Part 45 (1/2)
The gentle, but at a motion frorave, but Araht of such royal misery exasperated him and his eyes examined every new trace of poverty that presented itself
”You are exa sadly around her
”Madame,” replied Aramis, ”I nation at seeing how a daughter of Henry IV is treated at the court of France”
”Monsieur Aramis is not an officer?” asked the queen of Lord de Winter
”That gentleman is the Abbe d'Herblay,” replied he
Aramis blushed ”Madaainst my will I never had a vocation for the bands; my cassock is fastened by one button only, and I a, being ignorant that I should have the honor of seeing your majesty, I encumbered myself with this dress, but you will find me none the less a man devoted to your majesty's service, in whatever way you may see fit to use me”
”The Abbe d'Herblay,” resuallantLouis XIII, of who to Athos, he continued, ”And this gentleh reputation is so well known to your o I had around er all these were busied in my service To-day, look around you, and it may astonish you, that in order to accomplish a plan which is dearer to me than life I have only Lord de Winter, the friend of twenty years, and you, gentlemen, whom I see for the first tih,” said Athos, bowing low, ”if the lives of three entlemen But hear me,” continued she ”I am not only the most miserable of queens, but the most unhappy of mothers, the most wretched of wives My children, two of them, at least, the Duke of York and the Princess Elizabeth, are far away from me, exposed to the blows of the aland so wretched an existence that it is no exaggeration to aver that he seeks death as a thing to be desired Hold! gentlemen, here is the letter conveyed tothe queen, Athos read aloud the letter which we have already seen, in which King Charles demanded to knohether the hospitality of France would be accorded him
”Well?” asked Athos, when he had closed the letter
”Well,” said the queen, ”it has been refused”
The two friends exchanged a smile of contempt
”And now,” said Athos, ”what is to be done? I have the honor to inquire from your majesty what you desire Monsieur d'Herblay and myself to do in your service We are ready”
”Ah, sir, you have a noble heart!” exclairatitude; whilst Lord de Winter turned to her with a glance which said, ”Did I not answer for them?”
”But you, sir?” said the queen to Aramis
”I, madame,” replied he, ”follow Monsieur de la Fere wherever he leads, even were it on to death, without de wherefore; but when it concerns yourat the queen with all the grace of forentlemen,” said the queen, ”since it is thus, and since you are willing to devote yourselves to the service of a poor princess whom the whole world has abandoned, this is what is required to be done for entlemen, whom he fears to lose every day; surrounded by the Scotch, whoh he be himself a Scotchman Since Lord de Winter left him I am distracted, sirs I ask much, too land, join the king, be his friends, protectors, march to battle at his side, and be near hierous than the perils of war, are hatching every day And in exchange for the sacrifice that you entlemen, I promise--not to reward you, I believe that ould offend you--but to love you as a sister, to prefer you, next to my husband and my children, to every one I swear it before Heaven”
And the queen raised her eyes solemnly upward
”Madame,” said Athos, ”when must we set out?”
”You consent then?” exclaimed the queen, joyfully
”Yes, oes too far in engaging to load us with a friendshi+p so far above oura prince so unfortunate, a queen so virtuous Madame, we are yours, body and soul”
”Oh, sirs,” said the queen, moved even to tears, ”this is the first time for five years I have felt the least approach to joy or hope God, who can read ratitude I feel, will reward you! Save h you care not for the price that is placed upon a good action in this world, leave ain, when I may be able to thank youto ask of me? Froed in ht to occupy myself in yours”
”Madame,” replied Athos, ”I have only to ask your majesty's prayers”
”And I,” said Aramis, ”I am alone in the world and have only your majesty to serve”
The queen held out her hand, which they kissed, and she said in a low tone to De Winter: ”If you need iven you; detach the diamonds and sell them to some Jew You will receive for them fifty or sixty thousand francs; spend theentles”
The queen had two letters ready, one written by herself, the other by her daughter, the Princess Henrietta Both were addressed to King Charles She gave the first to Athos and the other to Araht ; after which they withdrew
At the foot of the staircase De Winter stopped
”Not to arouse suspicions, gentleo ain at the Gate Saint Denis We will travel on horseback as far as our horses can go and aftere can take the post Once ood friends, both in entle the Rue Saint Honore, and Athos and Araether
”Well,” said Aramis, when they were alone, ”what do you think of this business, my dear count?”
”Bad,” replied Athos, ”very bad”
”But you received it with enthusiasreat principle,by the assistance of the aristocracy, but aristocracy cannot survive without the countenance of monarchs Let us, then, support monarchy, in order to support ourselves
”We shall be lish--they are coarse, like every nation that swills beer”
”Would it be better to remain here,” said Athos, ”and take a turn in the Bastile or the dungeon of Vincennes for having favored the escape of Monsieur de Beaufort? I'faith, Araret We avoid imprisonment and we play the part of heroes; the choice is easy”
”It is true; but in everything, friend, one must always return to the same question--a stupid one, I ad like a hundred pistoles, that elonne; but out of that su man must live respectably I have then about fifty pistoles And you?”
”As forout allmy drawers I shall not find ten louis at home Fortunately Lord de Winter is rich”
”Lord de Winter is ruined for the moment; Oliver Cromwell has annexed his income resources”
”Now is the time when Baron Porthos would be useful”
”Now it is that I regret D'Artagnan”
”Let us entice the to us; take my advice, then, and let no one into our confidence Andsuch a step we should appear to be doubtful of ourselves Let us regret their absence to ourselves for our own sakes, but not speak of it”
”You are right; but what are you going to do until this evening? I have two things to postpone”
”And what are they?”
”First, a thrust with the coadjutor, whoht at Madame de Rambouillet's and who me”
”Oh, fie--a quarrel between priests, a duel between allies!”
”What can I do, friend? he is a bully and so aine I have had enough of mine; in fact, there is so much resemblance between us that I sometimes believe he is Araues and oppresses me; besides, he is a turbulent felloill ruin our party I aave this e the appearance of things”
”And I, my dear Arae Monsieur de Retz's appearance Take s just as they are; besides, you are neither of you now your own land So, if the secondunable to attend to is not more important than the first----”