Part 13 (1/2)
”Will you grant e for that you refuse me?”
”Precisely”
”What is it?”
”I have the greatest desire to see the ceremony, and I have no ticket to admit me, in spite of all the steps I have taken to secure one Could you get me admitted?”
”Certainly”
”Do ly, ly indebted to you, ht you were a friend of M de Manica I ith hi fall over his new dress, and he flew at ed to make my escape That is the reason I could not ask him for a ticket He wanted to kill hed Raoul ”I know Manicah to commit the crime you have to reproach yourself with, but I will repair the mischief as far as you are concerned I will but fasten my cloak, and shall then be ready to serve you, not only as a guide, but as your introducer, too”
Chapter XIV A Surprise for Raoul
Madae was celebrated in the chapel of the Palais Royal, in the presence of a crowd of courtiers, who had beenthe marked favor which an invitation indicated, Raoul, faithful to his promise to Malicorne, as so anxious to witness the ceremony, obtained adement, Raoul approached De Guiche, who, as if in contrast with his nificent costume, exhibited a countenance so utterly dejected, that the Duke of Buckingham was the only one present who could contend with him as far as pallor and discomfiture were concerned
”Take care, count,” said Raoul, approaching his friend, and preparing to support him at the moment the archbishop blessed the married couple In fact, the Prince of Conde was attentively scrutinizing these two i like caryatides on either side of the nave of the church The count, after that, kept a more careful watch over hi and queen passed onward towards the grand reception-room, where Madame and her suite were to be presented to the, who had seemed more than surprised at his sister-in-law's appearance, was ain, it was reaze upon Buckinghah to ask her, ”Do you not see how much he resembles his father?” and finally it was remarked that Monsieur watched everybody, and seemed quite discontented After the reception of the princess and a's permission to present to hi to their new household
”Are you aware, vicomte,” inquired the Prince de Conde of Raoul, ”whether the household has been selected by a person of taste, and whether there are any faces worth looking at?”
”I have not the slightest idea, norance, surely”
”In ay, neur?”
”You are a friend of De Guiche, who is one of the friends of the prince”
”Thatno interest whatever for me, I have never questioned De Guiche on the subject; and De Guiche, on his part, never having been questioned, did not communicate any particulars to me”
”But Manica the journey here, but I was no more inquisitive with him than I had been towards De Guiche Besides, is it likely that Manica of such matters? for he is a person of only secondary importance”
”My dear vicomte, do you not know better than that?” said the prince; ”why, it is these persons of secondary importance, who, on such occasions, have all the influence; and the truth is, that nearly everything has been done through Manicah De Guiche to Monsieur”
”I assure you, norant of that,” said Raoul, ”and what your highness does me the honor to impart is perfectly new to h it see to wait See, the flying squadron is advancing, as good Queen Catherine used to say Ah! ah! what pretty faces!”
A bevy of young girls at this moment entered the salon, conducted by Madame de Navailles, and to Manicamp's credit be it said, if indeed he had taken that part in their selection which the Prince de Conde assigned him, it was a display calculated to dazzle those who, like the prince, could appreciate every character and style of beauty A young, fair-coe, and whose large blue eyes flashed, as she opened the manner, walked at the head of the band and was the first presented
”Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente,” said Madame de Navailles to Monsieur, who, as he saluted his wife, repeated ”Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente”
”Ah! ah!” said the Prince de Conde to Raoul, ”she is presentable enough”
”Yes,” said Raoul, ”but has she not a sohty style?”
”Bah! we know these airs very well, vicoh But look, there, indeed, is a pretty face”
”Yes,” said Raoul, ”and one I am acquainted with”
”Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais,” said Madame de Navailles The name and Christian name were carefully repeated by Monsieur
”Great heavens!” exclaiaze upon the entrance doorway
”What's the matter?” inquired the prince; ”was it Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais who neur, no,” replied Raoul, pale and tre
”Well, then, if it be not Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais, it is that pretty blonde who follows her What beautiful eyes! She is rather thin, but has fascinations without number”
”Mademoiselle de la Baume le Blanc de la Valliere!” said Madah his whole being, a cloud seemed to rise from his breast to his eyes, so that he neither saw nor heard anythingmore than a mere echo which remained silent under his railleries, irls wholance had already particularized
”Louise here! Louise a maid of honor to Madame!” murmured Raoul, and his eyes, which did not suffice to satisfy his reason, wandered from Louise to Montalais The latter had already emancipated herself from her assumed timidity, which she only needed for the presentation and for her reverences
Mademoiselle de Montalais, fro with no slight confidence at the different persons present; and, having discovered Raoul, she amused herself with the profound astonishment which her own and her friend's presence there caused the unhappy lover Her waggish and , and which yet he sought inquiringly from time to time, placed him on the rack As for Louise, whether from natural timidity, or some other reason for which Raoul could not account, she kept her eyes constantly cast down; intimidated, dazzled, and with impeded respiration, she withdrew herself as es Montalais gave her with her elbow The whole scene was a perfect enig to obtain But no one was there who could assist hi hiood birth, and not a little discouraged by Montalais's bantering glances, had described a circle, and by degrees succeeded in getting a few paces froroup of maids of honor, and nearly within reach of Made the planet around which he, as her attendant satellite, seeravitate As he recovered his self-possession, Raoul fancied he recognized voices on his right hand side that were familiar to him, and he perceived De Wardes, De Guiche, and the Chevalier de Lorraine conversing together It is true they were talking in tones so low, that the sound of their words could hardly be heard in the vast apartment To speak in thatdown, or turning round, or looking at the person hoed in conversation, is a talent that cannot be i study is needed for such conversations, which, without a look, gesture, or roup of statues In fact, the king's and queen's grand asse, and while every one present see in the midst of the most profound silence, some of these noiseless conversations took place, in which adulation was not the prevailing feature But Raoul was one aly clever in this art, so much a matter of etiquette, that frouess the sense of the words
”Who is that Montalais?” inquired De Wardes, ”and that La Valliere? What country-town have we had sent here?”
”Montalais?” said the chevalier,-”oh, I know her; she is a good sort of girl, e shall find ahtly lame”
”Ah! bah!” said De Wardes
”Do not be absurd, De Wardes, there are soenious Latin axioentle at Raoul with uneasiness, ”be a little careful, I entreat you”
But the uneasiness of the count, in appearance at least, was not needed Raoul had preserved the firh he had not lost a word that passed He seemed to keep an account of the insolence and license of the two speakers in order to settle matters with theuess as passing in hisladies' lovers?”
”Montalais's lover?” said the chevalier
”Yes, Montalais first”
”You, I, or De Guiche,-whoever likes, in fact”