how regularly I live and how easy I am here。 We have
experienced the ingratitude of ‘the great；' as you well
know。〃
〃'Tis true；〃 replied D'Artagnan。 〃Yet the great sometimes
repent of their ingratitude。〃
〃In that case it would be quite another thing。 Come！ let's
be merciful to every sinner！ Besides； you are right in
another respect； which is in thinking that if we were to
meddle in politics there could not be a better time than the
present。〃
〃How can you know that？ You who never interest yourself in
politics？〃
〃Ah！ without caring about them myself； I live among those
who are much occupied in them。 Poet as I am； I am intimate
with Sarazin； who is devoted to the Prince de Conti； and
with Monsieur de Bois…Robert； who； since the death of
Cardinal Richelieu； is of all parties or any party； so that
political discussions have not altogether been uninteresting
to me。〃
〃I have no doubt of it；〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃Now； my dear friend； look upon all I tell you as merely the
statement of a monk of a man who resembles an echo
repeating simply what he hears。 I understand that Mazarin is
at this very moment extremely uneasy as to the state of
affairs； that his orders are not respected like those of our
former bugbear； the deceased cardinal； whose portrait as you
see hangs yonder for whatever may be thought of him； it
must be allowed that Richelieu was great。〃
〃I will not contradict you there；〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃My first impressions were favorable to the minister； I said
to myself that a minister is never loved； but that with the
genius this one was said to have he would eventually triumph
over his enemies and would make himself feared； which in my
opinion is much more to be desired than to be loved 〃
D'Artagnan made a sign with his head which indicated that he
entirely approved that doubtful maxim。
〃This； then；〃 continued Aramis； 〃was my first opinion； but
as I am very ignorant in matters of this kind and as the
humility which I profess obliges me not to rest on my own
judgment； but to ask the opinion of others； I have inquired
Eh！ my friend 〃
Aramis paused。
〃Well？ what？〃 asked his friend。
〃Well； I must mortify myself。 I must confess that I was
mistaken。 Monsieur de Mazarin is not a man of genius； as I
thought； he is a man of no origin once a servant of
Cardinal Bentivoglio； and he got on by intrigue。 He is an
upstart； a man of no name； who will only be the tool of a
party in France。 He will amass wealth； he will injure the
king's revenue and pay to himself the pensions which
Richelieu paid to others。 He is neither a gentleman in
manner nor in feeling； but a sort of buffoon； a punchinello；
a pantaloon。 Do you know him？ I do not。〃
〃Hem！〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃there is some truth in what you
say。〃
〃Ah！ it fills me with pride to find that； thanks to a common
sort of penetration with which I am endowed； I am approved
by a man like you； fresh from the court。〃
〃But you speak of him； not of his party； his resources。〃
〃It is true the queen is for him。〃
〃Something in his favor。〃
〃But he will never have the king。〃
〃A mere child。〃
〃A child who will be of age in four years。 Then he has
neither the parliament nor the people with him they
represent the wealth of the country； nor the nobles nor the
princes； who are the military power of France。〃
D'Artagnan scratched his ear。 He was forced to confess to
himself that this reasoning was not only comprehensive； but
just。
〃You see； my poor friend； that I am sometimes bereft of my
ordinary thoughtfulness； perhaps I am wrong in speaking thus
to you； who have evidently a leaning to Mazarin。〃
〃I！〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃not in the least。〃
〃You spoke of a mission。〃
〃Did I？ I was wrong then； no； I said what you say there
is a crisis at hand。 Well！ let's fly the feather before the
wind； let us join with that side to which the wind will
carry it and resume our adventurous life。 We were once four
valiant knights four hearts fondly united； let us unite
again； not our hearts； which have never been severed； but
our courage and our fortunes。 Here's a good opportunity for
getting something better than a diamond。〃
〃You are right； D'Artagnan； I held a similar project； but as
I had not nor ever shall have your fruitful； vigorous
imagination； the idea was suggested to me。 Every one
nowadays wants auxiliaries； propositions have been made to
me and I confess to you frankly that the coadjutor has made
me speak out。〃
〃Monsieur de Gondy！ the cardinal's enemy？〃
〃No； the king's friend；〃 said Aramis； 〃the king's friend；
you understand。 Well； it is a question of serving the king；
the gentleman's duty。〃
〃But the king is with Mazarin。〃
〃He is； but not willingly； in appearance； not heart； and
that is exactly the snare the king's enemies are preparing
for the poor child。〃
〃Ah！ but this is； indeed； civil war which you propose to me；
dear Aramis。〃
〃War for the king。〃
〃Yet the king will be at the head of the army on Mazarin's
side。〃
〃But his heart will be in the army commanded by the Duc de
Beaufort。〃
〃Monsieur de Beaufort？ He is at Vincennes。〃
