Chapter 34 Chapter 32 A Dinner at the Litigation Attorney's House

At that time, the duel in which Porthos made great achievements did not make him forget the dinner invited by his attorney's wife.Next day, about one o'clock in the afternoon, he ordered Muskton to brush his clothes one last time, and then, with the steps of a man who is lucky, he walked towards the Rue Xiongblinzi. His heart was beating violently, but it was not like d'Artagnan's, a young heart impatient for love.No, but a more affordable material interest is driving his blood, and he is finally about to step into the mysterious threshold and climb the one piled up with Mr. Cockner's old epuit. strange stairs.

In fact, he was about to see a great chest, the one he had imagined in his dreams; long and deep in shape, with a big iron lock on it, fastened to the ground with big bolts It was the big box he had often heard people talk about, and now, under his admiring eyes, the hands of the attorney's wife, who were a little thin but still charming, were about to open it. Besides, he was a wanderer, a man without property, a homeless man, a soldier who was used to haunting taverns, taverns, taverns, and country inns, A gourmand of leftovers, soon to taste the family stove, soon to enjoy the comfort of indoor life, soon to be tenderly cared for by others, as the rough veterans used to say, the days The more difficult life is, the more I like these warm cares.

To sit every day at the sumptuous table as a cousin, to undo the wrinkles from the withered, wrinkled brows of old attorneys; A few money; teach them another hour, and earn back their one-month savings by means of remuneration; All this is too much in the mind of Bordeaux. The musketeer recalled the gossip that had circulated about attorneys-at-law, and had persisted ever since: what a dime, what a salary, what a belt-tightening, etc. and so on; but, at any rate, Porthos always thought, save for a few untimely extravagances, that he found the attorney's wife to be quite generous.Of course, as it should be for a lawyer's wife, he hoped to meet a wealthy family.

However, when he walked to the door, the musketeer had some doubts. The exterior arrangement was not for receiving outsiders at all: the smelly and dark passage, the poorly illuminated stairs, and even a few beams of gray light leaking through the cracks in the iron bars. It still came through the courtyard next door; on the second floor, there was a low door covered with big iron nails, just like Grand Chatelet. The castle that protects the entrance and exit of the old city of Paris was built in the twelfth century. It is located at the northern end of the right bank of the Seine and was once the main entrance of the Royal Court of Paris.).

Porthos knocked on the door with his fingers; a tall clerk came to answer it; his pale face was hidden by a long hair like a virgin forest.He bowed deeply to the visitor with reluctant respect; the visitor's tall figure showed his physical strength, his military uniform showed his martial arts, and his scarlet lips showed that he was used to health. Behind this clerk stood another shorter clerk, behind the shorter clerk stood another taller clerk, and behind this third clerk stood a twelve-year-old messenger boy. There were three and a half clerks in all; this shows that at the time it was a firm with the largest number of clients.

Although the Musketeer would not arrive until one o'clock in the afternoon, the Attorney's wife had waited impatiently since noon, trusting that her sweetheart's heart, and perhaps his stomach, would urge him to come early. So Mrs. Cocknall came out of the suite door, and almost at the same moment the visitor came in through the stair-door, and the appearance of the venerable lady relieved him of his uneasiness.The clerks blinked their curious eyes, but facing this group of tall and short people, he really didn't know what to say, so he kept silent. This is my cousin, cried Mrs. Attorney, come in, come in, Mr. Porthos.

The name Porthos had an effect on the clerks, who burst into laughter; Porthos turned away, and all the faces were solemn again. Mrs. Attorney and Porthos went first to the Attorney's office, and then passed through the antechamber where the clerks were gathered and the office where they were supposed to be devoted to their duties, a room like a dark hall full of waste papers .Out of the office, they went around the kitchen on the right and finally entered the reception room. All these communicating rooms did not make a good impression on Porthos.The doors of the rooms were open, and all conversations could be heard clearly from a long distance; moreover, as he passed, he had glanced inquiringly at the kitchen, and he did not see the kind of cooking rising. The fire, the bustle, the bustle of activity, for such an atmosphere is usually pervasive in the preparation of a good meal, as the place of the altar of gastronomy, he thought it a disgrace to the attorney's wife, It was his own great regret.

