Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.1-18
landlord, dreading the consequences of the encounter which was `
` doubtless about to take place between the young man and the `
` stranger, had, consistent with the character he had given `
` himself, judged it prudent to decamp. `
` `
` `
` `
` 9 D'ARTAGNAN SHOWS HIMSELF `
` `
` As Athos and Porthos had foreseen, at the expiration of a half `
` hour, d'Artagnan returned. He had again missed his man, who had `
` disappeared as if by enchantment. D'Artagnan had run, sword in `
` hand, through all the neighboring streets, but had found nobody `
` resembling the man he sought for. Then he came back to the point `
` where, perhaps, he ought to have begun, and that was to knock at `
` the door against which the stranger had leaned; but this proved `
` useless--for though he knocked ten or twelve times in succession, `
` no one answered, and some of the neighbors, who put their noses `
` out of their windows or were brought to their doors by the noise, `
` had assured him that that house, all the openings of which were `
` tightly closed, had not been inhabited for six months. `
` `
` While d'Artagnan was running through the streets and knocking at `
` doors, Aramis had joined his companions; so that on returning home `
` d'Artagnan found the reunion complete. `
` `
` "Well!" cried the three Musketeers all together, on seeing `
` d'Artagnan enter with his brow covered with perspiration and his `
` countenance upset with anger. `
` `
` "Well!" cried he, throwing his sword upon the bed, "this man must `
` be the devil in person; he has disappeared like a phantom, `
` like a shade, like a specter." `
` `
` "Do you believe in apparitions?" asked Athos of Porthos. `
` `
` "I never believe in anything I have not seen, and as I never have `
` seen apparitions, I don't believe in them." `
` `
` "The Bible," said Aramis, "make our belief in them a law; the `
` ghost of Samuel appeared to Saul, and it is an article of faith `
` that I should be very sorry to see any doubt thrown upon, `
` Porthos." `
` `
` "At all events, man or devil, body or shadow, illusion or `
` reality, this man is born for my damnation; for his flight has `
` caused us to miss a glorious affair, gentlemen--an affair by `
` which there were a hundred pistoles, and perhaps more, to be `
` gained." `
` `
` "How is that?" cried Porthos and Aramis in a breath. `
` `
` As to Athos, faithful to his system of reticence, he contented `
` himself with interrogating d'Artagnan by a look. `
` `
` "Planchet," said d'Artagnan to his domestic, who just then `
` insinuated his head through the half-open door in order to catch `
` some fragments of the conversation, "go down to my landlord, `
` Monsieur Bonacieux, and ask him to send me half a dozen bottles `
` of Beaugency wine; I prefer that." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! You have credit with your landlord, then?" asked `
` Porthos. `
` `
` "Yes," replied d'Artagnan, "from this very day; and mind, if the `
` wine is bad, we will send him to find better." `
` `
` "We must use, and not abuse," said Aramis, sententiously. `
` `
` "I always said that d'Artagnan had the longest head of the four," `
` said Athos, who, having uttered his opinion, to which d'Artagnan `
` replied with a bow, immediately resumed his accustomed silence. `
` `
` "But come, what is this about?" asked Porthos. `
` `
` "Yes," said Aramis, "impart it to us, my dear friend, unless the `
` honor of any lady be hazarded by this confidence; in that case `
` you would do better to keep it to yourself." `
` `
` "Be satisfied," replied d'Artagnan; "the honor of no one will `
` have cause to complain of what I have to tell." `
` `
` He then related to his friends, word for word, all that had `
` passed between him and his host, and how the man who had abducted `
` the wife of his worthy landlord was the same with whom he had had `
` the difference at the hostelry of the Jolly Miller. `
` `
` "Your affair is not bad," said Athos, after having tasted like a `
` connoisseur and indicated by a nod of his head that he thought `
` the wine good; "and one may draw fifty or sixty pistoles from `
