Calico Illustrated Classics: The Man in the Iron Mask
once again on the day my prince leaves these gloomy walls How will you give me notice of it By coming to get you If I raise myself to the very height of honor with your help to you will I offer half my power and glory said Philippe Monseigneur the nobility of your heart fills me with joy and admiration replied Aramis The prince offered his hand to the bishop who bent down upon his knee and kissed it Aramis then rapped on the door The jailer came to open it with Baisemeaux who was devoured by fear What a confession said the prison governor forcing a laugh Who would have believed he could have committed so many sins and so long in the telling 10
2 Monsieur Percerin Porthos sat on his bed with his legs dangling over the side staring at the garments scattered all over the floor D’Artagnan the captain of the King’s Musketeers watched him from the room’s threshold My friend what in the world is the matter d’Artagnan asked I have received an invitation for the festivities at Vaux said Porthos gloomily And you complain d’Artagnan asked The king has broken a hundred hearts among the nobles by refusing invitations Are you ill It’s not that It’s that I have no clothes No clothes I see at least fifty suits on the floor d’Artagnan cried 11
But not one fits me Porthos moaned Are you not measured when you give an order to have a suit made I hate letting anyone measure me I had an idea which was a good one except for Mouston’s carelessness Porthos was speaking of his faithful servant of many years I was pleased at seeing Mouston getting fat and did all I could to make him stout I hoped he would become equal to me in size and be measured in my place I see said d’Artagnan That spared you both the time and the embarrassment But he forgot to inform me that he had gotten stouter In the two years I was away building Belle-Isle he gained eighteen inches And so my last dozen suits are all too large Come with me to the king’s tailor Porthos I thought he would be too busy He will be but he will do for me what he won’t do for another d’Artagnan said Only you must be measured 12
Since the tailor measures the king I think I may well allow him to measure me Porthos finally agreed Before their carriage could come near the house of Monsieur Percerin the king’s tailor d’Artagnan and Porthos found a long line of carriages in front of them So many people What are they all doing Porthos complained They are waiting their turn to enter Monsieur Percerin’s house d’Artagnan replied Are we going to wait too We shall be more clever and less proud than they D’Artagnan and Porthos climbed down from the carriage and made their way on foot D’Artagnan pushed on Porthos and Porthos scattered groups of people right and left So they succeeded in reaching the counter where apprentice tailors were doing their best to answer questions D’Artagnan merely said The king’s order and was let in with his friend 13
