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.
Là, à son grand étonnement, d'Artagnan entendait critiquer tout haut la politique qui faisait trembler l'Europe, et la vie privée du cardinal, que tant de hauts et puissants seigneurs avaient été punis d'avoir tenté d'approfondir: ce grand homme, révéré par M. d'Artagnan père, servait de risée aux mousquetaires de M. de Tréville, qui raillaient ses jambes cagneuses et son dos voûté; quelques-uns chantaient des Noëls sur Mme d'Aiguillon, sa maîtresse, et Mme de Combalet, sa nièce, tandis que les autres liaient des parties contre les pages et les gardes du cardinal-duc, toutes choses qui paraissaient à d'Artagnan de monstrueuses impossibilités.