Richard Hakluyt - "Voyages in Search of the North West Passage"

H. C. Yarrow - "An introduction to the mortuary customs of the North American Indians"

Sir Samuel White Baker - "In the Heart of Africa"

Upton Sinclair - "The Pot Boiler"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Man in the Iron Mask

A >> Alexandre Dumas, Pere >> The Man in the Iron Mask




"Unhappy man! What have you done? Then we are indeed lost," cried the
bishop.

"Lost! - what did you say?" exclaimed the terrified Porthos. "How lost,
Aramis? How are we lost?"

Aramis bit his lips. "Nothing! nothing! Your pardon, I meant to say - "

"What?"

"That if we were inclined - if we took a fancy to make an excursion by
sea, we could not."

"Very good! and why should that vex you? A precious pleasure, _ma foi!_
For my part, I don't regret it at all. What I regret is certainly not
the more or less amusement we can find at Belle-Isle: what I regret,
Aramis, is Pierrefonds; Bracieux; le Vallon; beautiful France! Here, we
are not in France, my dear friend; we are - I know not where. Oh! I
tell you, in full sincerity of soul, and your affection will excuse my
frankness, but I declare to you I am not happy at Belle-Isle. No; in
good truth, I am not happy!"

Aramis breathed a long, but stifled sigh. "Dear friend," replied he:
"that is why it is so sad a thing you have sent the two boats we had left
in search of the boats which disappeared two days ago. If you had not
sent them away, we would have departed."

"'Departed!' And the orders, Aramis?"

"What orders?"

"_Parbleu!_ Why, the orders you have been constantly, in and out of
season, repeating to me - that we were to hold Belle-Isle against the
usurper. You know very well!"

"That is true!" murmured Aramis again.

"You see, then, plainly, my friend, that we could not depart; and that
the sending away of the boats in search of the others cannot prove
prejudicial to us in the very least."

Aramis was silent; and his vague glances, luminous as that of an
albatross, hovered for a long time over the sea, interrogating space,
seeking to pierce the very horizon.

"With all that, Aramis," continued Porthos, who adhered to his idea, and
that the more closely from the bishop having apparently endorsed it, -
"with all that, you give me no explanation about what can have happened
to these unfortunate boats. I am assailed by cries and complaints
whichever way I go. The children cry to see the desolation of the women,
as if I could restore the absent husbands and fathers. What do you
suppose, my friend, and how ought I to answer them?"

"Think all you like, my good Porthos, and say nothing."

This reply did not satisfy Porthos at all. He turned away grumbling
something in ill-humor. Aramis stopped the valiant musketeer. "Do you
remember," said he, in a melancholy tone, kneading the two hands of the
giant between his own with affectionate cordiality, "do you remember, my
friend, that in the glorious days of youth - do you remember, Porthos,
when we were all strong and valiant - we, and the other two - if we had
then had an inclination to return to France, do you think this sheet of
salt water would have stopped us?"

"Oh!" said Porthos; "but six leagues."

"If you had seen me get astride of a plank, would you have remained on
land, Porthos?"

"No, _pardieu!_ No, Aramis. But, nowadays, what sort of a plank should
we want, my friend! I, in particular." And the Seigneur de Bracieux
cast a profound glance over his colossal rotundity with a loud laugh.
"And do you mean seriously to say you are not tired of Belle-Isle a
little, and that you would not prefer the comforts of your dwelling - of
your episcopal palace, at Vannes? Come, confess."

"No," replied Aramis, without daring to look at Porthos.

"Let us stay where we are, then," said his friend, with a sigh, which, in
spite of the efforts he made to restrain it, escaped his echoing breast.
"Let us remain! - let us remain! And yet," added he, "and yet, if we
seriously wished, but that decidedly - if we had a fixed idea, one firmly
taken, to return to France, and there were not boats - "

"Have you remarked another thing, my friend - that is, since the
disappearance of our barks, during the last two days' absence of
fishermen, not a single small boat has landed on the shores of the isle?"

