D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 167: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

156 Thin Threads, but Strong. . ‘As if I were already consecrated, I sent out ambassa- | dors. ‘They were, to begin with, that lineal descendant | of the Rhymer of Albuterra, the versifier of our first King of Portugal—Don Joa de Palamo ‘He is nephew of the Archbishop of Lisbon, no friend ‘G “Because the is the king’s deputy for Portugal? One must be somebody’s nephew! Then comes the Cabal- — lero Roha, called Rodrigo, the Lord Paramount of the Marches of Ortalegra “A college companion of Olivarez himself!” “That cannot be—he is too young—it was Luis de Haro, the Prime Minister’s relative, who went to Evora University with Joa; a boy could not foresee what his playmates would arrive to!” “Any other?” inquired the lady, evidently convinced that her inveterate husband would not readily renounce his selections. j “Fra Benito, of Segovia, who was the Caballero de Mariagalante before he took orders—somewhat loosely, they say—not a sackcloth, but a net through which he can slip at intervals. Is he a religious brother or a lay one? I myself believe that, when he entered the mon- astery from the cavalry barracks he thought he could walk through the cloisters and out into the palace gate- way! Never was dashing dragoon more pious when he was in the horse company—never is priest so war- like since he put on the hood! But he is useful, this man who can pray with the priests and prey with the free-lances!”’ “T suppose chameleons are useful! What powers have these versatile ambassadors been accredited to?” “Don Joa, who speaks French, of Paris, went to Louis, with a view of securing support of the old nobil- ity whom Cardinal Richelieu has estranged. “Estranged is a mild term for the enmity at being decimated “by the sanguinary prelate!” “Hush! speak well of the bridge which carries us over! The intestinal differences there matters not, now! We have the great premier on our side, bound to us with ~~ golden bonds. A fig for the boar-sticking king, whose wife is our Philip’s sister—never would France have. ~ comichbooks.com