Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

i u .& ci ee + DS PIRI SRE JW sft 1 z.. . - oo - go ee =e ~—— TP — OO ~- De a =———- ee “<—"_ t, a d r) , . . om) : > . ’ - : \ ¢ ‘ ~~ , a , > - ~~ 4 ‘ f , “ ¢ “j ‘et > ' 7 . J r ‘ ' ; - oe -_——_-. “But our mental chargers?" said Aramis. ‘* Welll the four horses of our servants will procure two fit for their masters, which we must draw lots for: with the four hundred livres we can get half a horse for one of the dismounted ones; and then we will give the rakings of our kets to d’ Artagnan, whois in Inck, and he shall go and stake them at the first tennis-court we come to. There now” “rs Let us dine,” said Porthos, “forthe second course tting col me d the four friends, now more at ease concerning the future, did honor to the repast, of which the rem- nants were abandoued to Mousqueton, Bazin, Planchet, and Grimaud. On arriving at Paris, d’Artagnan found a note from M, des Essarta, announcing that, as his majesty had de- termined on opening the campaign on the first of May, he must immediately make ready his equipments, He ran at once to his friends, whom he had only quitted half an honr before, and whom he found very ul, or, rather, very anxious. They were in grand consultaticn at Athos’s, which always indicated a concern of some importance. . They had, in fact, each received a similar note from M. de Treville. ' * The four philosophers looked at one another in great amazement; M. ce Treville never jested on a matter of discipline. ‘“‘And at what sum do you estimate these equip- ments?” asked d’Artagnan. **Oh, one cannot say,” replied Aramis; ‘‘we have just made our calculations witha Spartan parsimony, and fifteen hundred livres will be absolutely necessary for each.” ** Four times fifteen makes sixty; that is six thonsand livres,”’ said Athos. “For my part,’ said d'Artagnan, ‘‘I think that a thousand livres would be sufficient foreach. Itis true thatI speak, not as a Spartan, but as an attorney.”’ This woid attorney awoke Porthos. . “Stop! I have an idea!" said he. “That is something, however: as for myself,” coolly ebserved Athos, “I have not cven the shadcw of one; ee as for d’Artagnan, heis mad, gentlemen. A thous- and livres! why, for my part alone, lam certain that I shall want two thousand.” “ Pour times two make eight,’ said d’Artagnan; ‘‘ 80 we shall want eight tlfousand livres for our accoutre- ments. It i+ true that we have already got the saddles,” ‘** But more than that,’’ said Athos, waiting till d’Ar- , who was going to thank M. de Treville, had shut the door, before he brought to light his idea, so full of promise for the future—‘‘ more than that, there is the beautiful diamond which shines on the finger of our friend, By all the saints! d’Artagran is too good a comrade to leave his brothers in difficulty, when he earries a king’s ransom on his middle finger.” CHAPTER XXIX. THE HUNT AFTER EQUIPMENTS. Tue most thoughtful of the four friends was cer- tainly d’Artagnan, although, in his capacity of guards- man, it was much more easy to te him than the musketeers, who were men of rank. But our Gascon youth was, as may have been geen, of a character not only provident, but almost parsimonious; yet, at the same time, (explain the contradiction) almost as vain- nt as Porthos. To the thoughtfulness originating hig wanity, was now added a less selfish anxiety, Whaftver inguiries he had made concern ing Madame Bonancienux, he could obtain no tidings of her; M. de Treville had spoken of her to the queen; but the queen did not know what had become of her, and promised to have some investigations set on foot. This promise, however, was vague, and afforded little satisfaction to the troubled d'Artagnan, Athos never left his own apartment: he was deter- mined not to take a single step to equip himeelf. “There are fifteen days en et,’ said he to his friends. ‘“ Well, if at the end of those fifteen days I have found nothing, or, rather, if notuing has come to find me, as I am too good a Catholic tu blow out ny brains with a pistol, I will seek a good quarrel with four of his eminence’s prsrts, or with eight English- men, and I will fight till one of them kilis me; which, calculating the number, cannot fail to come to pass, It will then said that I died in