Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
`
` "No, madame, on the honor of a soldier, on the faith of a `
` Christian." `
` `
` "What, you are ignorant of Lord de Winter's designs upon me?" `
` `
` "I am." `
` `
` "Impossible; you are his confidant!" `
` `
` "I never lie, madame." `
` `
` "Oh, he conceals them too little for you not to divine them." `
` `
` "I seek to divine nothing, madame; I wait till I am confided in, `
` and apart from that which Lord de Winter has said to me before `
` you, he has confided nothing to me." `
` `
` "Why, then," cried Milady, with an incredible tone of `
` truthfulness, "you are not his accomplice; you do not know that `
` he destines me to a disgrace which all the punishments of the `
` world cannot equal in horror?" `
` `
` "You are deceived, madame," said Felton, blushing; "Lord de `
` Winter is not capable of such a crime." `
` `
` "Good," said Milady to herself; "without thinking what it is, he `
` calls it a crime!" Then aloud, "The friend of THAT WRETCH is `
` capable of everything." `
` `
` "Whom do you call 'that wretch'?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "Are there, then, in England two men to whom such an epithet can `
` be applied?" `
` `
` "You mean George Villiers?" asked Felton, whose looks became `
` excited. `
` `
` "Whom Pagans and unbelieving Gentiles call Duke of Buckingham," `
` replied Milady. "I could not have thought that there was an `
` Englishman in all England who would have required so long an `
` explanation to make him understand of whom I was speaking." `
` `
` "The hand of the Lord is stretched over him," said Felton; "he `
` will not escape the chastisement he deserves." `
` `
` Felton only expressed, with regard to the duke, the feeling of `
` execration which all the English had declared toward him whom the `
` Catholics themselves called the extortioner, the pillager, the `
` debauchee, and whom the Puritans styled simply Satan. `
` `
` "Oh, my God, my God!" cried Milady; "when I supplicate thee to `
` pour upon this man the chastisement which is his due, thou `
` knowest it is not my own vengeance I pursue, but the deliverance `
` of a whole nation that I implore!" `
` `
` "Do you know him, then?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "At length he interrogates me!" said Milady to herself, at the `
` height of joy at having obtained so quickly such a great result. `
` "Oh, know him? Yes, yes! to my misfortune, to my eternal `
` misfortune!" and Milady twisted her arms as if in a paroxysm of `
` grief. `
` `
` Felton no doubt felt within himself that his strength was `
` abandoning him, and he made several steps toward the door; but `
` the prisoner, whose eye never left him, sprang in pursuit of him `
` and stopped him. `
` `
` "Sir," cried she, "be kind, be clement, listen to my prayer! `
` That knife, which the fatal prudence of the baron deprived me of, `
` because he knows the use I would make of it! Oh, hear me to the `
` end! that knife, give it to me for a minute only, for mercy's, `
` for pity's sake! I will embrace your knees! You shall shut the `
` door that you may be certain I contemplate no injury to you! My `
` God! to you--the only just, good, and compassionate being I have `
` met with! To you--my preserver, perhaps! One minute that knife, `
` one minute, a single minute, and I will restore it to you through `
` the grating of the door. Only one minute, Mr. Felton, and you `
` will have saved my honor!" `
` `
` "To kill yourself?" cried Felton, with terror, forgetting to `
` withdraw his hands from the hands of the prisoner, "to kill `
` yourself?" `
` `
` "I have told, sir," murmured Milady, lowering her voice, and `
` allowing herself to sink overpowered to the ground; "I have told `
` my secret! He knows all! My God, I am lost!" `
` `
` Felton remained standing, motionless and undecided. `
` `
` "He still doubts," thought Milady; "I have not been earnest `
` enough." `
` `
` Someone was heard in the corridor; Milady recognized the step of `
` Lord de Winter. `
` `
` Felton recognized it also, and made a step toward the door. `
` `
` Milady sprang toward him. "Oh, not a word," said she in a `
` concentrated voice, "not a word of all that I have said to you to `
` this man, or I am lost, and it would be you--you--" `
` `
` Then as the steps drew near, she became silent for fear of being `
` heard, applying, with a gesture of infinite terror, her beautiful `
` hand to Felton's mouth. `
` `
` Felton gently repulsed Milady, and she sank into a chair. `
` `
` Lord de Winter passed before the door without stopping, and they `
` heard the noise of his footsteps soon die away. `
` `
` Felton, as pale as death, remained some instants with his ear `
` bent and listening; then, when the sound was quite extinct, he `
` breathed like a man awaking from a dream, and rushed out of the `
` apartment. `
` `
` "Ah!" said Milady, listening in her turn to the noise of Felton's `
` steps, which withdrew in a direction opposite to those of Lord de `
` Winter; "at length you are mine!" `
` `
` Then her brow darkened. "If he tells the baron," said she, "I am `
` lost--for the baron, who knows very well that I shall not kill `