` this good man. Then there only remains to ascertain whether `
` these fifty or sixty pistoles are worth the risk of four heads." `
` `
` "But observe," cried d'Artagnan, "that there is a woman in the `
` affair--a woman carried off, a woman who is doubtless threatened, `
` tortured perhaps, and all because she is faithful to her `
` mistress." `
` `
` "Beware, d'Artagnan, beware," said Aramis. "You grow a little `
` too warm, in my opinion, about the fate of Madame Bonacieux. `
` Woman was created for our destruction, and it is from her we `
` inherit all our miseries." `
` `
` At this speech of Aramis, the brow of Athos became clouded and he `
` bit his lips. `
` `
` "It is not Madame Bonacieux about whom I am anxious," cried `
` d'Artagnan, "but the queen, whom the king abandons, whom the `
` cardinal persecutes, and who sees the heads of all her friends `
` fall, one after the other." `
` `
` "Why does she love what we hate most in the world, the Spaniards `
` and the English?" `
` `
` "Spain is her country," replied d'Artagnan; "and it is very `
` natural that she should love the Spanish, who are the children of `
` the same soil as herself. As to the second reproach, I have `
` heard it said that she does not love the English, but an `
` Englishman." `
` `
` "Well, and by my faith," said Athos, "it must be acknowledged `
` that this Englishman is worthy of being loved. I never saw a man `
` with a nobler air than his." `
` `
` "Without reckoning that he dresses as nobody else can," said `
` Porthos. "I was at the Louvre on the day when he scattered his `
` pearls; and, PARDIEU, I picked up two that I sold for ten `
` pistoles each. Do you know him, Aramis?" `
` `
` "As well as you do, gentlemen; for I was among those who seized `
` him in the garden at Amiens, into which Monsieur Putange, the `
` queen's equerry, introduced me. I was at school at the time, and `
` the adventure appeared to me to be cruel for the king." `
` `
` "Which would not prevent me," said d'Artagnan, "if I knew where `
` the Duke of Buckingham was, from taking him by the hand and `
` conducting him to the queen, were it only to enrage the cardinal, `
` and if we could find means to play him a sharp turn, I vow that I `
` would voluntarily risk my head in doing it." `
` `
` "And did the mercer*," rejoined Athos, "tell you, d'Artagnan, `
` that the queen thought that Buckingham had been brought over by a `
` forged letter?" `
` `
` *Haberdasher `
` `
` "She is afraid so." `
` `
` "Wait a minute, then," said Aramis. `
` `
` "What for?" demanded Porthos. `
` `
` "Go on, while I endeavor to recall circumstances." `
` `
` "And now I am convinced," said d'Artagnan, "that this abduction `
` of the queen's woman is connected with the events of which we are `
` speaking, and perhaps with the presence of Buckingham in Paris." `
` `
` "The Gascon is full of ideas," said Porthos, with admiration. `
` `
` "I like to hear him talk," said Athos; "his dialect amuses me." `
` `
` "Gentlemen," cried Aramis, "listen to this." `
` `
` "Listen to Aramis," said his three friends. `
` `
` "Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology, whom I `
` sometimes consult about my studies." `
` `
` Athos smiled. `
` `
` "He resides in a quiet quarter," continued Aramis; "his tastes `
` and his profession require it. Now, at the moment when I left `
` his house--" `
` `
` Here Aramis paused. `
` `
` "Well," cried his auditors; "at the moment you left his house?" `
` `
` Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, `
` in the full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by `
` some unforeseen obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions `
` were fixed upon him, their ears were wide open, and there were no `
` means of retreat. `
` `
` "This doctor has a niece," continued Aramis. `
` `
` "Ah, he has a niece!" interrupted Porthos. `
` `
` "A very respectable lady," said Aramis. `
` `
` The three friends burst into laughter. `
` `
` "Ah, if you laugh, if you doubt me," replied Aramis, "you shall `
` know nothing." `
` `
` "We believe like Mohammedans, and are as mute as tombstones," `
` said Athos. `
` `
` "I will continue, then," resumed Aramis. "This niece comes `