The attorney at law probably knew of his visit in advance, for he showed no surprise when he saw Porthos approach him with a calm face and bow politely to him. We seem to be cousins, Mr. Porthos?While speaking, the attorney ad litem raised himself up with his arms supporting the wicker chair. The frail body of the old man was wrapped in a large black tunic; his complexion was bluish and thin, and his small gray eyes, shining like rubies, matched his grimacing mouth. , as if it were the only part of his face, to show the dependence of his life.Unfortunately, his legs had begun to refuse the services of this emaciated frame; and for five or six months the exhaustion was felt, and the noble attorney was almost his wife's slave.

Cousin swallowed his humiliation and was accepted, that's all.If Mr. Cockner had been quick, he would have refused any relation to Mr. Porthos. Yes, sir, we are cousins.replied Porthos calmly; besides, he never expected to be received warmly by his lover's husband. Is it according to the woman's name, I think?the attorney ad litem asked slyly. Porthos didn't feel that it was a kind of mockery, and even took this kind of mockery as naivety, so he opened his bearded mouth to mock this kind of naivety.Mrs. Cockner knew that naive attorneys were a very rare variety of their kind, and she smiled and blushed.

From the moment of his arrival at Porthos, Mr. Cocknall had gazed uneasily at a large chest of drawers opposite his oak desk.Porthos understood that although this large cabinet did not conform to the shape he had seen in his imagination, it should be the large wooden box that surprised people, so he was glad that the entity in front of him was taller than the object in his dream. More than six feet taller. Mr. Cocknall did not deduce the family line too far, but turned his sad eyes from the large chest of drawers to Porthos, and said only: Our cousin, Your Excellency, will certainly treat us to a meal with us before we set off, won't you, ma'am?

