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　　〃Ah；　monsieur；　I　have　not　here；　as　I　had　there；　the　ponds　of　monsieur　le　prince；　where　I　could　catch　those　beautiful　carp；　nor　the　forests　of　his　highness　to　provide　me　with　partridges。　As　for　the　cellar；　I　have　searched　every　part　and　poor　stuff　I　found。〃
　　〃Monsieur　Mouston；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　should　indeed　condole　with　you　had　I　not　at　this　moment　something　very　pressing　to　attend　to。〃
　　Then　taking　Porthos　aside：
　　〃My　dear　Du　Vallon；〃　he　said；　〃here　you　are　in　full　dress　most　fortunately；　for　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　the　cardinal's。〃
　　〃Gracious　me！　really！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　opening　his　great　wondering　eyes。
　　〃Yes；　my　friend。〃
　　〃A　presentation？　indeed！〃
　　〃Does　that　alarm　you？〃
　　〃No；　but　it　agitates　me。〃
　　〃Oh！　don't　be　distressed；　you　have　to　deal　with　a　cardinal　of　another　kind。　This　one　will　not　oppress　you　by　his　dignity。〃
　　〃'Tis　the　same　thing　　you　understand　me；　D'Artagnan　　a　court。〃
　　〃There's　no　court　now。　Alas！〃
　　〃The　queen！〃
　　〃I　was　going　to　say；　there's　no　longer　a　queen。　The　queen！　Rest　assured；　we　shall　not　see　her。〃
　　〃And　you　say　that　we　are　going　from　here　to　the　Palais　Royal？〃
　　〃Immediately。　Only；　that　there　may　be　no　delay；　I　shall　borrow　one　of　your　horses。〃
　　〃Certainly；　all　the　four　are　at　your　service。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　need　only　one　of　them　for　the　time　being。〃
　　〃Shall　we　take　our　valets？〃
　　〃Yes；　you　may　as　well　take　Musqueton。　As　to　Planchet；　he　has　certain　reasons　for　not　going　to　court。〃
　　〃And　what　are　they？〃
　　〃Oh；　he　doesn't　stand　well　with　his　eminence。〃
　　〃Mouston；〃　said　Porthos；　〃saddle　Vulcan　and　Bayard。〃
　　〃And　for　myself；　monsieur；　shall　I　saddle　Rustaud？〃
　　〃No；　take　a　more　stylish　horse；　Phoebus　or　Superbe；　we　are　going　with　some　ceremony。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Musqueton；　breathing　more　freely；　〃you　are　only　going；　then；　to　make　a　visit？〃
　　〃Oh！　yes；　of　course；　Mouston；　nothing　else。　But　to　avoid　risk；　put　the　pistols　in　the　holsters。　You　will　find　mine　on　my　saddle；　already　loaded。〃
　　Mouston　breathed　a　sigh；　he　couldn't　understand　visits　of　ceremony　made　under　arms。
　　〃Indeed；〃　said　Porthos；　looking　placently　at　his　old　lackey　as　he　went　away；　〃you　are　right；　D'Artagnan；　Mouston　will　do；　Mouston　has　a　very　fine　appearance。〃
　　D'Artagnan　smiled。
　　〃But　you；　my　friend　　are　you　not　going　to　change　your　dress？〃
　　〃No；　I　shall　go　as　I　am。　This　traveling　dress　will　serve　to　show　the　cardinal　my　haste　to　obey　his　mands。〃
　　They　set　out　on　Vulcan　and　Bayard；　followed　by　Musqueton　on　Phoebus；　and　arrived　at　the　Palais　Royal　at　about　a　quarter　to　seven。　The　streets　were　crowded；　for　it　was　the　day　of　Pentecost；　and　the　crowd　looked　in　wonder　at　these　two　cavaliers；　one　as　fresh　as　if　he　had　e　out　of　a　bandbox；　the　other　so　covered　with　dust　that　he　looked　as　if　he　had　but　just　e　off　a　field　of　battle。
　　Musqueton　also　attracted　attention；　and　as　the　romance　of　Don　Quixote　was　then　the　fashion；　they　said　that　he　was　Sancho；　who；　after　having　lost　one　master；　had　found　two。
　　On　reaching　the　palace；　D'Artagnan　sent　to　his　eminence　the　letter　in　which　he　had　been　ordered　to　return　without　delay。　He　was　soon　ordered　to　the　presence　of　the　cardinal。
　　〃Courage！〃　he　whispered　to　Porthos；　as　they　proceeded。　〃Do　not　be　intimidated。　Believe　me；　the　eye　of　the　eagle　is　closed　forever。　We　have　only　the　vulture　to　deal　with。　Hold　yourself　as　bolt　upright　as　on　the　day　of　the　bastion　of　St。　Gervais；　and　do　not　bow　too　low　to　this　Italian；　that　might　give　him　a　poor　idea　of　you。〃
　　〃Good！〃　answered　Porthos。　〃Good！〃
　　Mazarin　was　in　his　study；　working　at　a　list　of　pensions　and　benefices；　of　which　he　was　trying　to　reduce　the　number。　He　saw　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　enter　with　internal　pleasure；　yet　showed　no　joy　in　his　countenance。
　　〃Ah！　you；　is　it？　Monsieur　le　lieutenant；　you　have　been　very　prompt。　'Tis　well。　Wele　to　ye。〃
　　〃Thanks；　my　lord。　Here　I　am　at　your　eminence's　service；　as　well　as　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　one　of　my　old　friends；　who　used　to　conceal　his　nobility　under　the　name　of　Porthos。〃
　　Porthos　bowed　to　the　cardinal。
　　〃A　magnificent　cavalier；〃　remarked　Mazarin。
