Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.1-18
could meet with; for according to the advice of Aramis, it was `
` prudent to sow repasts right and left in prosperity, in order to `
` reap a few in time of need. `
` `
` Athos was invited four times, and each time took his friends and `
` their lackeys with him. Porthos had six occasions, and contrived `
` in the same manner that his friends should partake of them; `
` Aramis had eight of them. He was a man, as must have been `
` already perceived, who made but little noise, and yet was much `
` sought after. `
` `
` As to d'Artagnan, who as yet knew nobody in the capital, he only `
` found one chocolate breakfast at the house of a priest of his own `
` province, and one dinner at the house of a cornet of the Guards. `
` He took his army to the priest's, where they devoured as much `
` provision as would have lasted him for two months, and to the `
` cornet's, who performed wonders; but as Planchet said, "People do `
` not eat at once for all time, even when they eat a good deal." `
` `
` D'Artagnan thus felt himself humiliated in having only procured `
` one meal and a half for his companions--as the breakfast at the `
` priest's could only be counted as half a repast--in return for `
` the feasts which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis had procured him. He `
` fancied himself a burden to the society, forgetting in his `
` perfectly juvenile good faith that he had fed this society for a `
` month; and he set his mind actively to work. He reflected that `
` this coalition of four young, brave, enterprising, and active men `
` ought to have some other object than swaggering walks, fencing `
` lessons, and practical jokes, more or less witty. `
` `
` In fact, four men such as they were--four men devoted to one `
` another, from their purses to their lives; four men always `
` supporting one another, never yielding, executing singly or `
` together the resolutions formed in common; four arms threatening `
` the four cardinal points, or turning toward a single point--must `
` inevitably, either subterraneously, in open day, by mining, in `
` the trench, by cunning, or by force, open themselves a way toward `
` the object they wished to attain, however well it might be `
` defended, or however distant it may seem. The only thing that `
` astonished d'Artagnan was that his friends had never thought of `
` this. `
` `
` He was thinking by himself, and even seriously racking his brain `
` to find a direction for this single force four times multiplied, `
` with which he did not doubt, as with the lever for which `
` Archimedes sought, they should succeed in moving the world, when `
` someone tapped gently at his door. D'Artagnan awakened Planchet `
` and ordered him to open it. `
` `
` From this phrase, "d'Artagnan awakened Planchet," the reader must `
` not suppose it was night, or that day was hardly come. No, it `
` had just struck four. Planchet, two hours before, had asked his `
` master for some dinner, and he had answered him with the proverb, `
` "He who sleeps, dines." And Planchet dined by sleeping. `
` `
` A man was introduced of simple mien, who had the appearance of a `
` tradesman. Planchet, by way of dessert, would have liked to hear `
` the conversation; but the citizen declared to d'Artagnan that `
` what he had to say being important and confidential, he desired `
` to be left alone with him. `
` `
` D'Artagnan dismissed Planchet, and requested his visitor to be `
` seated. There was a moment of silence, during which the two men `
` looked at each other, as if to make a preliminary acquaintance, `
` after which d'Artagnan bowed, as a sign that he listened. `
` `
` "I have heard Monsieur d'Artagnan spoken of as a very brave young `
` man," said the citizen; "and this reputation which he justly `
` enjoys had decided me to confide a secret to him." `
` `
` "Speak, monsieur, speak," said d'Artagnan, who instinctively `
` scented something advantageous. `
` `
` The citizen made a fresh pause and continued, "I have a wife who `
` is seamstress to the queen, monsieur, and who is not deficient in `
` either virtue or beauty. I was induced to marry her about three `
` years ago, although she had but very little dowry, because `
` Monsieur Laporte, the queen's cloak bearer, is her godfather, and `
` befriends her." `
` `
` "Well, monsieur?" asked d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Well!" resumed the citizen, "well, monsieur, my wife was `
` abducted yesterday morning, as she was coming out of her `
` workroom." `
` `
` "And by whom was your wife abducted?" `
` `
` "I know nothing surely, monsieur, but I suspect someone." `
` `
` "And who is the person whom you suspect?" `
` `
` "A man who has pursued her a long time." `
` `
` "The devil!" `
` `
` "But allow me to tell you, monsieur," continued the citizen, `
` "that I am convinced that there is less love than politics in all `
` this." `
` `
` "Less love than politics," replied d'Artagnan, with a reflective `
` air; "and what do you suspect?" `
` `
` "I do not know whether I ought to tell you what I suspect." `
` `
` "Monsieur, I beg you to observe that I ask you absolutely `
` nothing. It is you who have come to me. It is you who have told `
` me that you had a secret to confide in me. Act, then, as you `
` think proper; there is still time to withdraw." `
` `
` "No, monsieur, no; you appear to be an honest young man, and I `
` will have confidence in you. I believe, then, that it is not on `
` account of any intrigues of her own that my wife has been `
` arrested, but because of those of a lady much greater than `
