In the meantime, the forty pistoles of King Louis XIII, like all other things of this world, after having had a beginning had an end, and after this end our four companions began to be somewhat embarrassed. At first, Athos supported the association for a time with his own means.
Porthos succeeded him; and thanks to one of those disappearances2 to which he was accustomed, he was able to provide for the wants of all for a fortnight. At last it became Aramis's turn, who performed it with a good grace and who succeeded--as he said, by selling some theological books--in procuring3 a few pistoles.
Then, as they had been accustomed to do, they had recourse to M. de Treville, who made some advances on their pay; but these advances could not go far with three Musketeers who were already much in arrears4 and a Guardsman who as yet had no pay at all.
At length when they found they were likely to be really in want, they got together, as a last effort, eight or ten pistoles, with which Porthos went to the gaming table. Unfortunately he was in a bad vein5; he lost all, together with twenty-five pistoles for which he had given his word.
Then the inconvenience became distress6. The hungry friends, followed by their lackeys7, were seen haunting the quays8 and Guard rooms, picking up among their friends abroad all the dinners they could meet with; for according to the advice of Aramis, it was prudent9 to sow repasts right and left in prosperity, in order to reap a few in time of need.
Athos was invited four times, and each time took his friends and their lackeys with him. Porthos had six occasions, and contrived10 in the same manner that his friends should partake of them; Aramis had eight of them. He was a man, as must have been already perceived, who made but little noise, and yet was much sought after.
As to D'Artagnan, who as yet knew nobody in the capital, he only found one chocolate breakfast at the house of a priest of his own province, and one dinner at the house of a cornet of the Guards. He took his army to the priest's, where they devoured11 as much provision as would have lasted him for two months, and to the cornet's, who performed wonders; but as Planchet said, "People do not eat at once for all time, even when they eat a good deal."
D'Artagnan thus felt himself humiliated12 in having only procured13 one meal and a half for his companions--as the breakfast at the priest's could only be counted as half a repast--in return for the feasts which Athos, Porthos, and Aramis had procured him. He fancied himself a burden to the society, forgetting in his perfectly14 juvenile15 good faith that he had fed this society for a month; and he set his mind actively16 to work. He reflected that this coalition17 of four young, brave, enterprising, and active men ought to have some other object than swaggering walks, fencing lessons, and practical jokes, more or less witty18.
In fact, four men such as they were--four men devoted19 to one another, from their purses to their lives; four men always supporting one another, never yielding, executing singly or together the resolutions formed in common; four arms threatening the four cardinal20 points, or turning toward a single point--must inevitably21, either subterraneously22, in open day, by mining, in the trench23, by cunning, or by force, open themselves a way toward the object they wished to attain24, however well it might be defended, or however distant it may seem. The only thing that astonished D'Artagnan was that his friends had never thought of this.
He was thinking by himself, and even seriously racking his brain to find a direction for this single force four times multiplied, with which he did not doubt, as with the lever for which Archimedes sought, they should succeed in moving the world, when someone tapped gently at his door. D'Artagnan awakened25 Planchet and ordered him to open it.
>From this phrase, "D'Artagnan awakened Planchet," the reader must not suppose it was night, or that day was hardly come. No, it had just struck four. Planchet, two hours before, had asked his master for some dinner, and he had answered him with the proverb, "He who sleeps, dines." And Planchet dined by sleeping.
A man was introduced of simple mien26, who had the appearance of a tradesman. Planchet, by way of dessert, would have liked to hear the conversation; but the citizen declared to D'Artagnan that what he had to say being important and confidential28, he desired to be left alone with him.
D'Artagnan dismissed Planchet, and requested his visitor to be seated. There was a moment of silence, during which the two men looked at each other, as if to make a preliminary acquaintance, after which D'Artagnan bowed, as a sign that he listened.
"I have heard Monsieur d'Artagnan spoken of as a very brave young man," said the citizen; "and this reputation which he justly enjoys had decided29 me to confide27 a secret to him."
"Speak, monsieur, speak," said D'Artagnan, who instinctively30 scented31 something advantageous32.
The citizen made a fresh pause and continued, "I have a wife who is seamstress to the queen, monsieur, and who is not deficient33 in either virtue34 or beauty. I was induced to marry her about three years ago, although she had but very little dowry, because Monsieur Laporte, the queen's cloak bearer, is her godfather, and befriends her."
"Well, monsieur?" asked D'Artagnan.
"Well!" resumed the citizen, "well, monsieur, my wife was abducted35 yesterday morning, as she was coming out of her workroom."
"And by whom was your wife abducted?"
"I know nothing surely, monsieur, but I suspect someone."
"And who is the person whom you suspect?"
"A man who has persued her a long time."
"The devil!"
"But allow me to tell you, monsieur," continued the citizen, "that I am convinced that there is less love than politics in all this."
