Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

-~— + THE THREE GUARDSMEN. d’Artagnan, ‘‘I believe that his only crime consists in having at the same time the happiness and the mis- fortune of being your husband,’ “Then, sir, you know the cause?"’ ‘*T know that you were carried off, madame.”’ * But by whom? do you know that? Oh, if you do know pray tell me!’ ‘*By a man about forty or forty-five years of age, with dark hair, a brown complexion, and a scar on the left temple.”’ ** Just so—just so; but his name?”’ ** Ad! his name—that is what I do not know.” “And did my husband know that I had been car- ried off?” . “He had:been informed of it by a letter sent him _ by the ravisher himself,” “* And does he suspect,’’ demanded Madame Bo- nancieux, with some confusion, * the cause of this abduction?” Fs He ; attributed it, I believe, to some political _ “Abt first I doubted whether it was so, but now I think as he does; and so, my dear M. Bonancieux did . not mistrust me for a single instant?” ** Ah! so far from that, madame, he was too proud Ne en prudence and your love.” second smile, almost imperceptible, embellished - the rosy lips of the beautiful woman. “ But,” continued d'Artagnan, ‘ how did you make your escape?” ‘**T profited by a moment in which I was left alone; and asI this morning learned the cause of my ab- a by thé help of my sheets I got out of the window, and hurried here, where I expected to find my husband.” ‘To place yourself under his protection?” “Oh, no! poor dear man! I knew that he was un- able to defend me; but, ashe might be of some ser- _vice to us, [ wished to put him on his guard.” ith — what?” ~ as! that isnot my secret; and I dare not tell it Besides,” said d’Artagnan—‘'(pardon me, ma- dame, if, protector as Lam, Iremind you of prudence) —besides, I think that we are scarcely in a situation suitable to confidential conversation. The men whom L have put to flight will return with other aid, and if they find us: here, we shall be. lost, I have sent to summon three of my friends, but it is uncertain whether they may be found at home!” **Yesyes! you are right,’ said Madame Bonan- cieux, in alarm; “let us fly; let us escape!” And seizing d’Artagnan by his arm, she eagerly drew him along. .“ But whither shall we fly? where shall we escape to?’ said d’Artagnan. ** Let us go away from this place first, and then we will consider what to do.”’ boees eweramene, the trouble to shut the door, the two young people hastily passed down the rue des Fossoyeurs; crossed the rue des. Fosses Monsieur le Sey rr did. not stop until they reached the Place de St, Suipice. * And now what are we to dof’ irquired d’Artag- nan; sf owhither would you like me to conduct our ‘I confess that I scarcely know how to answer you,” said Madame Bonancieux; ‘1 had intended, h my husband, to intimate my escape to M, de la Porte, so that the latter might tell us exactly what has happened at the Louvre within the last three days, and whether there would be any danger in my appearing there." * But 1,” said d’Artagnan, “can goand inform M. de la Porte.” . “Undoubtedly; yet there is one difficulty; M. Bonancieux is known at the Louvre, and would be allowed to enter; whilst you, not being known, would not be admitted.” “Ah, bah!” said d’Artagnan, “ thereis doubtless a - porterat some wicket at the Louvre who is devoted to you, and who, thanks to some countersign—”"’ Madame Bonancieux looked earnestly at the young “ And if I trusted you with this watch-word,”’ said she, “ would you undertake to forget it as soon as you had made use of it?” “On my word of honor, on the faith of a gentle- man!’ said d’Artagnan, with that accent of truth which never can mislead. *Well, I believe you! You look likea man of | honor, and your fortune perhaps may depend on your devotion.”’ “J will orm without any promises, and con- scientiously, whatever | can to serve the king, and to be avceptable to the queen,’ said d’Artagnan, ‘* use me, therefore, as a friend!” ** But where will you put me in the meantime?”’ “Have you no acquaintance, where M. de la Porte can come for you?” _* No, I would rather not trust to any one!"’ Wait,’ said d’'Artagnan; * we are just by Athos’s door; yes, that must be the way!” * And who is Athos?” “A friend of mine.” . “But if he is at home he will see me.” » * But he is not there, andI will take away the key when I have put you into his room,”’ “Suppose he should return.” “He willnot return; besides, if he should, he will be told oy have broughta woman here, and that she is now in his room.” But don’t you see this will compromise me very much?” ‘* What need you care! no one knows you: besides, we are notin a position to be nice about trifle.” Well, let us go to your friend's house, them; where does he tive?” In the rye Ferou—two steps from here.”’ ** Come, then,” And the two proceeded on their way. As d’Artag- nan had foreseen, Athos was not at home; so taking the key, which they were in in the habit of giving to him as a friend of the musketeer, he ascended the stairs, and introduced Madame Bonancieux, into the little room which we have already described. ‘You are now at home,” said he; *‘ lock the door inside, and do not open it to anyone, unless you hear three knocks—thus:’’ and he gave three knocks—two oe and strong, and, after a short interval one gen- tle knock. ‘*That will do,’ said Madame Bonancieux; ‘‘ and now let me give you my instructions,’ ‘**T am all attention,”’ is ** Present yourself at the small gate of the Louvre, on the side of the rue de |’Echelle, and ask for Ger- main,”’ ‘* Very well, what next?”’ “ He will ask you what you want; you must answer by these words: ‘Tours and Brussels,’ and he will immediately attend to your commands,”’ “‘And what shall I tell him to do?"’ “To go and find M, dela Porte, the queen's valet- de-chambre,”’ ‘‘And when de la Porte has come?”’ ‘** You will send him to me.”’ “Very well. But when, where, and how, shall I see you again?’ “Do you feel particularly anxious to see me again ?"’ “Certainly.” * Well, then, leave that to my care; and be at ease.”’ *L rely upon your word.” “You may depend upon me.”’ D’Artagnan took leave of Madame Bonancieux, with the most amorous glance that he could possibly con- centrate upon her pretty Jittle person; and while he was descending the stairs, he heard the door behind him doubly locked. In two bounds he was at the Louvre: and as he entered the small door in the rué de l'Echelle, it struck ten; so that all the events we have related had transpired within half an hour. Everything happened just as Madame Bonancieux had predicted. Germain heard the watchword with a bow, in ten minutes de la Porte was in the porter’s lodge; ardin two words d‘Artagnan told him what had oecurred, and where Madame Bonancieux was to be found. La Porte made himself certain of the address by having it twice repeated, and then hur- ried away. But he had scarcely taken ten steps, be- fore he returned, ‘** Young man,” said he, “‘ let me give you some good counsel,”’ * What is it?” ‘You may possibly get into some trouble on ac- count of this affair.”’ *Do you think sor” ‘TI do! Have you any friend whose clock is slow ?”” * Well, what then?” “Go and pay him a visit, that he may be able to bear witness that you were in his company at balf- past nine. In law, thisis what is called an alibi.”’ D’Artagnan thought the advice prudent. He therefore took to his heels, and reached M. de Tre- ville’s; but, instead of entering the drawing-room, with the rest of the tees he asked to be admit- ted into his cabinet, and as he was one of the habit- ual frequenters of the hotel, no objection was made to this; and M.de Treville was soon informed that the young countryman, having something of im- portance to communicate, solicited a private inter- view, M. de Treville was there in five minutes, and asked d’Artagnan what he could do for him, and what had brought him there at such a late hour? ‘* Forgive me, sir,’’ said d’Artagnan (who had taken advantage of the moment he was left alone to put the clock back three quarters of an hour), “but I thought, as it was ‘only twenty-five minutes past nine, it was not yet too late to present myself before you. “Twenty-five minutes past nine!” exclaimed, M. de Treville, looking at the clock, ‘it is impossible!’ ‘* Look for yourself, sir,’’ said d’Artagnan; * that must convince “argh * You are right,’ replied M. de Treville: ‘‘ 1 should have thought it was later. But let me hear what it is that you want with me.” Then d’Artagnan entered into a long story about the queen: confessing all the fears that he enter- tained upon her majesty’s account, and recounting allthat he had heard about the cardinal’s designs against Buckingham; yet communicating his intelli- gence witha degree of tranquility and consistency by which M. de Treville was the more readily duped, in- asmuch as he had himself, as we have already said, remarked that something fresh was stirring between the cardinal, the king, and the queen. Just as the clock was strik ng. ten d’Artagnan arose, and took his leave of M. de Treville, who, after thanking him for his information, and impressing on him an incessant earnestness in the service of the king and queen, returned to his saloon, But d’Artagnan remembered, at the bottom of the stairs, that he had left his cane behind; he therefore hastened upagain, re-entered the cabinet, and with one touch of his finger put the clock to the right time, sothat it might not be seen the next day to have been wrong; then, satisfied that he had a wit- ness there to prove his alibi, he again descended the stairs, and soon found himself in the street, CHAPTER XI, THE INTRIGUE BECOMES CONFUSED, Wuen his visit to M. de Treville was ended d’Artagnan took, in pensive mood, the longest road to return to his own home, But what were the meditations which thus led him from his way; contemplating, with successive sighs. and smiles, the stars that glittered im the sky. Alas! he was intent on Madame Bonancieux. To an embryo musketeer, the charms of that young person raised her almost into an ideal of love. Pretty, mysterious, and initiated into all the secrets of the court, which reflected so much charming seriousness over her seductive features, she was supposed, also, to be not wholly unimpassioned, which is an irresist- ible attraction to novices in these engagements of the heart. He