stray coin. When `
` well assured this search was superfluous, he followed d'Artagnan, `
` wondering to himself how this young Guardsman should know so well `
` who the lady was to whom he had given hospitality, and that he `
` should know better than himself what had become of her. `
` `
` Only as they went out Aramis placed his hand upon the arm of `
` d'Artagnan, and looking at him earnestly, "You have not spoken of `
` this lady?" said he. `
` `
` "To nobody in the world." `
` `
` "Not even to Athos or Porthos?" `
` `
` "I have not breathed a syllable to them." `
` `
` "Good enough!" `
` `
` Tranquil on this important point, Aramis continued his way with `
` d'Artagnan, and both soon arrived at Athos's dwelling. They `
` found him holding his leave of absence in one hand, and M. de `
` Treville's note in the other. `
` `
` "Can you explain to me what signify this leave of absence and `
` this letter, which I have just received?" said the astonished `
` Athos. `
` `
` `
` My dear Athos, `
` `
` I wish, as your health absolutely requires it, `
` that you should rest for a fortnight. Go, then, and take the `
` waters of Forges, or any that may be more agreeable to you, and `
` recuperate yourself as quickly as possible. `
` `
` Yours affectionate `
` `
` de Treville `
` `
` `
` "Well, this leave of absence and that letter mean that you must `
` follow me, Athos." `
` `
` "To the waters of Forges?" `
` `
` "There or elsewhere." `
` `
` "In the king's service?" `
` `
` "Either the king's or the queen's. Are we not their Majesties' `
` servants?" `
` `
` At that moment Porthos entered. "PARDIEU!" said he, "here is a `
` strange thing! Since when, I wonder, in the Musketeers, did they `
` grant men leave of absence without their asking for it?" `
` `
` "Since," said d'Artagnan, "they have friends who ask it for `
` them." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "it appears there's something fresh `
` here." `
` `
` "Yes, we are going--" said Aramis. `
` `
` "To what country?" demanded Porthos. `
` `
` "My faith! I don't know much about it," said Athos. "Ask `
` d'Artagnan." `
` `
` "To London, gentlemen," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "To London!" cried Porthos; "and what the devil are we going to `
` do in London?" `
` `
` "That is what I am not at liberty to tell you, gentlemen; you `
` must trust to me." `
` `
` "But in order to go to London," added Porthos, "money is needed, `
` and I have none." `
` `
` "Nor I," said Aramis. `
` `
` "Nor I," said Athos. `
` `
` "I have," replied d'Artagnan, pulling out his treasure from his `
` pocket, and placing it on the table. "There are in this bag `
` three hundred pistoles. Let each take seventy-five; that is `
` enough to take us to London and back. Besides, make yourselves `
` easy; we shall not all arrive at London." `
` `
` "Why so?" `
` `
` "Because, in all probability, some one of us will be left on the `
` road." `
` `
` "Is this, then, a campaign upon which we are now entering?" `
` `
` "One of a most dangerous kind, I give you notice." `
` `
` "Ah! But if we do risk being killed," said Porthos, "at least I `
` should like to know what for." `
` `
` "You would be all the wiser," said Athos. `
` `
` "And yet," said Aramis, "I am somewhat of Porthos's opinion." `
` `
` "Is the king accustomed to give you such reasons? No. He says `
` to you jauntily, 'Gentlemen, there is fighting going on in `
` Gascony or in Flanders; go and fight,' and you go there. Why? `
` You need give yourselves no more uneasiness about this." `
` `
` "d'Artagnan is right," said Athos; "here are our three leaves of `
` absence which came from Monsieur de Treville, and here are three `
` hundred pistoles which came from I don't know where. So let us `
` go and get killed where we are told to go. Is life worth the `
` trouble of so many questions? D'Artagnan, I am ready to follow `
` you." `
` `
` "And I also," said Porthos. `
` `
` "And I also," said Aramis. "And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit `
` Paris; I had need of distraction." `
` `
` "Well, you will have distractions enough, gentlemen, be assured," `
` said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "And, now, when are we to go?" asked Athos. `
` `
` "Immediately," replied d'Artagnan; "we have not a minute to `
` lose." `
` `
`