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The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Three Musketeers 88 at Prostate Health
Mme. Bonacieux. "I shall return very
safely to the Louvre all alone."
"As you please, Madame Bonacieux," said the ex-mercer. "Shall I
see you again soon?"
"Next week I hope my duties will afford me a little liberty, and
I will take advantage of it to come and put things in order here,
as they must necessarily be much deranged."
"Very well; I shall expect you. You are not angry with me?"
"Not the least in the world."
"Till then, then?"
"Till then."
Bonacieux kissed his wifes hand, and set off at a quick pace.
"Well," said Mme. Bonacieux, when her husband had shut the street
door and she found herself alone; "that imbecile lacked but one
thing to become a cardinalist. And I, who have answered for him
to the queen--I, who have promised my poor mistress--ah, my God,
my God! She will take me for one of those wretches with whom the
palace swarms and who are placed about her as spies! Ah,
Monsieur Bonacieux, I never did love you much, but now it is
worse than ever. I hate you, and on my word you shall pay for
this!"
At the moment she spoke these words a rap on the ceiling made her
raise her head, and a voice which reached her through the ceiling
cried, "Dear Madame Bonacieux, open for me the little door on the
alley, and I will come down to you."
18 LOVER AND HUSBAND
"Ah, Madame," said dArtagnan, entering by the door which the
young woman opened for him, "allow me to tell you that you have a
bad sort of a husband."
"You have, then, overheard our conversation?" asked Mme.
Bonacieux, eagerly, and looking at dArtagnan with disquiet.
"The whole."
"But how, my God?"
"By a mode of proceeding known to myself, and by which I likewise
overheard the more animated conversation which he had with the
cardinals police."
"And what did you understand by what we said?"
"A thousand things. In the first place, that, unfortunately,
your husband is a simpleton and a fool; in the next place, you
are in trouble, of which I am very glad, as it gives me a
opportunity of placing myself at your service, and God knows I am
ready to throw myself into the fire for you; finally, that the
queen wants a brave, intelligent, devoted man to make a journey
to London for her. I have at least two of the three qualities
you stand in need of, and here I am."
Mme. Bonacieux made no reply; but her heart beat with joy and
secret hope shone in her eyes.
"And what guarantee will you give me," asked she, "if I consent
to confide this message to you?"
"My love for you. Speak! Command! What is to be done?"
"My God, my God!" murmured the young woman, "ought I to confide
such a secret to you, monsieur? You are almost a boy."
"I see that you require someone to answer for me?"
"I admit that would reassure me greatly."
"Do you know Athos?"
"No."
"Porthos?"
"No."
"Aramis?"
"No. Who are these gentleman?"
"Three of the kings Musketeers. Do you know Monsieur de
Treville, their captain?"
"Oh, yes, him! I know him; not personally, but from having heard
the queen speak of him more than once as a brave and loyal
gentleman."
"You do not fear lest he should betray you to the cardinal?"
"Oh, no, certainly not!"
"Well, reveal your secret to him, and ask him whether, however
important, however valuable, however terrible it may be, you may
not confide it to me."
"But this secret is not mine, and I cannot reveal it in this
manner."
"You were about to confide it to Monsieur Bonacieux," said
dArtagnan, with chagrin.
"As one confides a letter to the hollow of a tree, to the wing of
a pigeon, to the collar of a dog."
"And yet, me--you see plainly that I love you."
"You say so."
"I am an honorable man."
"You say so."
"I am a gallant fellow."
"I believe it."
"I am brave."
"Oh, I am sure of that!"
"Then, put me to the proof."
Mme. Bonacieux looked at the young man, restrained for a minute
by a last hesitation; but there was such an ardor in his eyes,
such persuasion in his voice, that she felt herself constrained
to confide in him. Besides, she found herself in circumstances
where everything must be risked for the sake of everything. The
queen might be as much injured by too much reticence as by too
much confidence; and--let us admit it--the involuntary sentiment
which she felt
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