"Alexandre Dumas. The Three Musketeers." - читать интересную книгу автора

the second part of his motto, but very few gentlemen could lay claim to the
FAITHFUL, which constituted the first. Treville was one of these latter.
His was one of those rare organizations, endowed with an obedient
intelligence like that of the dog; with a blind valor, a quick eye, and a
prompt hand; to whom sight appeared only to be given to see if the king
were dissatisfied with anyone, and the hand to strike this displeasing
personage, whether a Besme, a Maurevers, a Poltiot de Mere, or a Vitry. In
short, up to this period nothing had been wanting to Treville but
opportunity; but he was ever on the watch for it, and he faithfully
promised himself that he would not fail to seize it by its three hairs
when-ever it came within reach of his hand. At last Louis XIII made
Treville the captain of his Musketeers, who were to Louis XIII in
devotedness, or rather in fanaticism, what his Ordi-naries had been to
Henry III, and his Scotch Guard to Louis XI.
On his part, the cardinal was not behind the king in this respect.
When he saw the for-midable and chosen body with which Louis XIII had
surrounded himself, this second, or rather this first king of France,
became desirous that he, too, should have his guard. He had his Musketeers
therefore, as Louis XIII had his, and these two powerful rivals vied with
each other in procuring, not only from all the provinces of France, but
even from all foreign states, the most celebrated swordsmen. It was not
uncommon for Richelieu and Louis XIII to dispute over their evening game of
chess upon the merits of their servants. Each boasted the bearing and the
courage of his own people. While exclaiming loudly against duels and
brawls, they excited them secretly to quarrel, deriving an immoderate
satisfac-tion or genuine regret from the success or defeat of their own
combatants. We learn this from the memoirs of a man who was concerned in
some few of these defeats and in many of these victories.
Treville had grasped the weak side of his master; and it was to this
address that he owed the long and constant favor of a king who has not left
the reputation behind him of being very faithful in his friendships. He
paraded his Musketeers before the Cardinal Armand Duplessis with an
insolent air which made the gray moustache of his Eminence curl with ire.
Treville understood admirably the war method of that period, in which he
who could not live at the expense of the enemy must live at the expense of
his compatriots. His soldiers formed a legion of devil-may-care fellows,
perfectly undisciplined toward all but himself.
Loose, half-drunk, imposing, the king's Musketeers, or rather M. de
Treville's, spread themselves about in the cabarets, in the public walks,
and the public sports, shouting, twisting their mustaches, clanking their
swords, and taking great pleasure in annoying the Guards of the cardinal
whenever they could fall in with them; then drawing in the open streets, as
if it were the best of all possible sports; sometimes killed, but sure in
that case to be both wept and avenged; often killing others, but then
certain of not rotting in prison, M. de Treville being there to claim them.
Thus M. de Treville was praised to the highest note by these men, who
adored him, and who, ruffians as they were, trembled before him like
scholars before their master, obedient to his least word, and ready to
sacrifice them-selves to wash out the smallest insult.
M. de Treville employed this powerful weapon for the king, in the