Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
`
` "I thought so, too; but a letter which Madame Bonacieux has received `
` from Madame the Constable, and which she has had the imprudence to show `
` me, leads me to believe that these four men, on the contrary, are on the `
` road hither to take her away." `
` `
` "The devil! What's to be done?" `
` `
` "What did the cardinal say about me?" `
` `
` "I was to take your dispatches, written or verbal, and return by post; `
` and when he shall know what you have done, he will advise what you have `
` to do." `
` `
` "I must, then, remain here?" `
` `
` "Here, or in the neighborhood." `
` `
` "You cannot take me with you?" `
` `
` "No, the order is imperative. Near the camp you might be recognized; `
` and your presence, you must be aware, would compromise the cardinal." `
` `
` "Then I must wait here, or in the neighborhood?" `
` `
` "Only tell me beforehand where you will wait for intelligence from the `
` cardinal; let me know always where to find you." `
` `
` "Observe, it is probable that I may not be able to remain here." `
` `
` "Why?" `
` `
` "You forget that my enemies may arrive at any minute." `
` `
` "That's true; but is this little woman, then, to escape his Eminence?" `
` `
` "Bah!" said Milady, with a smile that belonged only to herself; "you `
` forget that I am her best friend." `
` `
` "Ah, that's true! I may then tell the cardinal, with respect to this `
` little woman--" `
` `
` "That he may be at ease." `
` `
` "Is that all?" `
` `
` "He will know what that means." `
` `
` "He will guess, at least. Now, then, what had I better do?" `
` `
` "Return instantly. It appears to me that the news you bear is worth the `
` trouble of a little diligence." `
` `
` "My chaise broke down coming into Lilliers." `
` `
` "Capital!" `
` `
` "What, CAPITAL?" `
` `
` "Yes, I want your chaise." `
` `
` "And how shall I travel, then?" `
` `
` "On horseback." `
` `
` "You talk very comfortably,--a hundred and eighty leagues!" `
` `
` "What's that?" `
` `
` "One can do it! Afterward?" `
` `
` "Afterward? Why, in passing through Lilliers you will send me your `
` chaise, with an order to your servant to place himself at my disposal." `
` `
` "Well." `
` `
` "You have, no doubt, some order from the cardinal about you?" `
` `
` "I have my FULL POWER." `
` `
` "Show it to the abbess, and tell her that someone will come and fetch `
` me, either today or tomorrow, and that I am to follow the person who `
` presents himself in your name." `
` `
` "Very well." `
` `
` "Don't forget to treat me harshly in speaking of me to the abbess." `
` `
` "To what purpose?" `
` `
` "I am a victim of the cardinal. It is necessary to inspire confidence `
` in that poor little Madame Bonacieux." `
` `
` "That's true. Now, will you make me a report of all that has happened?" `
` `
` "Why, I have related the events to you. You have a good memory; repeat `
` what I have told you. A paper may be lost." `
` `
` "You are right; only let me know where to find you that I may not run `
` needlessly about the neighborhood." `
` `
` "That's correct; wait!" `
` `
` "Do you want a map?" `
` `
` "Oh, I know this country marvelously!" `
` `
` "You? When were you here?" `
` `
` "I was brought up here." `
` `
` "Truly?" `
` `
` "It is worth something, you see, to have been brought up somewhere." `
` `
` "You will wait for me, then?" `
` `
` "Let me reflect a little! Ay, that will do--at Armentieres." `
` `
` "Where is that Armentieres?" `
` `
` "A little town on the Lys; I shall only have to cross the river, and I `
` shall be in a foreign country." `
` `
` "Capital! but it is understood you will only cross the river in case of `
` danger." `
` `
` "That is well understood." `
` `
` "And in that case, how shall I know where you are?" `
` `
` "You do not want your lackey?" `
` `
` "Is he a sure man?" `
` `
` "To the proof." `
` `
` "Give him to me. Nobody knows him. I will leave him at the place I `
` quit, and he will conduct you to me." `
` `
` "And you say you will wait for me at Armentieres?" `
