THE DEFENSE OF THE BASTION SAINT-GERVAIS
From 'The Three Musketeers'
When D'Artagnan arrived, he found his three friends all together. Athos was thinking deeply, Porthos was twirling his mustache, and Aramis was reading his prayers out of a beautiful little book bound in blue velvet.
"My faith, gentlemen!" exclaimed he, "I hope that what you have to tell me is very important, or I shall owe you a grudge for dragging me here, out of my bed, after a whole night passed in taking and dismantling a bastion! Ah, it is a thousand pities you were not there! It was warm work!"
"We were somewhere else, where it was not very cold either," replied Porthos, giving his mustache another twist....
"Aramis," said Athos, "didn't you breakfast the other day at Parpaillot's?"
"Yes."
"Were you comfortable there?"
"No, I did not like it at all. It was a fast day, and they had nothing but meat."
"What, no fish to be had in a seaport town?"