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Chapter IX
Chapter IX
D`Artagnan Begins To Develop Himself
As Athos and Porthos had foreseen, at the expiration of half an hour
D`Artagnan returned. He had this time again missed his man, who had
disappeared as if by enchantment. D`Artagnan had run, sword in hand, through
all the neighboring streets, but had found nobody resembling the man he
sought for; then he did that by which, perhaps, he ought to have begun, which
was to knock at the door against which the unknown was leaning; but it had
proved useless to knock ten or twelve times running, for no one answered, and
some of the neighbors, who put their noses out of their windows, or were
brought to their doors by the noise, had assured him that that house, all the
openings of which were tightly closed, had been for six months completely
uninhabited.
While D`Artagnan was running through the streets and knocking at doors,
Aramis had joined his companions, so that on returning home D`Artagnan found
the meeting complete.
"Well!" cried the three musketeers all together, on seeing D`Artagnan
enter with his brow covered with perspiration, and his face clouded with
anger.
"Well!" cried he, throwing his sword upon the bed; "this man must be the
devil in person; he has disappeared like a phantom, like a shade, like a
spectre."
"Do you believe in apparitions?" asked Athos of Porthos.
"I never believe in anything I have not seen, and as I never have seen
an apparition, I don`t believe in them."
"The Bible," said Aramis, "makes our belief in them a law; the shade of
Samuel appeared to Saul, and it is an article of faith that I should be very
sorry to see any doubt thrown upon, Porthos."
"At all events, man or devil, body or shadow, illusion or reality, this
man is born for my damnation, for his flight has caused us to miss a glorious
affair, gentlemen, an affair by which there were a hundred pistoles, and
perhaps more to be gained."
"How is that?" cried Porthos and Aramis in a breath.
As to Athos, faithful to his system of mutism, he satisfied himself with
interrogating D`Artagnan by a look.
"Planchet," said D`Artagnan, to his domestic, who just then insinuated
his head through the half-open door, in order to catch some fragments of the
conversation, "go down to my proprietaire, M. Bonacieux, and tell him to send
me half a dozen bottles of Beaugency wine; I prefer that."
"Ah! ah! what, are you in credit with your proprietaire, then?" asked
Porthos.
"Yes," replied D`Artagnan, "from this very day, and mind! if the wine
be not good, we will send to him to find better."
"We must use, and not abuse, said Aramis sententiously.
"I always said that D`Artagnan had the longest head of the four," said
Athos, who, after having uttered his opinion, to which D`Artagnan replied
with a bow, immediately resumed his habitual silence.
"But, come, tell us, what is this about?" asked Porthos.
"Yes," said Aramis, "impart it to us, my dear friend, unless the honor
of any lady be hazarded by this confidence; in that case you would do better
to keep it to yourself."
"Be satisfied," replied D`Artagnan, "the honor of no one shall have to
complain of that which I have to tell you."
He then related to his friends, word for word, all that had passed
between him and his landlord, and how the man who had carried off the wife
of his worthy proprietaire was the same with whom he had had a difference at
the hostelry of the Franc-Meunier.
"Your affair is not a bad one," said Athos, after having tasted the wine
like a connoisseur, and indicated by a nod of his head that he thought it
good, "and fifty or sixty pistoles may be got out of this good man. Then,
there only remains to ascertain whether these fifty or sixty pistoles are
worth the risk of four heads."
"But please to observe," cried D`Artagnan, "that there is a woman in the
affair, a woman carried off, a woman who is doubtless threatened, tortured
perhaps, and all because she is faithful to her mistress."
"Beware, D`Artagnan, beware," said Aramis, "you grow a little too warm
in my opinion, about the fate of Madame Bonacieux. Woman was created for our
destruction, and it is from her we inherit all our miseries."
At this speech of Aramis the brow of Athos became clouded, and he bit
his lips.
"It is not Madame Bonacieux about whom I am anxious," cried D`Artagnan,
"but the queen, whom the king abandons, whom the cardinal persecutes, and who
sees the heads of all her friends fall one after the other."
"Why does she love what we hate most in the world, the Spaniards and the
English?"
"Spain is her country," replied D`Artagnan; "and it is very natural that
she should love the Spanish, who are the children of the same soil as
herself. As to the second reproach, I have heard say that she does not love
the English, but an Englishman."
"Well, and by my faith!" said Athos, "it must be confessed that this
Englishman was worthy of being loved. I never saw a man with a nobler air
than his."
"Without reckoning that he dresses as nobody else can," said Porthos.
"I was at the Louvre on the day that he scattered his pearls; and, pardieu!
I picked up two that I sold for ten pistoles each. Do you know him, Aramis?"
