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Books
The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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Twenty Years Later 34 at Prostate Health
walls
hung four great pictures representing in their ordinary
military costume the Cardinal de Lorraine, the Cardinal de
Richelieu, the Cardinal de la Valette, and the Archbishop of
Bordeaux. Exteriorly, nothing in the room showed that it was
the habitation of an abbe. The hangings were of damask, the
carpets from Alencon, and the bed, especially, had more the
look of a fine ladys couch, with its trimmings of fine lace
and its embroidered counterpane, than that of a man who had
made a vow that he would endeavor to gain Heaven by fasting
and mortification.
"You are examining my den," said Aramis. "Ah, my dear
fellow, excuse me; I am lodged like a Chartreux. But what
are you looking for?"
"I am looking for the person who let down the ladder. I see
no one and yet the ladder didnt come down of itself."
"No, it is Bazin."
"Ah! ah!" said DArtagnan.
"But," continued Aramis, "Bazin is a well trained servant,
and seeing that I was not alone he discreetly retired. Sit
down, my dear friend, and let us talk." And Aramis pushed
forward a large easy-chair, in which DArtagnan stretched
himself out.
"In the first place, you will sup with me, will you not?"
asked Aramis.
"Yes, if you really wish it," said DArtagnan, "and even
with great pleasure, I confess; the journey has given me a
devil of an appetite."
"Ah, my poor friend!" said Aramis, "you will find meagre
fare; you were not expected."
"Am I then threatened with the omelet of Crevecoeur?"
"Oh, let us hope," said Aramis, "that with the help of God
and of Bazin we shall find something better than that in the
larder of the worthy Jesuit fathers. Bazin, my friend, come
here."
The door opened and Bazin entered; on perceiving the
musketeer he uttered an exclamation that was almost a cry of
despair.
"My dear Bazin," said DArtagnan, "I am delighted to see
with what wonderful composure you can tell a lie even in
church!"
"Sir," replied Bazin, "I have been taught by the good Jesuit
fathers that it is permitted to tell a falsehood when it is
told in a good cause."
"So far well," said Aramis; "we are dying of hunger. Serve
us up the best supper you can, and especially give us some
good wine."
Bazin bowed low, sighed, and left the room.
"Now we are alone, dear Aramis," said DArtagnan, "tell me
how the devil you managed to alight upon the back of
Planchets horse."
"Ifaith!" answered Aramis, "as you see, from Heaven."
"From Heaven," replied DArtagnan, shaking his head; "you
have no more the appearance of coming from thence than you
have of going there."
"My friend," said Aramis, with a look of imbecility on his
face which DArtagnan had never observed whilst he was in
the musketeers, "if I did not come from Heaven, at least I
was leaving Paradise, which is almost the same."
"Here, then, is a puzzle for the learned," observed
DArtagnan, "until now they have never been able to agree as
to the situation of Paradise; some place it on Mount Ararat,
others between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates; it seems
that they have been looking very far away for it, while it
was actually very near. Paradise is at Noisy le Sec, upon
the site of the archbishops chateau. People do not go out
from it by the door, but by the window; one doesnt descend
here by the marble steps of a peristyle, but by the branches
of a lime-tree; and the angel with a flaming sword who
guards this elysium seems to have changed his celestial name
of Gabriel into that of the more terrestrial one of the
Prince de Marsillac."
Aramis burst into a fit of laughter.
"You were always a merry companion, my dear DArtagnan," he
said, "and your witty Gascon fancy has not deserted you.
Yes, there is something in what you say; nevertheless, do
not believe that it is Madame de Longueville with whom I am
in love."
"A plague ont! I shall not do so. After having been so long
in love with Madame de Chevreuse, you would hardly lay your
heart at the feet of her mortal enemy!"
"Yes," replied Aramis, with an absent air; "yes, that poor
duchess! I once loved her much, and to do her justice, she
was very useful to us. Eventually she was obliged to leave
France. He was a relentless enemy, that damned cardinal,"
continued Aramis, glancing at the portrait of the old
minister. "He had even given orders to arrest her and would
have cut off her head had she not escaped with her
waiting-maid -- poor Kitty! I have heard that
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