` sometimes to see her uncle; and by chance was there yesterday at `
`
` doubtless about to take place between the young man and the `
` stranger, had, consistent with the character he had given `
` himself, judged it prudent to decamp. `
` `
` `
` `
` 9 D'ARTAGNAN SHOWS HIMSELF `
` `
` As Athos and Porthos had foreseen, at the expiration of a half `
` hour, d'Artagnan returned. He had again missed his man, who had `
` disappeared as if by enchantment. D'Artagnan had run, sword in `
` hand, through all the neighboring streets, but had found nobody `
` resembling the man he sought for. Then he came back to the point `
` where, perhaps, he ought to have begun, and that was to knock at `
` the door against which the stranger had leaned; but this proved `
` useless--for though he knocked ten or twelve times in succession, `
` no one answered, and some of the neighbors, who put their noses `
` out of their windows or were brought to their doors by the noise, `
` had assured him that that house, all the openings of which were `
` tightly closed, had not been inhabited for six months. `
` `
` While d'Artagnan was running through the streets and knocking at `
` doors, Aramis had joined his companions; so that on returning home `
` d'Artagnan found the reunion complete. `
` `
` "Well!" cried the three Musketeers all together, on seeing `
` d'Artagnan enter with his brow covered with perspiration and his `
` countenance upset with anger. `
` `
` "Well!" cried he, throwing his sword upon the bed, "this man must `
` be the devil in person; he has disappeared like a phantom, `
` like a shade, like a specter." `
` `
` "Do you believe in apparitions?" asked Athos of Porthos. `
` `
` "I never believe in anything I have not seen, and as I never have `
` seen apparitions, I don't believe in them." `
` `
` "The Bible," said Aramis, "make our belief in them a law; the `
` ghost of Samuel appeared to Saul, and it is an article of faith `
` that I should be very sorry to see any doubt thrown upon, `
` Porthos." `
` `
` "At all events, man or devil, body or shadow, illusion or `
` reality, this man is born for my damnation; for his flight has `
` caused us to miss a glorious affair, gentlemen--an affair by `
` which there were a hundred pistoles, and perhaps more, to be `
` gained." `
` `
` "How is that?" cried Porthos and Aramis in a breath. `
` `
` As to Athos, faithful to his system of reticence, he contented `
` himself with interrogating d'Artagnan by a look. `
` `
` "Planchet," said d'Artagnan to his domestic, who just then `
` insinuated his head through the half-open door in order to catch `
` some fragments of the conversation, "go down to my landlord, `
` Monsieur Bonacieux, and ask him to send me half a dozen bottles `
` of Beaugency wine; I prefer that." `
` `
` "Ah, ah! You have credit with your landlord, then?" asked `
` Porthos. `
` `
` "Yes," replied d'Artagnan, "from this very day; and mind, if the `
` wine is bad, we will send him to find better." `
` `
` "We must use, and not abuse," said Aramis, sententiously. `
` `
` "I always said that d'Artagnan had the longest head of the four," `
` said Athos, who, having uttered his opinion, to which d'Artagnan `
` replied with a bow, immediately resumed his accustomed silence. `
` `
` "But come, what is this about?" asked Porthos. `
` `
` "Yes," said Aramis, "impart it to us, my dear friend, unless the `
` honor of any lady be hazarded by this confidence; in that case `
` you would do better to keep it to yourself." `
` `
` "Be satisfied," replied d'Artagnan; "the honor of no one will `
` have cause to complain of what I have to tell." `
` `
` He then related to his friends, word for word, all that had `
` passed between him and his host, and how the man who had abducted `
` the wife of his worthy landlord was the same with whom he had had `
` the difference at the hostelry of the Jolly Miller. `
` `
` "Your affair is not bad," said Athos, after having tasted like a `
` connoisseur and indicated by a nod of his head that he thought `
` the wine good; "and one may draw fifty or sixty pistoles from `
` this good man. Then there only remains to ascertain whether `
