by Alexandre Dumas

“ It was Aramis who broke the silence.
"What are you thinking of, D'Artagnan?" he began.
"I was thinking, my dear old friend, that when you were a musketeer you turned your thoughts incessantly to the church, and now that you are an abbe you are perpetually longing to be once more a musketeer."
"'Tis true; man, as you know," said Aramis, "is a strange animal, made up of contradictions. Since I became an abbe I dream of nothing but battles."
"That is apparent in your surroundings; you have rapiers here of every form and to suit the most exacting taste. Do you still fence well?" ”

“ The devil I am! Don't let it out at the Hotel Rambouillet; it would ruin me," replied the abbe.
"Don't be afraid," said D'Artagnan. "I never go there."
"Why, what in the world," cried Aramis, "is that animal Bazin doing? Bazin! Hurry up there, you rascal; we are mad with hunger and thirst!" ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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 D'Artagnan, "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." ”

“ The coadjutor has given me dispensations from fasting on the jours maigres, on account of my health; then I have engaged as my cook the cook who lived with Lafollone -- you know the man I mean? -- the friend of the cardinal, and the famous epicure whose grace after dinner used to be, `Good Lord, do me the favor to cause me to digest what I have eaten.'"
"Nevertheless he died of indigestion, in spite of his grace," said D'Artagnan.
"What can you expect?" replied Aramis, in a tone of resignation. "Every man that's born must fulfil his destiny." ”

“ 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." ”

“ I have discovered a sort of subterranean passage which runs beneath the street and we shall only have to raise one of the marble slabs before the door to open you an entrance and an outlet."
"Oh!" answered another voice, which D'Artagnan instantly recognized as that of Aramis. "I swear to you, princess, that if your reputation did not depend on precautions and if my life alone were jeopardized ---- "
"Yes, yes! I know you are as brave and venturesome as any man in the world, but you do not belong to me alone; you belong to all our party. Be prudent! Sensible!" ”

“ 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. ”

“ Two men, to the astonishment of D'Artagnan, appeared shortly; soon, however, his surprise vanished, for he heard the murmurs of a soft, harmonious voice; one of these two men was a woman disguised as a cavalier. ”

“ 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?" ”

“ Marry, forsooth, people don't die of hunger here.'
And Aramis, drawing in the ladder, closed the window. D'Artagnan then looked around attentively.
Never was there an apartment at the same time more warlike and more elegant. At each corner were arranged trophies, presenting to view swords of all sorts, and on the 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. ”

“ At their approach Planchet came out leading the two horses.
"That is good to see," said Aramis. "There is a servant active and vigilant, not like that lazy fellow Bazin, who is no longer good for anything since he became connected with the church. ”

“ You know that I don't like it. You will do much better to open the window and let down some bread, a chicken and a bottle of wine to your friend Planchet, who has been this last hour killing himself clapping his hands. ”

“ No. I make about twelve thousand francs a year, without counting a little benefice of a thousand crowns the prince gave me."
"And how do you make your twelve thousand francs? By your poems?"
"No, I have given up poetry, except now and then to write a drinking song, some gay sonnet or some innocent epigram; I compose sermons, my friend."
"What! Sermons? Do you preach them?" ”