the king’# service; so that I shall have served without needing to furnish my- self with equipments.” Porthos continued to walk with his hands behind his back, saying, _ “I will pursue my idea,”’ Aramis, thoughtful aud unadorned, said nothing. It may be seen, from these disastrous details, that desolation reigned throughout the little pot pene opi > The servants, on their sides, like the coursers of Hip- polytus, partook of their masters’ bitter grief. Mous- ueton made a store of crusts; Bazin, who had always Donets towards deyotion, never quitted the churches; Planchet wetched the flies buzzing about; and Grimaud, whom the general distress could not induce to break the silence which his master had imposed, sighed in a way to melt even the hearts of stones. he three friends—for, as we have already said, Athos had sworn not to stir an inch in search of equip- ments—went out early, and came in late. They wan- dazed through the streets, looking on every pavement to see if any passenger might not have dropped a purse. They might have been supposed to be foliowing a trail, 60 watchful were they at every step. And when they met, their desponding looks seemed to ask of one another—‘‘ Have you found anything?” Nevertheless, as Porthos had been the first to find an idea, and as he had steadily pursued it, he was the first toact, He was a man of action, this worthy Porthos. D’ an saw him one day going towards the church of St. Leun, and instinctively followed him. He entered the sacred edifice, after having raised his moustache, + (2 a ee 7 EE I gg mn Re en ar me me > ET A OE EE ST TT ST A — nnn nn rinses semsememmemmemeesemnsememeenesemeemeaestaemaeeemmeeeeeeemeeaeaaaeeeem a eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacaaaaaaacaaaammmamaa LE LC ae 1p | THE Tinkk GUARDSMEN. and pulled out his imperial, which orerations always portended, on his part, the most irresistible intentions, As d'Artagnan took some precautions to conceal him- self, Porthos fancied that he had not been perceived. D’Artagnan entered after him, Porthos went and en- sconced himself on one side of a pillar, and d’Artaguan, still unseen, leaned himself against the other. There was @ sermon, and the church was therefore full. Porthos took advantage of this circumstance to ogle the ladies. Thanks to Mousqueton’s good care, the external appearance was fur from announcing the internal distress. His hat was, indeed, rather napless, and his feather rather drooping; his embroidery was somewhat tarnished, and his lace a jittle frayed; but, in the subdued light, these trifles disappeared, and Porthos still looked the handsome Porthos. D’Artagnan perceived on a bench, near the pillar against which Poythos and he were leaning, a sort of mature beauty, a little yellow, and slightly withered, but yet upright and haughty, under her black head- dress. The ber of Porthos were furtively directed on this lady, and then fluttered vaguely over the other parts of the church, On her purt, the lady, from time to time, b'ushed, and, with the age of lightning, cast a glance at the inconstant Porthos, whose eyes immediately flattered away with greater activity. It was quite clear that was a& game which much piqued the lady in the dark hood; for she bit her lips till they bled, scratched her nose, and bustled desperately on her sext. As 200n as Porthos saw this, he once more curled his moustache, again elongated his imperial, and then be- gan to make signals to a fair lady who was near the choir, and who was not only a fair lady, but undonbt- edly alady of some consequence; for she had behind her a little negro boy, who had carried the cushion on which she knelt, and a waiting woman, who carried the coroneted bag in which she brought her mass-book. The lady in the black hood slily observed all thes glances of Porthos, and remarked that they were fixe upon the lady with the velvet cushion, the little negn and the waiting-woman. In the meantime, Porthos was playing hard—winking his eyes pressing a finger on his lips, and calling up little kill ug smiles, which reully were assassinating the susceptible dame he scorned. Thus it was, that, by way of mea culpa, and whilst beating her hand against her breast. che sent forth u sonorous sigh, that ever) body—even ..