condensed novels-第8部分

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locusts。　　The　stranger　looked　up。

〃Bring　me　another　fowl；　my　Perigord。〃

〃Impossible；　your　excellency；　the　larder　is　stripped　clean。〃

〃Another　flitch　of　bacon；　then。〃

〃Impossible；　your　highness；　there　is　no　more。〃

〃Well；　then；　wine！〃

The　landlord　brought　one　hundred　and　forty…four　bottles。　　The
courtier　drank　them　all。

〃One　may　drink　if　one　cannot　eat；〃　said　the　aristocratic　stranger；
good…humoredly。

The　innkeeper　shuddered。

The　guest　rose　to　depart。　　The　innkeeper　came　slowly　forward　with
his　bill；　to　which　he　had　covertly　added　the　losses　which　he　had
suffered　from　the　previous　strangers。

〃Ah；　the　bill。　　Charge　it。〃

〃Charge　it！　to　whom？〃

〃To　the　King；〃　said　the　guest。

〃What！　his　Majesty？〃

〃Certainly。　　Farewell；　Perigord。〃

The　innkeeper　groaned。　　Then　he　went　out　and　took　down　his　sign。
Then　remarked　to　his　wife：

〃I　am　a　plain　man；　and　don't　understand　politics。　　It　seems；
however；　that　the　country　is　in　a　troubled　state。　　Between　his
Eminence　the　Cardinal；　his　Majesty　the　King；　and　her　Majesty　the
Queen；　I　am　a　ruined　man。〃

〃Stay；〃　said　Dame　Perigord；　〃I　have　an　idea。〃

〃And　that　is〃

〃Become　yourself　a　musketeer。〃


CHAPTER　II。

THE　COMBAT。


On　leaving　Provins　the　first　musketeer　proceeded　to　Nangis；　where
he　was　reinforced　by　thirty…three　followers。　　The　second　musketeer；
arriving　at　Nangis　at　the　same　moment；　placed　himself　at　the　head
of　thirty…three　more。　　The　third　guest　of　the　landlord　of　Provins
arrived　at　Nangis　in　time　to　assemble　together　thirty…three　other
musketeers。

The　first　stranger　led　the　troops　of　his　Eminence。

The　second　led　the　troops　of　the　Queen。

The　third　led　the　troops　of　the　King。

The　fight　commenced。　　It　raged　terribly　for　seven　hours。　　The　first
musketeer　killed　thirty　of　the　Queen's　troops。　　The　second
musketeer　killed　thirty　of　the　King's　troops。　　The　third　musketeer
killed　thirty　of　his　Eminence's　troops。

By　this　time　it　will　be　perceived　the　number　of　musketeers　had　been
narrowed　down　to　four　on　each　side。

Naturally　the　three　principal　warriors　approached　each　other。

They　simultaneously　uttered　a　cry。

〃Aramis！〃

〃Athos！〃

〃D'Artagnan！〃

They　fell　into　each　other's　arms。

〃And　it　seems　that　we　are　fighting　against　each　other；　my
children；〃　said　the　Count　de　la　Fere；　mournfully。

〃How　singular！〃　exclaimed　Aramis　and　D'Artagnan。

〃Let　us　stop　this　fratricidal　warfare；〃　said　Athos。

〃We　will！〃　they　exclaimed　together。

〃But　how　to　disband　our　followers？〃　queried　D'Artagnan。

Aramis　winked。　　They　understood　each　other。　　〃Let　us　cut　'em　down！〃

They　cut　'em　down。　　Aramis　killed　three。　　D'Artagnan　three。　　Athos
three。

The　friends　again　embraced。　　〃How　like　old　times；〃　said　Aramis。
〃How　touching！〃　exclaimed　the　serious　and　philosophic　Count　de　la
Fere。

The　galloping　of　hoofs　caused　them　to　withdraw　from　each　other's
embraces。　　A　gigantic　figure　rapidly　approached。

〃The　innkeeper　of　Provins！〃　they　cried；　drawing　their　swords。

〃Perigord；　down　with　him！〃　shouted　D'Artagnan。

〃Stay；〃　said　Athos。

The　gigantic　figure　was　beside　them。　　He　uttered　a　cry。

〃Athos；　Aramis；　D'Artagnan！〃

〃Porthos！〃　exclaimed　the　astonished　trio。

〃The　same。〃　　They　all　fell　in　each　other's　arms。

The　Count　de　la　Fere　slowly　raised　his　hands　to　Heaven。　　〃Bless
you！　　Bless　us；　my　children！　　However　different　our　opinion　may　be
in　regard　to　politics；　we　have　but　one　opinion　in　regard　to　our　own
merits。　　Where　can　you　find　a　better　man　than　Aramus？〃

