Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.19-40
manage it with two thousand livres." `
` `
` "Good God!" cried she, "two thousand livres! Why, that is a `
` fortune!" `
` `
` Porthos made a most significant grimace; Mme. Coquenard `
` understood it. `
` `
` "I wished to know the detail," said she, "because, having `
` many relatives in business, I was almost sure of obtaining `
` things at a hundred per cent less than you would pay `
` yourself." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "that is what you meant to say!" `
` `
` "Yes, dear Monsieur Porthos. Thus, for instance, don't you `
` in the first place want a horse?" `
` `
` "Yes, a horse." `
` `
` "Well, then! I can just suit you." `
` `
` "Ah!" said Porthos, brightening, "that's well as regards my `
` horse; but I must have the appointments complete, as they `
` include objects which a Musketeer alone can purchase, and `
` which will not amount, besides, to more than three hundred `
` livres." `
` `
` "Three hundred livres? Then put down three hundred livres," `
` said the procurator's wife, with a sigh. `
` `
` Porthos smiled. It may be remembered that he had the saddle `
` which came from Buckingham. These three hundred livres he `
` reckoned upon putting snugly into his pocket. `
` `
` "Then," continued he, "there is a horse for my lackey, and `
` my valise. As to my arms, it is useless to trouble you `
` about them; I have them." `
` `
` "A horse for your lackey?" resumed the procurator's wife, `
` hesitatingly; "but that is doing things in lordly style, my `
` friend." `
` `
` "Ah, madame!" said Porthos, haughtily; "do you take me for a `
` beggar?" `
` `
` "No; I only thought that a pretty mule makes sometimes as `
` good an appearance as a horse, and it seemed to me that by `
` getting a pretty mule for Mousqueton--" `
` `
` "Well, agreed for a pretty mule," said Porthos; "you are `
` right, I have seen very great Spanish nobles whose whole `
` suite were mounted on mules. But then you understand, `
` Madame Coquenard, a mule with feathers and bells." `
` `
` "Be satisfied," said the procurator's wife. `
` `
` "There remains the valise," added Porthos. `
` `
` "Oh, don't let that disturb you," cried Mme. Coquenard. "My `
` husband has five or six valises; you shall choose the best. `
` There is one in particular which he prefers in his journeys, `
` large enough to hold all the world." `
` `
` "Your valise is then empty?" asked Porthos, with simplicity. `
` `
` "Certainly it is empty," replied the procurator's wife, in `
` real innocence. `
` `
` "Ah, but the valise I want," cried Porthos, "is a well- `
` filled one, my dear." `
` `
` Madame uttered fresh sighs. Moliere had not written his `
` scene in "L'Avare" then. Mme. Coquenard was in the dilemma `
` of Harpagan. `
` `
` Finally, the rest of the equipment was successively debated `
` in the same manner; and the result of the sitting was that `
` the procurator's wife should give eight hundred livres in `
` money, and should furnish the horse and the mule which `
` should have the honor of carrying Porthos and Mousqueton to `
` glory. `
` `
` These conditions being agreed to, Porthos took leave of Mme. `
` Coquenard. The latter wished to detain him by darting `
` certain tender glances; but Porthos urged the commands of `
` duty, and the procurator's wife was obliged to give place to `
` the king. `
` `
` The Musketeer returned home hungry and in bad humor. `
` `
` `
` `
` 33 SOUBRETTE AND MISTRESS `
` `
` Meantime, as we have said, despite the cries of his `
` conscience and the wise counsels of Athos, d'Artagnan became `
` hourly more in love with Milady. Thus he never failed to `
` pay his diurnal court to her; and the self-satisfied Gascon `
` was convinced that sooner or later she could not fail to `
` respond. `
` `
` One day, when he arrived with his head in the air, and as `
` light at heart as a man who awaits a shower of gold, he `
` found the SOUBRETTE under the gateway of the hotel; but this `
` time the pretty Kitty was not contented with touching him as `
` he passed, she took him gently by the hand. `
` `
` "Good!" thought d'Artagnan, "She is charged with some `
` message for me from her mistress; she is about to appoint `
` some rendezvous of which she had not courage to speak." And `
` he looked down at the pretty girl with the most triumphant `
` air imaginable. `
` `
` "I wish to say three words to you, Monsieur Chevalier," `
` stammered the SOUBRETTE. `
` `
` "Speak, my child, speak," said d'Artagnan; "I listen." `
` `
` "Here? Impossible! That which I have to say is too long, `
` and above all, too secret." `
