Ten Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part one

myself to be drawn towards the son from sympathy for this

same principle. Besides, he was a worthy knight, a noble

creature, that father: do you remember him?”

“Yes; that is true; he was a brave, an excellent man, who

led a sad life, but made a fine end.”

“Well, my dear D’Artagnan, understand this; to that king, to

that man of heart, to that friend of my thoughts, if I durst

venture to say so, I swore at the last hour to preserve

faithfully the secret of a deposit which was to be

transmitted to his son, to assist him in his hour of need.

This young man came to me; he described his destitution; he

was ignorant that he was anything to me save a living memory

of his father. I have accomplished towards Charles II. what

I promised Charles I.; that is all! Of what consequence is

it to me, then, whether he be grateful or not? It is to

myself I have rendered a service, by relieving myself of

this responsibility, and not to him.”

“Well, I have always said,” replied D’Artagnan, with a sigh,

“that disinterestedness was the finest thing in the world.”

Page 197

Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

“Well, and you, my friend,” resumed Athos, “are you not in

the same situation as myself? If I have properly understood

your words, you allowed yourself to be affected by the

misfortunes of this young man; that, on your part, was much

greater than it was upon mine, for I had a duty to fulfill,

whilst you were under no obligation to the son of the

martyr. You had not, on your part, to pay him the price of

that precious drop of blood which he let fall upon my brow,

through the floor of his scaffold. That which made you act

was heart alone — the noble and good heart which you

possess beneath your apparent skepticism and sarcastic

irony; you have engaged the fortune of a servitor, and your

own, I suspect, my benevolent miser! and your sacrifice is

not acknowledged! Of what consequence is it? You wish to

repay Planchet his money. I can comprehend that, my friend:

for it is not becoming in a gentleman to borrow from his

inferior, without returning to him principal and interest.

Well, I will sell La Fere if necessary, and if not, some

little farm. You shall pay Planchet, and there will be

enough, believe me, of corn left in my granaries for us two

and Raoul. In this way, my friend, you will be under

obligations to nobody but yourself, and, if I know you well,

it will not be a small satisfaction to your mind to be able

to say, `I have made a king!’ Am I right?”

“Athos! Athos!” murmured D’Artagnan, thoughtfully, “I have

told you more than once that the day on which you will

preach I shall attend the sermon; the day on which you will

tell me there is a hell — Mordioux! I shall be afraid of

the gridiron and the pitchforks. You are better than I, or

rather, better than anybody, and I only acknowledge the

possession of one quality, and that is, of not being

jealous. Except that defect, damme, as the English say, if I

have not all the rest.”

“I know no one equal to D’Artagnan,” replied Athos; “but

here we are, having quietly reached the house I inhabit.

Will you come in, my friend?”

“Eh! why, this is the tavern of the Corne du Cerf, I think,”

said D’Artagnan.

“I confess I chose it on purpose. I like old acquaintances;

I like to sit down on that place, whereon I sank, overcome

by fatigue, overwhelmed with despair, when you returned on

the 31st of January.”

“After having discovered the abode of the masked

executioner? Yes, that was a terrible day!”

“Come in, then,” said Athos, interrupting him.

They entered the large apartment, formerly the common one.

The tavern, in general, and this room in particular, had

undergone great changes; the ancient host of the musketeers,

having become tolerably rich for an innkeeper, had closed

his shop, and made of this room of which we were speaking, a

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