Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 190 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

vy , a. 5" >» * * -~ 4 - , f _ main motionless, as hr ort woman, who had —“?he carri t ing rapidly, £00 kno ‘+ and whio merely said that he had been ordered by his master, or his mistress, to put this horse in my stable without telling me from whom it came.” «Tt is only to poets such things happen,’’ gravely re- ed Athos. ‘Well, then, in that case we can do better,’’ said Seeteenen. ‘* Which of the two horses shall you ride, s? that which you bought or that which was given our” : “That which was given to me, without doubt. You understand, d’Artagnan, that I could not so affront’ ‘The unknown donor,” added d’Artagnan. “Or the unknown donatrix,’’ said Athos. " n that which you bought becomes of no use to ar t so.” - * Yo chose it yourself?" “And yo the oe a —_ es ot the horre- man, you know, de 8 wholly on 10rse.”’ © Well, then, let me have him at the price you gave.”’ . “T was going to offer you this trifle, my dear d’Artag- nan, giving you your own time to repay me.”’ ** And how much did he cost you? ** Fight hundred francs.” ‘‘Here are forty double pistoles, my dear friend,” said d'A an, taking that sum from his pocket. know that i Sitios s ‘You are in cash, then?’’ - “Rich—rolling in wealth!" said d’Artagnan, rattling the rest of his pistoles in his pocket. “Send your saddle, then, to the hotel of the musket- eers, and your horse shall be brought here with ours.” “ Very well, But it is almost five o'clock. Let us make haste.” In about a quarter of an hour afterwards, Porthos ap- ared at the end of the rue Ferou, on a iificent anish horse. Mousqueton was following him on a small but strong horse from Auvergne. Porthos was g with joy and pride. ~ At the same time Aramis was seen at the other end of the street mounted on a superb English steed, Bazin followed on a roan horse, leading a wigcemne Mecklen- b horse, which now belonged to d’Artagnan. The two musketeers met at the door. thos and Serra were looking at them,from the window. oe my faith!” said Aramis, ‘“‘ you have a superb horse there, é my friend. Yes,” Rinitea Porthos, “it is the one that was to have been sentat first. A foolish joke of the husband's tt ed the other; but the husband has been well 8 ea since, and I have obtained satisfaction.” Grimaud appeared in his turn, leading his master’s rse, D’Artagnan and Athos came down, got into saddles by the side of their companions, and they our proceeded towards the quay—-Athos, on the horse for which he was indebeted to his wife; Aramis ne horse for which he was indebted to his mistress. 4. on the horse for which he was indebted to the : ey’s wife; andd’Artagnan, on the horse for which he was inde only to his own good fortune, which is the best of all mistresses. ~The valets followed them. : ‘As Porthos had expected the cavalcade produced a fine ct; and, if Madame Coquenard had been in Porthos’s hd could have seen how well he looked upon his anish steed, she would hardly have regretted the that she ‘had performed upon her husband's ; the Louvre, the four friends met M. de Treville, returning from St. Germain’s, He stopped them, to co ent them on their equipment; which drew ound them, in an instant, a few hundred loungers. T)’Artagnan took advantage of this circumstance to : M de Treville about the great letter, with the great ‘and ducal arms. It will be imagined that, of the other letter, he did not breathe a sound. M.de Treville approved of the resolution they had formed, and assured him, that if he should not be seen ~ we on the next day, he would manage to find him out, wherever he might be. moment, the clock of the Samaritan struck e four friend, excused themselves, on account of an engog pep ley set off. _A shot — fone to ~ one road. mhe | was beginning to ine. Ca 8 were passing Ft ards and ‘erent. D’Attagnan guarded by his ‘friends at a little distance, looked eagerly into every ‘carriage, but saw no face he knew, At length, after about a quarter of an hour's expecta- tion, weg as the twilight thickened around a carriage, advancing at the utmost speed of the horses, was seen ‘the Sevres road. A presentiment announced to contained the individual d'Artagnan that this who had made the aépointnent with him. The youn : - man was himself astonished at the violent beating o his heart. Almost at the same instant, a woman's head was visible at the window, with two fingers on the lips, sif to enjoin silence, or to send a kiss. D’Artagnan inttered a faint cry of joy. This woman, or rather this the carriage passed away with the rapid- was Madame Bonancieux. movement, and in spite of the jon he had receivhd, d’ n pushed his horse a gallop, and in a few bounds was beside the car- : but the window was hermetically closed—the -yision was no longer there. F ‘ an then remembered the warning—‘‘If you _yalue your own life, and that of those who love you, re- : if you ey _ «he oe e stopped, therefore; trembiing not for , bu oto evidently exposed her- peril by the appointment she had ed on its way, and, still advanc- m entered Paris, an dis | had d speechless on the same spot, ot what to think. If it was really Madame Bonancieux, and if she was returning to Paris, why this on, for ity of a vision an jnvolun , ; ' | ig the same coin in which you are paid for | anthropy which ” . P ‘ . “o ¥ i Le Te WE) Be: * * 4 ray wit ,* — 1 - } ’ *»f< * a ee ; f . . va, sa 4 - d -f ’ 7, te" * re Pee 3 ° a ake! ay 43 ; - - Pe . , - —— a . a aly 8 vw ; P 4 'y ‘ THE THREE GUARDSMEN. — ete fugitive meeting, why this passing interchange of lances, why this