"Less love than politics," replied D'Artagnan, with a reflective air; "and what do you suspect?"
"I do not know whether I ought to tell you what I suspect."
"Monsieur, I beg you to observe that I ask you absolutely nothing. It is you who have come to me. It is you who have told me that you had a secret to confide in me. Act, then, as you think proper; there is still time to withdraw."
"No, monsieur, no; you appear to be an honest young man, and I will have confidence in you. I believe, then, that it is not on account of any intrigues36 of her own that my wife has been arrested, but because of those of a lady much greater than herself."
"Ah, ah! Can it be on account of the amours of Madame de Bois-Tracy?" said D'Artagnan, wishing to have the air, in the eyes of the citizen, of being posted as to court affairs."
"Higher, monsieur, higher."
"Of Madame d'Aiguillon?"
"Still higher."
"Of Madame de Chevreuse?"
"Of the--" D'Artagnan checked himself.
"Yes, monsieur," replied the terrified citizen, in a tone so low that he was scarcely audible.
"And with whom?"
"With whom can it be, if not the Duke of--"
"The Duke of--"
"Yes, monsieur," replied the citizen, giving a still fainter intonation37 to his voice.
"But how do you know all this?"
"How do I know it?"
"Yes, how do you know it? No half-confidence, or--you understand!"
"I know it from my wife, monsieur--from my wife herself."
"Who learns it from whom?"
"From Monsieur Laporte. Did I not tell you that she was the goddaughter of Monsieur Laporte, the confidential man of the queen? Well, Monsieur Laporte placed her near her Majesty38 in order that our poor queen might at least have someone in whom she could place confidence, abandoned as she is by the king, watched as she is by the cardinal, betrayed as she is by everybody."
"Ah, ah! It begins to develop itself," said D'Artagnan.
"Now, my wife came home four days ago, monsieur. One of her conditions was that she should come and see me twice a week; for, as I had the honor to tell you, my wife loves me dearly--my wife, then, came and confided39 to me that the queen at that very moment entertained great fears."
"Truly!"
"Yes. The cardinal, as it appears, pursues he and persecutes40 her more than ever. He cannot pardon her the history of the Saraband. You know the history of the Saraband?"
"PARDIEU! Know it!" replied D'Artagnan, who knew nothing about it, but who wished to appear to know everything that was going on.
"So that now it is no longer hatred41, but vengeance42."
"Indeed!"
"And the queen believes--"
"Well, what does the queen believe?"
"She believes that someone has written to the Duke of Buckingham in her name."
"In the queen's name?"
"Yes, to make him come to Paris; and when once come to Paris, to draw him into some snare43."
"The devil! But your wife, monsieur, what has she to do with all this?"
"Her devotion to the queen is known; and they wish either to remove her from her mistress, or to intimidate44 her, in order to obtain her Majesty's secrets, or to seduce45 her and make use of her as a spy."
"That is likely," said D'Artagnan; "but the man who has abducted her--do you know him?"
"I have told you that I believe I know him."
"His name?"
"I do not know that; what I do know is that he is a creature of the cardinal, his evil genius."
"But you have seen him?"
"Yes, my wife pointed46 him out to me one day."
'Has he anything remarkable47 about him by which one may recognize him?"
"Oh, certainly; he is a noble of very lofty carriage, black hair, swarthy complexion48, piercing eye, white teeth, and has a scar on his temple."
"A scar on his temple!" cried D'Artagnan; "and with that, white teeth, a piercing eye, dark complexion, black hair, and haughty49 carriage--why, that's my man of Meung."
"He is your man, do you say?"
"Yes, yes; but that has nothing to do with it. No, I am wrong. On the contrary, that simplifies the matter greatly. If your man is mine, with one blow I shall obtain two revenges, that's all; but where to find this man?"
"I know not."
"Have you no information as to his abiding50 place?"
"None. One day, as I was conveying my wife back to the Louvre, he was coming out as she was going in, and she showed him to me."
"The devil! The devil!" murmured D'Artagnan; "all this is vague enough. From whom have you learned of the abduction of your wife?"
"From Monsieur Laporte."
"Did he give you any details?"
"He knew none himself."
"And you have learned nothing from any other quarter?"
"Yes, I have received--"
"What?"
"I fear I am committing a great imprudence."
"You always come back to that; but I must make you see this time that it is too late to retreat."
"I do not retreat, MORDIEU!" cried the citizen, swearing in order to rouse his courage. "Besides, by the faith of Bonacieux--"
"You call yourself Bonacieux?" interrupted D'Artagnan.
"Yes, that is my name."
"You said, then, by the word of Bonacieux. Pardon me for interrupting you, but it appears to me that that name is familiar to me."
"Possibly, monsieur. I am your landlord."
"Ah, ah!" said D'Artagnan, half rising and bowing; "you are my landlord?"
