D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 326: what you’re looking at

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

Epilogue. 307 “Never will your head be greater,” said D’Artagnan; “it is your heart, dear friend, which enlarges perpetually !’’ “Oh,” added Porthos, checking his writing again, “what droll fellows those seamen are!’’ and laughed. “Sometimes! They call it a joke to capture Lisbon! In what way are they funny as regards you?” “It is that Don Pedro. He came to me to breakfast, and over the kahve, a new drink this hotelkeeper brewed in his honor, hearing that he had been landlord of an inn in his time, he said: ‘Brother Porthos, I am eager to do you or your friends at home a good turn, now IJ have command of the sea. Have you not an institution, useful to heirs tired of awaiting an inheritance, husbands fatigued with their bur- dens, nobles wearied of parasites—called Blank Sealed Royal Warrants “ “Letters de cachet, said I; ‘yes, they are useful!’ ““Well,’ said the sly dog, ‘it is not this tender-hearted king’ here who will furnish such blanks, but his lord high admiral will do what he dare not. If you know of any such burden to be removed, why, get your overladen friend to bring it to the coast, and notify me. I will send a boat’s crew to take it off his shoulders and off shore! I have a little the acquaintance of the Dey of Algiers. Poor dey! The Turks gave him a trouncing, and he is but the sultan’s khedive, or deputy, at present. They car- ried away as tribute his slaves, and he has to grease his own boots and clean his own pipes now, and sing and dance to amuse his harem, reduced to one or two odalisques. He wants slaves of all kinds! “The French baggage” will be welcome.’ ”’ “Gracious!” ejaculated the musketeer; “if Madame du Vallon were to come to the seashore to meet you half way, this unregenerate pirate——’’ : vn “T thought of that,” said Porthos, simply, and sighing, he shook his head. “It would fail. As soon as M. the Dey saw her, and had a bit of her temper, he would send her back to the Vallon! No, I shall prolong my holiday.” “Poor Pedro! it is written that we shall be beholden to him.” “Ag to all these others! While they are genial, I am not going to hurry myself.” GoOmMmiGcbooks (E(e)