"As well as you do, gentlemen; for I was among those who seized him in
the garden at Amiens, into which M. Putange, the queen`s equerry, introduced
me. I was at school at the time, and the adventure appeared to me to be
cruel for the king."
"Which would not prevent me," said D`Artagnan, "if I knew where the Duke
of Buckingham was, to take him by the hand and conduct him to the queen, were
it only to enrage the cardinal; for our true, our only, our eternal enemy,
gentlemen, is the cardinal, and if we could find means to play him a sharp
turn, I confess that I would voluntarily risk my head in doing it."
"And did the mercer," rejoined Athos, "tell you, D`Artagnan, that the
queen thought that Buckingham had been brought over by a forged letter?"
"She is afraid so."
"Wait a minute, then," said Aramis.
"What for?" demanded Porthos.
"Go on. I am endeavoring to remember some circumstances."
"And now I am convinced," said D`Artagnan, "that this abduction of the
queen`s woman is connected with the events of which we are speaking; and
perhaps with the presence of Monsieur de Buckingham at Paris."
"The Gascon is full of ideas," said Porthos, with admiration.
"I like to hear him talk," said Athos, "his patois amuses me."
"Gentlemen," cried Aramis, "listen to this."
"Listen to Aramis," said his three friends.
"Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology whom I sometimes
consult about my studies."
Athos smiled.
"He resides in a quiet quarter," continued Aramis: "his tastes and his
profession require it. Now, at the moment that I left his house - "
Here Aramis stopped.
"Well," cried his auditors; "at the moment you left his house?"
Aramis appeared to make a strong inward effort, like a man who, in the
full relation of a falsehood, finds himself stopped by some unforseen
obstacle; but the eyes of his three companions were fixed upon him, their
ears were wide open, and there were no means of retreating.
"This doctor has a niece," continued Aramis.
"A niece! has he?" said Porthos.
"A very respectable lady," said Aramis.
The three friends burst into a loud laugh.
"Ah! if you laugh, or doubt what I say," replied Aramis, "you shall
know nothing."
"We are as stanch believers as Mahometans, and as mute as catafalques,"
said Athos.
"I will go on then," resumed Aramis. "This niece comes sometimes to see
her uncle; and, by chance, was there yesterday at the same time that I was,
and I could do no less than offer to conduct her to her carriage."
"Oh! oh! Then this niece of the doctor`s keeps a carriage, does she?"
interrupted Porthos, one of whose faults was a great incontinence of tongue;
"a very nice acquaintance, my friend!"
"Porthos," replied Aramis, "I have had occasion to observe to you, more
than once, that you are very indiscreet; and that is injurious to you among
the women."
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," cried D`Artagnan, who began to get a glimpse of
the result of the adventure, "the thing is serious; endeavor, then, not to
joke, if possible. Go on Aramis, go on."
"All at once, a tall, dark gentleman - just like yours, D`Artagnan."
"The same, perhaps," said he.
"Possibly," continued Aramis - "came toward me, accompanied by five or
six men, who followed at about ten paces behind him; and, in the politest
tone, `Monsieur the Duke,` said he to me, `and you, madame,` continued he,
addressing the lady, who had hold of my arm - "
"The doctor`s niece?"
"Hold your tongue, Porthos," said Athos; "you are insupportable."
"`Be so kind as to get into this carriage; and that without offering the
slightest resistance, or making the least noise.`"
"He took you for Buckingham!" cried D`Artagnan.
"I believe so," replied Aramis.
"But the lady?" asked Porthos.
"He took her for the queen!" said D`Artagnan.
"Just so," replied Aramis.
"The Gascon is the devil!" cried Athos; "nothing escapes him."
"The fact is," said Porthos, "Aramis is of the same height, and
something of the shape of the duke; but it nevertheless appears to me that
the uniform of a musketeer - "
"I wore a very large cloak," said Aramis.
"In the month of July; the devil!" said Porthos. "Is the doctor afraid
you should be recognized?"
"I can comprehend that the spy may have been deceived by the person; but
the face - "
"I had a very large hat on," said Aramis.
"Oh! good lord!" cried Porthos, "what precautions to study theology!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said D`Artagnan, "do not let us lose our time
in jesting; let us separate, and let us seek the mercer`s wife; that is the
key of the intrigue."
"A woman of such inferior condition! can you believe so?" said Porthos,
protruding his lip with contempt.
"She is goddaughter to Laporte, the confidential valet of the queen.
Have I not told you so, gentlemen? Besides, it has perhaps been a scheme of
her majesty`s to have sought, on this occasion, for support so lowly. High
heads expose themselves sometimes; and the cardinal is farsighted."
