Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
"Besides," said Aramis, "God desires the conversion and not `
` the death of a sinner." `
` `
` "Amen!" said Athos, "and we will return to that subject `
` later, if such be your pleasure; but what for the moment `
` engaged my attention most earnestly, and I am sure you will `
` understand me, d'Artagnan, was the getting from this woman a `
` kind of carte blanche which she had extorted from the `
` cardinal, and by means of which she could with impunity get `
` rid of you and perhaps of us." `
` `
` "But this creature must be a demon!" said Porthos, holding `
` out his plate to Aramis, who was cutting up a fowl. `
` `
` "And this carte blanche," said d'Artagnan, "this carte `
` blanche, does it remain in her hands?" `
` `
` "No, it passed into mine; I will not say without trouble, `
` for if I did I should tell a lie." `
` `
` "My dear Athos, I shall no longer count the number of times `
` I am indebted to you for my life." `
` `
` "Then it was to go to her that you left us?" said Aramis. `
` `
` "Exactly." `
` `
` "And you have that letter of the cardinal?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Here it is," said Athos; and he took the invaluable paper `
` from the pocket of his uniform. D'Artagnan unfolded it with `
` one hand, whose trembling he did not even attempt to `
` conceal, to read: `
` `
` `
` Dec. 3, 1627 `
` `
` It is by my order and for the good of the state that the `
` bearer of this has done what he has done. `
` `
` "Richelieu" `
` `
` `
` "In fact," said Aramis, "it is an absolution according to rule." `
` `
` "That paper must be torn to pieces," said d'Artagnan, who `
` fancied he read in it his sentence of death. `
` `
` "On the contrary," said Athos, "it must be preserved `
` carefully. I would not give up this paper if covered with `
` as many gold pieces." `
` `
` "And what will she do now?" asked the young man. `
` `
` "Why," replied Athos, carelessly, "she is probably going to `
` write to the cardinal that a damned Musketeer, named Athos, `
` has taken her safe-conduct from her by force; she will `
` advise him in the same letter to get rid of his two friends, `
` Aramis and Porthos, at the same time. The cardinal will `
` remember that these are the same men who have often crossed `
` his path; and then some fine morning he will arrest `
` d'Artagnan, and for fear he should feel lonely, he will send `
` us to keep him company in the Bastille." `
` `
` "Go to! It appears to me you make dull jokes, my dear," `
` said Porthos. `
` `
` "I do not jest," said Athos. `
` `
` "Do you know," said Porthos, "that to twist that damned `
` Milady's neck would be a smaller sin than to twist those of `
` these poor devils of Huguenots, who have committed no other `
` crime than singing in French the psalms we sing in Latin?" `
` `
` "What says the abbe?" asked Athos, quietly. `
` `
` "I say I am entirely of Porthos's opinion," replied Aramis. `
` `
` "And I, too," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Fortunately, she is far off," said Porthos, "for I confess `
` she would worry me if she were here." `
` `
` "She worries me in England as well as in France," said `
` Athos. `
` `
` "She worries me everywhere," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "But when you held her in your power, why did you not drown `
` her, strangle her, hang her?" said Porthos. "It is only the `
` dead who do not return." `
` `
` "You think so, Porthos?" replied the Musketeer, with a sad `
` smile which d'Artagnan alone understood. `
` `
` "I have an idea," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "What is it?" said the Musketeers. `
` `
` "To arms!" cried Grimaud. `
` `
` The young men sprang up, and seized their muskets. `
` `
` This time a small troop advanced, consisting of from twenty `
` to twenty-five men; but they were not pioneers, they were `
` soldiers of the garrison. `
` `
` "Shall we return to the camp?" said Porthos. "I don't think `
` the sides are equal." `
` `
` "Impossible, for three reasons," replied Athos. "The first, `
` that we have not finished breakfast; the second, that we `
` still have some very important things to say; and the third, `
` that it yet wants ten minutes before the lapse of the hour." `
` `
` "Well, then," said Aramis, "we must form a plan of battle." `
` `
` "That's very simple," replied Athos. "As soon as the enemy `
` are within musket shot, we must fire upon them. If they `
` continue to advance, we must fire again. We must fire as `
` long as we have loaded guns. If those who remain of the `
` troop persist in coming to the assault, we will allow the `
` besiegers to get as far as the ditch, and then we will push `
` down upon their heads that strip of wall which keeps its `
` perpendicular by a miracle." `
` `
` "Bravo!" cried Porthos. "Decidedly, Athos, you were born to `
` be a general, and the cardinal, who fancies himself a great `
` soldier, is nothing beside you." `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said Athos, "no divided attention, I beg; let `