` herself." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! Can it be on account of the amours of Madame de `
` Bois-Tracy?" said d'Artagnan, wishing to have the air, in the `
` eyes of the citizen, of being posted as to court affairs. `
` `
` "Higher, monsieur, higher." `
` `
` "Of Madame d'Aiguillon?" `
` `
` "Still higher." `
` `
` "Of Madame de Chevreuse?" `
` `
` "Of the--" d'Artagnan checked himself. `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur," replied the terrified citizen, in a tone so low `
` that he was scarcely audible. `
` `
` "And with whom?" `
` `
` "With whom can it be, if not the Duke of--" `
` `
` "The Duke of--" `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur," replied the citizen, giving a still fainter `
` intonation to his voice. `
` `
` "But how do you know all this?" `
` `
` "How do I know it?" `
` `
` "Yes, how do you know it? No half-confidence, or--you understand!" `
` `
` "I know it from my wife, monsieur--from my wife herself." `
` `
` "Who learns it from whom?" `
` `
` "From Monsieur Laporte. Did I not tell you that she was the `
` goddaughter of Monsieur Laporte, the confidential man of the `
` queen? Well, Monsieur Laporte placed her near her Majesty in `
` order that our poor queen might at least have someone in whom she `
` could place confidence, abandoned as she is by the king, watched `
` as she is by the cardinal, betrayed as she is by everybody." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! It begins to develop itself," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Now, my wife came home four days ago, monsieur. One of her `
` conditions was that she should come and see me twice a week; for, `
` as I had the honor to tell you, my wife loves me dearly--my wife, `
` then, came and confided to me that the queen at that very moment `
` entertained great fears." `
` `
` "Truly!" `
` `
` "Yes. The cardinal, as it appears, pursues he and persecutes her `
` more than ever. He cannot pardon her the history of the `
` Saraband. You know the history of the Saraband?" `
` `
` "PARDIEU! Know it!" replied d'Artagnan, who knew nothing about `
` it, but who wished to appear to know everything that was going `
` on. `
` `
` "So that now it is no longer hatred, but vengeance." `
` `
` "Indeed!" `
` `
` "And the queen believes--" `
` `
` "Well, what does the queen believe?" `
` `
` "She believes that someone has written to the Duke of Buckingham `
` in her name." `
` `
` "In the queen's name?" `
` `
` "Yes, to make him come to Paris; and when once come to Paris, to `
` draw him into some snare." `
` `
` "The devil! But your wife, monsieur, what has she to do with all `
` this?" `
` `
` "Her devotion to the queen is known; and they wish either to `
` remove her from her mistress, or to intimidate her, in order to `
` obtain her Majesty's secrets, or to seduce her and make use of `
` her as a spy." `
` `
`
` prudent to sow repasts right and left in prosperity, in order to `
` reap a few in time of need. `
` `
` Athos was invited four times, and each time took his friends and `
` their lackeys with him. Porthos had six occasions, and contrived `
` in the same manner that his friends should partake of them; `
` Aramis had eight of them. He was a man, as must have been `
` already perceived, who made but little noise, and yet was much `
` sought after. `
` `
` As to d'Artagnan, who as yet knew nobody in the capital, he only `
` found one chocolate breakfast at the house of a priest of his own `
` province, and one dinner at the house of a cornet of the Guards. `
` He took his army to the priest's, where they devoured as much `
` provision as would have lasted him for two months, and to the `
` cornet's, who performed wonders; but as Planchet said, "People do `
` not eat at once for all time, even when they eat a good deal." `
` `
` D'Artagnan thus felt himself humiliated in having only procured `
` one meal and a half for his companions--as the breakfast at the `
` priest's could only be counted as half a repast--in return for `
` the feasts which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis had procured him. He `
` fancied himself a burden to the society, forgetting in his `
` perfectly juvenile good faith that he had fed this society for a `
` month; and he set his mind actively to work. He reflected that `
` this coalition of four young, brave, enterprising, and active men `
` ought to have some other object than swaggering walks, fencing `
` lessons, and practical jokes, more or less witty. `
` `
` In fact, four men such as they were--four men devoted to one `
` another, from their purses to their lives; four men always `
` supporting one another, never yielding, executing singly or `
` together the resolutions formed in common; four arms threatening `
` the four cardinal points, or turning toward a single point--must `
` inevitably, either subterraneously, in open day, by mining, in `
` the trench, by cunning, or by force, open themselves a way toward `
` the object they wished to attain, however well it might be `
` defended, or however distant it may seem. The only thing that `
` astonished d'Artagnan was that his friends had never thought of `
` this. `
` `
` He was thinking by himself, and even seriously racking his brain `
` to find a direction for this single force four times multiplied, `
` with which he did not doubt, as with the lever for which `
` Archimedes sought, they should succeed in moving the world, when `
` someone tapped gently at his door. D'Artagnan awakened Planchet `
` and ordered him to open it. `
` `
` From this phrase, "d'Artagnan awakened Planchet," the reader must `
