Part 9 (1/2)
”Sir,” replied De Bragelonne, ”I do not like to hear such htly Gentleuardians of the honor of our queens and our princesses If we jest at them, ill our servants do?”
”How aled at the reelonne, coldly
”Bragelonne, Bragelonne,” murmured De Guiche
”M de Wardes,” exclai man had spurred his horse close to the side of Raoul
”Gentleentlemen,” said De Guiche, ”do not set such an exa”
”Wrong; in ay, ,ill of so,” replied Raoul, with undisturbed coent, Raoul,” said De Guiche, in an undertone
”Pray do not think of fighting, gentlemen!” said Manicamp, ”before you have rested yourselves; for in that case you will not be able to do entleh the horses and attendants, he cleared the way for hih the crowd, followed by the whole cavalcade A large gateway looking out upon a courtyard was open; Guiche entered the courtyard, and Bragelonne, De Wardes, Manicaentlemen, followed him A sort of council of as held, and the nity of the eelonne was of the opinion that the right of priority should be respected, while De Wardes suggested that the town should be sacked This latter proposition appearing to Manicamp rather premature, he proposed instead that they should first rest the to do, but, unhappily, to follow his advice, two things anting; namely, a house and beds De Guiche reflected for awhile, and then said aloud, ”Let him who loves e who had approached the group
”Every one,” exclai man ”Manicahness's residence”
Without in any way divining the count's project, his friends followed him, accoht seemed a happy omen for the success of that project hich they were yet unacquainted The as blowing strongly frousts
Chapter IX At Sea
The following day was soale still continued The sun had, however, risen through a bank of orange clouds, tingeing with its cheerful rays the crests of the black waves Watch was impatiently kept from the different look-outs Towards eleven o'clock in the nalled as in vieo others followed at the distance of about half a knot They approached like arrows shot froh that their speed was as nothing co of the billows in which the vessels were plunging first in one direction and then in another The English fleet was soon recognized by the line of the shi+ps, and by the color of their pennants; the one which had the princess on board and carried the ad preceded the others
The ru The whole French court ran to the harbor, while the quays and jetties were soon covered by crowds of people Two hours afterwards, the other vessels had overtaken the flagshi+p, and the three, not venturing perhaps to enter the narrow entrance of the harbor, cast anchor between Le Havre and La Heve When the maneuver had been completed, the vessel which bore the ades of cannon, which were returned, discharge for discharge, from Fort Francis I Immediately afterwards a hundred boats were launched; they were covered with the richest stuffs, and destined for the conveyance of the different members of the French nobility towards the vessels at anchor But when it was observed that even inside the harbor the boats were tossed to and fro, and that beyond the jetty the waves roseupon the shore with a terrible uproar, it was readily believed that not one of those frail boats would be able with safety to reach a fourth part of the distance between the shore and the vessels at anchor A pilot-boat, however, notwithstanding the wind and the sea, was getting ready to leave the harbor, for the purpose of placing itself at the ad the different boats for one stronger than the others, which lish vessels, perceiving the pilot-boat getting ready to start, said to Raoul: ”Do you not think, Raoul, that intelligent and vigorous ht to be ashath of wind and waves?”
”That is precisely the very reflection I was silently et into that boat, then, and push off? Will you coet drowned,” said Manicamp
”And for no purpose,” said De Wardes, ”for with the wind in your teeth, as it will be, you will never reach the vessels”
”You refuse, then?”
”assuredly I do; I would willingly risk and loseat Bragelonne, ”but as to fighting with oars against waves, I have no taste for that”
”And forthe shi+ps, I should not be indifferent to the loss of the only good dress which I have left,-salt water would spoil it”
”You, then, refuse also?” exclai you to understand that most distinctly”
”But,” exclaimed De Guiche, ”look, De Wardes-look, Manica at us from the poop of the admiral's vessel”
”An additional reason, my dear felloe should notdrohile they are looking on”
”Is that your last word, Manicamp?”
”Yes”
”And then yours, De Wardes?”
”Yes”
”Then I go alone”
”Not so,” said Raoul, ”for I shall accoht it was understood I should do so”
The fact is, that Raoul, uninfluenced by devotion, er was, but he willingly allowed himself to accept a peril which De Wardes had declined
The boat was about to set off when De Guiche called to the pilot ”Stay,” said he: ”ant two places in your boat;” and wrapping five or six pistoles in paper, he threw them from the quay into the boat
”It seeentle,” replied De Guiche
”Co, then”
The pilot approached the side of the boat, and the two young men, one after the other, with equal vivacity, jue, my men,” said De Guiche; ”I have twenty pistoles left in this purse, and as soon as we reach the admiral's vessel they shall be yours” The sailors bent themselves to their oars, and the boat bounded over the crest of the waves The interest taken in this hazardous expedition was universal; the whole population of Le Havre hurried towards the jetties and every look was directed towards the little bark; at onewaves, then suddenly glided doards towards the botto abyss, where it see with the waves, it reached the spot where the admiral's vessel was anchored, and from the side of which two boats had already been dispatched towards their aid Upon the quarter-deck of the flagshi+p, sheltered by a canopy of velvet and ermine, which was suspended by stout supports, Henriette, the queen dowager, and the young princess-with the ad beside them-watched with alarm this slender bark, at one moment tossed to the heavens, and the next buried beneath the waves, and against whose dark sail the noble figures of the two French gentlemen stood forth in relief like two luainst the bulwarks and clinging to the shrouds, cheered the courage of the two daring young th of the sailors They were received at the side of the vessel by a shout of triu e, advanced to htly mounted the ladder on the starboard side, and, conducted by the Duke of Norfolk, who resue to the princess Respect, and yet more, a certain apprehension, for which he could not account, had hitherto restrained the Co at Madame attentively, who, however, had observed him immediately, and had asked her mother, ”Is not that Monsieur in the boat yonder?” Madahter did, smiled at the mistake her vanity had led her into, and had answered, ”No; it is only M de Guiche, his favorite” The princess, at this reply, was constrained to check an instinctive tenderness of feeling which the courage displayed by the count had awakened At the very moment the princess had put this question to her e to raise his eyes towards her and could coinal with the portrait he had so lately seen No sooner had he remarked her pale face, her eyes so full of animation, her beautiful nut-brown hair, her expressive lips, and her every gesture, which, while betokening royal descent, seee him at one and the same time, than he was, for a moment, so overcome, that, had it not been for Raoul, on whose arm he leant, he would have fallen His friend's aesture of the queen, restored Guiche to his self-possession In a feords he explained his mission, explained in ay he had beco to their rank and the reception they gave hilish noblerouped around the princess
Raoul was then presented, and was raciously received; the share that the Comte de la Fere had had in the restoration of Charles II was known to all; and, ed with the negotiation of the hter of Henry IV was now returning to France Raoul spoke English perfectly, and constituted hilish noblee At thisman came forward, of extremely handsome features, and whose dress and arance of ed in conversation with the Duke of Norfolk, and, in a voice which ill concealed his ihness” The younger of the princesses rose from her seat at this re nobleerness which arose from a variety of : ”A moment, if you please, my lord; it is not possible for ladies to diseh; it is probable the windwill not be effected, therefore, until this evening”
”Allow hauise, ”you detain these ladies, and you have no right to do so One of thes to France, and you perceive that France claims them by the voice of her ambassadors;” and at the same moment he indicated Raoul and Guiche, whoentlehnesses,” replied the adha the wind; allow reater for their royal highnesses when the ill be in their favor”