` each one pick out his man." `
` `
` "I cover mine," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "And I mine," said Porthos. `
` `
` "And I mine," said Aramis. `
` `
` "Fire, then," said Athos. `
` `
` The four muskets made but one report, but four men fell. `
` `
` The drum immediately beat, and the little troop advanced at `
` charging pace. `
` `
` Then the shots were repeated without regularity, but always `
` aimed with the same accuracy. Nevertheless, as if they had `
` been aware of the numerical weakness of the friends, the `
` Rochellais continued to advance in quick time. `
` `
` With every three shots at least two men fell; but the march `
` of those who remained was not slackened. `
` `
` Arrived at the foot of the bastion, there were still more `
` than a dozen of the enemy. A last discharge welcomed them, `
` but did not stop them; they jumped into the ditch, and `
` prepared to scale the breach. `
` `
` "Now, my friends," said Athos, "finish them at a blow. To `
` the wall; to the wall!" `
` `
` And the four friends, seconded by Grimaud, pushed with the `
` barrels of their muskets an enormous sheet of the wall, `
` which bent as if pushed by the wind, and detaching itself `
` from its base, fell with a horrible crash into the ditch. `
` Then a fearful crash was heard; a cloud of dust mounted `
` toward the sky--and all was over! `
` `
` "Can we have destroyed them all, from the first to the `
` last?" said Athos. `
` `
` "My faith, it appears so!" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "No," cried Porthos; "there go three or four, limping away." `
` `
` In fact, three or four of these unfortunate men, covered `
` with dirt and blood, fled along the hollow way, and at `
` length regained the city. These were all who were left of `
` the little troop. `
` `
` Athos looked at his watch. `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said he, "we have been here an hour, and our `
` wager is won; but we will be fair players. Besides, `
` d'Artagnan has not told us his idea yet." `
` `
` And the Musketeer, with his usual coolness, reseated himself `
` before the remains of the breakfast. `
` `
` "My idea?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Yes; you said you had an idea," said Athos. `
` `
` "Oh, I remember," said d'Artagnan. "Well, I will go to `
` England a second time; I will go and find Buckingham." `
` `
` "You shall not do that, d'Artagnan," said Athos, coolly. `
` `
` "And why not? Have I not been there once?" `
` `
`
` the death of a sinner." `
` `
` "Amen!" said Athos, "and we will return to that subject `
` later, if such be your pleasure; but what for the moment `
` engaged my attention most earnestly, and I am sure you will `
` understand me, d'Artagnan, was the getting from this woman a `
` kind of carte blanche which she had extorted from the `
` cardinal, and by means of which she could with impunity get `
` rid of you and perhaps of us." `
` `
` "But this creature must be a demon!" said Porthos, holding `
` out his plate to Aramis, who was cutting up a fowl. `
` `
` "And this carte blanche," said d'Artagnan, "this carte `
` blanche, does it remain in her hands?" `
` `
` "No, it passed into mine; I will not say without trouble, `
` for if I did I should tell a lie." `
` `
` "My dear Athos, I shall no longer count the number of times `
` I am indebted to you for my life." `
` `
` "Then it was to go to her that you left us?" said Aramis. `
` `
` "Exactly." `
` `
` "And you have that letter of the cardinal?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Here it is," said Athos; and he took the invaluable paper `
` from the pocket of his uniform. D'Artagnan unfolded it with `
` one hand, whose trembling he did not even attempt to `
` conceal, to read: `
` `
` `
` Dec. 3, 1627 `
` `
` It is by my order and for the good of the state that the `
` bearer of this has done what he has done. `
` `
` "Richelieu" `
` `
` `
` "In fact," said Aramis, "it is an absolution according to rule." `
` `
` "That paper must be torn to pieces," said d'Artagnan, who `
` fancied he read in it his sentence of death. `
` `
` "On the contrary," said Athos, "it must be preserved `
` carefully. I would not give up this paper if covered with `
` as many gold pieces." `
` `
` "And what will she do now?" asked the young man. `
` `
` "Why," replied Athos, carelessly, "she is probably going to `
` write to the cardinal that a damned Musketeer, named Athos, `
` has taken her safe-conduct from her by force; she will `
` advise him in the same letter to get rid of his two friends, `
` Aramis and Porthos, at the same time. The cardinal will `
` remember that these are the same men who have often crossed `
` his path; and then some fine morning he will arrest `
` d'Artagnan, and for fear he should feel lonely, he will send `
` us to keep him company in the Bastille." `
` `
` "Go to! It appears to me you make dull jokes, my dear," `
` said Porthos. `
` `
