D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

Darby and Joan. 125 “Sir!” exclaimed the duchess, offended. “Considering that this Black Petrel is mine inn, if buy- ing and paying for it is any test, I see nothing preter- natural in that! Ath, here is our ingenious cook, the de- lectable Quaqua! Tell us, Queen of Ethiopia, am I not the legitimate successor of your lord, master and host?” The negress, called to the inlet by curiosity, and re- tained by the well-known voice, grinned a broad welcome. Then, her chops falling, she clasped her hands and with real feeling, inquired: “Is Pedro lost?’ “Lost! a jewel like that get lost! Out upon you! He is simply blown out of his course! He will return, like all good ships, to his old moorings in time—in good time! He was last seen headed for—for Brest!” He spoke loudly, with that fervent mock sincerity which marks the capital liar, who almost believes what he says. “A wide-mouthed harbor, Brest! But, Lord love you, mammoth of fidelity, albeit he is stout, thanks to your good table, he will squeeze in, as he should, at St. Peter’s gate—more likely to be his path-end,” he concluded, un- heard by the others. Thus consoled, the black again grinned and mingled with the inner shades. The two other hearers exchanged glances. ‘They rea- soned that there was no immediate occasion for succor in this gentleman, who spoke so jestingly. The one who had been spokeswoman said: “There is an error here, sir! Without impugning your statement of purchasing this house—shall we call it a house ?—I beg to declare that | am its purchaser, if only for a time, since I bought the use of it of the then tenant for ten moidores, Portuguese.” “Of its tenant?” repeated the musketeer, whose turn it was to evince astonishment. “Eh? what! have the ghosts returned of Pedro Bitts, the fisher, and host of the first instance?” ‘He answered to that name! but he was a Jew, looking more like one who sold fish than went out to catch it.” “A Jew! Now, this is getting nearer the mark! Is he in there?” asked D’ Artagnan. Both ladies bridled and drew away, COMME OOOKS (Cc)