Part 13 (2/2)
”No, I didn't know that So he cherishes no resentnan ”It is I who cherish no resentment”
Porthos didn't understand any too clearly; but then we know that understanding was not his strong point ”You say, then,” he continued, ”that the Count de Rochefort spoke of me to the cardinal?”
”Yes, and the queen, too”
”The queen, do you say?”
”To inspire us with confidence she has even placed in Mazarin's hands that famous diamond--you remember all about it--that I once sold to Monsieur des Essarts and of which, I don't kno, she has regained possession”
”But it seems to me,” said Porthos, ”that she would have done iven it back to you”
”So I think,” replied D'Artagnan; ”but kings and queens are strange beings and have odd fancies; nevertheless, since they are the ones who have riches and honors, we are devoted to them”
”Yes, we are devoted to them,” repeated Porthos; ”and you--to who, the queen, and to the cardinal; moreover, I have answered for your devotion also”
”And you say that you have nificent, nificent! In the first place you have plenty of money, haven't you? forty thousand francs incoan to be suspicious ”Eh! my friend,” said he, ”one never has too s in ures, so that I live almost from hand to mouth”
”He is afraid I have conan ”Ah, my friend,” said he, ”it is all the better if you are in difficulties”
”How is it all the better?”
”Yes, for his eive you all that you want--land, money, and titles”
”Ah! ah! ah!” said Porthos, opening his eyes at that last word
”Under the other cardinal,” continued D'Artagnan, ”we didn't know enough to make our profits; this, however, doesn't concern you, with your forty thousand francs income, the happiest hed
”At the sa your forty thousand francs a year, and perhaps even for the very reason that you have forty thousand francs a year, it seee, hey?”
”Yes indeed,” said Porthos
”Well, my dear friend, win it--it is at the point of your sword We shall not interfere with each other--your object is a title; nan, which my ancestors, impoverished by the Crusades, allowed to fall into ruins, and to buy thirty acres of land about it, that is all I wish I shall retire and die tranquilly--at home”
”For my part,” said Porthos, ”I desire to be made a baron”
”You shall be one”
”And have you not seen any of our other friends?”
”Yes, I have seen Aramis”
”And what does he wish? To be a bishop?”
”Aranan, who did not wish to undeceive Porthos, ”Aramis, fancy, has become a monk and a Jesuit, and lives like a bear My offers did not arouse him,--did not even tempt him”
”So much the worse! He was a clever man And Athos?”
”I have not yet seen him Do you knohere I shall find hiine, h birth as the eives hinities--the Coelonne?”
”And he has no children with all these titles?”
”Ah!” said Porthos, ”I have heard that he had adopted a young reatly”
”What, Athos? Our Athos, as as virtuous as Scipio? Have you seen him?
”No”
”Well, I shall see him to-morrow and tell hi for wine has aged and degraded hireat deal,” replied Porthos
”And then he was older than any of us,” added D'Artagnan
”Soravity made hiet Athos, all will be well If we cannot, ill do without him We two are worth a dozen”
”Yes,” said Porthos, s at the reether, would be equal to thirty-six, more especially as you say the ill not be child's play Will it last long?”
”By'r Lady! two or three years perhaps”
”So much the better,” cried Porthos ”You have no idea, my friend, how my bones ache since I came here Sometimes on a Sunday, I take a ride in the fields and on the property of hbours, in order to pick up a nice little quarrel, which I a happens Either they respect or they fear me, which is more likely, but they let s, insult and obstruct every one, and I come back still more weary and low-spirited, that's all At any rate, tellin Paris, is there not?”
”In that respect, htful No uards, no more De Jussacs, nor other bloodhounds I'Gad! underneath a lamp in an inn, anywhere, they ask 'Are you one of the Fronde?' They unsheathe, and that's all that is said The Duke de Guise killed Monsieur de Coligny in the Place Royale and nothing was said of it”
”Ah, things go on gaily, then,” said Porthos
”Besides which, in a short tinan, ”We shall have set battles, cannonades, conflagrations and there will be great variety”
”Well, then, I decide”