` "I do not jest," said Athos. `
` `
` "Do you know," said Porthos, "that to twist that damned `
` Milady's neck would be a smaller sin than to twist those of `
` these poor devils of Huguenots, who have committed no other `
` crime than singing in French the psalms we sing in Latin?" `
` `
` "What says the abbe?" asked Athos, quietly. `
` `
` "I say I am entirely of Porthos's opinion," replied Aramis. `
` `
` "And I, too," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Fortunately, she is far off," said Porthos, "for I confess `
` she would worry me if she were here." `
` `
` "She worries me in England as well as in France," said `
` Athos. `
` `
` "She worries me everywhere," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "But when you held her in your power, why did you not drown `
` her, strangle her, hang her?" said Porthos. "It is only the `
` dead who do not return." `
` `
` "You think so, Porthos?" replied the Musketeer, with a sad `
` smile which d'Artagnan alone understood. `
` `
` "I have an idea," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "What is it?" said the Musketeers. `
` `
` "To arms!" cried Grimaud. `
` `
` The young men sprang up, and seized their muskets. `
` `
` This time a small troop advanced, consisting of from twenty `
` to twenty-five men; but they were not pioneers, they were `
` soldiers of the garrison. `
` `
` "Shall we return to the camp?" said Porthos. "I don't think `
` the sides are equal." `
` `
` "Impossible, for three reasons," replied Athos. "The first, `
` that we have not finished breakfast; the second, that we `
` still have some very important things to say; and the third, `
` that it yet wants ten minutes before the lapse of the hour." `
` `
` "Well, then," said Aramis, "we must form a plan of battle." `
` `
` "That's very simple," replied Athos. "As soon as the enemy `
` are within musket shot, we must fire upon them. If they `
` continue to advance, we must fire again. We must fire as `
` long as we have loaded guns. If those who remain of the `
` troop persist in coming to the assault, we will allow the `
` besiegers to get as far as the ditch, and then we will push `
` down upon their heads that strip of wall which keeps its `
` perpendicular by a miracle." `
` `
` "Bravo!" cried Porthos. "Decidedly, Athos, you were born to `
` be a general, and the cardinal, who fancies himself a great `
` soldier, is nothing beside you." `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said Athos, "no divided attention, I beg; let `
` each one pick out his man." `
` `
` "I cover mine," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "And I mine," said Porthos. `
` `
` "And I mine," said Aramis. `
` `
` "Fire, then," said Athos. `
` `
` The four muskets made but one report, but four men fell. `
` `
` The drum immediately beat, and the little troop advanced at `
` charging pace. `
` `
` Then the shots were repeated without regularity, but always `
` aimed with the same accuracy. Nevertheless, as if they had `
` been aware of the numerical weakness of the friends, the `
` Rochellais continued to advance in quick time. `
` `
` With every three shots at least two men fell; but the march `
` of those who remained was not slackened. `
` `
` Arrived at the foot of the bastion, there were still more `
` than a dozen of the enemy. A last discharge welcomed them, `
` but did not stop them; they jumped into the ditch, and `
` prepared to scale the breach. `
` `
` "Now, my friends," said Athos, "finish them at a blow. To `
` the wall; to the wall!" `
` `
` And the four friends, seconded by Grimaud, pushed with the `
` barrels of their muskets an enormous sheet of the wall, `
` which bent as if pushed by the wind, and detaching itself `
` from its base, fell with a horrible crash into the ditch. `
` Then a fearful crash was heard; a cloud of dust mounted `
` toward the sky--and all was over! `
` `
` "Can we have destroyed them all, from the first to the `
` last?" said Athos. `
` `
` "My faith, it appears so!" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "No," cried Porthos; "there go three or four, limping away." `
` `
` In fact, three or four of these unfortunate men, covered `
` with dirt and blood, fled along the hollow way, and at `
` length regained the city. These were all who were left of `
` the little troop. `
` `
` Athos looked at his watch. `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said he, "we have been here an hour, and our `
` wager is won; but we will be fair players. Besides, `
` d'Artagnan has not told us his idea yet." `
` `
` And the Musketeer, with his usual coolness, reseated himself `
` before the remains of the breakfast. `
` `
` "My idea?" said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Yes; you said you had an idea," said Athos. `
` `
` "Oh, I remember," said d'Artagnan. "Well, I will go to `
` England a second time; I will go and find Buckingham." `
` `
` "You shall not do that, d'Artagnan," said Athos, coolly. `
` `
` "And why not? Have I not been there once?" `
` `
`