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85 - Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas · Twenty Years After

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Of Cardinal Mazarin. At first, on arriving at the door
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: through which Mazarin had passed, d'Artagnan tried in vain to
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: open it, but on the powerful shoulder of Porthos being
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: applied to one of the panels, which gave way, d'Artagnan
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: introduced the point of his sword between the bolt and
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  Speaker 1: the staple of the lock. The bolt gave way and
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  Speaker 1: the door opened. As I told you, everything can be attained, Porthos,
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  Speaker 1: women and doors by proceeding with gentleness. You're a great moralist,
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  Speaker 1: and that's the fact, said Porthos. They entered behind a
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  Speaker 1: glass window by the light of the cardinal's lantern, which
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  Speaker 1: had been placed on the floor in the midst of
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  Speaker 1: the gallery, they saw the orange and pomegranate trees of
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  Speaker 1: the castov Rorie in long lines, forming one great alley
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  Speaker 1: and two smaller side alleys. No cardinal, said d'Artagnan, but
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  Speaker 1: only his lantern. Where the devil then is he exploring? However,
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: one of the side wings at the gallery, after making
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  Speaker 1: a sign to Porthos to explore the other, he saw
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  Speaker 1: all at once at left a tub containing an orange
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  Speaker 1: tree which had been pushed out of its place, and
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  Speaker 1: in its place an open aperture. Ten men would have
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  Speaker 1: found difficulty in moving that tub, but by some mechanical contrivance,
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  Speaker 1: it had turned with a flagstone on which it rested. d'Artagnan,
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  Speaker 1: as we have said, perceived a hole in that place,
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  Speaker 1: and in this hole the steps of a winding staircase.
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  Speaker 1: He called Porthos to look at it. Were our object
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  Speaker 1: money only, he said, We should be rich directly. How's that?
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  Speaker 1: Don't you understand, Porthos. At the bottom of that staircase
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  Speaker 1: lies probably the cardinal's treasury, of which folk tell such wonders.
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  Speaker 1: And we should only have to descend empty a chest,
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  Speaker 1: shut the cardinal up in it, double lock it, go away,
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  Speaker 1: carrying off as much gold as we could put back
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  Speaker 1: This orange tree over the place, and no one in
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  Speaker 1: the world would ever ask us where our fortune came from,
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  Speaker 1: not even the cardinal. It would be a happy hit
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  Speaker 1: for clowns to make. But as it seems to be
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  Speaker 1: unworthy of two gentlemen, said Porthos, so I think, and
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: therefore I said, were our object money only? But we
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  Speaker 1: want something else, replied the gascon. At the same moment,
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  Speaker 1: whilst d'Artagnan was leaning over the aperture to listen a
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  Speaker 1: metallic sound, as if some one was moving. A bag
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  Speaker 1: of gold struck on his ear. He started instantly. Afterward,
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  Speaker 1: a door opened and a light played upon the staircase.
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  Speaker 1: Mazarin had left his lamp in the gallery to make
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  Speaker 1: people believe that he was walking about, but he had
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  Speaker 1: with him a wax light to help him to explore
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  Speaker 1: his mysterious strong box faith. He said in Italian, as
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  Speaker 1: he was reascending the steps and looking at the back
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  Speaker 1: of royal's faith. There is enough to pay five councilors
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  Speaker 1: of Parliament and two generals in Paris. I'm a great
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  Speaker 1: captain that I am, but I make war in my
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: own way. The two friends were crouching down meantime behind
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: the tup in the side alley. Mazarin came within three
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: steps of d'Artagnan and pushed a spring in the wall.
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  Speaker 1: The slab turned and the orange tree resumed its place.
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  Speaker 1: Then the cardinal put out the wax light, slipped it
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  Speaker 1: into his pocket, and taking up the lantern. Now he said,
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  Speaker 1: for Monsieur de la Fere, very good thought, d'Artagnan tis
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  Speaker 1: our road likewise, we will go together. All three set
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  Speaker 1: off on their walk, Mazarin taking the middle alley and
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  Speaker 1: the friends the side ones. The cardinal reached the second
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  Speaker 1: door without perceiving he was being followed. The sand with
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  Speaker 1: which the alleys were covered deadened the sound of footsteps.
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  Speaker 1: He then turned to the left, down a corridor which
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  Speaker 1: had escaped the attention of the two friends. But as
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  Speaker 1: he opened the door, he paused, as if in thought.
