Ten Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part one

CHAPTER 34

Of the Embarrassment of Riches

D’Artagnan lost no time, and as soon as the thing was

suitable and opportune, he paid a visit to the lord

treasurer of his majesty. He had then the satisfaction to

exchange a piece of paper, covered with very ugly writing,

for a prodigious number of crowns, recently stamped with the

effigies of his very gracious majesty Charles II.

D’Artagnan easily controlled himself: and yet, on this

occasion, he could not help evincing a joy which the reader

will perhaps comprehend, if he deigns to have some

indulgence for a man who, since his birth, had never seen so

many pieces and rolls of pieces juxtaplaced in an order

truly agreeable to the eye. The treasurer placed all the

rolls in bags, and closed each bag with a stamp sealed with

the arms of England, a favor which treasurers do not grant

to everybody. Then impassible, and just as polite as he

ought to be towards a man honored with the friendship of the

king, he said to D’Artagnan:

“Take away your money, sir.” Your money! These words made a

thousand chords vibrate in the heart of D’Artagnan, which he

had never felt before. He had the bags packed in a small

cart, and returned home meditating deeply. A man who

possesses three hundred thousand crowns can no longer expect

to wear a smooth brow; a wrinkle for every hundred thousand

livres is not too much.

D’Artagnan shut himself up, ate no dinner, closed his door

to everybody, and, with a lighted lamp, and a loaded pistol

on the table, he watched all night, ruminating upon the

means of preventing these lovely crowns, which from the

coffers of the king had passed into his coffers, from

passing from his coffers into the pockets of any thief

whatever. The best means discovered by the Gascon was to

inclose his treasure, for the present, under locks so solid

that no wrist could break them, and so complicated that no

master-key could open them. D’Artagnan remembered that the

English are masters in mechanics and conservative industry;

and he determined to go in the morning in search of a

mechanic who would sell him a strong box. He did not go far;

Master Will Jobson, dwelling in Piccadilly, listened to his

propositions, comprehended his wishes, and promised to make

him a safety lock that should relieve him from all future

fear.

“I will give you,” said he, “a piece of mechanism entirely

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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

new. At the first serious attempt upon your lock, an

invisible plate will open of itself and vomit forth a pretty

copper bullet of the weight of a mark — which will knock

down the intruder, and not without a loud report. What do

you think of it?”

“I think it very ingenious,” cried D’Artagnan, “the little

copper bullet pleases me mightily. So now, sir mechanic, the

terms?”

“A fortnight for the execution, and fifteen hundred crowns

payable on delivery,” replied the artisan.

D’Artagnan’s brow darkened. A fortnight was delay enough to

allow the thieves of London time to remove all occasion for

the strong box. As to the fifteen hundred crowns — that

would be paying too dear for what a little vigilance would

procure him for nothing.

“I will think of it,” said he, “thank you, sir.” And he

returned home at full speed; nobody had yet touched his

treasure. That same day Athos paid a visit to his friend and

found him so thoughtful that he could not help expressing

his surprise.

“How is this?” said he, “you are rich and not gay — you,

who were so anxious for wealth!”

“My friend, the pleasures to which we are not accustomed

oppress us more than the griefs with which we are familiar.

Give me your opinion, if you please. I can ask you, who have

always had money: when we have money, what do we do with

it?”

“That depends.”

“What have you done with yours, seeing that it has not made

you a miser or a prodigal? For avarice dries up the heart,

and prodigality drowns it — is not that so?”

“Fabricius could not have spoken more justly. But in truth,