〃Than　Porthos？〃　said　Aramis。

〃Than　D'Artagnan？〃　said　Porthos。

〃Than　Athos？〃　said　D'Artagnan。


CHAPTER　III。

SHOWING　HOW　THE　KING　OF　FRANCE　WENT　UP　A　LADDER。


The　King　descended　into　the　garden。　　Proceeding　cautiously　along
the　terraced　walk；　he　came　to　the　wall　immediately　below　the
windows　of　Madame。　　To　the　left　were　two　windows；　concealed　by
vines。　　They　opened　into　the　apartments　of　La　Valliere。

The　King　sighed。

〃It　is　about　nineteen　feet　to　that　window；〃　said　the　King。　　〃If　I
had　a　ladder　about　nineteen　feet　long；　it　would　reach　to　that
window。　　This　is　logic。〃

Suddenly　the　King　stumbled　over　something。　　〃St。　Denis！〃　he
exclaimed；　looking　down。　　It　was　a　ladder；　just　nineteen　feet　long。

The　King　placed　it　against　the　wall。　　In　so　doing；　he　fixed　the
lower　end　upon　the　abdomen　of　a　man　who　lay　concealed　by　the　wall
The　man　did　not　utter　a　cry　or　wince。　　The　King　suspected　nothing。
He　ascended　the　ladder。

The　ladder　was　too　short。　　Louis　the　Grand　was　not　a　tall　man。　　He
was　still　two　feet　below　the　window。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　King。

Suddenly　the　ladder　was　lifted　two　feet　from　below。　　This　enabled
the　King　to　leap　in　the　window。　　At　the　farther　end　of　the
apartment　stood　a　young　girl；　with　red　hair　and　a　lame　leg。　　She
was　trembling　with　emotion。

〃Louise！〃

〃The　King！〃

〃Ah；　my　God；　mademoiselle。〃

〃Ah；　my　God；　sire。〃

But　a　low　knock　at　the　door　interrupted　the　lovers。　　The　King
uttered　a　cry　of　rage；　Louise　one　of　despair。

The　door　opened　and　D'Artagnan　entered。

〃Good　evening；　sire；〃　said　the　musketeer。

The　King　touched　a　bell。　　Porthos　appeared　in　the　doorway。

〃Good　evening；　sire。〃

〃Arrest　M。　D'Artagnan。〃

Porthos　looked　at　D'Artagnan；　and　did　not　move。

The　King　almost　turned　purple　with　rage。　　He　again　touched　the
bell。　　Athos　entered。

〃Count；　arrest　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan。〃

The　Count　de　la　Fere　glanced　at　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan；　and　smiled
sweetly。

〃Sacre！　　Where　is　Aramis？〃　said　the　King；　violently。

〃Here；　sire；〃　and　Aramis　entered。

〃Arrest　Athos；　Porthos；　and　D'Artagnan。〃

Aramis　bowed　and　folded　his　arms。

〃Arrest　yourself！〃

Aramis　did　not　move。

The　King　shuddered　and　turned　pale。　　〃Am　I　not　King　of　France？〃

〃Assuredly；　sire；　but　we　are　also　severally；　Porthos；　Aramis；
D'Artagnan；　and　Athos。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　King。

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃What　does　this　mean？〃

〃It　means；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Aramis；　stepping　forward；　〃that　your
conduct　as　a　married　man　is　highly　improper。　　I　am　an　Abbe；　and　I
object　to　these　improprieties。　　My　friends　here；　D'Artagnan；　Athos；
and　Porthos；　pure…minded　young　men；　are　also　terribly　shocked。
Observe；　sire；　how　they　blush！〃

Athos；　Porthos；　and　D'Artagnan　blushed。　　〃Ah；〃　said　the　King；
thoughtfully。　　〃You　teach　me　a　lesson。　　You　are　devoted　and　noble
young　gentlemen；　but　your　only　weakness　is　your　excessive　modesty。
From　this　moment　I　make　you　all　Marshals　and　Dukes；　with　the
exception　of　Aramis。〃

〃And　me；　sire？〃　said　Aramis。

〃You　shall　be　an　Archbishop！〃

The　four　friends　looked　up　and　then　rushed　into　each　other's　arms。
The　King　embraced　Louise　de　la　Valliere；　by　way　of　keeping　them
company。　　A　pause　ensued。　　At　last　Athos　spoke：

〃Swear；　my　children；　that；　next　to　yourselves；　you　will　respect
the　King　of　France；　and　remember　that　'Forty　years　after'　we　will
meet　again。〃