"Yes, certainly! you are right. I, too, have remarked it, and the
observation was the more naturally made, for, before the last two fatal
days, barks and shallops were as plentiful as shrimps."

"I must inquire," said Aramis, suddenly, and with great agitation. "And
then, if we had a raft constructed - "

"But there are some canoes, my friend; shall I board one?"

"A canoe! - a canoe! Can you think of such a thing, Porthos? A canoe to
be upset in. No, no," said the bishop of Vannes; "it is not our trade to
ride upon the waves. We will wait, we will wait."

And Aramis continued walking about with increased agitation. Porthos,
who grew tired of following all the feverish movements of his friend -
Porthos, who in his faith and calmness understood nothing of the sort of
exasperation which was betrayed by his companion's continual convulsive
starts - Porthos stopped him. "Let us sit down upon this rock," said
he. "Place yourself there, close to me, Aramis, and I conjure you, for
the last time, to explain to me in a manner I can comprehend - explain to
me what we are doing here."

"Porthos," said Aramis, much embarrassed.

"I know that the false king wished to dethrone the true king. That is a
fact, that I understand. Well - "

"Yes?" said Aramis.

"I know that the false king formed the project of selling Belle-Isle to
the English. I understand that, too."

"Yes?"

"I know that we engineers and captains came and threw ourselves into
Belle-Isle to take direction of the works, and the command of ten
companies levied and paid by M. Fouquet, or rather the ten companies of
his son-in-law. All that is plain."

Aramis rose in a state of great impatience. He might be said to be a
lion importuned by a gnat. Porthos held him by the arm. "But what I
cannot understand, what, in spite of all the efforts of my mind, and all
my reflections, I cannot comprehend, and never shall comprehend, is, that
instead of sending us troops, instead of sending us reinforcements of
men, munitions, provisions, they leave us without boats, they leave Belle-
Isle without arrivals, without help; it is that instead of establishing
with us a correspondence, whether by signals, or written or verbal
communications, all relations with the shore are intercepted. Tell me,
Aramis, answer me, or rather, before answering me, will you allow me to
tell you what I have thought? Will you hear what my idea is, the plan I
have conceived?"

The bishop raised his head. "Well! Aramis," continued Porthos, "I have
dreamed, I have imagined that an event has taken place in France. I
dreamt of M. Fouquet all the night, of lifeless fish, of broken eggs, of
chambers badly furnished, meanly kept. Villainous dreams, my dear
D'Herblay; very unlucky, such dreams!"

"Porthos, what is that yonder?" interrupted Aramis, rising suddenly, and
pointing out to his friend a black spot upon the empurpled line of the
water.

"A bark!" said Porthos; "yes, it is a bark! Ah! we shall have some news
at last."

"There are two!" cried the bishop, on discovering another mast; "two!
three! four!"

"Five!" said Porthos, in his turn. "Six! seven! Ah! _mon Dieu! mon
Dieu!_ it is a fleet!"

"Our boats returning, probably," said Aramis, very uneasily, in spite of
the assurance he affected.

"They are very large for fishing-boats," observed Porthos, "and do you
not remark, my friend, that they come from the Loire?"

"They come from the Loire - yes - "

"And look! everybody here sees them as well as ourselves; look, women and
children are beginning to crowd the jetty."

An old fisherman passed. "Are those our barks, yonder?" asked Aramis.

The old man looked steadily into the eye of the horizon.

"No, monseigneur," replied he, "they are lighter boars, boats in the
king's service."

"Boats in the royal service?" replied Aramis, starting. "How do you know
that?" said he.

"By the flag."

"But," said Porthos, "the boat is scarcely visible; how the devil, my
friend, can you distinguish the flag?"

"I see there is one," replied the old man; "our boats, trade lighters, do
not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for transport of
troops."

"Ah!" groaned Aramis.

