Part 14 (1/2)
”I have your word, then?”
”Yes, 'tis given I shall fight heart and soul for Mazarin; but----”
”But?”
”But he nan, ”that's settled already; I will be responsible for the barony”
On this proiven, Porthos, who had never doubted his friend's assurance, turned back with him toward the castle
12 Porthos was Discontented with his Condition
As they returned toward the castle, D'Artagnan thought of the miseries of poor human nature, always dissatisfied hat it has, ever desirous of what it has not
In the position of Porthos, D'Artagnan would have been perfectly happy; and to --what? five letters to put before his three nae!
”I shall pass allfor athis reflection, chance seeive hiive so The face of the steward, despite one slight shade of care, light as a suno for,” thought D'Artagnan; ”but alas! the poor fellow does not know the purpose for which I an for Mousqueton to come to him
”Sir,” said the servant, ”I have a favour to ask you”
”Speak out, my friend”
”I am afraid to do so Perhaps you will think, sir, that prosperity has spoiled nan
”As happy as possible; and yet, sir, you may make me even happier than I am”
”Well, speak, if it depends on me”
”Oh, sir! it depends on you only”
”I listen--I a to hear”
”Sir, the favor I have to ask of you is, not to call me 'Mousqueton' but 'Mouston' Since I have had the honor of being nified and calculated to make my inferiors respect e establishnan sthen out his names, Mousqueton to cut his short
”Well, my dear Mouston,” he said, ”rest satisfied I will call thee Mouston; and if it er”
”Oh!” cried Mousqueton, reddening with joy; ”if you do rateful all nan, ”it is very little to offset the unexpected tribulations I a to this poor devil who has so war with us?” asked Mousqueton, with a serene and glowing countenance
”I go to-nan
”Ah, monsieur,” said Mousqueton, ”then you have corets”
”I fear that is true,” said D'Artagnan, in a low tone
D'Artagnan was secretly touched with re Porthos to enter into schemes in which his life and fortune would be in jeopardy, for Porthos, in the title of baron, had his object and reward; but poor Mousqueton, whose only as to be called Mouston--was it not cruel to snatch hihtful state of peace and plenty in which he was?
He was thinking of these matters when Porthos sunan ”What time is it, then?”
”Eh! why, it is after one o'clock”
”Your home is a paradise, Porthos; one takes no note of tiry”
”Come, if one can't always eat, one can always drink--a maxim of poor Athos, the truth of which I have discovered since I began to be lonely”
D'Artagnan, who as a Gascon, was inclined to sobriety, seemed not so sure as his friend of the truth of Athos's maxim, but he did his best to keep up with his host Meanwhile his ard to Mousqueton recurred to his h he did not himself wait on the table, which would have been beneath him in his new position, appeared at the door fronan by the quality of the wine he directed to be served Therefore, when, at dessert, upon a sign fronan, Porthos had sent away his servants and the two friends were alone: ”Porthos,” said D'Artagnan, ”ill attend you in your cans?”
”Why,” replied Porthos, ”Mouston, of course”
This was a blow to D'Artagnan He could already see the intendant's bearief ”But,” he said, ”Mouston is not so young as he was, rown fat and perhaps has lost his fitness for active service”
”That may be true,” replied Porthos; ”but I ao without hiht D'Artagnan
”And you,” asked Porthos, ”haven't you still in your service your old lackey, that good, that brave, that intelligent---what, then, is his naain, but he is lackey no longer”
”What is he, then?”
”With his sixteen hundred francs--you ree of La Rochelle by carrying a letter to Lord de Winter--he has set up a little shop in the Rue des Lombards and is now a confectioner”
”Ah, he is a confectioner in the Rue des Lombards! How does it happen, then, that he is in your service?”
”He has been guilty of certain escapades and fears he may be disturbed” And the musketeer narrated to his friend Planchet's adventure
”Well,” said Porthos, ”if any one had told you in the old times that the day would come when Planchet would rescue Rochefort and that you would protect him in it----”
”I should not have believed hi truer than that,” said Porthos; ”but what does not change, or changes for the better, is wine Taste of this; it is a Spanish hich our friend Athos thought much of”