Part 61 (1/2)
D'Artagnan gave up his bed to any one anted it,it over about a dozen times; and since he was supposed to have paid, like the others, a louis for his truss of straw, he pocketed in that way thirty louis in less than half an hour At five o'clock in the hty francs a truss and there was no nan had taken the precaution to set apart four trusses for his own use He put in his pocket the key of the room where he had hidden them, and accompanied by Porthos returned to settle with Mousqueton, who, naively, and like the worthy steward that he was, handed them four hundred and thirty louis and kept one hundred for hi on in the chateau, wondered that the idea had not occurred to hi back to the chateau settled the reckoning with Porthos, each of them had cleared two hundred and fifteen louis
Porthos, however, found that he had no straw left for himself He returned to Mousqueton, but the steward had sold the last wisp He then repaired to D'Artagnan, who, thanks to his four trusses of straas in the act of , by anticipation, the luxury of a bed so soft, so well stuffed at the head, so well covered at the foot, that it would have excited the envy of the king himself, if his nan could on no account consent to pull his bed to pieces again for Porthos, but for a consideration of four louis that the latter paid him for it, he consented that Porthos should share his couch with him He laid his sword at the head, his pistols by his side, stretched his cloak over his feet, placed his felt hat on the top of his cloak and extended himself luxuriously on the strahich rustled under hiendered by the possession of two hundred and nineteen louis, made in a quarter of an hour, when a voice was heard at the door of the hall, which nan!” it cried
”Here!” cried Porthos, ”here!”
Porthos foresaw that if D'Artagnan was called away he should remain the sole possessor of the bed An officer approached
”I anan”
”From whom?”
”His e to sleep, and I advise hione to bed and will not go to bed, and wants you instantly”
”The devil take Mazarin, who does not knohen to sleep at the proper time What does he ith ive hi, took his sword, hat, pistols, and cloak, and followed the officer, whilst Porthos, alone and sole possessor of the bed, endeavored to follow the good exa asleep, which his predecessor had set hinan,” said the cardinal, on perceiving hiotten hat zeal you have servedto prove to you that I have not”
”Good,” thought the Gascon, ”this is a pronan,” he resumed, ”do you wish to become a captain?”
”Yes, s to be made a baron?”
”At this very moment, my lord, he no doubt drea fronan, ”take this dispatch and carry it to England”
D'Artagnan looked at the envelope; there was no address on it
”Am I not to knohom to present it?”
”You will knohen you reach London; at London you may tear off the outer envelope”
”And what are my instructions?”
”To obey in every particular the man to whone At the Royal Arentleman named Mordaunt”
”Yes, entlenan looked at the cardinal with a stupefied air
”There are your instructions,” said Mazarin; ”go!”
”Go! 'tis easy to say so, but that requires money, and I haven't any”
”Ah!” replied Mazarin, ”so you have no ave you yesterday?”
”I wish to keep it in rehed
”'Tis very dear living in England, my lord, especially as envoy extraordinary”
”Zounds!” replied Mazarin, ”the people there are very sedate, and their habits, since the revolution, simple; but no matter”
He opened a drawer and took out a purse
”What do you say to a thousand crowns?”
D'Artagnan pouted out his lower lip in a most extraordinary manner
”I reply, o alone”
”I suppose not Monsieur du Vallon, that worthy gentlenan, there's not a man in France that I esteem and love so nan, pointing to the purse which Mazarin still held, ”if you love and esteem him so much, you--understand me?”
”Be it so! on his account I add two hundred crowns”
”Scoundrel!” nan ”But on our return,” he said aloud, ”, he his barony, and I my promotion?”
”On the honor of Mazarin”
”I should like another sort of oath better,” said D'Artagnan to himself; then aloud, ”May I not offer my duty to her majesty the queen?”
”Her majesty is asleep and you o, pray, sir----”
”One word , ht?”