Part 12 (1/2)

”Good , my dear friends,” said Aramis ”Come, come, M Percerin, ratify M Fouquet” And he accoree, and dismiss them”

It appeared that Aramis had over Master Percerin an influence superior even to D'Artagnan's, for the tailor bowed in assent, and turning round upon Porthos, said, ”Go and get measured on the other side”

Porthos colored in a for, and addressing Moliere, said to him, in an undertone, ”You see before you, raced, if you iven him; study this type for me, Master Aristophanes, and profit by it”

Moliere had no need of encourage and keenly on the Baron Porthos ”Monsieur,” he said, ”if you will come withyou”

”Oh!” said Porthos, ”how do you make that out, my friend?”

”I say that they shall apply neither line nor rule to the seams of your dress It is a newpeople of quality, who are too sensitive to allo-born fellows to touch them We know so nity of a man; and if perchance monsieur should be one of these--”

”_Corboeuf!_ I believe I am too!”

”Well, that is a capital and most consolatory coincidence, and you shall have the benefit of our invention”

”But how in the world can it be done?” asked Porthos, delighted

”Monsieur,” said Moliere, bowing, ”if you will deign to follow me, you will see”

Aramis observed this scene with all his eyes Perhaps he fancied fronan's liveliness that he would leave with Porthos, so as not to lose the conclusion of a scene well begun But, clear-sighted as he was, Araether: D'Artagnan remained with Percerin Why? Froer the society of his good friend Aranan drew near the bishop of Vannes, a proceeding which appeared particularly to disconcert him

”A dress for you, also, is it not, my friend?”

Arao to Vaux, however?”

”I shall go, but without a new dress You forget, dear D'Artagnan, that a poor bishop of Vannes is not rich enough to have new dresses for every _fete_”

”Bah!” said the , ”and do rite no nan,” exclaiiven up all such tonan, only half convinced As for Percerin, he was once more absorbed in contemplation of the brocades

”Don't you perceive,” said Araentlenan?”

”Ah! ah!”you, my friend” Then aloud, ”Well, then, let us leave; I have no further business here, and if you are as disengaged as I, Aramis--”

”No, not I--I wished--”

”Ah! you had so particular to say to M Percerin? Why did you not tellparticular, certainly,” repeated Aranan But, at the same ti so particular to say that a friend like you nan, i to his voice an evident tone of curiosity; for Aramis's annoyance, well dissembled as it was, had not a whit escaped hi, even the ned to soe he had of his friend's character, the musketeer felt nan was not without suspicion, and pressed him ”Stay, by alltowards the tailor, ”My dear Percerin,” said he,--”I anan”

”Oh, indeed,” exclaimed the Gascon, for the third time, even less deceived this time than before

Percerin neverfroed ”My dear Percerin,” said he, ”I have, near hand, M Lebrun, one of M Fouquet's painters”