D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER V. TO PORTUGAL. “Captain mine, you will therefore proceed to Portu- gal by your own road,” pursued the minister of the King, “in your own disguise, at your own pace. ‘Take time, and do your business well. You have six months’ leave. Only, as next year is Leap Year, and should be easily remembered, there will be a messenger call for you at a rendezvous long since jotted down. ‘There is a pretty fishing place on the Bay of Biscay, frequented, if frequented, by smugglers, masterless soldiers and ship- less seaman. It is under the weather of San Sebastian, but unseen ‘from its insignificance by its lookouts. It 1s called by those who know it, the Black Petrel.” “If it please your highness, the Kuril, its local and seafarers’ name, is a bird which has some peculiar sig- nificance to them. I have known the fishers of Gascony, who would not kill one for the world, carry one, found dead, in their caps as proudly as a knight carries his lady- love’s glove.” . “T agree that it may cover an occult meaning. Do you know the Biscayan coast?” ‘My lord, asa neighbor. Iam a Gascon. I have been ‘blown out to sea, when a boy, and have had to bide my time for the return with those who picked us up. I am, aS you see me, no strange fish in those waters, from our Gulf to the Gib.” ‘So much the better,” said the statesman, never con- ferring with a man on affairs without having looked up the notes his secretaries preserved of every one of note. “Since you learnt French so soon and elegantly, I sup- pose that you have the facility of tongues———” “Tam not like that ancient king who could talk with any of his numerous peoples; but my budget will serve me. The Emperor Charles V. said that a man who spoke five tongues was equal to five men. I am, there- fore, a sextuple man, since I can ask for bread, bed and Gomicbooks (Eo)