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Monsieur d'Artagnan, Monsieur du Vallon, you are free." The order was obeyed; D'Artagnan and Porthos then found themselves in the centre of a large circle. "Now, D'Herblay," said Athos, "dismount and come here." Aramis dismounted and went to Porthos, whilst Athos approached D'Artagnan. All four once more together. "Friends!" said Athos, "do you regret you have not shed our blood?"
But with this chief of the enterprise there was a man of prodigious strength, the one who menaced me with a force almost herculean; what is he?" "It must be his friend the Baron du Vallon, formerly one of the musketeers." "The friend of D'Artagnan? the friend of the Comte de la Fere?
In former days we had no occasion to say anything about the matter. People fought for the sake of fighting; and I, for one, know no better reason than that." "You are quite right, M. du Vallon." "However, tell me what the cause is."
He turned aside and put the note in his pocket, and then advancing a few steps, which brought him again to the threshold of the door close to his guests, he said, "M. du Vallon, I have seen you to-day with the greatest pleasure, and my pleasure will be equally great to see you again."
"Well, my lord, my friend has three magnificent estates: that of Vallon, at Corbeil; that of Bracieux, in the Soissonais; and that of Pierrefonds, in the Valois. Now, my lord, he would like to have one of his three estates erected into a barony." "Only that?" said Mazarin, his eyes twinkling with joy on seeing that he could pay for Porthos's devotion without opening his purse; "only that?
"Tavannes and Vallon ought to wear bridles," he said; "they are asses;" he left his house, and placed himself once more at the head of his army, at first following after Turenne, and soon to sever himself completely from that Paris which was slipping away from him.
The king smiled, and passed into the next apartment, after having said to D'Artagnan, "I give you the leave of absence you must want to put the affairs of your friend, the late M. du Vallon, in order." At Pierrefonds everything was in mourning. The courts were deserted the stables closed the parterres neglected.
Porthos linked his arm in that of his friend. "Ah! how delightful to see you again, dear friend!" he cried, in a voice which was now changed from a baritone into a bass, "you've not then forgotten me?" "Forget you! oh! dear Du Vallon, does one forget the happiest days of flowery youth, one's dearest friends, the dangers we have dared together?
On the whole, the position was not so bad as it seemed in that first moment when the owner of the 59 Du Vallon was revealed in the handsome Count. In any event, what did it matter if his harmless subterfuge were revealed? The girl would surely laugh, while Mrs. Devar would squirm. So now for a turn along the front, and then to bed.
«De l'autre coté du vallon, et vis-
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