This time Porthos felt a blow all over the stomach area; Mrs. Cockner, it seemed, was not unmoved, for she was about to speak: If our cousin finds out that we have wronged him, he will not come again; but, after all, he has lived too little time in Paris, so he has too little time to see us, so, We cannot ask him to give us almost all the time he may command before he leaves. oh!My legs, my poor legs!Where have you all been? Cochnar murmured, trying to smile. Mrs. Cocknall sent him these words of relief, which made the Musketeer exceedingly grateful to him, when the good meal he had hoped for was attacked. It's almost time for dinner.We entered the dining room, a dark room opposite the kitchen. The clerks seem to have smelled the unusual fragrance in the house, each of them looks like a punctual soldier, each holding a small square stool, ready to sit at any time.The first thing people see, their jaws writhe horribly. damn it!Porthos glanced at the three hungry ghosts and said to himself; it is conceivable that the young messenger is not allowed to enjoy the honor of this solemn meal.damn it!If I were my cousin, I wouldn't keep any such gluttons, just like starving ghosts who fell into the sea without eating for six weeks. Cocknall was in a wheelchair, being pushed in by Mrs. Cocknall; Porthos stepped up and helped her push her husband all the way to the dinner table. As soon as Cochnar entered the restaurant, he imitated the clerk, twisting his nose and jaw. ah!ah!He yelled twice, what a tempting soup! Hell, did they smell something special from the bisque?Porthos said when he saw the light, full, but very cloudy hot soup; the few slices of bread crust, which were so rare that they could be counted, floated on the soup surface like a few isolated islands in the archipelago. Mrs. Cocknall smiled, followed by a gesture, and everyone sat down in a hurry. Mr. Cockenall was the first to serve the soup, followed by the porteaux, and then Mrs. Cockenall filled her own soup plate, and finally she distributed the fallen crusts to the impatient clerk. At this moment, the door of the restaurant opened automatically with a creak, and through the gap between the two half-open doors, Porthos caught a glimpse of the little clerk who could not participate in the feast, who was gnawing on him with the double delicious food flowing from the kitchen and the dining room. What about the bread? After the soup was finished, the maid brought a boiled old hen. The luxurious feast made the diners' swollen eyelids seem to be split at any time. I can see that you love your relatives very much, Mrs. Cockner, said the attorney with an almost sad smile: This is indeed a courtesy you pay to your cousin. The poor old hen was thin, covered with a thick hide of fine stubble, which, in spite of all the efforts of the bones, never pierced it.It probably took a long time to find such a chicken, and finally found it hiding on the chicken rack waiting to die. hell!What a disappointment, thought Porthos!I respect old people, I don't pay attention to cooking or baking old things. So he glanced around to see if his opinion was agreed; but, contrary to what he thought, all he saw was a pair of shining eyes, which had long been devouring this noble but despised animal. old hen. Mrs. Cockenall drew the chicken plate towards her, deftly removed the two large black claws, and put them on her husband's plate; cut off the neck and set it aside for herself; Wings to Porthos; and then, almost all the rest, to the maid who had just brought the chicken, before the musketeers had time to examine the frustrations they felt according to their respective characters and tempers, and the displeasure it brought to each face. Changes, and the chicken that was almost completely removed disappeared without a trace. The next dish was not a small tender chicken, but a plate of broad beans was served to the table.It was a large dinner plate, and on the plate, there were a few pretentious mutton bones. At first glance, people thought there were a few pieces of mutton hidden. However, the clerks were not deceived by this illusion, and their sad looks turned into helpless ones. Mrs. Cockner, with the poise of a good woman, shared the dish among the young men. When it was time to serve the wine, Cochnar took tiny stoneware bottles, filled each young man's glass with a third of the wine, and filled his own glass with the same amount; The bottle was passed to Porthos and Mrs Cocknall. The young men filled this third of the wine with water, and then, when they were halfway through, filled their glasses again, and went on like this; From bright red like ruby ​​to pale yellow like topaz. Porthos timidly gnawed at his chicken wings, and trembled when he felt the knee of the attorney's wife under the table keep touching his.He also drank half a glass of this much cherished wine, which he tasted was a terrible wine from Montreuil.What a trained palate. Mr. Cockner watched him gulp down the pure wine and sighed. Could you have more of these fava beans, my cousin from Porthos?said Mrs. Cocknall; and the tone meant: Believe me, don't eat that. To hell, I don't taste that stuff!Portos muttered.Then he said aloud: Thank you, my cousin, I am not hungry anymore. Then there was a silence: Porthos was at a loss, and the attorney babbled: ah!Mrs Cockner!I congratulate you, your dinner was a veritable feast.Oh, God!Have I ever eaten it! Mr. Cocknall had long since finished his portion of soup, a pair of sooty chicken feet, and a mutton bone with little meat. Porthos thought he was being lied to, and began to blow his beard and frown; while Mrs. Cockner's Knee gently enjoined him to be patient. This moment of silence, this interruption of serving food, was incomprehensible to Porthos, but it meant a lot to the