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Are our lackeyssufficiently devoted to us to risk their lives for us? Arrived
at the foot of the bastion, there were still morethan a dozen of the enemy.
All
very well, said Porthos, but I should like tounderstand.
said Athos; that does
honor to your imagination. I have given you all I have, and I beg leave totell
you that this is the bottom of my sack.
You shall not do that, dArtagnan, said
Athos, coolly. We know that thedream of his life had been to become a
Musketeer.
Relate what haspassed during the night, since these gentlemen desire
toknow it. cried dArtagnan; dont you see theyare aiming?
although I am very
much afraidthat your good wishes will not be of great service to me.
As soon as
the enemyare within musket shot, we must fire upon them.
That renders it
useless to get a pleurisy by too muchhaste.
We have just time to finish this
fowl and to drinkone glass of wine to your health, dArtagnan. 48 A FAMILY
AFFAIRAthos had invented the phrase, family affair.
Yes, said dArtagnan; but we
shall indubitably attract aball.
asked a dragoon, with his saberrun through a
goose which he was taking to be cooked. The young men sprang up, and seized
their muskets. de Busigny, the dragoon, the Swiss, and thefourth bettor.
These
Rochellais are bungling fellows, said Athos; howmany have we killed of them--a
dozen?
In the evening, at the appointed hour, the four friends met. She worries
me in England as well as in France, saidAthos. My faith, said dArtagnan to
Athos, you had a triumphantidea!
DArtagnan uttered an exclamation of surprise
andindignation.
Athos waved his flag, turning his back on the guards of
thecity, and saluting those of the camp. said Porthos; pass the pen to Aramis,
who writestheses in Latin.
We are going, in order towin it, to remain an hour
in the bastion. I know aclever person at Tours--Aramis stopped on seeing Athos
smile. No, only add two bottles of champagne, and the differencewill be for the
napkins. We must fire aslong as we have loaded guns. Or rather, to observe the
chronologicalorder, I and dArtagnan, replied Athos.
de Trevilles was as gay and
cheerful aspossible. Gentlemen, said Athos, no divided attention, I beg;
leteach one pick out his man.
The affair was described to the messenger with
all theeffervescence of enthusiasm.
And you have that letter of the
cardinal?
This was the price of the queens diamond. Whythe devil, then, do we
plague ourselves about money, whenthere is a diamond? Nothing was heard but
cries ofLive the Musketeers! Well, theres just the man we want, said Athos.
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