　　Porthos　turned　his　head　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　and　drew　himself　up　with　a　movement　full　of　dignity。
　　〃The　best　swordsman　in　the　kingdom；　my　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　Porthos　bowed　to　his　friend。
　　Mazarin　was　as　fond　of　fine　soldiers　as；　in　later　times；　Frederick　of　Prussia　used　to　be。　He　admired　the　strong　hands；　the　broad　shoulders　and　the　steady　eye　of　Porthos。　He　seemed　to　see　before　him　the　salvation　of　his　administration　and　of　the　kingdom；　sculptured　in　flesh　and　bone。　He　remembered　that　the　old　association　of　musketeers　was　posed　of　four　persons。
　　〃And　your　two　other　friends？〃　he　asked。
　　Porthos　opened　his　mouth；　thinking　it　a　good　opportunity　to　put　in　a　word　in　his　turn；　D'Artagnan　checked　him　by　a　glance　from　the　corner　of　his　eye。
　　〃They　are　prevented　at　this　moment；　but　will　join　us　later。〃
　　Mazarin　coughed　a　little。
　　〃And　this　gentleman；　being　disengaged；　takes　to　the　service　willingly？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Yes；　my　lord；　and　from　pure　devotion　to　the　cause；　for　Monsieur　de　Bracieux　is　rich。〃
　　〃Rich！〃　said　Mazarin；　whom　that　single　word　always　inspired　with　a　great　respect。
　　〃Fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　said　Porthos。
　　These　were　the　first　words　he　had　spoken。
　　〃From　pure　zeal？〃　resumed　Mazarin；　with　his　artful　smile；　〃from　pure　zeal　and　devotion　then？〃
　　〃My　lord　has；　perhaps；　no　faith　in　those　words？〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃Have　you；　Monsieur　le　Gascon？〃　asked　Mazarin；　supporting　his　elbows　on　his　desk　and　his　chin　on　his　hands。
　　〃I；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　〃I　believe　in　devotion　as　a　word　at　one's　baptism；　for　instance；　which　naturally　es　before　one's　proper　name；　every　one　is　naturally　more　or　less　devout；　certainly；　but　there　should　be　at　the　end　of　one's　devotion　something　to　gain。〃
　　〃And　your　friend；　for　instance；　what　does　he　expect　to　have　at　the　end　of　his　devotion？〃
　　〃Well；　my　lord；　my　friend　has　three　magnificent　estates：　that　of　Vallon；　at　Corbeil；　that　of　Bracieux；　in　the　Soissonais；　and　that　of　Pierrefonds；　in　the　Valois。　Now；　my　lord；　he　would　like　to　have　one　of　his　three　estates　erected　into　a　barony。〃
　　〃Only　that？〃　said　Mazarin；　his　eyes　twinkling　with　joy　on　seeing　that　he　could　pay　for　Porthos's　devotion　without　opening　his　purse；　〃only　that？　That　can　be　managed。〃
　　〃I　shall　be　baron！〃　explained　Porthos；　stepping　forward。
　　〃I　told　you　so；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　checking　him　with　his　hand；　〃and　now　his　eminence　confirms　it。〃
　　〃And　you；　Monsieur　D'Artagnan；　what　do　you　want？〃
　　〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it　is　twenty　years　since　Cardinal　de　Richelieu　made　me　lieutenant。〃
　　〃Yes；　and　you　would　be　gratified　if　Cardinal　Mazarin　should　make　you　captain。〃
　　D'Artagnan　bowed。
　　〃Well；　that　is　not　impossible。　We　will　see；　gentlemen；　we　will　see。　Now；　Monsieur　de　Vallon；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃what　service　do　you　prefer；　in　the　town　or　in　the　country？〃
　　Porthos　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。
　　〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃Monsieur　de　Vallon　is　like　me；　he　prefers　service　extraordinary　　that　is　to　say；　enterprises　that　are　considered　mad　and　impossible。〃
　　That　boastfulness　was　not　displeasing　to　Mazarin；　he　fell　into　meditation。
　　〃And　yet；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　admit　that　I　sent　for　you　to　appoint　you　to　quiet　service；　I　have　certain　apprehensions　　well；　what　is　the　meaning　of　that？〃
　　In　fact；　a　great　noise　was　heard　in　the　ante…chamber；　at　the　same　time　the　door　of　the　study　was　burst　open　and　a　man；　covered　with　dust；　rushed　into　it；　exclaiming：
　　〃My　lord　the　cardinal！　my　lord　the　cardinal！〃
　　Mazarin　thought　that　some　one　was　going　to　assassinate　him　and　he　drew　back；　pushing　his　chair　on　the　castors。　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　moved　so　as　to　plant　themselves　between　the　person　entering　and　the　cardinal。
　　〃Well；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mazarin；　〃what's　the　matter？　and　why　do　you　rush　in　here；　as　if　you　were　about　to　penetrate　a　crowded　market…place？〃
　　〃My　lord；〃　replied　the　messenger；　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　your　eminence　in　secret。　I　am　Monsieur　du　Poins；　an　officer　in　the　guards；　on　duty　at　the　donjon　of　Vince