` myself, will place me before him with a knife in my hand, and he `
` will discover that all this despair is but acted." `
` `
` She placed herself before the glass, and regarded herself `
` attentively; never had she appeared more beautiful. `
` `
` "Oh, yes," said she, smiling, "but we won't tell him!" `
` `
` In the evening Lord de Winter accompanied the supper. `
` `
` "Sir," said Milady, "is your presence an indispensable accessory `
` of my captivity? Could you not spare me the increase of torture `
` which your visits cause me?" `
` `
` "How, dear sister!" said Lord de Winter. "Did not you `
` sentimentally inform me with that pretty mouth of yours, so cruel `
` to me today, that you came to England solely for the pleasure of `
` seeing me at your ease, an enjoyment of which you told me you so `
` sensibly felt the deprivation that you had risked everything for `
` it--seasickness, tempest, captivity? Well, here I am; be `
` satisfied. Besides, this time, my visit has a motive." `
` `
` Milady trembled; she thought Felton had told all. Perhaps never `
` in her life had this woman, who had experienced so many opposite `
` and powerful emotions, felt her heart beat so violently. `
` `
` She was seated. Lord de Winter took a chair, drew it toward her, `
` and sat down close beside her. Then taking a paper out of his `
` pocket, he unfolded it slowly. `
` `
` "Here," said he, "I want to show you the kind of passport which I `
` have drawn up, and which will serve you henceforward as the rule `
` of order in the life I consent to leave you." `
` `
` Then turning his eyes from Milady to the paper, he read: "'Order `
` to conduct--' The name is blank," interrupted Lord de Winter. `
` "If you have any preference you can point it out to me; and if it `
` be not within a thousand leagues of London, attention will be `
` paid to your wishes. I will begin again, then: `
` `
` "'Order to conduct to--the person named Charlotte Backson, `
` branded by the justice of the kingdom of France, but liberated `
` after chastisement. She is to dwell in this place without ever `
` going more than three leagues from it. In case of any attempt to `
` escape, the penalty of death is to be applied. She will receive `
` five shillings per day for lodging and food'". `
` `
` "That order does not concern me," replied Milady, coldly, "since `
` it bears another name than mine." `
` `
` "A name? Have you a name, then?" `
` `
` "I bear that of your brother." `
` `
` "Ay, but you are mistaken. My brother is only your second `
` husband; and your first is still living. Tell me his name, and I `
` will put it in the place of the name of Charlotte Backson. No? `
` You will not? You are silent? Well, then you must be registered `
` as Charlotte Backson." `
` `
` Milady remained silent; only this time it was no longer from `
` affectation, but from terror. She believed the order ready for `
` execution. She thought that Lord de Winter had hastened her `
` departure; she thought she was condemned to set off that very `
` evening. Everything in her mind was lost for an instant; when `
` all at once she perceived that no signature was attached to the `
` order. The joy she felt at this discovery was so great she could `
` not conceal it. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Lord de Winter, who perceived what was passing `
` in her mind; "yes, you look for the signature, and you say to `
` yourself: 'All is not lost, for that order is not signed. It is `
` only shown to me to terrify me, that's all.' You are mistaken. `
` Tomorrow this order will be sent to the Duke of Buckingham. The `
` day after tomorrow it will return signed by his hand and marked `
` with his seal; and four-and-twenty hours afterward I will answer `
` for its being carried into execution. Adieu, madame. That is `
` all I had to say to you." `
`
` "No, madame, on the honor of a soldier, on the faith of a `
` Christian." `
` `
` "What, you are ignorant of Lord de Winter's designs upon me?" `
` `
` "I am." `
` `
` "Impossible; you are his confidant!" `
` `
` "I never lie, madame." `
` `
` "Oh, he conceals them too little for you not to divine them." `
` `
` "I seek to divine nothing, madame; I wait till I am confided in, `
` and apart from that which Lord de Winter has said to me before `
` you, he has confided nothing to me." `
` `
` "Why, then," cried Milady, with an incredible tone of `
` truthfulness, "you are not his accomplice; you do not know that `
` he destines me to a disgrace which all the punishments of the `
` world cannot equal in horror?" `
` `
` "You are deceived, madame," said Felton, blushing; "Lord de `
` Winter is not capable of such a crime." `
` `
` "Good," said Milady to herself; "without thinking what it is, he `
` calls it a crime!" Then aloud, "The friend of THAT WRETCH is `
` capable of everything." `
` `
` "Whom do you call 'that wretch'?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "Are there, then, in England two men to whom such an epithet can `
` be applied?" `
` `
` "You mean George Villiers?" asked Felton, whose looks became `
` excited. `
` `
` "Whom Pagans and unbelieving Gentiles call Duke of Buckingham," `
` replied Milady. "I could not have thought that there was an `