` `
` "Well, what is to be done?" `
` `
` "If Monsieur Chevalier would follow me?" said Kitty, `
` timidly. `
` `
` "Where you please, my dear child." `
` `
` "Come, then." `
` `
` And Kitty, who had not let go the hand of d'Artagnan, led `
` him up a little dark, winding staircase, and after ascending `
` about fifteen steps, opened a door. `
` `
` "Come in here, Monsieur Chevalier," said she; "here we shall `
` be alone, and can talk." `
` `
` "And whose room is this, my dear child?" `
` `
` "It is mine, Monsieur Chevalier; it communicates with my `
` mistress's by that door. But you need not fear. She will `
` not hear what we say; she never goes to bed before `
` midnight." `
` `
` D'Artagnan cast a glance around him. The little apartment `
` was charming for its taste and neatness; but in spite of `
` himself, his eyes were directed to that door which Kitty `
` said led to Milady's chamber. `
` `
` Kitty guessed what was passing in the mind of the young man, `
` and heaved a deep sigh. `
` `
` "You love my mistress, then, very dearly, Monsieur `
` Chevalier?" said she. `
` `
` "Oh, more than I can say, Kitty! I am mad for her!" `
` `
` Kitty breathed a second sigh. `
` `
` "Alas, monsieur," said she, "that is too bad." `
` `
` "What the devil do you see so bad in it?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Because, monsieur," replied Kitty, "my mistress loves you `
` not at all." `
` `
` "HEIN!" said d'Artagnan, "can she have charged you to tell `
` me so?" `
` `
` "Oh, no, monsieur; but out of the regard I have for you, I `
` have taken the resolution to tell you so." `
` `
` "Much obliged, my dear Kitty; but for the intention only--for `
` the information, you must agree, is not likely to be at all `
` agreeable." `
` `
` "That is to say, you don't believe what I have told you; is `
` it not so?" `
` `
` "We have always some difficulty in believing such things, my `
` pretty dear, were it only from self-love." `
` `
` "Then you don't believe me?" `
` `
` "I confess that unless you deign to give me some proof of `
` what you advance--" `
` `
` "What do you think of this?" `
` `
` Kitty drew a little note from her bosom. `
` `
` "For me?" said d'Artagnan, seizing the letter. `
` `
` "No; for another." `
` `
` "For another?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "His name; his name!" cried d'Artagnan. `
`
` `
` "Good God!" cried she, "two thousand livres! Why, that is a `
` fortune!" `
` `
` Porthos made a most significant grimace; Mme. Coquenard `
` understood it. `
` `
` "I wished to know the detail," said she, "because, having `
` many relatives in business, I was almost sure of obtaining `
` things at a hundred per cent less than you would pay `
` yourself." `
` `
` "Ah, ah!" said Porthos, "that is what you meant to say!" `
` `
` "Yes, dear Monsieur Porthos. Thus, for instance, don't you `
` in the first place want a horse?" `
` `
` "Yes, a horse." `
` `
` "Well, then! I can just suit you." `
` `
` "Ah!" said Porthos, brightening, "that's well as regards my `
` horse; but I must have the appointments complete, as they `
` include objects which a Musketeer alone can purchase, and `
` which will not amount, besides, to more than three hundred `
` livres." `
` `
` "Three hundred livres? Then put down three hundred livres," `
` said the procurator's wife, with a sigh. `
` `
` Porthos smiled. It may be remembered that he had the saddle `
` which came from Buckingham. These three hundred livres he `
` reckoned upon putting snugly into his pocket. `
` `
` "Then," continued he, "there is a horse for my lackey, and `
` my valise. As to my arms, it is useless to trouble you `
` about them; I have them." `
` `
` "A horse for your lackey?" resumed the procurator's wife, `
` hesitatingly; "but that is doing things in lordly style, my `
` friend." `
` `
` "Ah, madame!" said Porthos, haughtily; "do you take me for a `
` beggar?" `
` `
` "No; I only thought that a pretty mule makes sometimes as `
` good an appearance as a horse, and it seemed to me that by `
` getting a pretty mule for Mousqueton--" `
` `
` "Well, agreed for a pretty mule," said Porthos; "you are `
` right, I have seen very great Spanish nobles whose whole `
` suite were mounted on mules. But then you understand, `
` Madame Coquenard, a mule with feathers and bells." `
` `
` "Be satisfied," said the procurator's wife. `
` `
` "There remains the valise," added Porthos. `
` `
` "Oh, don't let that disturb you," cried Mme. Coquenard. "My `
` husband has five or six valises; you shall choose the best. `
` There is one in particular which he prefers in his journeys, `