"_Vivat!_" cried Porthos, "they are sending us reinforcements, don't you
think they are, Aramis?"

"Probably."

"Unless it is the English coming."

"By the Loire? That would have an evil look, Porthos; for they must have
come through Paris!"

"You are right; they are reinforcements, decidedly, or provisions."

Aramis leaned his head upon his hands, and made no reply. Then, all at
once, - "Porthos," said he, "have the alarm sounded."

"The alarm! do you imagine such a thing?"

"Yes, and let the cannoniers mount their batteries, the artillerymen be
at their pieces, and be particularly watchful of the coast batteries."

Porthos opened his eyes to their widest extent. He looked attentively at
his friend, to convince himself he was in his proper senses.

"_I_ will do it, my dear Porthos," continued Aramis, in his blandest
tone; "I will go and have these orders executed myself, if you do not go,
my friend."

"Well! I will - instantly!" said Porthos, who went to execute the
orders, casting all the while looks behind him, to see if the bishop of
Vannes were not deceived; and if, on recovering more rational ideas, he
would not recall him. The alarm was sounded, trumpets brayed, drums
rolled; the great bronze bell swung in horror from its lofty belfry. The
dikes and moles were quickly filled with the curious and soldiers;
matches sparkled in the hands of the artillerymen, placed behind the
large cannon bedded in their stone carriages. When every man was at his
post, when all the preparations for defense were made: "Permit me,
Aramis, to try to comprehend," whispered Porthos, timidly, in Aramis's
ear.

"My dear friend, you will comprehend but too soon," murmured M.
d'Herblay, in reply to this question of his lieutenant.

"The fleet which is coming yonder, with sails unfurled, straight towards
the port of Belle-Isle, is a royal fleet, is it not?"

"But as there are two kings in France, Porthos, to which of these two
kings does this fleet belong?"

"Oh! you open my eyes," replied the giant, stunned by the insinuation.

And Porthos, whose eyes this reply of his friend's had at last opened, or
rather thickened the bandage which covered his sight, went with his best
speed to the batteries to overlook his people, and exhort every one to do
his duty. In the meantime, Aramis, with his eye fixed on the horizon,
saw the ships continually drawing nearer. The people and the soldiers,
perched on the summits of the rocks, could distinguish the masts, then
the lower sails, and at last the hulls of the lighters, bearing at the
masthead the royal flag of France. It was night when one of these
vessels, which had created such a sensation among the inhabitants of
Belle-Isle, dropped anchor within cannon shot of the place. It was soon
seen, notwithstanding the darkness, that some sort of agitation reigned
on board the vessel, from the side of which a skiff was lowered, of which
the three rowers, bending to their oars, took the direction of the port,
and in a few instants struck land at the foot of the fort. The commander
jumped ashore. He had a letter in his hand, which he waved in the air,
and seemed to wish to communicate with somebody. This man was soon
recognized by several soldiers as one of the pilots of the island. He
was the captain of one of the two barks retained by Aramis, but which
Porthos, in his anxiety with regard to the fate of the fishermen who had
disappeared, had sent in search of the missing boats. He asked to be
conducted to M. d'Herblay. Two soldiers, at a signal from a sergeant,
marched him between them, and escorted him. Aramis was upon the quay.
The envoy presented himself before the bishop of Vannes. The darkness
was almost absolute, notwithstanding the flambeaux borne at a small
distance by the soldiers who were following Aramis in his rounds.

"Well, Jonathan, from whom do you come?"

"Monseigneur, from those who captured me."

"Who captured you?"

"You know, monseigneur, we set out in search of our comrades?"

"Yes; and afterwards?"

"Well! monseigneur, within a short league we were captured by a _chasse
maree_ belonging to the king."

"Ah!" said Aramis.

"Of which king?" cried Porthos.

Jonathan started.

"Speak!" continued the bishop.

"We were captured, monseigneur, and joined to those who had been taken
yesterday morning."

