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and laid himself down in his cloak； with naked sword at his
side； in such a manner that his body barricaded the passage；
and it should be impossible to enter the room without
upsetting him。
71
Port Wine。
In ten minutes the masters slept； not so the servants
…hungry； and more thirsty than hungry。
Blaisois and Musqueton set themselves to preparing their bed
which consisted of a plank and a valise。 On a hanging table；
which swung to and fro with the rolling of the vessel； were
a pot of beer and three glasses。
〃This cursed rolling！〃 said Blaisois。 〃I know it will serve
me as it did when we came over。〃
〃And to think；〃 said Musqueton； 〃that we have nothing to
fight seasickness with but barley bread and hop beer。 Pah！〃
〃But where is your wicker flask； Monsieur Musqueton？ Have
you lost it？〃 asked Blaisois。
〃No；〃 replied Musqueton； 〃Parry kept it。 Those devilish
Scotchmen are always thirsty。 And you； Grimaud；〃 he said to
his companion； who had just come in after his round with
D'Artagnan； 〃are you thirsty？〃
〃As thirsty as a Scotchman！〃 was Grimaud's laconic reply。
And he sat down and began to cast up the accounts of his
party； whose money he managed。
〃Oh； lackadaisy！ I'm beginning to feel queer！〃 cried
Blaisois。
〃If that's the case；〃 said Musqueton； with a learned air；
〃take some nourishment。〃
〃Do you call that nourishment？〃 said Blaisois； pointing to
the barley bread and pot of beer upon the table。
〃Blaisois；〃 replied Musqueton； 〃remember that bread is the
true nourishment of a Frenchman； who is not always able to
get bread； ask Grimaud。〃
〃Yes； but beer？〃 asked Blaisois sharply； 〃is that their true
drink？〃
〃As to that；〃 answered Musqueton； puzzled how to get out of
the difficulty； 〃I must confess that to me beer is as
disagreeable as wine is to the English。〃
〃What！ Monsieur Musqueton！ The English do they dislike
wine？〃
〃They hate it。〃
〃But I have seen them drink it。〃
〃As a punishment。 For example； an English prince died one
day because they had put him into a butt of Malmsey。 I heard
the Chevalier d'Herblay say so。〃
〃The fool！〃 cried Blaisois； 〃I wish I had been in his
place。〃
〃Thou canst be；〃 said Grimaud； writing down his figures。
〃How？〃 asked Blaisois； 〃I can？ Explain yourself。〃
Grimaud went on with his sum and cast up the whole。
〃Port；〃 he said； extending his hand in the direction of the
first compartment examined by D'Artagnan and himself。
〃Eh？ eh？ ah？ Those barrels I saw through the door？〃
〃Port！〃 replied Grimaud； beginning a fresh sum。
〃I have heard；〃 said Blaisois； 〃that port is a very good
wine。〃
〃Excellent！〃 exclaimed Musqueton； smacking his lips。
〃Excellent； there is port wine in the cellar of Monsieur le
Baron de Bracieux。〃
〃Suppose we ask these Englishmen to sell us a bottle；〃 said
the honest Blaisois。
〃Sell！〃 cried Musqueton； about whom there was a remnant of
his ancient marauding character left。 〃One may well
perceive； young man； that you are inexperienced。 Why buy
what one can take？〃
〃Take！〃 said Blaisois； 〃covet the goods of your neighbor？
That is forbidden； it seems to me。〃
〃Where forbidden？〃 asked Musqueton。
〃In the commandments of God； or of the church； I don't know
which。 I only know it says； ‘Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's goods； nor yet his wife。'〃
〃That is a child's reason； Monsieur Blaisois；〃 said
Musqueton in his most patronizing manner。 〃Yes； you talk
like a child I repeat the word。 Where have you read in
the Scriptures； I ask you； that the English are your
neighbors？〃
〃Where； that is true；〃 said Blaisois； 〃at least； I can't now
recall it。〃
〃A child's reason I repeat it；〃 continued Musqueton。 〃If
you had been ten years engaged in war； as Grimaud and I have
been； my dear Blaisois； you would know the difference there
is between the goods of others and the goods of enemies。 Now
an Englishman is an enemy； this port wine belongs to the
English； therefore it belongs to us。〃
〃And our masters？〃 asked Blaisois； stupefied by this
harangue； delivered with an air of profound sagacity； 〃will
they be of your opinion？〃
Musqueton smiled disdainfully。
〃I suppose that you think it necessary that I should disturb
the repose of these illustrious lords to say； ‘Gentlemen；
your servant； Musqueton； is thirsty。' What does Monsieur
Bracieux care； think you； whether I am thirsty or not？〃
〃'Tis a very expensive wine；〃 said Blaisois； shaking his
head。
〃Were it liquid gold； Monsieur Blaisois； our masters would
not deny themselves this wine。 Know that Monsieur de
Bracieux is rich enough to drink a tun of port wine； even if
obliged to pay a pistole for every drop。〃 His manner became
more and more lofty every instant； then he arose and after
finishing off the beer at one draught he advanced
majestically to the door of the compartment where the wine
was。 〃Ah！ locked！〃 he exclaimed； 〃these devils of English；
how suspicious they are！〃
〃Locked！〃 said Blaisois； 〃ah！ the deuce it is； unlucky； for
my stomach is getting more and more upset。〃
〃Locked！〃 repeated Musqueton。
〃But；〃 Blaisois ventured to say； 〃I have heard you relate；
Monsieur Musqueton； that once on a time； at Chantilly； you
fed your master and yourself by taking partridges in a
snare； carp with a line； and bottles with a slipnoose。〃
〃Perfectly true； but there was an airhole in the cellar and
the wine was in bottles。 I cannot throw the loop through
this partition nor move with a pack…thread a cask of wine
which may perhaps weigh two hundred pounds。〃
〃No； but you can take out two or three boards of the
partition；〃 answered Blaisois； 〃and make a hole in the cask
with a gimlet。〃
Musqueton opened his great round eyes to the utmost；
astonished to find in Blaisois qualities for which he did
not give him credit。
〃'Tis true；〃 he said； 〃but where can I get a chisel to take
the planks out； a gimlet to pierce the cask？〃
〃Trousers；〃 said Grimaud； still squaring his accounts。
〃Ah； yes！〃 said Musqueton。
Grimaud； in fact； was not only the accountant； but the
armorer of the party； and as he was a man full of
forethought； these trousers； carefully rolled up in his
valise； contained every sort of tool for immediate use。
Musqueton； therefore； was soon provided with tools and he
began his task。 In a few minutes he had extracted three
boards。 He tried to pass his body through the aperture； but
not being like the frog in the fable； who thought he was
larger than he really was； he found he must take out three
or four more before he could get through。
He sighed and set to work again。
Grimaud had now finished his accounts。 He arose and stood
near Musqueton。
〃I；〃 he said。
〃What？〃 said Musqueton。
〃I can pass。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Musqueton； glancing at his friend's
long and thin body； 〃you will pass easily。〃
〃And he knows the full casks；〃 said Blaisois； 〃for he has
already been in the hold with Monsieur le Chevalier
d'Artagnan。 Let Monsieur Grimaud go in； Monsieur Mouston。〃
〃I could go in as well as Grimaud；〃 said Musqueton； a little
piqued。
〃Yes； but that would take too much time and I am thirsty。 I
am getting more and more seasick。〃
〃Go in； then； Grimaud；〃 said Musqueton； handing him the beer
pot and gimlet。
〃Rinse the glasses；〃 said Grimaud。 Then with