"Well," said Porthos, "in the first place make a bargain with the
mercer; and a good bargain, too."
"That`s useless," said D`Artagnan; "for I believe if he does not pay us,
we shall be well enough paid by another party."
At this moment a sudden noise of footsteps was heard upon the stairs,
the door was thrown violently open, and the unfortunate mercer rushed into
the chamber in which the council was held.
"Save me! gentlemen! save me!" cried he. "There are four men come to
arrest me; save me! for the love of heaven save me!"
Porthos and Aramis arose.
"A moment," cried D`Artagnan, making them a sign to replace their
half-drawn swords: "on this occasion we don`t require courage; we must
exercise prudence."
"And yet," cried Porthos, "we will not leave - "
"You will leave D`Artagnan to act as he thinks proper; he has, I repeat,
the longest head of the four, and for my part, I declare I obey him. Do as
you think best, D`Artagnan."
At this moment the four guards appeared at the door of the antechamber,
but seeing four musketeers standing, and their swords by their sides, they
hesitated to advance further.
"Come in, gentlemen, come in; you are here in my apartment, and we are
all faithful servants of the king and Monsieur le Cardinal."
"Then, gentlemen, you will not oppose our executing the orders we have
received?" asked the one who appeared to be the leader of the party.
"On the contrary, gentlemen, we would assist you if it were necessary."
"What does he say?" grumbled Porthos.
"That you are a simpleton," said Athos; "hold your tongue."
"But you promised me," said the poor mercer, in a very low voice.
"We can only save you by being free ourselves," replied D`Artagnan, in
a rapid, low tone, "and if we appear inclined to defend you, they will arrest
us with you."
"It seems - nevertheless - "
"Come in, gentlemen! come in!" said D`Artagnan; "I have no motive for
defending monsieur. I saw him to-day for the first time, and he can tell you
on what occasion; he came to demand the rent of my lodging. Is not that
true, M. Bonacieux? Answer?"
"That`s the very truth," cried the mercer, "but monsieur does not tell
you - "
"Silence, with respect to me! silence, with respect to my friends!
silence about the queen above all, or you will ruin everybody without saving
yourself. Now, gentlemen, you are at liberty to take away this man!"
And D`Artagnan pushed the half-stupefied mercer among the guards, saying
to him:
"You are a shabby old fellow, my dear! you come to demand money of me!
of a musketeer! to prison with him! gentlemen, once more, take him to
prison, and keep him under key as long as possible - that will give me time
to pay him."
The sbirri were full of thanks, and took away their prey.
At the moment they were going down, D`Artagnan laid his hand on the
shoulder of their leader.
"Shall I not have the pleasure of drinking to your health, and you to
mine?" said D`Artagnan, filling two glasses with the Beaugency wine which he
had obtained from the liberality of M. Bonacieux.
"That will do me great honor," said the leader of the sbirri, "and I
consent thankfully."
"Then to yours, monsieur - what is your name?"
"Boisrenard."
"Monsieur Boisrenard!"
"To yours, my good sir - in your turn, what is your name, if you
please?"
"D`Artagnan."
"To yours, Monsieur d`Artagnan."
"And above all others," cried D`Artagnan, as if carried away by his
enthusiasm, "to that of the king and the cardinal."
The leader of the sbirri would perhaps have doubted the sincerity of
D`Artagnan if the wine had been bad, but the wine was good, and he was
convinced.
"Why, what a devil of a villainy have you performed there," said
Porthos, when the alguazil-in-chief had rejoined his companions, and the four
friends were left alone. "Shame! shame! for four musketeers to allow an
unfortunate devil who cried out for help to be arrested from among them, And
a gentleman to hob-nob with a bailiff!"
"Porthos," said Aramis, "Athos has already told you, you are a
simpleton, and I am quite of his opinion. D`Artagnan, you are a great man,
and when you occupy M. de Treville`s place, I will come and ask your
influence to secure me an abbey."
"Well! I am quite lost!" said Porthos, "do you approve of what
D`Artagnan has done?"
"Parbleu! indeed I do!" said Athos, "I not only approve of what he has
done, but I congratulate him upon it."
"And now, gentlemen," said D`Artagnan, without stopping to explain his
conduct to Porthos - "all for one, one for all, that is our device, is it
not?"
"And yet!" said Porthos.
"Hold out your hand and swear!" cried Athos and Aramis at once.
Overcome by example, grumbling to himself, nevertheless, Porthos
stretched out his hand, and the four friends repeated with one voice the
formula dictated by D`Artagnan.
"All for one, one for all."
"That`s well! Now let every one retire to his own home," said
D`Artagnan, as if he had done nothing but command all his life - "and
attention! for from this moment we are at feud with the cardinal."
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