"What was the cause of the mania for capturing you all?" said Porthos.

"Monsieur, to prevent us from telling you," replied Jonathan.

Porthos was again at a loss to comprehend. "And they have released you
to-day?" asked he.

"That I might tell you they have captured us, monsieur."

"Trouble upon trouble," thought honest Porthos.

During this time Aramis was reflecting.

"Humph!" said he, "then I suppose it is a royal fleet blockading the
coasts?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Who commands it?"

"The captain of the king's musketeers."

"D'Artagnan?"

"D'Artagnan!" exclaimed Porthos.

"I believe that is the name."

"And did he give you this letter?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Bring the torches nearer."

"It is his writing," said Porthos.

Aramis eagerly read the following lines:

"Order of the king to take Belle-Isle; or to put the garrison to the
sword, if they resist; order to make prisoners of all the men of the
garrison; signed, D'ARTAGNAN, who, the day before yesterday, arrested M.
Fouquet, for the purpose of his being sent to the Bastile."

Aramis turned pale, and crushed the paper in his hands.

"What is it?" asked Porthos.

"Nothing, my friend, nothing."

"Tell me, Jonathan?"

"Monseigneur?"

"Did you speak to M. d'Artagnan?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"What did he say to you?"

"That for ampler information, he would speak with monseigneur."

"Where?"

"On board his own vessel."

"On board his vessel!" and Porthos repeated, "On board his vessel!"

"M. le mousquetaire," continued Jonathan, "told me to take you both on
board my canoe, and bring you to him."

"Let us go at once," exclaimed Porthos. "Dear D'Artagnan!"

But Aramis stopped him. "Are you mad?" cried he. "Who knows that it is
not a snare?"

"Of the other king's?" said Porthos, mysteriously.

"A snare, in fact! That's what it is, my friend."

"Very possibly; what is to be done, then? If D'Artagnan sends for us - "

"Who assures you that D'Artagnan sends for us?"

"Well, but - but his writing - "

"Writing is easily counterfeited. This looks counterfeited - unsteady - "

"You are always right; but, in the meantime, we know nothing."

Aramis was silent.

"It is true," said the good Porthos, "we do not want to know anything."

"What shall I do?" asked Jonathan.

"You will return on board this captain's vessel."

"Yes, monseigneur."

"And will tell him that we beg he will himself come into the island."

"Ah! I comprehend!" said Porthos.

"Yes, monseigneur," replied Jonathan; "but if the captain should refuse
to come to Belle-Isle?"

"If he refuses, as we have cannon, we will make use of them."

"What! against D'Artagnan?"

"If it is D'Artagnan, Porthos, he will come. Go, Jonathan, go!"

"_Ma foi!_ I no longer comprehend anything," murmured Porthos.

"I will make you comprehend it all, my dear friend; the time for it has
come; sit down upon this gun-carriage, open your ears, and listen well to
me."

"Oh! _pardieu!_ I will listen, no fear of that."

"May I depart, monseigneur?" cried Jonathan.

"Yes, begone, and bring back an answer. Allow the canoe to pass, you men
there!" And the canoe pushed off to regain the fleet.

Aramis took Porthos by the hand, and commenced his explanations.


Chapter XLIII:
Explanations by Aramis.

"What I have to say to you, friend Porthos, will probably surprise you,
but it may prove instructive."

"I like to be surprised," said Porthos, in a kindly tone; "do not spare
me, therefore, I beg. I am hardened against emotions; don't fear, speak
out."

"It is difficult, Porthos - difficult; for, in truth, I warn you a second
time, I have very strange things, very extraordinary things, to tell you."

"Oh! you speak so well, my friend, that I could listen to you for days
together. Speak, then, I beg - and - stop, I have an idea: I will, to
make your task more easy, I will, to assist you in telling me such
things, question you."

"I shall be pleased at your doing so."

"What are we going to fight for, Aramis?"