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  Speaker 1: Ah diavolo, he exclaimed, I forgot the recommendation of de Comigne,
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  Speaker 1: who advised me to take a guard and place it
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  Speaker 1: at this door, in order not to put myself at
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  Speaker 1: the mercy of that foreheaded combination of devils. And with
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  Speaker 1: a movement of impatience, he turned to retrace his steps.
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  Speaker 1: Do not give yourself the trouble, my lord, said d'Artagnan,
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  Speaker 1: with his right foot forward, his beaver in his hand,
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  Speaker 1: a smile on his face. We have followed your eminence
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  Speaker 1: step by step, and here we are, Yes, here we are,
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  Speaker 1: said Porthos, and he made the same friendly salute as
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  Speaker 1: d'artagn Mazarin gazed at each of them with a frightened stare,
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  Speaker 1: recognized them and let drop his lantern, uttering a cry
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  Speaker 1: of terror, d'artagn picked it up. By good luck it
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  Speaker 1: had not been extinguished. Oh what imprudence, my lord, said d'Artagnan.
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  Speaker 1: Tis not good to be about just here without a light.
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  Speaker 1: Your eminence might knock against something or fall into a hole,
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  Speaker 1: Monsieur d'Artagnan muttered Mazarin, unable to recover from his astonishment. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: my lord, it is I have the honor to present
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  Speaker 1: to you, Monsieur de Vallon, that excellent friend of mine,
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  Speaker 1: in whom your Eminence had the kindness to interest yourself formerly,
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  Speaker 1: and that I held the lamp before the merry face
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  Speaker 1: of Porthos, who now began to comprehend the affair and
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  Speaker 1: be very proud of the whole undertaking you were going
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  Speaker 1: to visit, Monsieur de la Fere, said d'Artagnan. Don't let
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  Speaker 1: us desarrange. Your eminence, be so good as to show
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  Speaker 1: us the way, and we will follow you. Mazarin was
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  Speaker 1: by degrees recovering his senses. Have you been long in
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  Speaker 1: the orangery, he asked in a trembling voice, remembering the
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  Speaker 1: visits he had been paying to his treasury. Porthos opened
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  Speaker 1: his mouth to reply. d'Artagnan made him a sign, and
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  Speaker 1: his mouth, remaining silent, gradually closed this moment. Come, my lord,
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: said d'Artagnan. Mazarin breathed again. His fears were now no
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  Speaker 1: longer for his Holde, but for himself. A sort of
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: smile played on his lips. Come, he said, you have
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  Speaker 1: me in a snare. Gentlemen, I confess myself conquered. You
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  Speaker 1: wish to ask for liberty, and I give it you. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: my lord, answered d'Artagnan, You are too good as to
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  Speaker 1: our liberty. We have that. We want to ask something
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  Speaker 1: else of you. You have your liberty, repeated Mazarin in terror, certainly.
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  Speaker 1: And on the other hand, my lord, you have lost it,
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  Speaker 1: and now, in accordance with the law of war, Sir,
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  Speaker 1: you must buy it back again. Mazarin felt a shiver
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  Speaker 1: run through him, a chill even to his hard's core.
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  Speaker 1: His piercing look was fixed in vain on the satirical
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  Speaker 1: face of the Gascon and the unchanging countenance of Porthos.
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  Speaker 1: Both were in shadow, and the symbol of Cumor herself
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  Speaker 1: could not have read them. To purchase back my liberty,
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  Speaker 1: said the cardinal yes, my lord, and how much will
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  Speaker 1: that cost me? Monsieur d'Artagnan silence, my lord, I don't
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  Speaker 1: know yet. We must ask the Comte de la fere
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  Speaker 1: the question. Will your eminence deign to open the door
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  Speaker 1: which leads to the Count's room, and in ten minutes
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  Speaker 1: all will be settled? Mazarin started. My lord, said d'Artagnan,
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  Speaker 1: Your eminence sees that we wish to act with all
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  Speaker 1: formality and due respect. But I must warn you that
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  Speaker 1: we have no time to lose. Open the door, then,
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: my lord, and be so good as to remember once
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  Speaker 1: for all, that on the slightest attempt to escape or
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: the faintest cry for help, our position being very critical, indeed,
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  Speaker 1: you must not be angry with us if we go
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  Speaker 1: to extremities. Be assured, answered Mazarin that I shall attempt nothing.
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  Speaker 1: I gave you my word of honor. d'Artagnan made a
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  Speaker 1: sign to Porthos to redouble his watchfulness, then turning to Mazarin, Now,
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  Speaker 1: my lord, let us enter, if you please. End of
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  Speaker 1: chapter eighty five