THE　DWELLER　OF　THE　THRESHOLD。

BY　SIR　EDD　LTTN　BLWR。


BOOK　I。

THE　PROMPTINGS　OF　THE　IDEAL。


It　was　noon。　　Sir　Edward　had　stepped　from　his　brougham　and　was
proceeding　on　foot　down　the　Strand。　　He　was　dressed　with　his　usual
faultless　taste；　but　in　alighting　from　his　vehicle　his　foot　had
slipped；　and　a　small　round　disk　of　conglomerated　soil；　which
instantly　appeared　on　his　high　arched　instep；　marred　the　harmonious
glitter　of　his　boots。　　Sir　Edward　was　fastidious。　　Casting　his　eyes
around；　at　a　little　distance　he　perceived　the　stand　of　a　youthful
bootblack。　　Thither　he　sauntered；　and　carelessly　placing　his　foot
on　the　low　stool；　he　waited　the　application　of　the　polisher's　art。
〃'Tis　true；〃　said　Sir　Edward　to　himself；　yet　half　aloud；　〃the
contact　of　the　Foul　and　the　Disgusting　mars　the　general　effect　of
the　Shiny　and　the　Beautifuland；　yet；　why　am　I　here？　　I　repeat　it；
calmly　and　deliberatelywhy　am　I　here？　　Ha！　　Boy！〃

The　Boy　looked　uphis　dark　Italian　eyes　glanced　intelligently　at
the　Philosopher；　and　as　with　one　hand　he　tossed　back　his　glossy
curls；　from　his　marble　brow；　and　with　the　other　he　spread　the
equally　glossy　Day　&　Martin　over　the　Baronet's　boot；　he　answered　in
deep　rich　tones：　〃The　Ideal　is　subjective　to　the　Real。　　The
exercise　of　apperception　gives　a　distinctiveness　to　idiocracy；
which　is；　however；　subject　to　the　limits　of　ME。　　You　are　an　admirer
of　the　Beautiful；　sir。　　You　wish　your　boots　blacked。　　The　Beautiful
is　attainable　by　means　of　the　Coin。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Sir　Edward　thoughtfully；　gazing　upon　the　almost　supernal
beauty　of　the　Child　before　him；　〃you　speak　well。　　You　have　read
Kant。〃

The　Boy　blushed　deeply。　　He　drew　a　copy　of　Kant　from　his　blouse；
but　in　his　confusion　several　other　volumes　dropped　from　his　bosom
on　the　ground。　　The　Baronet　picked　them　up。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　Philosopher；　〃what's　this？　　Cicero's　De　Senectute；
at　your　age；　too？　　Martial's　Epigrams；　Caesar's　Commentaries。
What！　a　classical　scholar？〃

〃E　pluribus　Unum。　　Nux　vomica。　　Nil　desperandum。　　Nihil　fit！〃　said
the　Boy；　enthusiastically。　　The　Philosopher　gazed　at　the　Child。　　A
strange　presence　seemed　to　transfuse　and　possess　him。　　Over　the
brow　of　the　Boy　glittered　the　pale　nimbus　of　the　Student。

〃Ah；　and　Schiller's　Robbers；　too？〃　queried　the　Philosopher。

〃Das　ist　ausgespielt；〃　said　the　Boy；　modestly。

〃Then　you　have　read　my　translation　of　Schiller's　Ballads？〃
continued　the　Baronet；　with　some　show　of　interest。

〃I　have；　and　infinitely　prefer　them　to　the　original；〃　said　the　Boy；
with　intellectual　warmth。　　〃You　have　shown　how　in　Actual　life　we
strive　for　a　Goal　we　cannot　reach；　how　in　the　Ideal　the　Goal　is
attainable；　and　there　effort　is　victory。　　You　have　given　us　the
Antithesis　which　is　a　key　to　the　Remainder；　and　constantly　balances
before　us　the　conditions　of　the　Actual　and　the　privileges　of　the
Ideal。〃

My　very　words；〃　said　the　Baronet；　〃wonderful；　wonderful！〃　and　he
gazed　fondly　at　the　Italian　boy；　who　again　resumed　his　menial
employment。　　Alas！　the　wings　of　the　Ideal　were　folded。　　The　Student
had　been　absorbed　in　the　Boy。

But　Sir　Edward's　boots　were　blacked；　and　he　turned　to　depart。
Placing　his　hand　upon　the　clustering　tendrils　that　surrounded　the
classic　nob　of　the　infant　Italian；　he　said　softly；　like　a　strain　of
distant　music：

〃Boy；　yo