"If you ask me many such questions as that - if you would render my task
the easier by interrupting my revelations thus, Porthos, you will not
help me at all. So far, on the contrary, that is the very Gordian knot.
But, my friend, with a man like you, good, generous, and devoted, the
confession must be bravely made. I have deceived you, my worthy friend."

"You have deceived me!"

"Good Heavens! yes."

"Was it for my good, Aramis?"

"I thought so, Porthos; I thought so sincerely, my friend."

"Then," said the honest seigneur of Bracieux, "you have rendered me a
service, and I thank you for it; for if you had not deceived me, I might
have deceived myself. In what, then, have you deceived me, tell me?"

"In that I was serving the usurper against whom Louis XIV., at this
moment, is directing his efforts."

"The usurper!" said Porthos, scratching his head. "That is - well, I do
not quite clearly comprehend!"

"He is one of the two kings who are contending fro the crown of France."

"Very well! Then you were serving him who is not Louis XIV.?"

"You have hit the matter in one word."

"It follows that - "

"It follows that we are rebels, my poor friend."

"The devil! the devil!" cried Porthos, much disappointed.

"Oh! but, dear Porthos, be calm, we shall still find means of getting out
of the affair, trust me."

"It is not that which makes me uneasy," replied Porthos; "that which
alone touches me is that ugly word _rebels_."

"Ah! but - "

"And so, according to this, the duchy that was promised me - "

"It was the usurper that was to give it to you."

"And that is not the same thing, Aramis," said Porthos, majestically.

"My friend, if it had only depended upon me, you should have become a
prince."

Porthos began to bite his nails in a melancholy way.

"That is where you have been wrong," continued he, "in deceiving me; for
that promised duchy I reckoned upon. Oh! I reckoned upon it seriously,
knowing you to be a man of your word, Aramis."

"Poor Porthos! pardon me, I implore you!"

"So, then," continued Porthos, without replying to the bishop's prayer,
"so then, it seems, I have quite fallen out with Louis XIV.?"

"Oh! I will settle all that, my good friend, I will settle all that. I
will take it on myself alone!"

"Aramis!"

"No, no, Porthos, I conjure you, let me act. No false generosity! No
inopportune devotedness! You knew nothing of my projects. You have done
nothing of yourself. With me it is different. I alone am the author of
this plot. I stood in need of my inseparable companion; I called upon
you, and you came to me in remembrance of our ancient device, 'All for
one, one for all.' My crime is that I was an egotist."

"Now, that is a word I like," said Porthos; "and seeing that you have
acted entirely for yourself, it is impossible for me to blame you. It is
natural."

And upon this sublime reflection, Porthos pressed his friend's hand
cordially.

In presence of this ingenuous greatness of soul, Aramis felt his own
littleness. It was the second time he had been compelled to bend before
real superiority of heart, which is more imposing than brilliancy of
mind. He replied by a mute and energetic pressure to the endearment of
his friend.

"Now," said Porthos, "that we have come to an explanation, now that I am
perfectly aware of our situation with respect to Louis XIV., I think, my
friend, it is time to make me comprehend the political intrigue of which
we are the victims - for I plainly see there is a political intrigue at
the bottom of all this."

"D'Artagnan, my good Porthos, D'Artagnan is coming, and will detail it to
you in all its circumstances; but, excuse me, I am deeply grieved, I am
bowed down with mental anguish, and I have need of all my presence of
mind, all my powers of reflection, to extricate you from the false
position in which I have so imprudently involved you; but nothing can be
more clear, nothing more plain, than your position, henceforth. The king
Louis XIV. has no longer now but one enemy: that enemy is myself, myself
alone. I have made you a prisoner, you have followed me, to-day I
liberate you, you fly back to your prince. You can perceive, Porthos,
there is not one difficulty in all this."

"Do you think so?" said Porthos.

"I am quite sure of it."

