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

Rh 442 THE MAN IN" THE IRON MASK. years. Colbert understood them, and was touched by this best of flatteries. said D'Artagrian, **out of France still less must be known. '* bert, *Hhat Spain promising its neutrality, England helping us " neutrality of Spain.'' 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. here ! What ells of ribbon would there be for him in these largesses! Good Porthos!" 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. marshes yonder. Monsieur d'Artagnan, and the best swim- mers are sometimes drowned there." 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. "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
 * ^If we<«, in France, were ignorant of what was going on/'
 * That is why I told Monsieur TAmbassadeur," said Col-
 * 'If England assists you," said Aramis, *'I engage for the
 * 'I take you at your word," Colbert hastened to reply,
 * 0h!" thought D'Artagnan, "and Porthos is no longer
 * 'Monsieur d'Artagnan/' resumed Colbert, '^between us
 * Like an eel," replied D'Artagnan.
 * 'Ah! but there are some rough passages of canals and
 * It is my profession to die for his majesty," said the
 * 'So, then," said Colbert, **we go into Holland?"
 * Yes," replied D'Artagnan; ''only "