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LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE

34 LOFISE DB LA VALLIBRE. leading from the back shop to the shop itself. He hoped that Porthos would rise, and that this movement would dis- tract his devouring ideas. "What do you want, my man?" asked Porthos very affably.

  • 'I should like to pass you, monsieur, if it is not troubling

you too much." "Very well," said Porthos; "it does not trouble me in the least." At the same moment he took hold of the young fellow by the waistband, lifted him off the ground, and placed him very gently on the other side, smiling all the while with the same affabie expression. As soon as Porthos had placed him on the ground, the lad's legs so shook under him that he fell back upon some sacks of corks. But noticing the giant's gentleness of manner, he ventured again, and said: "Ah, monsieur! pray be careful." "What about?" inquired Porthos. "You are positively putting jSre into your body." "How is that, my good fellow?" said Porthos. "All those things are very heating to the system." "Which?" "Raisins, nuts, and almonds." "Yes; but if raisins, nuts, and almonds are heating " "There is no doubt at all of it, monsieur." "Honey is very cooling," said Porthos, stretching out his hand toward a small barrel of honey which was opened, and he plunged the scoop, with which the wants of the customers were supplied, into it, and swallowed a good half pound at one gulp. "I must trouble you for some water now, my man," said Porthos. "In a pail, monsieur?" asked the lad simply. "No, in a water-bottle; that will be quite enough;" and raising the bottle to his mouth, as a trumpeter does his trumpet, he emptied the bottle at a single draught. Planchet was moved in all the sentiments which corre- spond to the fibers of propriety and self-love. However, a worthy representative of the hospitality which prevailed in early days, he feigned to be talking very earnestly with D'Artagnan, and incessantly repeated: "Ah! monsieur, what a happiness! what an honor!" "What time shall we have supper, Planchet?" inquired Porthos; "I feel hungry." The foreman clasped his hands together. The two other*