The four philosophers looked at one another in a state of bewilderment.  M. de Treville never jested in matters relating to discipline.

“And what do you reckon your outfit will cost?” said d’Artagnan.

“Oh, we can scarcely say.  We have made our calculations with Spartan economy, and we each require fifteen hundred livres.”

“Four times fifteen makes sixty—­six thousand livres,” said Athos.

“It seems to me,” said d’Artagnan, “with a thousand livres each—­ I do not speak as a Spartan, but as a procurator—­”

This word procurator roused Porthos.  “Stop,” said he, “I have an idea.”

“Well, that’s something, for I have not the shadow of one,” said Athos coolly; “but as to d’Artagnan, gentlemen, the idea of belonging to ours has driven him out of his senses.  A thousand livres!  For my part, I declare I want two thousand.”

“Four times two makes eight,” then said Aramis; “it is eight thousand that we want to complete our outfits, toward which, it is true, we have already the saddles.”

“Besides,” said Athos, waiting till d’Artagnan, who went to thank Monsieur de Treville, had shut the door, “besides, there is that beautiful ring which beams from the finger of our friend.  What the devil!  D’Artagnan is too good a comrade to leave his brothers in embarrassment while he wears the ransom of a king on his finger.”

29 Hunting for the equipments

The most preoccupied of the four friends was certainly d’Artagnan, although he, in his quality of Guardsman, would be much more easily equipped than Messieurs the Musketeers, who were all of high rank; but our Gascon cadet was, as may have been observed, of a provident and almost avaricious character, and with that (explain the contradiction) so vain as almost to rival Porthos.  To this preoccupation of his vanity, d’Artagnan at this moment joined an uneasiness much less selfish.  Notwithstanding all his inquiries respecting Mme. Bonacieux, he could obtain no intelligence of her.  M. de Treville had spoken of her to the queen.  The queen was ignorant where the mercer’s young wife was, but had promised to have her sought for; but this promise was very vague and did not at all reassure d’Artagnan.

Athos did not leave his chamber; he made up his mind not to take a single step to equip himself.

“We have still fifteen days before us,” said he to his friends. “well, if at the end of a fortnight I have found nothing, or rather if nothing has come to find me, as I, too good a Catholic to kill myself with a pistol bullet, I will seek a good quarrel with four of his Eminence’s Guards or with eight Englishmen, and I will fight until one of them has killed me, which, considering the number, cannot fail to happen.  It will then be said of me that I died for the king; so that I shall have performed my duty without the expense of an outfit.”