Part 32 (1/2)
”Ah, if poor Mousqueton were here he could tell you to a fraction”
”No matter; you can tell within ten crowns”
”Why, Vulcan and Bayard costPhoebus at a hundred and fifty, we should be pretty near the amount”
”There will renan, contentedly
”Yes,” said Porthos, ”but there are the equipments”
”That is very true Well, how much for the equipments?”
”If we say one hundred pistoles for the three----”
”Good for the hundred pistoles; there remains, then, three hundred and fifty”
Porthos ive the fifty pistoles to the hostess for our expenses,” said D'Artagnan, ”and share the three hundred”
”We will share,” said Porthos
”A paltry piece of business!”his note
”Pooh!” said Porthos, ”it is always that But tell me----”
”What?”
”Didn't he speak of nan, as afraid of disheartening his friend by telling him that the cardinal had not breathed a word about him; ”yes, surely, he said----”
”He said?” resumed Porthos
”Stop, I want to remember his exact words He said, 'As to your friend, tell hiood,” said Porthos; ”that signified as clear as daylight that he still intends to make nan started
”Ah, yes,” said Porthos, ”there is nine o'clock We have a rendezvous, you remember, at the Place Royale”
”Ah! stop! hold your peace, Porthos, don't remind me of it; 'tis that which has o”
”Why?” asked Porthos
”Because it is a grievous thing for ain those two men who caused the failure of our enterprise”
”And yet,” said Porthos, ”neither of thee over us I still had a loaded pistol and you were in full fight, sword in hand”
”Yes,” said D'Artagnan; ”but what if this rendezvous had some hidden purpose?”
”Oh!” said Porthos, ”you can't think that, D'Artagnan!”
D'Artagnan did not believe Athos to be capable of a deception, but he sought an excuse for not going to the rendezvous
”We o,” said the superb lord of Bracieux, ”lest they should say ere afraid We who have faced fifty foes on the high road can well meet two in the Place Royale”
”Yes, yes, but they took part with the princes without apprising us of it Athos and Araame with me which alaroing to-day to learn so else?”
”You really have some distrust, then?” said Porthos
”Of Araine, my dear fellow, the sort of man he is He sees us on the road which leads hiet us out of his way”
”Ah, as regards Ara,” said Porthos, ”and it wouldn't surprise me at all”
”Perhaps Monsieur de Beaufort will try, in his turn, to lay hands on us”
”Nonsense! He had us in his power and he let us go Besides we can be on our guard; let us take arms, let Planchet post himself behind us with his carbine”
”Planchet is a Frondeur,” answered D'Artagnan
”Devil take these civil wars! one can no more now reckon on one's friends than on one's footmen,” said Porthos ”Ah! if Mousqueton were here! there's a felloill never desertas you are rich! Ah! my friend! 'tis not civil war that disunites us It is that we are each of us twenty years older; it is that the honest eestions of interest, whispers of ao, Porthos, but let us go well armed; e not to keep the rendezvous, they would declare ere afraid Halloo! Planchet! here! saddle our horses, take your carbine”
”Who to attack, sir?”
”No one; a mere matter of precaution,” answered the Gascon
”You know, sir, that they wished to ood councillor, Broussel, the father of the people?”
”Really, did they?” said D'Artagnan
”Yes, but he has been avenged He was carried home in the arms of the people His house has been full ever since He has received visits froueville, and the Prince de Conti; Madame de Chevreuse and Madame de Vendome have left their names at his door And nohenever he wishes----”
”Well, whenever he wishes?”
Planchet began to sing: ”Un vent de fronde S'est leve ce ronde Contre le Mazarin Un vent de fronde S'est leve ce nan, in a low tone to Porthos, ”that Mazarin would have been much better satisfied had I crushed the life out of his councillor”
”You understand, then, monsieur,” resumed Planchet, ”that if it were for soainst Monsieur Broussel that you should ask me to take my carbine----”
”No, don't be alarood source, sir; I heard it from Friquet”
”From Friquet? I know that name----”
”A son of Monsieur de Broussel's servant, and a lad that, I pros”
”Is he not a singing boy at Notre Danan