登陆注册
15512900000040

第40章 12(2)

"With his sixteen hundred francs -- you remember, the sixteen hundred francs he earned at the siege 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 him; but men are changed by events."

"There is nothing truer than that," said Porthos; "but what does not change, or changes for the better, is wine. Taste of this; it is a Spanish wine which our friend Athos thought much of."

At that moment the steward came in to consult his master upon the proceedings of the next day and also with regard to the shooting party which had been proposed.

"Tell me, Mouston," said Porthos, "are my arms in good 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, my lord; a good animal, whose paces suit me."

"Strong, think's" thou?"

"Half Norman, half Mecklenburger; will go night and day."

"That will do for us. See to these horses. Polish up or make some one else polish my arms. Then take pistols with thee and a hunting-knife."

"Are we then going to travel, my lord?" asked Musqueton, rather uneasy.

"Something 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 his mustache to the military curl it had long lost.

"Into the service -- the king's service?" Musqueton trembled; even his fat, smooth cheeks shook as he spoke, and he looked at D'Artagnan with an air of reproach; he staggered, and his voice was almost choked.

"Yes and no. We shall serve in a campaign, seek out all sorts of adventures -- return, in short, to our former life."

These last words fell on Musqueton like a thunderbolt. It was those very terrible old days that made the present so excessively delightful, and the blow was so great he rushed out, overcome, and forgot to shut the door.

The two friends remained alone to speak of the future and to build castles in the air. The good wine which Musqueton had placed before them traced out in glowing drops to D'Artagnan a fine perspective, shining 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 came to light them to their bed.

Musqueton was, however, somewhat consoled by D'Artagnan, who the next day told him that in all probability war would 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 Compiegne and Villars-Cotterets.

"But -- formerly -- it appears," began Musqueton timidly.

"Oh!" said D'Artagnan, "we don't now make war as we did formerly. To-day it's a sort of diplomatic arrangement; ask Planchet."

Musqueton inquired, therefore, the state of the case of his old friend, who confirmed the statement of D'Artagnan.

"But," he added, "in this war prisoners stand a chance of being hung."

"The deuce they do!" said Musqueton; "I think I should like the siege of Rochelle better than this war, then!"

Porthos, meantime, asked D'Artagnan to give 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 me."

"That's agreed," said Porthos.

"As to myself, I shall go around to see Athos; for though 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 my undertaking. That devil, Porthos, is a man of prodigious strength; still, if Athos joins us, well, we shall be three of us to laugh at Aramis, that little coxcomb with his too good luck."

At Villars-Cotterets he wrote to the cardinal:

"My Lord, -- I have already one man to offer to your eminence, and he is well worth twenty men. I am just setting out for Blois. The Comte de la Fere inhabits the Castle of Bragelonne, in the environs of that city."

同类推荐
  • Swan Song

    Swan Song

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 道德真经口义

    道德真经口义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Heretics

    Heretics

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Doctor

    The Doctor

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 成唯识论

    成唯识论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 魔法事纪

    魔法事纪

    这里只有魔法,没有前世的科技,但它与科技并无不同,带来进步与死亡
  • 道之外的道

    道之外的道

    主要讲述一对来历非凡的孪生兄妹的成长故事,其所见所闻之中掺杂笔者的生活体验……写作是个人爱好,绝对不稳定更新。
  • 穿过灵魂抚摸你

    穿过灵魂抚摸你

    南太行是一个新的地理名词,泛指山西东部、河南北部、河北南部太行山南麓山地。南太行又是一个人文存在,其中的村庄和代代更替的人群,在一方地域承继和造就了独特的文化品性与风俗人情。《最悦读“榜中榜”书系·中国名家原生态美文精选:穿过灵魂抚摸你》以土著与亲亲历者的身份,对乡土进行了一次深度的观察与发现,具有强烈的实证精神与悲悯气质,是当下乡村书写中最有时代个性与真实色彩的一部乡野画卷。
  • 男人四十临界线

    男人四十临界线

    男人四十:梦想依然是个很鲜活的字眼,成功依然是个崭新的课题。男人四十:不要跟年轻人比体力.多动脑少动手,这才是做事的最高境界。男人四十:忙碌是一种充实.但不应成为生活的全部。男人四十:折腾事业,但不要折腾身体,善待自己.是对未来负责。男人四十:在激情中享受精彩,在平和中体味成功。
  • 凡神旧事

    凡神旧事

    般若,神之。侠之大者,神之般若。天之道,损有余而补不足;人之道,取天道而善自身。
  • 六道境主

    六道境主

    万年道境路,六界齐逢出,十世轮回路,我必六道主!十世轮回,一条道境路,六道的奥秘,一个伊始于转世的故事!
  • 前世今生:傻王的天女妃

    前世今生:傻王的天女妃

    前世因被最爱的人背叛追杀而跳崖,今生穿越成南诏皇室唯一的公主,更是这个大陆的天女,万兽求契约,千万人求娶,她却选择北越“傻王”,然而却又遇见了前世爱人,她该如何选择呢?前世今生的记忆恢复,她与他又会有怎样的故事呢?
  • TF吉他及她

    TF吉他及她

    校园暗恋?NO!玛丽苏?一点点~完全没有瓜葛的几个人,在校园相识,普普通通的校园里,却因此打破宁静?平常的校园生活也因为这几个人,变得有趣!
  • 倾尽浮生:雨落一世倾城

    倾尽浮生:雨落一世倾城

    苏家唯一的女儿苏沫,是新一代的熏韵红妆,她从小百毒不侵,那是因为自身有一种特殊的毒,她在忆落山上待了11年,直到她15岁那年,她那10个哥哥来接她回家成亲,对方是个王爷,她不肯回去,她是4岁上山的,这11年来,没有下过山,可是,她在四岁那年,毒性发作,将忆落山的许多弟子杀死了,从那时起,她就变得十分内向,到13岁那年,那年,她突然失忆了,醒来时什么也不认识,只听说她的师姐描述过她的10个哥哥。她被迫回去后,为了自己的前途,嫁给了王爷,可她失去的那段记忆里,却有一个大秘密......
  • 天生一对:来自太阳的你

    天生一对:来自太阳的你

    自从捡到那个粉雕玉琢的孩子后,司音的生活从此从规律变为混乱,她每天最重要的事情就是,哄孩子,惹孩子,“揍”孩子。可当知道这个孩子不仅有着另一个身份,还是一个来自外太空的不明生物后,她的生活从混乱变为灰暗。“死小子你不要嚣张,等你长大我立马给你娶个母夜叉。”“就是你。”“死小子,给我变回光屁股的小孩去。”“又想逗虫虫?”……