Part 14 (2/2)
At that moment the steward cas of the next day and also with regard to the shooting party which had been proposed
”Tell ood condition?”
”Your arms, my lord--what arms?”
”Zounds! my weapons”
”What weapons?”
”My military weapons”
”Yes, my lord; at any rate, I think so”
”Make sure of it, and if they want it, have them burnished up Which is my best cavalry horse?”
”Vulcan”
”And the best hack?”
”Bayard”
”What horse dost thou choose for thyself?”
”I like Rustaud, , thinkest thou?”
”Half Norht and day”
”That will do for us See to these horses Polish up or make some one else polish -knife”
”Are we then going to travel,better still, Mouston”
”An expedition, sir?” asked the steward, whose roses began to change into lilies
”We are going to return to the service, Mouston,” replied Porthos, still trying to restore hislost
”Into the service--the king's service?” Mousqueton trembled; even his fat, snan with an air of reproach; he staggered, and his voice was aln, seek out all sorts of adventures--return, in short, to our former life”
These last words fell on Mousqueton like a thunderbolt It was those very terrible old days that htful, and the bloas so great he rushed out, overcoot to shut the door
The two friends remained alone to speak of the future and to build castles in the air The good hich Mousqueton had placed before thenan a fine perspective, shi+ning with quadruples and pistoles, and showed to Porthos a blue ribbon and a ducal mantle; they were, in fact, asleep on the table when the servants caht them to their bed
Mousqueton was, however, sonan, who the next day told him that in all probability ould always be carried on in the heart of Paris and within reach of the Chateau du Vallon, which was near Corbeil, or Bracieux, which was near Melun, and of Pierrefonds, which was between Cone and Villars-Cotterets
”But--foran Mousqueton tinan, ”we don't now make war as we did forement; ask Planchet”
Mousqueton inquired, therefore, the state of the case of his old friend, who confirnan ”But,” he added, ”in this war prisoners stand a chance of being hung”
”The deuce they do!” said Mousqueton; ”I think I should like the siege of Rochelle better than this war, then!”
Porthos, ive him his instructions how to proceed on his journey
”Four days,” replied his friend, ”are necessary to reach Blois; one day to rest there; three or four days to return to Paris Set out, therefore, in a week, with your suite, and go to the Hotel de la Chevrette, Rue Tiquetonne, and there await reed,” said Porthos
”As to h I don't think his aid worth much, one must with one's friends observe all due politeness,” said D'Artagnan
The friends then took leave of each other on the very border of the estate of Pierrefonds, to which Porthos escorted his friend
”At least,” D'Artagnan said to himself, as he took the road to Villars-Cotterets, ”at least I shall not be alone in ious strength; still, if Athos joins us, well, we shall be three of us to laugh at Araood luck”
At Villars-Cotterets he wrote to the cardinal: ”My Lord,--I have already one man to offer to your e out for Blois The Coelonne, in the environs of that city”
13 Two Angelic Faces
The road was long, but the horses upon which D'Artagnan and Planchet rode had been refreshed in the well supplied stables of the Lord of Bracieux; theas they went, for D'Artagnan had by degrees thrown off the master and Planchet had entirely ceased to assume the manners of a servant He had been raised by circumstances to the rank of a confidant to his nan had opened his heart to any one; it happened, however, that these two ain, assiar companion in these new adventures; he was a er he never shrank from an encounter; in short, he had been a soldier and ar of friends that D'Artagnan and Planchet arrived in the neighborhood of Blois
Going along, D'Artagnan, shaking his head, said: ”I know thatto Athos is useless and absurd; but still I owe this courtesy to my old friend, a enerous of characters”
”Oh, Monsieur Athos was a noble gentle money round about him as Heaven sprinkles rain Do you relishnificent Monsieur Athos was that day, when he said to his adversary: 'You have insisted on knowing my naed to kill you' I was near him, those were his exact words, when he stabbed his foe as he said he would, and his adversary fell without saying, 'Oh!' 'Tis a noble gentleman--Monsieur Athos”
”Yes, true as Gospel,” said D'Artagnan; ”but one single fault has sed up all these fine qualities”
”I re--in truth, he drank, but not as other men drink One seemed, as he raised the wine to his lips, to hear hirape, and chase away lass or the neck of a bottle! There was no one like him for that”