> lady with the red cushion—tarned to look at her. &*,;thos was im- penetrable: he had understood it well, but he pretended to be deaf. The lady with a red cushion produced a very striking effect, for she was extremely beautiful. She made a great impression on the lady in the black hood who saw in her atruly formidable rival; a great impession upon Porthos, who thought her both much younger and much prettier than the lady ir. the black hood 3 and, lastly, a great impression upon d’Artagnan, who recog- nized in her the lady of Meung, of Calais, and of Dover whom his persecutor, the man with a scar, had ad- dressed by the title of My Lady. D’Artagnan, without los.ng sight of this lady with the velvet cushion, continned to watch Porthos’s game, which highly amused him, He ventured to guess that this lady in the black hood was the solicitor’s wife of the rue aux Ours; especially as that street was not far from the church of St. Leun. He then, by inference, divined that Porthos wished to revenge his defeat at Chantilly, when the lady had shown herself so refractory in regard to her purse. But, amndst all this, d’Artagnan thought he could re- mark that no sign responded to the gallantries of Porthos. It was all chimera and illusion: bur, even for an actual Jove, and for a well-founded jealousy, what otber reality is there but illusions and chimeras? When the sermon was ended, the solicitor’s wife went towards the vessel containing the holy water. Porthos hastened to it before her, and, instead of putting in only one finger, he immersed his whole hand. The lady smiled, in the belief that it was for her that Porthos had taken so much trouble; but she was quickly and cruelly undeceived; whilst she was only about three paces from him, he turned aside his head, keeping his eyes invariably fixed upon the lady with the red cushion, }. who had arisen, and, followed by her negro-boy and waiting-woman, was approaching where he stood, | When she had come near to Porthos, he drew his hand, all dripping with holy water, out of the vessel; the beautiful devotee touched with her slender fingers the enormous hand of Porthos, smiled as she mude the “— of the cross, and left the church. ‘his was too much for the solicitor’s wife, who no longer doubted that there was an understanding be- tween this lady and Porthos: if she had been a lac y of quality, she would have fainted, but, as she was only a solicitor’s wife, she contented herself with saying ina concentrated rage. * So, M. Porthos! you do not offer me any holy water?” Porthos, at these words, started like a man awaken- ing from a sleep of a thousand years, “Ah, madame!” exclained he, “is it indeed you? How is your husband, that dear M, Coquenard? Is he still as stingy as ever? Where could my eyes have been that I did not once perceive youduring the two mortal hours that the sermon lasted?” ‘*T was only two paces from you, sir,’’ responded the attorney's wife; * but you did not perceive me, be- cause you had no eyes except for that beautiful lady, to whom you just now offered the holy water.”’ Porthos pretended to be confused. — * Ah,” said he, *‘ you observed it, did you?” ‘¢One must have been blind not to have seen it.”’ “Yes,” said Porthos, negligently, “\it isone of my friends—a duchess—whom I have some difficulty in meeting, on account of the jealousy of her husband, and who apprised me that, for the sole purpose of seeing me ee ee Cee” | quests ?"’ ——— she woujd come to-day to this wretched church, in thio abominable neighborhood.” : “M. Porthos,” said the attorney’s wife, “‘ will you have the goodness to favor me with your arm for a few minutes?, I should be glad to have some conversation with you,” ‘‘ How is that, madame?’ said Porthos, winking to himself, like a player, who langhs at the dupe he is about to ensnare. Just at this moment d’Artagnan paesed, in pursuit of the lady. He slily glanced at Porthos, and saw that triumphant wink. ‘*Ah,” said he to himeelf, reasoning after the pect- liarly easy morality of that age of gallantry, “there is one who might readily be equipped by the proper time.’ Porthos, yielding to the presenre of the lady's arm, as a vessel yiclds to her helm, reached the cloister of St. Magloire, a retired spot, which was closed by a turnatile ateitherend. Inthe daytime, nobody was to be seen there, but beggars at their meals, or children at their lay. ; An M. Porthos,’ exclaimed the attorney's wife, when she was sure that none but the habitual popula- tion of the place could see or hear them; “ah! M. Porthos you are agreat conqueror, it appears.”’ ‘‘T, madame!” said Porthos, bridling up his head; ‘* how so?” ‘“Witness the sicns just now, and the holy water. But she muat be a princess, at the least, that lady, with her negro boy and her waiting-woman!” “You are mistaken. My God! no; sheis really only a duchess.” “* And that courrier who was waiting at the door, and ne carriage, with the coachman ‘in a magnificent very.” Porthos had seen neither courier nor carriage; bus Madame Coquenard, with the glance of a jealous wo- } man had seen all. Porthos regretted that he had not made the lady with ‘the red cushion a princess at once. ““Ah! you are the pet of all the moet beantiful wo- 'men, M. Porthos,” resumed the attorney's wife, with a } sigh. But,” replied Porthos, “with snch a figure as na- ture has bestowed’ on me, how should I avoid con- My God!’ how quickly you men forget!’ ex- claimed the attorney's wife, raising her eyes to heaven. ‘‘Less quickly than women, I think,” replied Por thos, ‘*Forafter all [may say, madame, that I have been your victim, when, wounded and dying, lsww my- self abandoned by the surgeons—I, the off=pring of an illustrious family, who ha depended on your friend- ship, was near dying of my wounds first, and of bunger afterwards, ina miserable wine shop at Chantilly, and that without your deigning even to answer the burning epistles which I wrote to you.” ‘*But, M. Porthos—’’ muttered the solicitor’s wife. who felt that, if judged by the conduct of the noblest dames of the age, she was very wrong. ‘*T.* continued Porthos, who for your sake had sac- rificed the countess of Penaflor—”’ ‘“*Tknowit well.”’ ‘‘The baroness of—*’ ‘*M. Porthos, do not overwhelm me?” ‘* The countess of—"’ ‘*M. Porthos, be generous,” ‘‘You are right, madame: and I will not proceed.” ‘* But it is my husband, who will not listen toa word about lending.”’ ‘* Madame Coquenard, said Porthos, *‘ do you remem- ber the first letter which you wrote me, and which I cherish, engraven on my heart?” The lady groaned. ‘ But,” said she, ‘the sum which you proposed to borrow was, really, rather large.” ‘* Madame Coquenard, ] gave yon the preference. | had only to write to the duchess of——, but I will not mention her name, for I know not what it isto com- promise a woman; but this Ido know, that I had but to write to her, and she immediately sent me fifteen hundred.”’ The attorney's wife let drop a tear. ‘*M. Porthos,” said she; “‘I swear to you that you have sufficiently punished me; and if, in future, you should ever again be so circumstanced, you have only to apply to me.”’ “ Fie, madame!” said Porthos, as though disgusted; ‘do not let us allude to money: it is too humiliating.”’ ‘*Then you no longer esteem me!” said the attorney's wife, slowly and sorrowfully. Porthos maintained a majestic silence. ts: And is it thus you answer me? Alas! I under “Think of the offense which you have given me, mad- ame, it is indelible here,”’ said Porthos, putting his hand over his heart, and pressing it with force. ‘**But I willrepair it, my dear Porthos.”’ ‘* Besides, what did I ask of you?” continued Porthos, shrugging his shoulders with an air of the utmost sim- plicity, ‘‘a loan—nothing more. I know that you are notrich, Madame Coquenard, and that your husband is obliged to fleece his poor clients to gain a few pitiful crowns. Oh! if you had been a countess, a marchion- ess, or a duchess, it would have been another thing, and you would have been indeed unpardonable. The solicitor’s wife was piqued. “Learn, M. Porthos,” said she, “that my strong box, although the strong-box of a solicitor’s wife, probably far better furnished than that of all those ruined mye aah “Then you have doubly offended me, madame Coqne- nard,”’ said Porthos, es the arm of the attore ney’s wife from his own; ‘* for, fuzal is without excuse.”’ ‘‘When I say rich,” replied the attorney's wife, who saw that she had gone too far, ‘you must not take my if you are rich, your re "GEomichboo (E er, ——————————E = . (e(o)|