clerks: with a wink from the attorney at law, and a smile from the attorney's wife, they slowly stood up from the table, He dawdled and folded his napkin again, then bowed and walked out of the restaurant. Come on, young man, to work and digest.The litigation attorney said solemnly. When the clerks had left, Mrs. Cocknall got up and took from a cupboard a block of cheese, some quince jam, and a cake she had made herself with almonds and honey. Cockner frowned because he saw that there were too many dishes; Porthos pursed his lips because he saw that there was nothing to eat for dinner. He checked to see if the plate of broad beans was still there, but the plate of broad beans was long gone. Evidently a feast, cried Cochnar, stirring in his chair, a veritable feast, epuloeepularum; Dinner at Luculus' house (Note: Luculus, 117 BC | 56 BC, commander of ancient Rome, this man is very particular about cooking.). Porthos looked at the wine bottle beside him, and he hoped that as long as there was wine, bread and cheese, the supper would be good.But the wine was gone and the bottle was emptied; neither of the Cockners seemed to notice it. Well, thought Porthos, have a prejudice against me. He stuck out his tongue and licked the little jam-laden spoon, his teeth stuck in Mrs Cockner's sticky pastry. Now, he said to himself, it was dead.well!It would be worse if I didn't expect to go with Mrs. Cockner to see what was in her husband's chest of drawers! After enjoying this excellent meal, which he called a satiated, Cocknall felt the need for an afternoon nap.Porthos wanted him to sleep in the dining room on the spot; but the damned attorney didn't agree at all, and insisted on taking him to the room; side, it's safer. The attorney's wife led Porthos into the next room, and the two parties began to lay down the basic terms of settlement. You can come here for three meals a week.Mrs Cockner said. Thank you, said Porthos, I don't like to procrastinate; besides, I have my equipment to consider. Yes, said the attorney's wife calmly, the unfortunate equipment. well!Yes, said Porthos, that is it. But what exactly does your team's equipment consist of, Mr. Porthos? oh!Including many things, Porthos said, you know, the musketeers are elite soldiers, they need a lot of items, and these items are useless to the Custodians and Swiss soldiers. Please be more specific with me. It may be necessary to reach Porthos to stop the conversation, he would rather mention the total than the fraction. The attorney's wife waited with trepidation. How much?she asked, I hope not more than She stopped, and the words were out of her mouth. oh!No, said Porthos, not more than twenty-five hundred livres; and even I thought that if I saved a little, two thousand livres would get me out of trouble. God, two thousand livres!she exclaimed, that is a great fortune! Porthos made a meaningful grimace, which Mrs. Cockner understood. The reason I asked to be specific, she said, was because I had so many relatives and so much access in the business world that I was almost sure to get things 100 per cent at a lower price than if you had bought them yourself. ah!ah!That's what you want to say, says Porthos! Yes, dear Mr. Porthos!So, do you have to have a horse first? Yes, a horse. Yes, just right, I have one on hand. ah!The matter of the horses, said the beaming Porthos, was thus settled; next, I wanted a complete set of saddles and bridles, which the musketeers could buy themselves, and which would not cost more than three hundred livres. Three hundred livres, then three hundred livres, said the attorney's wife with a sigh. Porthos smiled.It will be remembered that he had just procured a pair of saddles from Buckingham, that is to say, he had deftly stuffed the three hundred livres into his pocket. Besides, he went on, there was one of my valet's horses, and my suitcase; and as for the arms, you need not worry about them, I have them ready. Get a horse for your valet?The wife of the litigation attorney asked hesitantly: "You are really rich, my dear." Mmm!Mrs!Porthos said proudly, have I suddenly become a bumpkin? No; I'm just telling you that a good mule is sometimes as good as a horse, I think, get a good mule for your musket Well, just get a good mule, said Porthos, and you're right; I've seen some rich Spanish men, and all their entourage rode on mules.But in that case, you know, Mrs. Cockner, the mule should have feathers on its head and a bell around its neck. Take it easy, said Mrs. Litigation. The rest is the suitcase.Porthos continued. oh!Don't you worry about that, Mrs. Cockner exclaimed, my husband has five or six suitcases, you take the best ones, and one of them is his favorite when traveling, which is so big that it can fit in the whole world . So your suitcase is empty?Porthos asked naively. It must be empty.The attorney's wife also replied naively. well!The suitcase I need is a full suitcase, dear. Mrs. Cocknall sighed again.Molière hadn't written his "The Miser" at that time, so Mrs. Cockenall was above Harpagon (Note: Harpagon is the protagonist in Moliere's comedy "The Miser".) above. In the end, the rest of the accoutrements were negotiated in the same manner, with the result that the wife of the attorney-at-law lent her husband eight hundred livres in silver, provided a horse and mule, and had the honor of honoring Porthos and Mousquedon. . These conditions being fixed, and the interest and the date of repayment being confirmed, Porthos took his leave from Mrs. Cockner.The latter gave the former a lot of glances, and wanted to keep him; but Porthos evaded it, saying that there was an official business and an urgent military situation; so the attorney's wife had to make concessions to the king. The Musketeer returned to his lodgings hungry and in a bad mood.