Page:The Man in the Iron Mask.djvu/456

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THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK

442 THE MAN IN" THE IRON MASK. years. Colbert understood them, and was touched by this best of flatteries.

  • ^If we<«, in France, were ignorant of what was going on/'

said D'Artagrian, **out of France still less must be known. '*

    • That is why I told Monsieur TAmbassadeur," said Col-

bert, *Hhat Spain promising its neutrality, England helping us "

  • 'If England assists you," said Aramis, *'I engage for the

neutrality of Spain.

  • 'I take you at your word," Colbert hastened to reply,

with his blunt bonhomie. *^And apropos of Spain, you have not the ^Golden Fleece/ Monsieur d'Almeda. I heard the king say the other day that he should like to see you wear the grand cordon oi St. Michael." Aramis bowed.

    • 0h!" thought D'Artagnan, "and Porthos is no longer

here ! What ells of ribbon would there be for him in these largesses! Good Porthos!"

  • 'Monsieur d'Artagnan/' resumed Colbert, '^between us

two, you will have, I would wager, an inclination to lead your musketeers into Holland. Can you swim?" And he laughed like a man in a very good humor.

    • Like an eel," replied D'Artagnan.
  • 'Ah! but there are some rough passages of canals and

marshes yonder. Monsieur d'Artagnan, and the best swim- mers are sometimes drowned there."

    • It is my profession to die for his majesty," said the

musketeer. Only as it is seldom that in war much water is met with without a little fire, I declare to you beforehand that I will do my best to choose fire. I am getting old; water freezes me — fire warms. Monsieur Colbert." And D'Artagnan looked so handsome in juvenile vigor and pride, as he pronounced these words, that Colbert, in his turn, could not help admiring him. D'Artagnan per- ceived the effect he had produced. He remembered that the best tradesman is he who fixes a high price upon his goods when they are valuable. He prepared, then, his price in advance.

  • 'So, then," said Colbert, **we go into Holland?"
    • Yes," replied D'Artagnan; only "

"Only?" said M. Colbert. "Only," repeated D'Artagnan, "there is in everything the question of interest and the question of self-love. It is a very fine title, that of captain of the musketeers; but, ob-

serve this: we have now the king's guards and the military