` not suppose it was night, or that day was hardly come. No, it `
` had just struck four. Planchet, two hours before, had asked his `
` master for some dinner, and he had answered him with the proverb, `
` "He who sleeps, dines." And Planchet dined by sleeping. `
` `
` A man was introduced of simple mien, who had the appearance of a `
` tradesman. Planchet, by way of dessert, would have liked to hear `
` the conversation; but the citizen declared to d'Artagnan that `
` what he had to say being important and confidential, he desired `
` to be left alone with him. `
` `
` D'Artagnan dismissed Planchet, and requested his visitor to be `
` seated. There was a moment of silence, during which the two men `
` looked at each other, as if to make a preliminary acquaintance, `
` after which d'Artagnan bowed, as a sign that he listened. `
` `
` "I have heard Monsieur d'Artagnan spoken of as a very brave young `
` man," said the citizen; "and this reputation which he justly `
` enjoys had decided me to confide a secret to him." `
` `
` "Speak, monsieur, speak," said d'Artagnan, who instinctively `
` scented something advantageous. `
` `
` The citizen made a fresh pause and continued, "I have a wife who `
` is seamstress to the queen, monsieur, and who is not deficient in `
` either virtue or beauty. I was induced to marry her about three `
` years ago, although she had but very little dowry, because `
` Monsieur Laporte, the queen's cloak bearer, is her godfather, and `
` befriends her." `
` `
` "Well, monsieur?" asked d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Well!" resumed the citizen, "well, monsieur, my wife was `
` abducted yesterday morning, as she was coming out of her `
` workroom." `
` `
` "And by whom was your wife abducted?" `
` `
` "I know nothing surely, monsieur, but I suspect someone." `
` `
` "And who is the person whom you suspect?" `
` `
` "A man who has pursued her a long time." `
` `
` "The devil!" `
` `
` "But allow me to tell you, monsieur," continued the citizen, `
` "that I am convinced that there is less love than politics in all `
` this." `
` `
` "Less love than politics," replied d'Artagnan, with a reflective `
` air; "and what do you suspect?" `
` `
` "I do not know whether I ought to tell you what I suspect." `
` `
` "Monsieur, I beg you to observe that I ask you absolutely `
` nothing. It is you who have come to me. It is you who have told `
` me that you had a secret to confide in me. Act, then, as you `
` think proper; there is still time to withdraw." `
` `
` "No, monsieur, no; you appear to be an honest young man, and I `
` will have confidence in you. I believe, then, that it is not on `
` account of any intrigues of her own that my wife has been `
` arrested, but because of those of a lady much greater than `
` herself." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! Can it be on account of the amours of Madame de `
` Bois-Tracy?" said d'Artagnan, wishing to have the air, in the `
` eyes of the citizen, of being posted as to court affairs. `
` `
` "Higher, monsieur, higher." `
` `
` "Of Madame d'Aiguillon?" `
` `
` "Still higher." `
` `
` "Of Madame de Chevreuse?" `
` `
` "Of the--" d'Artagnan checked himself. `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur," replied the terrified citizen, in a tone so low `
` that he was scarcely audible. `
` `
` "And with whom?" `
` `
` "With whom can it be, if not the Duke of--" `
` `
` "The Duke of--" `
` `
` "Yes, monsieur," replied the citizen, giving a still fainter `
` intonation to his voice. `
` `
` "But how do you know all this?" `
` `
` "How do I know it?" `
` `
` "Yes, how do you know it? No half-confidence, or--you understand!" `
` `
` "I know it from my wife, monsieur--from my wife herself." `
` `
` "Who learns it from whom?" `
` `
` "From Monsieur Laporte. Did I not tell you that she was the `
` goddaughter of Monsieur Laporte, the confidential man of the `
` queen? Well, Monsieur Laporte placed her near her Majesty in `
` order that our poor queen might at least have someone in whom she `
` could place confidence, abandoned as she is by the king, watched `
` as she is by the cardinal, betrayed as she is by everybody." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! It begins to develop itself," said d'Artagnan. `
` `
` "Now, my wife came home four days ago, monsieur. One of her `
` conditions was that she should come and see me twice a week; for, `
` as I had the honor to tell you, my wife loves me dearly--my wife, `
` then, came and confided to me that the queen at that very moment `
` entertained great fears." `
` `
` "Truly!" `
` `
` "Yes. The cardinal, as it appears, pursues he and persecutes her `
` more than ever. He cannot pardon her the history of the `
` Saraband. You know the history of the Saraband?" `
` `
` "PARDIEU! Know it!" replied d'Artagnan, who knew nothing about `
` it, but who wished to appear to know everything that was going `
` on. `
` `
` "So that now it is no longer hatred, but vengeance." `
` `
` "Indeed!" `
` `
` "And the queen believes--" `
` `
` "Well, what does the queen believe?" `
` `
` "She believes that someone has written to the Duke of Buckingham `
` in her name." `
` `
` "In the queen's name?" `
` `
` "Yes, to make him come to Paris; and when once come to Paris, to `
` draw him into some snare." `
` `
` "The devil! But your wife, monsieur, what has she to do with all `
` this?" `
` `
` "Her devotion to the queen is known; and they wish either to `
` remove her from her mistress, or to intimidate her, in order to `
` obtain her Majesty's secrets, or to seduce her and make use of `
` her as a spy." `
` `
`