我的美母教师 | 乡村精品合集 | 乡村活寡 | 乡村欲爱 | 乡村春潮 | 乡村花医 | 欲望乡村（未删） | 乡村艳福 | 乡村春事 | 人妻四部曲

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　　〃You　are　always　in　the　right；　my　dear　friend；〃　cried　Porthos；　〃but　where　the　devil　do　you　discover　all　the　notions　you　put　into　practice？〃
　　D'Artagnan　smiled。　The　two　friends　turned　down　the　first　street　they　came　to。　Porthos　knocked　at　the　door　of　a　house　to　the　right；　whilst　D'Artagnan　knocked　at　the　door　of　a　house　to　the　left。
　　〃Some　straw；〃　they　said。
　　〃Sir；　we　don't　keep　any；〃　was　the　reply　of　the　people　who　opened　the　doors；　〃but　please　ask　at　the　hay　dealer's。〃
　　〃Where　is　the　hay　dealer's？〃
　　〃At　the　last　large　door　in　the　street。〃
　　〃Are　there　any　other　people　in　Saint　Germain　who　sell　straw？〃
　　〃Yes；　there's　the　landlord　of　the　Lamb；　and　Gros…Louis　the　farmer；　they　both　live　in　the　Rue　des　Ursulines。〃
　　〃Very　well。〃
　　D'Artagnan　went　instantly　to　the　hay　dealer　and　bargained　with　him　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　trusses　of　straw；　which　he　obtained；　at　the　rate　of　three　pistoles　each。　He　went　afterward　to　the　innkeeper　and　bought　from　him　two　hundred　trusses　at　the　same　price。　Finally；　Farmer　Louis　sold　them　eighty　trusses；　making　in　all　four　hundred　and　thirty。
　　There　was　no　more　to　be　had　in　Saint　Germain。　This　foraging　did　not　occupy　more　than　half　an　hour。　Musqueton；　duly　instructed；　was　put　at　the　head　of　this　sudden　and　new　business。　He　was　cautioned　not　to　let　a　bit　of　straw　out　of　his　hands　under　a　louis　the　truss；　and　they　intrusted　to　him　straw　to　the　amount　of　four　hundred　and　thirty　louis。　D'Artagnan；　taking　with　him　three　trusses　of　straw；　returned　to　the　chateau；　where　everybody；　freezing　with　cold　and　more　than　half　asleep；　envied　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　on　their　camp　beds。　The　lieutenant's　entrance　produced　a　burst　of　laughter　in　the　great　drawing…room；　but　he　did　not　appear　to　notice　that　he　was　the　object　of　general　attention；　but　began　to　arrange；　with　so　much　cleverness；　nicety　and　gayety；　his　straw　bed；　that　the　mouths　of　all　these　poor　creatures；　who　could　not　go　to　sleep；　began　to　water。
　　〃Straw！〃　they　all　cried　out；　〃straw！　where　is　there　any　to　be　found？〃
　　〃I　can　show　you；〃　answered　the　Gascon。
　　And　he　conducted　them　to　Musqueton；　who　freely　distributed　the　trusses　at　the　rate　of　a　louis　apiece。　It　was　thought　rather　dear；　but　people　wanted　to　sleep；　and　who　would　not　give　even　two　or　three　louis　for　a　few　hours　of　sound　sleep？
　　D'Artagnan　gave　up　his　bed　to　any　one　who　wanted　it；　making　it　over　about　a　dozen　times；　and　since　he　was　supposed　to　have　paid；　like　the　others；　a　louis　for　his　truss　of　straw；　he　pocketed　in　that　way　thirty　louis　in　less　than　half　an　hour。　At　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　straw　was　worth　eighty　francs　a　truss　and　there　was　no　more　to　be　had。
　　D'Artagnan　had　taken　the　precaution　to　set　apart　four　trusses　for　his　own　use。　He　put　in　his　pocket　the　key　of　the　room　where　he　had　hidden　them；　and　acpanied　by　Porthos　returned　to　settle　with　Musqueton；　who；　naively；　and　like　the　worthy　steward　that　he　was；　handed　them　four　hundred　and　thirty　louis　and　kept　one　hundred　for　himself。
　　Musqueton；　who　knew　nothing　of　what　was　going　on　in　the　chateau；　wondered　that　the　idea　had　not　occurred　to　him　sooner。　D'Artagnan　put　the　gold　in　his　hat；　and　in　going　back　to　the　chateau　settled　the　reckoning　with　Porthos；　each　of　them　had　cleared　two　hundred　and　fifteen　louis。
　　Porthos；　however；　found　that　he　had　no　straw　left　for　himself。　He　returned　to　Musqueton；　but　the　steward　had　sold　the　last　wisp。　He　then　repaired　to　D'Artagnan；　who；　thanks　to　his　four　trusses　of　straw；　was　in　the　act　of　making　up　and　tasting；　by　anticipation；　the　luxury　of　a　bed　so　soft；　so　well　stuffed　at　the　head；　so　well　covered　at　the　foot；　that　it　would　have　excited　the　envy　of　the　king　himself；　if　his　majesty　had　not　been　fast　asleep　in　his　own。　D'Artagnan　could　on　no　account　consent　to　pull　his　bed　to　pieces　again　for　Porthos；　but　for　a　consideration　of　four　louis　that　the　latter　paid　him　for　it；　he　consented　that　Porthos　should　share　his　couch　with　him。　He　laid　his　sword　at　the　head；　his　pistols　by　his　side；　stretched　his　cloak　over　his　feet；　placed　his　felt　hat　on　the　top　of　his　cloak　and　extended　himself　luxuriously　on　the　straw；　which　rustled　under　him。　He　was　already　enjoying　the　sweet　dream　engendered　by　the　possession　of　two　hundred　and　nineteen　louis；　made　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when　a　voice　was　heard　at　the　door　of　the　hall；　which　made　him　stir。