"Then why," said the admirable good sense of Porthos, "then why, if we
are in such an easy position, why, my friend, do we prepare cannon,
muskets, and engines of all sorts? It seems to me it would be much more
simple to say to Captain d'Artagnan: 'My dear friend, we have been
mistaken; that error is to be repaired; open the door to us, let us pass
through, and we will say good-bye.'"

"Ah! that!" said Aramis, shaking his head.

"Why do you say 'that'? Do you not approve of my plan, my friend?"

"I see a difficulty in it."

"What is it?"

"The hypothesis that D'Artagnan may come with orders which will oblige us
to defend ourselves."

"What! defend ourselves against D'Artagnan? Folly! Against the good
D'Artagnan!"

Aramis once more replied by shaking his head.

"Porthos," at length said he, "if I have had the matches lighted and the
guns pointed, if I have had the signal of alarm sounded, if I have called
every man to his post upon the ramparts, those good ramparts of Belle-
Isle which you have so well fortified, it was not for nothing. Wait to
judge; or rather, no, do not wait - "

"What can I do?"

"If I knew, my friend, I would have told you."

"But there is one thing much more simple than defending ourselves: - a
boat, and away for France - where -"

"My dear friend," said Aramis, smiling with a strong shade of sadness,
"do not let us reason like children; let us be men in council and in
execution. - But, hark! I hear a hail for landing at the port.
Attention, Porthos, serious attention!"

"It is D'Artagnan, no doubt," said Porthos, in a voice of thunder,
approaching the parapet.

"Yes, it is I," replied the captain of the musketeers, running lightly up
the steps of the mole, and gaining rapidly the little esplanade on which
his two friends waited for him. As soon as he came towards them, Porthos
and Aramis observed an officer who followed D'Artagnan, treading
apparently in his very steps. The captain stopped upon the stairs of the
mole, when half-way up. His companions imitated him.

"Make your men draw back," cried D'Artagnan to Porthos and Aramis; "let
them retire out of hearing." This order, given by Porthos, was executed
immediately. Then D'Artagnan, turning towards him who followed him:

"Monsieur," said he, "we are no longer on board the king's fleet, where,
in virtue of your order, you spoke so arrogantly to me, just now."

"Monsieur," replied the officer, "I did not speak arrogantly to you; I
simply, but rigorously, obeyed instructions. I was commanded to follow
you. I follow you. I am directed not to allow you to communicate with
any one without taking cognizance of what you do; I am in duty bound,
accordingly, to overhear your conversations."

D'Artagnan trembled with rage, and Porthos and Aramis, who heard this
dialogue, trembled likewise, but with uneasiness and fear. D'Artagnan,
biting his mustache with that vivacity which denoted in him exasperation,
closely to be followed by an explosion, approached the officer.

"Monsieur," said he, in a low voice, so much the more impressive, that,
affecting calm, it threatened tempest - "monsieur, when I sent a canoe
hither, you wished to know what I wrote to the defenders of Belle-Isle.
You produced an order to that effect; and, in my turn, I instantly showed
you the note I had written. When the skipper of the boat sent by me
returned, when I received the reply of these two gentlemen" (and he
pointed to Aramis and Porthos), "you heard every word of what the
messenger said. All that was plainly in your orders, all that was well
executed, very punctually, was it not?"

"Yes, monsieur," stammered the officer; "yes, without doubt, but - "

"Monsieur," continued D'Artagnan, growing warm - "monsieur, when I
manifested the intention of quitting my vessel to cross to Belle-Isle,
you demanded to accompany me; I did not hesitate; I brought you with me.
You are now at Belle-Isle, are you not?"

"Yes, monsieur; but - "

"But - the question no longer is of M. Colbert, who has given you that
order, or of whomsoever in the world you are following the instructions;
the question now is of a man who is a clog upon M. d'Artagnan, and who is
alone with M. d'Artagnan upon steps whose feet are bathed by thirty feet
of salt water; a bad position for that man, a bad position, monsieur! I
warn you."