` large enough to hold all the world." `
` `
` "Your valise is then empty?" asked Porthos, with simplicity. `
` `
` "Certainly it is empty," replied the procurator's wife, in `
` real innocence. `
` `
` "Ah, but the valise I want," cried Porthos, "is a well- `
` filled one, my dear." `
` `
` Madame uttered fresh sighs. Moliere had not written his `
` scene in "L'Avare" then. Mme. Coquenard was in the dilemma `
` of Harpagan. `
` `
` Finally, the rest of the equipment was successively debated `
` in the same manner; and the result of the sitting was that `
` the procurator's wife should give eight hundred livres in `
` money, and should furnish the horse and the mule which `
` should have the honor of carrying Porthos and Mousqueton to `
` glory. `
` `
` These conditions being agreed to, Porthos took leave of Mme. `
` Coquenard. The latter wished to detain him by darting `
` certain tender glances; but Porthos urged the commands of `
` duty, and the procurator's wife was obliged to give place to `
` the king. `
` `
` The Musketeer returned home hungry and in bad humor. `
` `
` `
` `
` 33 SOUBRETTE AND MISTRESS `
` `
` Meantime, as we have said, despite the cries of his `
` conscience and the wise counsels of Athos, d'Artagnan became `
` hourly more in love with Milady. Thus he never failed to `
` pay his diurnal court to her; and the self-satisfied Gascon `
` was convinced that sooner or later she could not fail to `
` respond. `
` `
` One day, when he arrived with his head in the air, and as `
` light at heart as a man who awaits a shower of gold, he `
` found the SOUBRETTE under the gateway of the hotel; but this `
` time the pretty Kitty was not contented with touching him as `
` he passed, she took him gently by the hand. `
` `
` "Good!" thought d'Artagnan, "She is charged with some `
` message for me from her mistress; she is about to appoint `
` some rendezvous of which she had not courage to speak." And `
` he looked down at the pretty girl with the most triumphant `
` air imaginable. `
` `
` "I wish to say three words to you, Monsieur Chevalier," `
` stammered the SOUBRETTE. `
` `
` "Speak, my child, speak," said d'Artagnan; "I listen." `
` `
` "Here? Impossible! That which I have to say is too long, `
` and above all, too secret." `
` `
` "Well, what is to be done?" `
` `
` "If Monsieur Chevalier would follow me?" said Kitty, `
` timidly. `
` `
` "Where you please, my dear child." `
` `
` "Come, then." `
` `
` And Kitty, who had not let go the hand of d'Artagnan, led `
` him up a little dark, winding staircase, and after ascending `
` about fifteen steps, opened a door. `
` `
` "Come in here, Monsieur Chevalier," said she; "here we shall `
` be alone, and can talk." `
` `
` "And whose room is this, my dear child?" `
` `
` "It is mine, Monsieur Chevalier; it communicates with my `
` mistress's by that door. But you need not fear. She will `
` not hear what we say; she never goes to bed before `
` midnight." `
` `
` D'Artagnan cast a glance around him. The little apartment `
` was charming for its taste and neatness; but in spite of `
` himself, his eyes were directed to that door which Kitty `
` said led to Milady's chamber. `
` `
` Kitty guessed what was passing in the mind of the young man, `
` and heaved a deep sigh. `
` `
` "You love my mistress, then, very dearly, Monsieur `
` Chevalier?" said she. `
` `
` "Oh, more than I can say, Kitty! I am mad for her!" `
` `
` Kitty breathed a second sigh. `
` `
` "Alas, monsieur," said she, "that is too bad." `
` `
` "What the devil do you see so bad in it?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Because, monsieur," replied Kitty, "my mistress loves you `
` not at all." `
` `
` "HEIN!" said d'Artagnan, "can she have charged you to tell `
` me so?" `
` `
` "Oh, no, monsieur; but out of the regard I have for you, I `
` have taken the resolution to tell you so." `
` `
` "Much obliged, my dear Kitty; but for the intention only--for `
` the information, you must agree, is not likely to be at all `
` agreeable." `
` `
` "That is to say, you don't believe what I have told you; is `
` it not so?" `
` `
` "We have always some difficulty in believing such things, my `
` pretty dear, were it only from self-love." `
` `
` "Then you don't believe me?" `
` `
` "I confess that unless you deign to give me some proof of `
` what you advance--" `
` `
` "What do you think of this?" `
` `
` Kitty drew a little note from her bosom. `
` `
` "For me?" said d'Artagnan, seizing the letter. `
` `
` "No; for another." `
` `
` "For another?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "His name; his name!" cried d'Artagnan. `
`