` these fifty or sixty pistoles are worth the risk of four heads." `
` `
` "But observe," cried d'Artagnan, "that there is a woman in the `
` affair--a woman carried off, a woman who is doubtless threatened, `
` tortured perhaps, and all because she is faithful to her `
` mistress." `
` `
` "Beware, d'Artagnan, beware," said Aramis. "You grow a little `
` too warm, in my opinion, about the fate of Madame Bonacieux. `
` Woman was created for our destruction, and it is from her we `
` inherit all our miseries." `
` `
` At this speech of Aramis, the brow of Athos became clouded and he `
` bit his lips. `
` `
` "It is not Madame Bonacieux about whom I am anxious," cried `
` d'Artagnan, "but the queen, whom the king abandons, whom the `
` cardinal persecutes, and who sees the heads of all her friends `
` fall, one after the other." `
` `
` "Why does she love what we hate most in the world, the Spaniards `
` and the English?" `
` `
` "Spain is her country," replied d'Artagnan; "and it is very `
` natural that she should love the Spanish, who are the children of `
` the same soil as herself. As to the second reproach, I have `
` heard it said that she does not love the English, but an `
` Englishman." `
` `
` "Well, and by my faith," said Athos, "it must be acknowledged `
` that this Englishman is worthy of being loved. I never saw a man `
` with a nobler air than his." `
` `
` "Without reckoning that he dresses as nobody else can," said `
` Porthos. "I was at the Louvre on the day when he scattered his `
` pearls; and, PARDIEU, I picked up two that I sold for ten `
` pistoles each. Do you know him, Aramis?" `
` `
` "As well as you do, gentlemen; for I was among those who seized `
` him in the garden at Amiens, into which Monsieur Putange, the `
` queen's equerry, introduced me. I was at school at the time, and `
` the adventure appeared to me to be cruel for the king." `
` `
` "Which would not prevent me," said d'Artagnan, "if I knew where `
` the Duke of Buckingham was, from taking him by the hand and `
` conducting him to the queen, were it only to enrage the cardinal, `
` and if we could find means to play him a sharp turn, I vow that I `
` would voluntarily risk my head in doing it." `
` `
` "And did the mercer*," rejoined Athos, "tell you, d'Artagnan, `
` that the queen thought that Buckingham had been brought over by a `
` forged letter?" `
` `
` *Haberdasher `
` `
` "She is afraid so." `
` `
` "Wait a minute, then," said Aramis. `
` `
` "What for?" demanded Porthos. `
` `
` "Go on, while I endeavor to recall circumstances." `
` `
` "And now I am convinced," said d'Artagnan, "that this abduction `
` of the queen's woman is connected with the events of which we are `
` speaking, and perhaps with the presence of Buckingham in Paris." `
` `
` "The Gascon is full of ideas," said Porthos, with admiration. `
` `
` "I like to hear him talk," said Athos; "his dialect amuses me." `
` `
` "Gentlemen," cried Aramis, "listen to this." `
` `
` "Listen to Aramis," said his three friends. `
` `
` "Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology, whom I `
` sometimes consult about my studies." `
` `
` Athos smiled. `
` `
` "He resides in a quiet quarter," continued Aramis; "his tastes `
` and his profession require it. Now, at the moment when I left `
` his house--" `
` `
` Here Aramis paused. `
` `
` "Well," cried his auditors; "at the moment you left his house?" `
` `
` Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, `
` in the full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by `
` some unforeseen obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions `
` were fixed upon him, their ears were wide open, and there were no `
` means of retreat. `
` `
` "This doctor has a niece," continued Aramis. `
` `
` "Ah, he has a niece!" interrupted Porthos. `
` `
` "A very respectable lady," said Aramis. `
` `
` The three friends burst into laughter. `
` `
` "Ah, if you laugh, if you doubt me," replied Aramis, "you shall `
` know nothing." `
` `
` "We believe like Mohammedans, and are as mute as tombstones," `
` said Athos. `
` `
` "I will continue, then," resumed Aramis. "This niece comes `
` sometimes to see her uncle; and by chance was there yesterday at `
`