felt, moreover, that he ye delivered her from the hands of miscreants who wish to mal- treat her; and this important service had prepossess- ed her with a sentiment of gratitude towards him, which might easily be made to take a character of great tenderness. So rapidly do our dreams travel on imagination’s wings, that d’Artagnan already saw himself accosted by some messenger from Madame Bonancieux, hand- ing tohim an appointment for an interview, anda diamond or achain of gold. We have already in- timated that the young cavaliers were not then ashamed of accepting presents from their king; and we may add, that, in respect to their mistresses, and that these latter almost always conferred upon them some precious and endearing meniorials, as though thev were endeavoring to overcome the instability of their sentiments by the solidity of their gifts. Men did not then blush at owing their advancement. to women; and we might referto many among the heroes of that age of gallantry who would neither have won their spurs at first, nor their battles after- wards, but forthe better or worse furnished purse ay some mistress had suspended at their saddle- Ww. Now dA nan had rea'ly nothing of his own. His provincial hesitation—that superficial varnish, that ephemeral bloom, that down on the peach—had evaporated in the storm of somewhat unorthodox a ce which the three musketeers had given to their end. According to the curious customs of the time, he had come to look upon himself as being just as much engaged in a campaign while he was at Paris as though he had been in Flanders. There, he would have been opposed to Spaniards; here, it was to the fair sex; yet, in either case, there was an enemy to overcome and contributions to be raised, But let us not disguise the fact that the young Gas- con was at present influenced by a nobler and more disinterested feeling. ‘The mercer had confessed to him that he was rich, and it was easy to infer that with a simpleton like Bonancieux the wife would be the keeper of the purse. But nothing of this kind had contributed to thay sentiment which the sight of Madame Bonancieux had inspired, and interest had been aimost disregard- ed in the dawning love which had arisen from this interview. We say almost—for the assurance, that a. young, lovely, charming and wiry woman, is rich also, has no tendency to diminish, but rather to cor- rovorate this growth of sentiment. In easy circum- stances, there are a crowd of aristocratic cares and caprices which accord well with beanty. white and fine stocking—a silken dress—a large tippet—a pretty little shoe—a becomin ribbon, do not make a plain woman pretty, but they make a pretty woman irresistible; while her hands, moreover, are sure to be the gainers by her wealth; for the hands, in women, especially, must remain idle, if “a are to remain handsome. Now, as the reader very well knows, for we have made no secret of the state of his finances, d'Artag- nan was not a man of large fortune. It is true, that he quite expected to become so, at some future time; but the date which he had himself fixed on for that happy transformation, was as yet very distant. In the meantime what sorrow would it be to see the woman whom one idolizes sighing for the thousand trifles in which so much of the happines of woman- kind consists, and.to be unable to procure them for er. But when the woman is rich, although the lover is poor, the gifts which he cannot present, she can pro- vide for herself; and then, although, it may most frequently be with the husband's money that these enjoyments are obtained, it is not commonly to him that the gratitude is shown. Thus disposed to becowe the most passionate of ad- mirers, d’Artagnan had not ceased to be a devoted friend. In the midst of his more tender feelings to- ward the mercer’s wife, he was not forgetful of other ties, The pretty Madame Bonancieux was the very woman to take on an excursion to the plain of Saint Denis, or the fair at St. Germain, in company with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, to whom he should be so proud to show his charming conquest. And then, as d’Artagnan had happened to remark of late, after along walk one gets hungry; and they would have some of those pleasant little dinners, during which the silent touch of a hand, or a foot, multiplies the number, whilt it increases the intensity, of our en- joyments. Finally, in moments of emergency, in great extremities, might it not be his happiness to be the savior of his friends? But what of M. Bonancieux, whom d’Artagnan had pa over tothe keeping of the officers; disowning iim aloud, whilst, in a whisper, he assured him of his care? We must confess to our readers, that d’Artag- nan had never thought of him at all; or, if he did think of him, it was merely to say to himself, that he was very well where he was, wherever that might be. Love is the most selfish of all our passions. Nevertheless, let our readers take comfort; though d’Artagnan forgets his landlord, or pretends to forget him, under the excuse of not knowing where he had been taken to,we have not forgotten him and do know where he is. But, for the present, let us act like the amorous Gas JOO - EOmMie