D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

Rebellion Begets Rebels 161 Ortalegra shrugged his shoulders, between which his head disappeared by half. “Not a plank, not a toy for my poor lord!” “I can only hope,” took up Braganza, wiping his brow with his sleeve as if to hide discontent, “that things will be brighter in that sunny France of brother Louis ?” “I doubt any good outcome there, my lord!’ “Why should you doubt it?” the duke snapped him up. “Only because, on my return, my packet out of Dover being driven into The Hague, there happed to be Don Joa of Palama waiting for a ship southward bound.” “What was Don Joa doing there ?” “He was informed that the road through Spain to Madrid was lined with ‘evil gentry’—and, not to be de- layed, knowing your lordship was fretting, he went back into the Netherlands. So we sailed homeward in com- pany, as far as Bordeaux, whence we rode ff “By the Right Faith! any one who knew not how faithful ye are, might suggest you change your motto, Don Rodrigo, from ‘Serve the King!’ to ‘Be Strong by Concord!’ It would look to the suspicious spectator that you and your brother ambassador met by collusion and collated matters !” “Sire, pure hazard brought us under the Prince of Orange’s ensign.” “Where did you leave your semper fidelis, Don Joa, then ?” “Your grace,” replied the other, slowly, as if he had to pick his words now, “at San Sebastian we found rare agitation. The weather has been terrible. The wrecks are numerous. The orders were out for the utmost dili- gence to be exercised in seeking the poor wretches drowned. They were hunting for the dead bodies as if each ‘had a pocketful of the treasure from their hapless ships—you may know that in face of total ruin, the word goes: ‘Pocket the gold! each is treasurer here!’ ” “Oh, they were recovering the dead to plunder! not correct in his majesty’s soldiers and sailors, eh?” “They were seeking——” he paused, not sure how much was known of the outer world in this isolated nook. “They were seeking the officers and passengers of con- CORNICE OOO Ss (C(O) im