Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

? : i? * aes f “ ’ * e > > 7 by } i Wii - ag 7 ‘ we : 5 on 4 x 4 ee e Ce . \. / Vv | fore, to - and put our things in some order. They must —— a ee —_—_ . +2. .3——- ay. And perhaps the business may bring some ors with it.’ " t does that signify, if you escape them?’ ‘* Well, then,’’ said the mercer, ‘‘ listen Madame Bon- ancieux. I decidedly refuse, Intrigues frighten me. I ‘have seen the Bastile. Oh! itis frightful, that Bastile! It makes my flesh creep, only tothink of it, 1 was threat- ened withthe torture. Do you know what the torture is? Wedges of wood, which they drive between your legs till the very bones split. No, most decidedly, I will netgo. Whythe deuce do you not go yourself? for, really, I begin to think I must have been mistaken about you until now. I suspect that you are a man, and avery Violent one too!" “And you! you area woman—a miserable, stupid, soulless Woman. What, you are afraid! Well, then, if you do not set out this instant, 1 will have you arrested b order of the Queen, and clapped into that Bustile whic you so much dread.”’ Bonancieux sunk into a deep consideration, He care- fully balanced the two enmities in his brain—that of the Cardinal against that of the Queen; but the Cardinal's ee i -~ --- - — ee —_———— » preponderated enormously. . ‘Have me arrested by the Queen!” said he; “ well, I will get myself liberated through his Eminence.” ame FPonancieux saw that she had this time, aud she trembled at her own rashness. She _ looked with terror for an instant at this stupid figure, as invincible in its obstinacy as fools who are in fear. ** Well, then,” said she, **so letit be. Perhaps, after all, you are right: a man sees further in politics than a woman does, and you more es . Bonancieux, who have chatted with the Cardinal. And yet it is very hard,’ continned she, “that my husband, that a man on whose affection [ thought I could rely, should treat me so unkindly, and not satisfy my whim.” ‘It is because your whims may lead too far,”’ said Bonancieux, triumphantly, ‘‘ that I distrust them!” **J renounce them, then,” said the oung woman, with a sigh, ** let us talk no more about diem. , “Tfyou would only te/l me what I was to doin Lon- don,’ resumed Bonancienx, who remembered, some- what too late, that Rochefort had advised him to worm out all his wife's secrets. ‘‘Itis unnecessary that you shonld know it,” said the oung Woman, who was now restained by an instinctive distrust: ‘it was about a trifle such as women sigh for —about a purchase by which money might be gained.”’ But the more the young woman vefended herself, the more important did Bonancieux esteem the secret which she refused to confideto him. He determined, there- immediately to the Count de Rochefort, and tell him that the Queen was seeking for a messenger to go to London. ‘Pardon me, if I leave you, my dear Madame Bonan- cieux,’’ said he, *‘ but not knowing that you were com- ing to see me, I had made an appointment with one of hmy friends. I will return directly. If you will onl wait half a minute for me, as soon as I have done with this friend, I will return: and, as it begins to get late, 1 will accompany you to the Louvre.” ‘Thanks, sir,’’ said Madame Bonancieux; “ you are not brave enough to be of any service whatever to me, and I will return alone to the Louvre.” ‘*As you please, Madame Bonancieux,” replied the ex-mercer. *‘ Shall I sce you again soon?’’ . “Certainly. Next week I hope that I shall have a tittle liberty, and I will take advantage of it, to come be a good deal deranged."’ “Very well; I shall expect you. Have you any fur- ther commands for me?” **Me? none in the world.” . * Farewell, then, for a short time.” * Farewell.”’ Bonancieux kissed his wife’s hand, and hastened _ away, “So,” said Madame Bonancicux, when her husband ; had shut the street door, and she found herself alone— “so, nothing remained for that fool but to become a eardinalist! And I, who answered for him to the —I, who promised my Tt mistress—ah! my od! my God! she will take me for one of those wretches with which the palace swarms, and who are pliced - \ about her as spies. Ah! M. Bonancieux, I never loved you much, but it is worse than that now! 1 hate you; and, upon my word, you shall pay for it!’ At the moment that she uttered these words, a kuock ‘on the ceiling made her raise her head, and a voice which came through the floor, called out to her: ** Dear Madame Bonancicux, open the little door in the alley, and I will come down to you.” CHAPTER XVIIL. THE LOVER AND THE HUSBAND. ‘“* An, madame,"’ said d’Artagnan, as he entered the door which the —— woman opened for him, ‘ allow me to tell you that you have but a sorry husband.” ' ** What! have you heard our conversation?’ eagerly demanded Madame Bonancieux, looking anxiously at WArtagnan, # Every word of it.’’ ~ “But, good God! how can that be?” “By a plan of my own, by which I also heard the ‘nore apeated conversation which you had with the @ardinal te oe ef tg you. Then, that the quecn wants _ @mibarrassment, I am s underlings.” * And what did you understand from what we said?" A thousand Bing First, that your husband is, pily, a fool and a blockhead; and as you are in great heartily glad of it, since it gives rtunity of engaging myself in your service; nows I am willing to throw myself in the fire me brave, intel- t, and devoted mdon for her, I ve, at least, two of three qualifications which you +, anC here I am."’ e ncieux did not answer,*»ut her heart beat with joy, and a secret hope sparkled in-her eyes. man, to, go to one too far | | ' — THE THREE re GUARDSMEN. ee ~~ a ee ee ee ‘And what security will you give me,” demanded | she, ‘if I consent to entrust you with this commis- sion?” ‘* My love for you, Come, speak; command: what is there to be done?” ‘*My God! my God!" muttered the young woman | ‘* ought I to confide such a secret to you, sir? You are almost a child?” ‘‘Oh, you want some one who will answer for me.” **T confess that it would give me more confidence.” ** Do you know Athos?” “* O.’* ‘*Porthos?”’ ‘* No.” ‘* Aramis?"’ ‘‘No, Who are these gentlemen?” “They belong to the king's musketeers. know M. de Treville, their captain?” ‘* Yes, him I do know—not personally, but from having heard him spoken of to the queen as a brave and | honorable gentleman.” ‘* You would not fear that he would betray yon to the cardinal?’ ‘* Certainly not,”’ ‘* Well, then, reveal to him your secret, and ask him whether, however important, and precious, and terrible it may be, you may not safely entrust it to me.”’ ‘* But this secret is not mine, and I must not thus dis- close it."’ " ‘You were going to confide it to M. Bonancieux,” said d’Artagnan, with some sharpness, ‘“As one would confide a letter to a hollow tree, to the wing of a pigeon, or the collar of a dog.” ‘* And yet you see plainly that I love you.” ‘You say so,"’ ‘*T am an honorable man” ‘*T believe it.” ‘* | am brave.”’ “Oh! of that I am eure.” ‘* Put me to the proof, then.”’ ‘ Listen,”’ said she; ‘I yield to your protestations and assurances; but I swear to you, before God who hears us, that if you betray me, and my enemies for- are. me, I will destroy myself, and accuse you of my eath,’ ‘‘And I swear to you, before God, madame,” said d'Artagnan, ‘‘ that if l am seized, whilst performing the orders you may give me, I will die sooner than do or aay. anything to compromise any one,” hen the young woman confided to him the terrible secret, part of which had been by chance disclosed to him opposite the Samaritan, This was their declaration of mutuallove, D'Artagnan glowed with joy and pride. This secret which he pos- sessed, this woman whom he loved—the contidence and the love elevated him into a giant, ‘*T am off,”’ said he, ‘‘ I am off directly.” “What! you are going! And your regiment? captain?” ‘Upon my life, you made me forget all about them, dear Constance. Yes, you are right; I must get leave of absence,” ‘Another obstacle!” cieux, sorrowfully. " Ob,” said & Artegnee, after amoment’s reflection, ‘‘ T shall easily manage that, never fear,”’ ** How so?” “T will go to M. de Treville this evening, and will re- quest him to ask this favor for me of his brothcr-in-layw, {. des Essarts,”’ ‘* Now for another thing,’’ said Madame Bonancienx. ‘ And what is that?’ inquired d’Artagnan, seeing that she hesitated. ‘Perhaps you have got no money ?"’ “ gra 3a word too many,” said d’Artagnan, with | ik sm1ie, ‘Then,’ said Madame Bonancieux, opening a chest, | and taking from it a bag which her husband had | sO lovingly caressed half an hour before, ‘take this Do you. your murmured Madame Bonan- ‘ ‘That which belonged to the Cardinal!"’ exclaimed d’Artagnan, with a hearty laugh, thanks to the uplifted squares, as he had not lost one syllable of the conversa- | tion between the mercer and his wife. | “Yes, the Cardinal's,’ replied Madame Bonan- cieux; * you see that it makes a very respectable appear- ance.”’ ' long to pat ' understand? —_—-- —— —>— - — light as shadows, glided through the inner door Into the court, and, noiselessiy ascending the stairs, entered d’Artagnan’s chamber. Once in his own room, the young man, for greater security, barricaded the door; and shih they both wens to the window, and, through a chink of the shutter, saw M. Bonancieux talking to a man in a cloak. At the sight of the man in the cloak, d’Artagnan made a spring, and partly drawing his sword, rushed towards the door. It was the man of Menng. ‘* What are you going to do?” cried Madame Bonan- cieux: ‘you will ruin everything,”’ ‘But I have sworn to kill that man,” said d’Artagnan. ‘* Your life is at present consecrated, and does not be- In the queen's name, I forbid you tothrow yourself into any danger beyond that of the journey.” ‘ And in your own name do ie enjoin nothing?” ‘‘Yes, in my own name,’’ sald Madame Bonancienx, with emotion; ‘tin my own name, I entreat you. But listen; I think they are talking about me. D’ Artagnan approached the window, and listened, M. Bonancieux had opened his door, and finding the room empty, had returned to the man in the cloak, whom he had left for an instant alone. “She is gone,’ said he; ‘* she must have returned to the Louvre.”’ ‘“You are quite sure,*’ replied the stranger, ‘‘ that she had no suspicion of your object in going out?" ‘*No,”’ said Bonancieux, with much self-complacency; ‘she isa woman of too superficial an intellect.”’ “The young guardsman—is he at home?” “T do not think he is. As zou may perceive, his shutter is closed, and there is no light in his room,"’ ‘* Never mind; we had better be certuin.”’ ‘How so?” ‘“ By rapping at his door. . I will ask his servant.” ‘“* Go.’ Bonancienx re-entered his room, passed through the same door which had just given egress to the two fugi- tives, ascended to d'Artagnan’s landing-place and knocked. No one answered. Porthos, in order to make a dia play, had borrowed Planchet for that evening: and as for d’Artaganan, he was careful to give no sign of being there. At the moment that Bonancieux’s knock resounded on a door, the two young people felt their hearts ound. ‘There is no one at home," said Bonancieux. ‘Never mind, kt us go into your room, nevertheless: we shall be in greater privacy than at the door.” ‘* Ah! my God!"’ said Madame Bonancieux, ‘‘ we shal! not hear any more.” ‘On the contrary,’’ said d’Artagnan, ‘‘ we shall hear all the better.”’ D’Artagnuan lifted up the three or four squares which made another St. Denys’ ear of his chamber, laid a piece of carpet on the floor, kneeled down upan it, and then made a sign to Madanie Bonancieux to lean, as he was doing, over the aperture. ‘You ure sure that there is no one?"’ said the stran- rer, ‘*T answer for it,’ said Bonancieux. ‘* And you think that your wife——”" ‘*Ts returned to the Louvre.” eI at ys speaking to any other person than your- self?" ‘ ‘*T am sure of it.” ‘It is a point of the greatest importance; do you b “Then the intelligence I have given you is of some _ value?” * Very great, my dear Bonancieux; I would not dis- guise it to.you,”’ : ‘*Then the cardinal will be satisfied with me?” ‘*7 do net doubt it.” ‘The great cardinal!” ‘You are quite sure that in her conversation with you, your wife mentioned no names?”’ ‘*T think not.” ‘She did not mention either Madame de Chevrense, or the Duke of Buckingham, or Madame de Verne! !"’ ‘‘No; she merely said that she wished to send me to London, in the service of an illustrious person.” ‘The traitor!’ muttered Madame Bonancieux. “Hush! seid d’Artagnan, taking hand which she “Bead!” cried d'Artagnan, ‘it will be doubly amus- | gaye up to him without a thought. ing to saye the Queen with his Eminence’s money.” You are an amiable and charming young man,” said Madame Bonancienx; ‘‘and depend upon it, her) ee y will not prove ungrateful.” ‘*O . d’Artagnan, ‘I love you, and you allow me to tell you so: and even this is more happiness than I had dared to hope for.”* * Silence!”’ said Madame Bonancieux, starting. ‘What is the matter?” ‘Some one is speaking in the street.” ‘It is the Voice——”’ “Of my hu:band. Yes, I recognize it.” D’ Artignan ran and boited the door, ‘He shall not enter till I am gone,’* said he; “ and | when I have left, you will open the door.” ‘But I ought to be gone too; and the disappearance of this money—how am I to excuse If, if fam here.” ‘You are right~—we must both go.’ “Gof but how? Ile will sce us if we go out,” “Then we must go up to my room,” — ‘Ah!’ exclaimed Madame Bonancieux, ‘‘you say that in a tone that frightens me.” | Madame Bonancieux pronounced these words with | tearful eyes. D°Artaynan perceived the tear, and threw himself upon his knees it deep emotion, “On the word of a gentleman,” said he, “in my room you shall be as sacred as in a temple,” + “Let us £0, then, my friend, said she; “TY trust in your honor.”’ D’Artagnan carefully unfastened the bolt, and both, 'sion. The state, which is in danger, wou am abundantly rewarded already,” said | saved, and | and there /nancieux, sa the letter, an “ Never mind,”’ said the man inthe cloak; “you area blockhead not to have pretended to accept the commis- sion; then you would have had the letter in your posses- have been 7 ou ‘* And in “Well, and you—the cardinal would have given you letters of nobility.” Did he tell you so?” “Yes, I know that, he wished to surprise you with them."’ * Be easy,” replied Bonancieux; “my wife adores me, 8 plenty of time yet.” Nadame Bonancienx. ‘The ninny!"* whispered preseing her haid more ‘Be quiet said d@ Artagna ‘What? is there yet time?” said the man in the cloak. ‘TI shall proceed to the Louvre, ask for Madame Bo- that I have considered the affair, obtain hasten to the cardinal.” | “Well, go quickly. I will 8000 return, to know the closely, result of your proceedings.” The stranger then vee ee “The wretch!’ said Madame Bonancieux, applying that epithet to her husband. ‘*Sitence,”’ said d’Artaynan, again pressing her haad yet more warm! y. A terrible hullaballoo interrupted the reflections of d’Artagnan and Madame Bonancieux. kt was her husband, who had just discovered the loss of his bag, and was exclaiming against the robber. GOM[EDOO . ‘i 2 E -e . - | : f ; zh,