kiss, committed to the winds? If, on e other hand, it was not really she—which was in fact very possible, for the insufficiency of light made error easy—might not this be the beginning of an attack pre- pared by the attraction of a woman for whom his love was known? The three companions gathered around him, They had all distinctly seen a woman's head at the window, but neither of them, except Athos, knew Madame Bonancieux. Athos believed that it was really that lady whom they had seen; but, havi been less en- ossed than d’Artagnan by that pretty face, he thought that he had seen a second head, and a manly one, at the back of the carriage. ‘* Tf that is the case,” said d’Artagnan, “they are wum- doubtedly conveying her from one prison to another. But what can they want to do with the poor creature, and how shallleverrejoin her?” ‘My friend,” said Athos, gravely, ‘‘ remember that the dead are the only ones whom We can never meet again on earth. You know something to that effect, as well as I do, do you not? Now,if your mistress is not really dead, if it was actually her whom we saw just now, at one time or another you wili meet with her again, And perhaps,” added he, in those tones of mis- were habitual to him, “ perhaps more quickly even than you might have wished!” It now struck half-past seven; the carriage had reminded d’Artagnan that there was another visit to pay which, however, it was yet possible for him to decline. wAneaan was well known tothe honorable com- pany of king’s musketeer’s, amongst whom, it was also understood, that he wonld one day take his place, he was therefore regarded as a comrade by anticipation. It resulted from this, that every one willingly engaged in the affair to which ghey had been invited; and they had, moreover, the probability of doing an ill turn to the cardinal or his people; and for such expeditions these worthy gentlemen were always well prepared. Athos divided them into three parties: of one, he took the command himself; the second, he gave to Aramis; and the third, to Porthos; and then each party placed itself iu ambush, opposite an entrance to the palace, D‘Artagnan, on his part, boldly entered by the prin- cipal gate. Although he felt himself strongly supported, the young man did not ascend the grand staircase without uneasiness. His conduct towards her ladyship had some slight resemblance to a treachery, and he sus- pected that there were political relations between this woman and the cardinal. Moreover, de Wardes, whom he had handled so roughly, was a faithful follower of his eminence, and d’Artagnan well knew, that if the cardinal was a terror to his enemies, he was also con- stant in his attachment to his friends. ‘“‘If de Wardes has related all our interview to his eminence, of which there can be no doubt, and if he has recognized me, which is probable, I may consider my- self almost a condemned man,” thought d’Artagnan shaking his head. ‘‘ But why should he have Waited till to-day. It is clear enough her ladyship has made complaints against me, with all that hypocritical sorrow which renders her sointeresting; and this last crime has made the vase run over.”’ * ae added he, ‘‘my good friends are below, and they will not let me be carried off without a struggle. And yet, M. de Tre- ville’s company of musketeers, alone, cannot carry on a war against the cardinal, who disposes of the forces of all France, and before whom the queen has no power, and the king no will. D’Artagnan, my friend, thou art rudent, thou hast excellent qualities, but—women will estroy thee!"’ He had come to this sad conclusion just as he entered the antechamber. He gave his letter to the officer on duty, who showed him into the interior of the palace. In this room there were five or six of his excellency’s ards, who, r izing d’Artagnan, and knowing that t was he who had wounded Jussac, looked at him with a singular smile. This smile seemed to d'Artagnan a bad omen. But as our geecte was not easily intimidated, or, rather, thanks to the abundant pride natural to men of his pro- vince, did not easily betray what was passing in his mind, When what was passing there resembled fears— he stood boldly before the gentlemen of the guards, and waited, with a hand upon his hip in an attitude not un- ceful, The officer entered, and made a sign to d’Artagnan to follow him. It seemed to the young man that, as he left, the guards — to whisper to each other, e went along a corridor, passed through a large 8a- loon, entered a library, and found Limself before a man, who was seated at a desk writing. The officer introduced him, and retired without utter- ing a word. ‘Artagnan remained standing, and examined this man. At first d’Artagnan thought that he was in the pres- ence of a judge, who was examining his papers; but he soon saw that the man at the desk was writing, orrather correcting, lines of an unequal length, and was scan- ning the words - his angers: he found that he was in the presence of a poet. At the expiration of a min- ute, the poet closed his manuscript, on the back of which was written, “‘ Mirame; a Tragedy, in five acts." He raised his head; and d’Artagnan recognized the cardinal. r- CHAPTER XL. A TERRIBLE VISION. We need not detail the particulars of D’Arta interview with hiseminence. Sufficeit to say t spite of the anxious conjectures of his friends the Gas- con eee Cardinal's palace as safely as he had ente ; an's t in 7 ee a’) Se es .