` `
` "At Armentieres." `
` `
` "Write that name on a bit of paper, lest I should forget it. There is `
` nothing compromising in the name of a town. Is it not so?" `
` `
` "Eh, who knows? Never mind," said Milady, writing the name on half a `
` sheet of paper; "I will compromise myself." `
` `
` "Well," said Rochefort, taking the paper from Milady, folding it, and `
` placing it in the lining of his hat, "you may be easy. I will do as `
` children do, for fear of losing the paper--repeat the name along the `
` route. Now, is that all?" `
` `
` "I believe so." `
` `
` "Let us see: Buckingham dead or grievously wounded; your conversation `
` with the cardinal overheard by the four Musketeers; Lord de Winter `
` warned of your arrival at Portsmouth; d'Artagnan and Athos to the `
` Bastille; Aramis the lover of Madame de Chevreuse; Porthos an ass; `
` Madame Bonacieux found again; to send you the chaise as soon as `
` possible; to place my lackey at your disposal; to make you out a victim `
` of the cardinal in order that the abbess may entertain no suspicion; `
` Armentieres, on the banks of the Lys. Is that all, then?" `
` `
` "In truth, my dear Chevalier, you are a miracle of memory. A PROPOS, `
` add one thing--" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "I saw some very pretty woods which almost touch the convent garden. `
` Say that I am permitted to walk in those woods. Who knows? Perhaps I `
` shall stand in need of a back door for retreat." `
` `
` "You think of everything." `
` `
` "And you forget one thing." `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "To ask me if I want money." `
` `
` "That's true. How much do you want?" `
` `
` "All you have in gold." `
` `
` "I have five hundred pistoles, or thereabouts." `
` `
` "I have as much. With a thousand pistoles one may face everything. `
` Empty your pockets." `
` `
` "There." `
` `
` "Right. And you go--" `
` `
` "In an hour--time to eat a morsel, during which I shall send for a post `
` horse." `
` `
` "Capital! Adieu, Chevalier." `
` `
`
` "I thought so, too; but a letter which Madame Bonacieux has received `
` from Madame the Constable, and which she has had the imprudence to show `
` me, leads me to believe that these four men, on the contrary, are on the `
` road hither to take her away." `
` `
` "The devil! What's to be done?" `
` `
` "What did the cardinal say about me?" `
` `
` "I was to take your dispatches, written or verbal, and return by post; `
` and when he shall know what you have done, he will advise what you have `
` to do." `
` `
` "I must, then, remain here?" `
` `
` "Here, or in the neighborhood." `
` `
` "You cannot take me with you?" `
` `
` "No, the order is imperative. Near the camp you might be recognized; `
` and your presence, you must be aware, would compromise the cardinal." `
` `
` "Then I must wait here, or in the neighborhood?" `
` `
` "Only tell me beforehand where you will wait for intelligence from the `
` cardinal; let me know always where to find you." `
` `
` "Observe, it is probable that I may not be able to remain here." `
` `
` "Why?" `
` `
` "You forget that my enemies may arrive at any minute." `
` `
` "That's true; but is this little woman, then, to escape his Eminence?" `
` `
` "Bah!" said Milady, with a smile that belonged only to herself; "you `
` forget that I am her best friend." `
` `
` "Ah, that's true! I may then tell the cardinal, with respect to this `
` little woman--" `
` `
` "That he may be at ease." `
` `
` "Is that all?" `
` `
` "He will know what that means." `
` `
` "He will guess, at least. Now, then, what had I better do?" `
` `
` "Return instantly. It appears to me that the news you bear is worth the `
` trouble of a little diligence." `
` `
` "My chaise broke down coming into Lilliers." `
` `
` "Capital!" `
` `
` "What, CAPITAL?" `
` `
` "Yes, I want your chaise." `
` `
` "And how shall I travel, then?" `
` `
` "On horseback." `
` `
` "You talk very comfortably,--a hundred and eighty leagues!" `
` `
` "What's that?" `
` `
` "One can do it! Afterward?" `
