n a different religion."

"Well, I must allow, as you say, your father was a very intelligent
fellow. And you say in his leisure moments the worthy man was a
poacher?"

"Yes, monsieur, and it was he who taught me to lay a snare and ground a
line. The consequence is that when I saw our laborers, which did not at
all suit two such delicate stomachs as ours, I had recourse to a little
of my old trade. While walking near the wood of Monsieur le Prince, I
laid a few snare in the runs; and while reclining on the banks of his
Highness's pieces of water, I slipped a few lines into his fish ponds.
So that now, thanks be to God, we do not want, as Monsieur can testify,
for partridges, rabbits, carp or eels--all light, wholesome food,
suitable for the sick."

"But the wine," said d'Artagnan, "who furnishes the wine? Your host?"

"That is to say, yes and no."

"How yes and no?"

"He furnishes it, it is true, but he does not know that he has that
honor."

"Explain yourself, Mousqueton; your conversation is full of instructive
things."

"That is it, monsieur. It has so chanced that I met with a Spaniard in
my peregrinations who had seen many countries, and among them the New
World."

"What connection can the New World have with the bottles which are on
the commode and the wardrobe?"

"Patience, monsieur, everything will come in its turn."

"This Spaniard had in his service a lackey who had accompanied him in
his voyage to Mexico. This lackey was my compatriot; and we became the
more intimate from there being many resemblances of character between
us. We loved sporting of all kinds better than anything; so that he
related to me how in the plains of the Pampas the natives hunt the
tiger and the wild bull with simple running nooses which they throw to
a distance of twenty or thirty paces the end of a cord with such nicety;
but in face of the proof I was obliged to acknowledge the truth of the
recital. My friend placed a bottle at the distance of thirty paces, and
at each cast he caught the neck of the bottle in his running noose.
I practiced this exercise, and as nature has endowed me with some
faculties, at this day I can throw the lasso with any man in the world.
Well, do you understand, monsieur? Our host has a well-furnished cellar
the key of which never leaves him; only this cellar has a ventilating
hole. Now through this ventilating hole I throw my lasso, and as I now
know in which part of the cellar is the best win