"Yes, monsieur, yes. And as it is three months since you have been here, and though, distracted as you must be in your important occupations, you have forgotten to pay me my rent--as, I say, I have not tormented51 you a single instant, I thought you would appreciate my delicacy52."
"How can it be otherwise, my dear Bonacieux?" replied D'Artagnan; "trust me, I am fully53 grateful for such unparalleled conduct, and if, as I told you, I can be of any service to you--"
"I believe you, monsieur, I believe you; and as I was about to say, by the word of Bonacieux, I have confidence in you."
"Finish, then, what you were about to say."
The citizen took a paper from his pocket, and presented it to D'Artagnan.
"A letter?" said the young man.
"Which I received this morning."
D'Artagnan opened it, and as the day was beginning to decline, he approached the window to read it. The citizen followed him.
"'Do not seek your wife,'" read D'Artagnan; "'she will be restored to you when there is no longer occasion for her. If you make a single step to find her you are lost.'
"That's pretty positive," continued D'Artagnan; "but after all, it is but a menace."
"Yes; but that menace terrifies me. I am not a fighting man at all, monsieur, and I am afraid of the Bastille."
"Hum!" said D'Artagnan. "I have no greater regard for the Bastille than you. If it were nothing but a sword thrust, why then--"
"I have counted upon you on this occasion, monsieur."
"Yes?"
"Seeing you constantly surrounded by Musketeers of a very superb appearance, and knowing that these Musketeers belong to Monsieur de Treville, and were consequently enemies of the cardinal, I thought that you and your friends, while rendering54 justice to your poor queen, would be pleased to play his Eminence55 an ill turn."
"Without doubt."
"And then I have thought that considering three months' lodging56, about which I have said nothing--"
"Yes, yes; you have already given me that reason, and I find it excellent."
"Reckoning still further, that as long as you do me the honor to remain in my house I shall never speak to you about rent--"
"Very kind!"
"And adding to this, if there be need of it, meaning to offer you fifty pistoles, if, against all probability, you should be short at the present moment."
"Admirable! You are rich then, my dear Monsieur Bonacieux?"
"I am comfortably off, monsieur, that's all; I have scraped together some such thing as an income of two or three thousand crown in the haberdashery business, but more particularly in venturing some funds in the last voyage of the celebrated57 navigator Jean Moquet; so that you understand, monsieur--But" cried the citizen.
"What!" demanded D'Artagnan.
"Whom do I see yonder?"
"Where?"
"In the street, facing your window, in the embrasure of that door--a man wrapped in a cloak."
"It is he!" cried D'Artagnan and the citizen at the same time, each having recognized his man.
"Ah, this time," cried D'Artagnan, springing to his sword, "this time he will not escape me!"
Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he rushed out of the apartment. On the staircase he met Athos and Porthos, who were coming to see him. They separated, and D'Artagnan rushed between them like a dart58.
"Pah! Where are you going?" cried the two Musketeers in a breath.
"The man of Meung!" replied D'Artagnan, and disappeared.
D'Artagnan had more than once related to his friends his adventure with the stranger, as well as the apparition59 of the beautiful foreigner, to whom this man had confided some important missive.
The opinion of Athos was that D'Artagnan had lost his letter in the skirmish. A gentleman, in his opinion--and according to D'Artagnan's portrait of him, the stranger must be a gentleman-- would be incapable60 of the baseness of stealing a letter.
Porthos saw nothing in all this but a love meeting, given by a lady to a cavalier, or by a cavalier to a lady, which had been disturbed by the presence of D'Artagnan and his yellow horse.
Aramis said that as these sorts of affairs were mysterious, it was better not to fathom61 them.
They understood, then, from the few words which escaped from D'Artagnan, what affair was in hand, and as they thought that overtaking his man, or losing sight of him, D'Artagnan would return to his rooms, they kept on their way.
When they entered D'Artagan's chamber62, it was empty; the landlord, dreading63 the consequences of the encounter which was doubtless about to take place between the young man and the stranger, had, consistent with the character he had given himself, judged it prudent to decamp.
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1
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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disappearances
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| n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案 | |
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procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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arrears
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| n.到期未付之债，拖欠的款项；待做的工作 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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lackeys
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| n.听差( lackey的名词复数 )；男仆（通常穿制服）；卑躬屈膝的人；被待为奴仆的人 | |
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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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juvenile
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| n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的 | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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coalition
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| n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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subterraneously
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| adj.地下的，隐匿的 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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abducted
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| 劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展 | |
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intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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persecutes
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的第三人称单数 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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43
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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44
intimidate
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| vt.恐吓，威胁 | |
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45
seduce
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| vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱 | |
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46
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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49
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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50
abiding
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| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
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51
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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52
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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53
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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54
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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55
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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56
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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58
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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60
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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61
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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63
dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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