D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

120 The Musketeer’s Warrant. “But even Diogenes had the king come into his shadow———’” “Oh, a visitor did come—not the king, but from his minister ‘3 “That would tickle your dame! From Richelieu?” “The duke sent me young De Varech, whom you, who never forgets a soldier of yours, must recall as a Gray Musketeer?” “De Varech, a young Breton?” “With enormous knees!’ “Like knots in a hawser? Certainly, I recall him,” laughing. “I made him a fugleman, that he might let the others close up. It spoilt the formation to have it looking where he rode as if there were a missing cava- lier to either side. I suppose he would not be so youn “e “He is unaltered about the knees, but he wears full- bottomed trunks, so that the folds fall over. He is wiser, too. He left the service to enter the civil one. He courts the cardinal, not the king or queen, as he would court the little prince, but ‘he 1s too much of a baby, still. He is a secretary, in token of which he brought me a letter in ‘his own hand, but signed by his master.” “Another stab at your besotted neighbors. The prince of the church and premier of the realm writes to ou!” “Oh, my lady would tell them, if she had their ear.” “Well,” said the other, emphatically, “they may not care to know all about the Lord of the Vallon, but wait till they hear he is a grandee of Portugal!” “Has it come to that?” “If not now, it shall be; those ladies are bringing me the prospect nearer.” “Do you mean that that Duchess of Braganza Ms As he pointed, D’Artagnan smiled in that engaging manner which would be a fortune to a trader. “T believe she comes to insure my power to dispose of a peerage or two!” Porthos looked at his brother in the musketeers, whose promises might be far-fetched, but he generally brought them to hand. Eomicbooks: co im