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　it　cried。
　　〃Here！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃here！〃
　　Porthos　foresaw　that　if　D'Artagnan　was　called　away　he　should　remain　the　sole　possessor　of　the　bed。　An　officer　approached。
　　〃I　am　e　to　fetch　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
　　〃From　whom？〃
　　〃His　eminence　sent　me。〃
　　〃Tell　my　lord　that　I'm　going　to　sleep；　and　I　advise　him；　as　a　friend；　to　do　the　same。〃
　　〃His　eminence　is　not　gone　to　bed　and　will　not　go　to　bed；　and　wants　you　instantly。〃
　　〃The　devil　take　Mazarin；　who　does　not　know　when　to　sleep　at　the　proper　time。　What　does　he　want　with　me？　Is　it　to　make　me　a　captain？　In　that　case　I　will　forgive　him。〃
　　And　the　musketeer　rose；　grumbling；　took　his　sword；　hat；　pistols；　and　cloak；　and　followed　the　officer；　whilst　Porthos；　alone　and　sole　possessor　of　the　bed；　endeavored　to　follow　the　good　example　of　falling　asleep；　which　his　predecessor　had　set　him。
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　said　the　cardinal；　on　perceiving　him；　〃I　have　not　forgotten　with　what　zeal　you　have　served　me。　I　am　going　to　prove　to　you　that　I　have　not。〃
　　〃Good；〃　thought　the　Gascon；　〃this　is　a　promising　beginning。〃
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　resumed；　〃do　you　wish　to　bee　a　captain？〃
　　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
　　〃And　your　friend　still　longs　to　be　made　a　baron？〃
　　〃At　this　very　moment；　my　lord；　he　no　doubt　dreams　that　he　is　one　already。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Mazarin；　taking　from　his　portfolio　the　letter　which　he　had　already　shown　D'Artagnan；　〃take　this　dispatch　and　carry　it　to　England。〃
　　D'Artagnan　looked　at　the　envelope；　there　was　no　address　on　it。
　　〃Am　I　not　to　know　to　whom　to　present　it？〃
　　〃You　will　know　when　you　reach　London；　at　London　you　may　tear　off　the　outer　envelope。〃
　　〃And　what　are　my　instructions？〃
　　〃To　obey　in　every　particular　the　man　to　whom　this　letter　is　addressed。　You　must　set　out　for　Boulogne。　At　the　Royal　Arms　of　England　you　will　find　a　young　gentleman　named　Mordaunt。〃
　　〃Yes；　my　lord；　and　what　am　I　to　do　with　this　young　gentleman？〃
　　〃Follow　wherever　he　leads　you。〃
　　D'Artagnan　looked　at　the　cardinal　with　a　stupefied　air。
　　〃There　are　your　instructions；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃go！〃
　　〃Go！　'tis　easy　to　say　so；　but　that　requires　money；　and　I　haven't　any。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃so　you　have　no　money？〃
　　〃None；　my　lord。〃
　　〃But　the　diamond　I　gave　you　yesterday？〃
　　〃I　wish　to　keep　it　in　remembrance　of　your　eminence。〃
　　Mazarin　sighed。
　　〃'Tis　very　dear　living　in　England；　my　lord；　especially　as　envoy　extraordinary。〃
　　〃Zounds！〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃the　people　there　are　very　sedate；　and　their　habits；　since　the　revolution；　simple；　but　no　matter。〃
　　He　opened　a　drawer　and　took　out　a　purse。
　　〃What　do　you　say　to　a　thousand　crowns？〃
　　D'Artagnan　pouted　out　his　lower　lip　in　a　most　extraordinary　manner。
　　〃I　reply；　my　lord；　'tis　but　little；　as　certainly　I　shall　not　go　alone。〃
　　〃I　suppose　not。　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　that　worthy　gentleman；　for；　with　the　exception　of　yourself；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　there's　not　a　man　in　France　that　I　esteem　and　love　so　much　as　him　　〃
　　〃Then；　my　lord；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　pointing　to　the　purse　which　Mazarin　still　held；　〃if　you　love　and　esteem　him　so　much；　you　　understand　me？〃
　　〃Be　it　so！　on　his　account　I　add　two　hundred　crowns。〃
　　〃Scoundrel！〃　muttered　D'Artagnan。　〃But　on　our　return；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃may　we；　that　is；　my　friend　and　I；　depend　on　having；　he　his　barony；　and　I　my　promotion？〃
　　〃On　the　honor　of　Mazarin。〃
　　〃I　should　like　another　sort　of　oath　better；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　then　aloud；　〃May　I　not　offer　my　duty　to　her　majesty　the　queen？〃
　　〃Her　majesty　is　asleep　and　you　must　set　off　directly；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃go；　pray；　sir　　〃
　　〃One　word　more；　my　lord；　if　there's　any　fighting　where　I'm　going；　must　I　fight？〃
　　〃You　are　to　obey　the　mands　of　the　personage