- ° - : a 8] th “9 =~ - ‘ef. *- ‘ m y ;* a4 ’ “4 « » a ~ ® y - { " - ’ s ei ‘ + 4; > * oO) “— ae ee eee ee When they were housed at Athos’s, Aramis and Por- thos inquired about the object of this singular inter- view; but d’Artagnan merely told them that Richeliew had sent for him to offer him an ensign’s commission in the guards, and that he had refused it. ‘And you were right!" exclaimed Aramis and Por- thos, with one voice. Athos fell into a profound reverie, and uttered noth- ing. But when he was alone with d’Artagnan, he said: ‘You have done as you ought, although, perhaps, you were wrong.” PD’ Artagnan sighed; for his voice responded to a secret whisper of his own soul, which announced that great misfortunes were preparing for him. The next day was occupied in preparations for depar- ture. ' D’Artagnan went to take leave of M. de Treville. At this time, it was still believed that the separation of the ards and musketeers would be but momentary—the 6 Sepang his ees | that very day, and propos- ing to set out on thenext. M. de Treville therefore only asked d’Artagnan whether he wanted anything of him: but d’Artagnan replied, that he had all he should need. In the evening, all the comrades of M. de Treville’s and M. des Essarts’ companies, who had become attached to one another, met together. They were about to part, to meet again, when, and if it should please God to let them. e night was, therefore, as may be supposed, been | a very boisterous one; for, on such occasions, nothing twenty minutes beyond the appointed time. His friends | but extreme indulgence can drive away extreme care. The next day, at the first sound of the trumpets, the friends separated; the musketeers hastened to M. de Treville’s hotel, and the guards tothat of M. des Essarts. Each captain then Jed his company to the Louvre, where the king reviewed them. His majesty was sad, and seemed in ill-health, which detracted somewhat from his usual dignified apppear- ance. In fact, the evening before, a fever had attacked him, even whilst he was holding a court of judicature, amidst the parliament. But he was not the less deter- mined to set outin the evening; and, in spite of all the rsuasions which had been madeto him, he would old this review, hoping, by this first vigorous opposi- tion, tooverpower the malady that had assailed him. The review being ended, the gears alone began their march—the musketeers a oO fet out only with the eT delay which gave Porthos an oppurtunity of displaying the superb equipage in the rue aux Ours. he attorney's wife saw him passing by, in his new uniform, and on his splended horse. But she loved Porthos too well to let him leave her thus; so she beck- oned to him to dismount and enter. Porthos was magnificent: his spurs rattled, his cuirass be and his sword smote dashingly on his legs. The clerks had no disposition to laugh this time: the muskcteer looked too much like one who would soon slit their ears. The visitor was introduced to M. Coquenard, whose Itttle grey eyes glistened with rage when he beheld his ence pn cousin so showily adorned. Nevertheless, 6 had one source of inward consolation. It was every~ where reported that the campaign would be a rough one: and he gently hoped, at the bottom of his heart, that Porthos might be one amongst the slain. Porthos presented his compliments to Master Coquen- ard, and took his leave. The attorney wished him all sorts of prosperity. As|to Madame Coquenard, she was enable to restrain her tears, but no evil thoughts could be pie ewe by her grief ; she was known to be strongly attached to her relations, on whose account she had always had the bitterest contentions with her hueband. Whilst the attorney’s wife was able to follow her. handsome cousin with her eyes, she waved a handker- chief, and leaned herself from the window as though she was about to precipitate herself into the street. Porthos received all these indications of tenderness like & man accustomed to such demonstrations. But, as he turned the corner of the street, he raised his hat, and waved itin token of'adieu. ' Aramis, on his part, wrotea long letter. To whom? None knew. In the next room, Kitty, who was to set off that evening for Tours, was waiting for this mystee rious epistle. Athos drank, sip by sip, the last bottle of his Spanish ine, In the mean time, d’A was marching with his company. In passing through the ago 4 . Antoine, he turned, and looked gaily at the Bastile, which he had at least as yet re As he looked only at the Bastile, he did not see her ladyship, who, mounted on a dun horse, pointed him out with her finger to two ill- looking men, who immediately came near the ranks to reconnoitre him. To an interrogation which they ad- dressed to the or by a look, she answered by a si that it was really him. Then, certain that there could be no mistake in the execution of her orders, she spur- red her horse and disappeared. Thetwo men followed the company; and, at the end of fabourg St. Antoine, they mounted two horses, w which a servant out of livery was holding in readmese¢ for them. CHAPTER XLI. THE SIE@E OF LA ROCHELLE. Tux siege of la Rochelle was one of the greatest events of the reign of Louis XIII. The tical views of the cardinal took the siege, were extensive. Of the im t cities which had been given by Henry IV. to the Huguenots, as places of safety, la Rochelle alone remained. The cardinal wished to destroy this last bulwark of Calvin- ism. La Rochelle, which had derived additional importance from the ruin of the other Calvinistie towns, was, be- sides, the last port which remained open to the English in the kingdom of France: and by closing it to En- gland—our eternal eneniy—the inal would end the werk of Joan of Arc, and of the duke of Guise. } e’ . oe ea al es x when he under- . JOOKS:CO * 4 -—_ — ge