United States or Iran ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"And now, sir," resumed Mousqueton, when he had rid himself of Planchet, who had in vain tried to clasp his hands behind his friend's fat back, "now, sir, allow me to leave you, for I could not permit my master to hear of your arrival from any but myself; he would never forgive me for not having preceded you."
"Alas!" thought D'Artagnan, "it is very little to offset the unexpected tribulations I am bringing to this poor devil who has so warmly welcomed me." "Will monsieur remain long with us?" asked Mousqueton, with a serene and glowing countenance. "I go to-morrow, my friend," replied D'Artagnan. "Ah, monsieur," said Mousqueton, "then you have come here only to awaken our regrets."
"Ah!" said Mousqueton, who had ridden by the side of D'Artagnan without speaking a word on the journey, "you may think what you will, sir, but I can breathe now for the first time since my departure from Pierrefonds;" and he put his horse to a gallop to announce to the other servants the arrival of Monsieur du Vallon and his friends.
This thing, at a distance, could not be distinguished, and signified absolutely nothing; nearer, it was a hogshead muffled in gold-bound green cloth; when close, it was a man, or rather a poussa, the interior extremity of whom, spreading over the interior of the box, entirely filled it, when still closer, the man was Mousqueton Mousqueton, with gray hair and a face as red as Punchinello's.
"The more so, as it will be the prelude to a better." "How so?" "We invite him to play to-night; he has invited us in return to-morrow. But wait. To-night we stop at Derby; and if there is a bottle of wine in the town let Mousqueton buy it.
That is Wednesday." "Peste!" said D'Artagnan; "you don't divide your pleasures badly. And Thursday? what can be left for poor Thursday?" "It is not very unfortunate, monsieur," said Mousqueton, smiling. "Thursday, Olympian pleasures. Ah, monsieur, that is superb! We get together all monseigneur's young vassals, and we make them throw the disc, wrestle, and run races.
"Ah! sir, 'tis this very coating of fat that makes me shiver." "How is that, Mousqueton? "Alas! your honor, in the library of the Chateau of Bracieux there are a lot of books of travels." "What then?" "Amongst them the voyages of Jean Mocquet in the time of Henry IV." "Well?"
In which it is proved that first Impulses are oftentimes the best. The three gentlemen took the road to Picardy, a road so well known to them and which recalled to Athos and Aramis some of the most picturesque adventures of their youth. "If Mousqueton were with us," observed Athos, on reaching the spot where they had had a dispute with the paviers, "how he would tremble at passing this!
"That's because you haven't served," said Mousqueton. "Had you been in the army you would have been able to pick up a needle on the floor of a closed oven. But hark! I think some one is coming." Mousqueton made, with a low whistling sound, the sign of alarm well known to the lackeys in the days of their youth, resumed his place at the table and made a sign to Blaisois to follow his example.
Besides we can be on our guard; let us take arms, let Planchet post himself behind us with his carbine." "Planchet is a Frondeur," answered D'Artagnan. "Devil take these civil wars! one can no more now reckon on one's friends than on one's footmen," said Porthos. "Ah! if Mousqueton were here! there's a fellow who will never desert me!" "So long as you are rich! Ah! my friend!
Word Of The Day