There, to his great astonishment, d’Artagnan heard the policy which made all Europe tremble criticized aloud and openly, as well as the private life of the cardinal, which so many great nobles had been punished for trying to pry into. That great man who was so revered by d’Artagnan the elder served as an object of ridicule to the Musketeers of Treville, who cracked their jokes upon his bandy legs and his crooked back. Some sang ballads about Mme. d’Aguillon, his mistress, and Mme. Cambalet, his niece; while others formed parties and plans to annoy the pages and guards of the cardinal duke--all things which appeared to d’Artagnan monstrous impossibilities.
Allí, para gran sorpresa suya, D'Artagnan oía criticar en voz alta la política que hacía temblar a Europa, y la vida privada del cardenal, que a tantos altos y poderosos personajes había llevado al castigo por haber tratado de profundizar en ella: aquel gran hombre, reverenciado por el señor D'Artagnan padre, servía de hazmerreír a los mosqueteros del señor de Tréville, que se metían con sus piernas zambas y con su espalda encorvada; unos cantaban villancicos sobre la señora D'Aiguillon, su amante, y sobre la señora de Combalet, su nieta, mientras otros preparaban partidas contra los pajes y los guardias del cardenal duque, cosas todas que parecían a D'Artagnan monstruosas imposibilidades.