“Is that all you wished to ask me?” added Louis XIV.
“Absolutely all, sire; and I take my leave of Your Majesty. Is it, however, necessary that I should inform Raoul?”
“Spare yourself the trouble and annoyance. Tell the vicomte that at my levee tomorrow morning I will speak to him. I shall expect you this evening, comte, to join my card-table.”
“I am in traveling-costume, sire.”
“A day will come, I hope, when you will leave me no more. Before long, comte, the monarchy will be established in such a manner as to enable me to offer a worthy hospitality to men of your merit.”
“Provided, sire, a monarch reigns grandly in the hearts of his subjects, the palace he inhabits matters little, since he is worshipped in a temple.” With these words Athos left the cabinet, and found de Bragelonne, who was awaiting him anxiously.
“Well, Monsieur?” said the young man.
“The king, Raoul, is well intentioned towards us both; not, perhaps, in the sense you suppose, but he is kind, and generously disposed to our house.”
“You have bad news to communicate to me, Monsieur,” said the young man, turning very pale.
“The king himself will inform you tomorrow morning that it is not bad news.”
“The king has not signed, however?”
“The king wishes himself to settle the terms of the contract, and he desires to make it so grand that he requires time for consideration. Throw the blame rather on your own impatience, than on the king’s good feelings towards you.”
Raoul, in utter consternation, on account of his knowledge of the count’s frankness as well as his diplomacy, remained plunged in dull and gloomy stupor.
“Will you not go with me to my lodgings?” said Athos.
“I beg your pardon, Monsieur; I will follow you,” he stammered out, following Athos down the staircase.
“Since I am here,” said Athos, suddenly, “cannot I see M. d’Artagnan?”
“Shall I show you his apartments?” said de Bragelonne.
“Do so.”
“They are on the opposite staircase.”
They altered their course, but on reaching the landing of the grand staircase, Raoul perceived a servant in the Comte de Guiche’s livery, who ran towards him as soon as he heard his voice.
“What is it?” said Raoul.
“This note, Monsieur. My master heard of your return and wrote to you without delay; I have been looking for you for the last half-hour.”
Raoul approached Athos as he unsealed the letter, saying, “With your permission, Monsieur.”
“Certainly.”
“Dear Raoul,” wrote the Comte de Guiche, “I have an affair in hand which requires immediate attention; I know you have returned; come to me as soon as possible.”
Hardly had he finished reading it, when a servant in the livery of the Duke of Buckingham, turning out of the gallery, recognized Raoul, and approached him respectfully, saying, “From his Grace, Monsieur.”
“Well, Raoul, as I see you are already as busy as a general of an army, I shall leave you, and will find M. d’Artagnan myself.”
“You will excuse me, I trust,” said Raoul.
“Yes, yes, I excuse you; adieu, Raoul; you will find me at my apartments until tomorrow; during the day I may set out for Blois, unless I have orders to the contrary.”
“I shall present my respects to you tomorrow, Monsieur.”
As soon as Athos had left, Raoul opened Buckingham’s letter.
“Monsieur de Bragelonne,” it ran, “You are, of all the Frenchmen I have known, the one with whom I am most pleased; I am about to put your friendship to the proof. I have received a certain message, written in very good French. As I am an Englishman, I am afraid of not comprehending it very clearly. The letter has a good name attached to it, and that is all I can tell you. Will you be good enough to come and see me? for I am told you have arrived from Blois.
“I am going now to see your master,” said Raoul to de Guiche’s servant, as he dismissed him; “and I shall be with the Duke of Buckingham in an hour,” he added, dismissing with these words the duke’s messenger.
94
Sword-Thrusts in the Water
Raoul, on betaking himself to de Guiche, found him conversing with de Wardes and Manicamp. De Wardes, since the affair of the barricade, had treated Raoul as a stranger; they behaved as if they were not acquainted. As Raoul entered, de Guiche walked up to him; and Raoul, as he grasped his friend’s hand, glanced rapidly at his two companions, hoping to be able to read on their faces what was passing in their minds. De Wardes was cold and impenetrable; Manicamp seemed absorbed in the contemplation of some trimming to his dress. De Guiche led Raoul to an adjoining cabinet, and made him sit down, saying, “How well you look!”
“That is singular,” replied Raoul, “for I am far from being in good spirits.”
“It is your case, then, Raoul, as it is my own—our love affairs do not progress.”
“So much the better, count, as far as you are concerned; the worst news would be good news.”
“In that case do not distress yourself, for, not only am I very unhappy, but, what is more, I see others about me who are happy.”
“Really, I do not understand you,” replied Raoul; “explain yourself.”
“You will soon learn. I have tried, but in vain, to overcome the feeling you saw dawn in me, increase, and take entire possession of me. I have summoned all your advice and my own strength to my aid. I have well weighed the unfortunate affair in which I have embarked; I have sounded its depths; that it is an abyss, I am aware, but it matters little for I shall pursue my own course.”
“This is madness, de Guiche! you cannot advance another step without risking your own ruin today, perhaps your life tomorrow.”
“Whatever may happen, I have done with reflections; listen.”
“And you hope to succeed; you believe that Madame will love you?”
“Raoul,
