Ten Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

your greatness. To appearances! That is a musketeer’s word,

in good truth! Vivent les apparences, Aramis!”

“Instead of felicitating me upon it, pardon me, D’Artagnan.

It is a very mundane word which I had allowed to escape me.”

“Must I leave you, then?”

“I want time to collect my thoughts, my friend, and for my

usual prayers.”

“Well, I leave you to them; but on account of that poor

pagan, D’Artagnan, abridge them for once, I beg; I thirst

for speech with you.”

“Well, D’Artagnan, I promise you that within an hour and a

half —- ”

“An hour and a half of devotions! Eh! my friend, be as

reasonable with me as you can. Let me have the best bargain

possible.”

Aramis began to laugh.

“Still agreeable, still young, still gay,” said he. “You

have come into my diocese to set me quarrelling with grace.”

“Bah!”

“And you know well that I was never able to resist your

seductions; you will cost me my salvation, D’Artagnan.”

D’Artagnan bit his lips.

“Well,” said he, “I will take the sin on my own head, favor

me with one simple Christian sign of the cross, favor me

with one pater, and we will part.”

“Hush!” said Aramis, “we are already no longer alone, I hear

strangers coming up.”

“Well, dismiss them.”

“Impossible, I made an appointment with them yesterday; it

is the principal of the college of the Jesuits, and the

superior of the Dominicans.”

“Your staff? Well, so be it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I will go and wake Porthos, and remain in his company till

you have finished the conference.”

Aramis did not stir, his brow remained unbent, he betrayed

himself by no gesture or word; “Go,” said he, as D’Artagnan

advanced to the door. “A propos, do you know where Porthos

sleeps?”

“No, but I will inquire.”

“Take the corridor, and open the second door on the left.”

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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

“Thank you! au revoir.” And D’Artagnan departed in the

direction pointed out by Aramis.

Ten minutes had not passed away when he came back. He found

Aramis seated between the superior of the Dominicans and the

principal of the college of the Jesuits, exactly in the same

situation as he had found him formerly in the auberge at

Crevecoeur. This company did not at all terrify the

musketeer.

“What is it?” said Aramis, quietly. “You have apparently

something to say to me, my friend.”

“It is,” replied D’Artagnan, fixing his eyes upon Aramis,

“it is that Porthos is not in his apartment.”

“Indeed,” said Aramis, calmly; “are you sure?”

“Pardieu! I came from his chamber.”

“Where can he be, then?”

“That is what I am asking you.”

“And have not you inquired?”

“Yes, I have.”

“And what answer did you get?”

“That Porthos, often walking out in a morning, without

saying anything, had probably gone out.”

“What did you do, then?”

“I went to the stables,” replied D’Artagnan, carelessly.

“What to do?”

“To see if Porthos had departed on horseback.”

“And?” interrogated the bishop.

“Well, there is a horse missing, stall No. 3, Goliath.”

All this dialogue, it may be easily understood, was not

exempt from a certain affectation on the part of the

musketeer, and a perfect complaisance on the part of Aramis.

“Oh! I guess how it is,” said Aramis, after having

considered for a moment, “Porthos is gone out to give us a

surprise.”

“A surprise?”

“Yes, the canal which goes from Vannes to the sea abounds in

teal and snipes; that is Porthos’s favorite sport, and he

will bring us back a dozen for breakfast.”

“Do you think so?” said D’Artagnan.

“I am sure of it. Where else can he be? I would lay a wager

he took a gun with him.”

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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

“Well, that is possible,” said D’Artagnan.

“Do one thing, my friend. Get on horseback, and join him.”

“You are right,” said D’Artagnan, “I will.”

“Shall I go with you?”

“No, thank you; Porthos is a rather remarkable man: I will

inquire as I go along.”

“Will you take an arquebuse?”

“Thank you.”

“Order what horse you like to be saddled.”

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