〃Did I say Monsieur de Beaufort？ Monsieur de Beaufort or
another。 Monsieur de Beaufort or Monsieur le Prince。〃
〃But Monsieur le Prince is to set out for the army； he is
entirely devoted to the cardinal。〃
〃Oh oh！〃 said Aramis； 〃there are questions between them at
this very moment。 And besides； if it is not the prince； then
Monsieur de Gondy 〃
〃But Monsieur de Gondy is to be made a cardinal； they are
soliciting the hat for him。〃
〃And are there no cardinals that can fight？ Come now； recall
the four cardinals that at the head of armies have equalled
Monsieur de Guebriant and Monsieur de Gassion。〃
〃But a humpbacked general！
〃Under the cuirass the hump will not be seen。 Besides；
remember that Alexander was lame and Hannibal had but one
eye。〃
〃Do you see any great advantage in adhering to this party？〃
asked D'Artagnan。
〃I foresee in it the aid of powerful princes。〃
〃With the enmity of the government。〃
〃Counteracted by parliament and insurrections。〃
〃That may be done if they can separate the king from his
mother。〃
〃That may be done；〃 said Aramis。
〃Never！〃 cried D'Artagnan。 〃You； Aramis； know Anne of
Austria better than I do。 Do you think she will ever forget
that her son is her safeguard； her shield； the pledge for
her dignity； for her fortune and her life？ Should she
forsake Mazarin she must join her son and go over to the
princes' side； but you know better than I do that there are
certain reasons why she can never abandon Mazarin。〃
〃Perhaps you are right；〃 said Aramis； thoughtfully；
〃therefore I shall not pledge myself。〃
〃To them or to us； do you mean； Aramis？〃
〃To no one。 I am a priest；〃 resumed Aramis。 〃What have I to
do with politics？ I am not obliged to read any breviary。 I
have a jolly little circle of witty abbes and pretty women；
everything goes on smoothly； so certainly； dear friend； I
shall not meddle in politics。〃
〃Well； listen； my dear Aramis；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃your
philosophy convinces me； on my honor。 I don't know what
devil of an insect stung me and made me ambitious。 I have a
post by which I live； at the death of Monsieur de Treville；
who is old； I may be a captain； which is a very snug berth
for a once penniless Gascon。 Instead of running after
adventures I shall accept an invitation from Porthos； I
shall go and shoot on his estate。 You know he has estates
Porthos？〃
〃I should think so； indeed。 Ten leagues of wood； of marsh
land and valleys； he is lord of the hill and the plain and
is now carrying on a suit for his feudal rights against the
Bishop of Noyon！〃
〃Good；〃 said D'Artagnan to himself。 〃That's what I wanted to
know。 Porthos is in Picardy。〃
Then aloud：
〃And he has taken his ancient name of Vallon？〃
〃To which he adds that of Bracieux； an estate which has been
a barony； by my troth。〃
〃So that Porthos will be a baron。〃
〃I don't doubt it。 The ‘Baroness Porthos' will sound
particularly charming。〃
And the two friends began to laugh。
〃So；〃 D'Artagnan resumed； 〃you will not become a partisan of
Mazarin's？〃
〃Nor you of the Prince de Conde？〃
〃No； let us belong to no party； but remain friends； let us
be neither Cardinalists nor Frondists。〃
〃Adieu； then。〃 And D'Artagnan poured out a glass of wine。
〃To old times；〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 returned Aramis。 〃Unhappily； those times are past。〃
〃Nonsense！ They will return；〃 said D'Artagnan。 〃At all
events； if you want me； remember the Rue Tiquetonne； Hotel
de la Chevrette。〃
〃And I shall be at the convent of Jesuits； from six in the
morning to eight at night come by the door。 From eight in
the evening until six in the morning come in by the window。〃
〃Adieu； dear friend。〃
〃Oh； I can't let you go so！ I will go with you。〃 And he took
his sword and cloak。
〃He wants to be sure that I go away；〃 said D'Artagnan to
himself。
Aramis whistled for Bazin； but Bazin was asleep in the
ante…chamber； and Aramis was obliged to shake him by the ear
to awake him。
Bazin stretched his arms； rubbed his eyes； and tried to go
to sleep again。
〃Come； come； sleepy head； quick； the ladder！〃
〃But；〃 said Bazin； yawning portentously； 〃the ladder is
still at the window。〃
〃The other one； the gardener's。 Didn't you see that Monsieur
d'Artagnan mounted with difficulty？ It will be even more
difficult to descend。〃
D'Artagnan was about to assure Aramis that he could descend
easily； when an idea came into his head which silenced him。
Bazin uttered a profound sigh and went out to look for the
ladder。 Presently a good； solid； wooden ladder was placed
against the window。
〃Now then；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃this is something like； this
is a means of communication。 A woman could go up a ladder
like that。〃
Aramis's searching look seemed to seek his friend's thought
even at the bottom of his heart； but D'Artagnan sustained
the inquisition with an air of admirable simplicity。
Besides； at that moment he put his foot on the first step of
the ladder and began his descent。 In a moment he was on the
ground。 Bazin remained at the window。
〃Stay there；〃 said Aramis； 〃I shall return immediately。〃
The two friends went toward the shed。 At their approach
Planchet came out leading the two horses。
〃That is good to see；〃 said Aramis。