` `
` "Afterward? Why, in passing through Lilliers you will send me your `
` chaise, with an order to your servant to place himself at my disposal." `
` `
` "Well." `
` `
` "You have, no doubt, some order from the cardinal about you?" `
` `
` "I have my FULL POWER." `
` `
` "Show it to the abbess, and tell her that someone will come and fetch `
` me, either today or tomorrow, and that I am to follow the person who `
` presents himself in your name." `
` `
` "Very well." `
` `
` "Don't forget to treat me harshly in speaking of me to the abbess." `
` `
` "To what purpose?" `
` `
` "I am a victim of the cardinal. It is necessary to inspire confidence `
` in that poor little Madame Bonacieux." `
` `
` "That's true. Now, will you make me a report of all that has happened?" `
` `
` "Why, I have related the events to you. You have a good memory; repeat `
` what I have told you. A paper may be lost." `
` `
` "You are right; only let me know where to find you that I may not run `
` needlessly about the neighborhood." `
` `
` "That's correct; wait!" `
` `
` "Do you want a map?" `
` `
` "Oh, I know this country marvelously!" `
` `
` "You? When were you here?" `
` `
` "I was brought up here." `
` `
` "Truly?" `
` `
` "It is worth something, you see, to have been brought up somewhere." `
` `
` "You will wait for me, then?" `
` `
` "Let me reflect a little! Ay, that will do--at Armentieres." `
` `
` "Where is that Armentieres?" `
` `
` "A little town on the Lys; I shall only have to cross the river, and I `
` shall be in a foreign country." `
` `
` "Capital! but it is understood you will only cross the river in case of `
` danger." `
` `
` "That is well understood." `
` `
` "And in that case, how shall I know where you are?" `
` `
` "You do not want your lackey?" `
` `
` "Is he a sure man?" `
` `
` "To the proof." `
` `
` "Give him to me. Nobody knows him. I will leave him at the place I `
` quit, and he will conduct you to me." `
` `
` "And you say you will wait for me at Armentieres?" `
` `
` "At Armentieres." `
` `
` "Write that name on a bit of paper, lest I should forget it. There is `
` nothing compromising in the name of a town. Is it not so?" `
` `
` "Eh, who knows? Never mind," said Milady, writing the name on half a `
` sheet of paper; "I will compromise myself." `
` `
` "Well," said Rochefort, taking the paper from Milady, folding it, and `
` placing it in the lining of his hat, "you may be easy. I will do as `
` children do, for fear of losing the paper--repeat the name along the `
` route. Now, is that all?" `
` `
` "I believe so." `
` `
` "Let us see: Buckingham dead or grievously wounded; your conversation `
` with the cardinal overheard by the four Musketeers; Lord de Winter `
` warned of your arrival at Portsmouth; d'Artagnan and Athos to the `
` Bastille; Aramis the lover of Madame de Chevreuse; Porthos an ass; `
` Madame Bonacieux found again; to send you the chaise as soon as `
` possible; to place my lackey at your disposal; to make you out a victim `
` of the cardinal in order that the abbess may entertain no suspicion; `
` Armentieres, on the banks of the Lys. Is that all, then?" `
` `
` "In truth, my dear Chevalier, you are a miracle of memory. A PROPOS, `
` add one thing--" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "I saw some very pretty woods which almost touch the convent garden. `
` Say that I am permitted to walk in those woods. Who knows? Perhaps I `
` shall stand in need of a back door for retreat." `
` `
` "You think of everything." `
` `
` "And you forget one thing." `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "To ask me if I want money." `
` `
` "That's true. How much do you want?" `
` `
` "All you have in gold." `
` `
` "I have five hundred pistoles, or thereabouts." `
` `
` "I have as much. With a thousand pistoles one may face everything. `
` Empty your pockets." `
` `
` "There." `
` `
` "Right. And you go--" `
` `
` "In an hour--time to eat a morsel, during which I shall send for a post `
` horse." `
` `
` "Capital! Adieu, Chevalier." `
` `
`