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The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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Twenty Years Later 28 at Prostate Health
his ambition and that the
silver-mounted wand he brandished was in his eyes as
honorable a distinction as the marshals baton which Conde
threw, or did not throw, into the enemys line of battle at
Fribourg. His person had undergone a change, analogous to
the change in his dress; his figure had grown rotund and, as
it were, canonical. The striking points of his face were
effaced; he had still a nose, but his cheeks, fattened out,
each took a portion of it unto themselves; his chin had
joined his throat; his eyes were swelled up with the
puffiness of his cheeks; his hair, cut straight in holy
guise, covered his forehead as far as his eyebrows.
The officiating priest was just finishing mass whilst
DArtagnan was looking at Bazin; he pronounced the words of
the holy Sacrament and retired, giving the benediction,
which was received by the kneeling communicants, to the
astonishment of DArtagnan, who recognized in the priest the
coadjutor* himself, the famous Jean Francois Gondy, who at
that time, having a presentiment of the part he was to play,
was beginning to court popularity by almsgiving. It was to
this end that he performed from time to time some of those
early masses which the common people, generally, alone
attended.
*A sacerdotal officer.
DArtagnan knelt as well as the rest, received his share of
the benediction and made the sign of the cross; but when
Bazin passed in his turn, with his eyes raised to Heaven and
walking, in all humility, the very last, DArtagnan pulled
him by the hem of his robe.
Bazin looked down and started, as if he had seen a serpent.
"Monsieur dArtagnan!" he cried; "Vade retro Satanas!"
"So, my dear Bazin!" said the officer, laughing, "this is
the way you receive an old friend."
"Sir," replied Bazin, "the true friends of a Christian are
those who aid him in working out his salvation, not those
who hinder him in doing so."
"I dont understand you, Bazin; nor can I see how I can be a
stumbling-block in the way of your salvation," said
DArtagnan.
"You forget, sir, that you very nearly ruined forever that
of my master; and that it was owing to you that he was very
nearly being damned eternally for remaining a musketeer,
whilst all the time his true vocation was the church."
"My dear Bazin, you ought to perceive," said DArtagnan,
"from the place in which you find me, that I am greatly
changed in everything. Age produces good sense, and, as I
doubt not but that your master is on the road to salvation,
I want you to tell me where he is, that he may help me to
mine."
"Rather say, to take him back with you into the world.
Fortunately, I dont know where he is."
"How!" cried DArtagnan; "you dont know where Aramis is?"
"Formerly," replied Bazin, "Aramis was his name of
perdition. By Aramis is meant Simara, which is the name of a
demon. Happily for him he has ceased to bear that name."
"And therefore," said DArtagnan, resolved to be patient to
the end, "it is not Aramis I seek, but the Abbe dHerblay.
Come, my dear Bazin, tell me where he is."
"Didnt you hear me tell you, Monsieur dArtagnan, that I
dont know where he is?"
"Yes, certainly; but to that I answer that it is
impossible."
"It is, nevertheless, the truth, monsieur -- the pure truth,
the truth of the good God."
DArtagnan saw clearly that he would get nothing out of this
man, who was evidently telling a falsehood in his pretended
ignorance of the abode of Aramis, but whose lies were bold
and decided.
"Well, Bazin," said DArtagnan, "since you do not know where
your master lives, let us speak of it no more; let us part
good friends. Accept this half-pistole to drink to my
health."
"I do not drink" -- Bazin pushed away with dignity the
officers hand -- "tis good only for the laity."
"Incorruptible!" murmured DArtagnan; "I am unlucky;" and
whilst he was lost in thought Bazin retreated toward the
sacristy, and even there he could not think himself safe
until he had shut and locked the door behind him.
DArtagnan was still in deep thought when some one touched
him on the shoulder. He turned and was about to utter an
exclamation of surprise when the other made to him a sign of
silence.
"You here, Rochefort?" he said, in a low voice.
"Hush!" returned Rochefort. "Did you know that I am at
liberty?"
"I knew it from the fountain-head -- from Planchet. And what
brought you here?"
"I came to thank God for my happy deliverance," said
Rochefort.
"And nothing
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