` Englishman in all England who would have required so long an `
` explanation to make him understand of whom I was speaking." `
` `
` "The hand of the Lord is stretched over him," said Felton; "he `
` will not escape the chastisement he deserves." `
` `
` Felton only expressed, with regard to the duke, the feeling of `
` execration which all the English had declared toward him whom the `
` Catholics themselves called the extortioner, the pillager, the `
` debauchee, and whom the Puritans styled simply Satan. `
` `
` "Oh, my God, my God!" cried Milady; "when I supplicate thee to `
` pour upon this man the chastisement which is his due, thou `
` knowest it is not my own vengeance I pursue, but the deliverance `
` of a whole nation that I implore!" `
` `
` "Do you know him, then?" asked Felton. `
` `
` "At length he interrogates me!" said Milady to herself, at the `
` height of joy at having obtained so quickly such a great result. `
` "Oh, know him? Yes, yes! to my misfortune, to my eternal `
` misfortune!" and Milady twisted her arms as if in a paroxysm of `
` grief. `
` `
` Felton no doubt felt within himself that his strength was `
` abandoning him, and he made several steps toward the door; but `
` the prisoner, whose eye never left him, sprang in pursuit of him `
` and stopped him. `
` `
` "Sir," cried she, "be kind, be clement, listen to my prayer! `
` That knife, which the fatal prudence of the baron deprived me of, `
` because he knows the use I would make of it! Oh, hear me to the `
` end! that knife, give it to me for a minute only, for mercy's, `
` for pity's sake! I will embrace your knees! You shall shut the `
` door that you may be certain I contemplate no injury to you! My `
` God! to you--the only just, good, and compassionate being I have `
` met with! To you--my preserver, perhaps! One minute that knife, `
` one minute, a single minute, and I will restore it to you through `
` the grating of the door. Only one minute, Mr. Felton, and you `
` will have saved my honor!" `
` `
` "To kill yourself?" cried Felton, with terror, forgetting to `
` withdraw his hands from the hands of the prisoner, "to kill `
` yourself?" `
` `
` "I have told, sir," murmured Milady, lowering her voice, and `
` allowing herself to sink overpowered to the ground; "I have told `
` my secret! He knows all! My God, I am lost!" `
` `
` Felton remained standing, motionless and undecided. `
` `
` "He still doubts," thought Milady; "I have not been earnest `
` enough." `
` `
` Someone was heard in the corridor; Milady recognized the step of `
` Lord de Winter. `
` `
` Felton recognized it also, and made a step toward the door. `
` `
` Milady sprang toward him. "Oh, not a word," said she in a `
` concentrated voice, "not a word of all that I have said to you to `
` this man, or I am lost, and it would be you--you--" `
` `
` Then as the steps drew near, she became silent for fear of being `
` heard, applying, with a gesture of infinite terror, her beautiful `
` hand to Felton's mouth. `
` `
` Felton gently repulsed Milady, and she sank into a chair. `
` `
` Lord de Winter passed before the door without stopping, and they `
` heard the noise of his footsteps soon die away. `
` `
` Felton, as pale as death, remained some instants with his ear `
` bent and listening; then, when the sound was quite extinct, he `
` breathed like a man awaking from a dream, and rushed out of the `
` apartment. `
` `
` "Ah!" said Milady, listening in her turn to the noise of Felton's `
` steps, which withdrew in a direction opposite to those of Lord de `
` Winter; "at length you are mine!" `
` `
` Then her brow darkened. "If he tells the baron," said she, "I am `
` lost--for the baron, who knows very well that I shall not kill `
` myself, will place me before him with a knife in my hand, and he `
` will discover that all this despair is but acted." `
` `
` She placed herself before the glass, and regarded herself `
` attentively; never had she appeared more beautiful. `
` `
` "Oh, yes," said she, smiling, "but we won't tell him!" `
` `
` In the evening Lord de Winter accompanied the supper. `
` `
` "Sir," said Milady, "is your presence an indispensable accessory `
` of my captivity? Could you not spare me the increase of torture `
` which your visits cause me?" `
` `
` "How, dear sister!" said Lord de Winter. "Did not you `
` sentimentally inform me with that pretty mouth of yours, so cruel `
` to me today, that you came to England solely for the pleasure of `
` seeing me at your ease, an enjoyment of which you told me you so `
` sensibly felt the deprivation that you had risked everything for `
` it--seasickness, tempest, captivity? Well, here I am; be `
` satisfied. Besides, this time, my visit has a motive." `
` `
` Milady trembled; she thought Felton had told all. Perhaps never `
` in her life had this woman, who had experienced so many opposite `
` and powerful emotions, felt her heart beat so violently. `
` `
` She was seated. Lord de Winter took a chair, drew it toward her, `
` and sat down close beside her. Then taking a paper out of his `
` pocket, he unfolded it slowly. `
` `
` "Here," said he, "I want to show you the kind of passport which I `
` have drawn up, and which will serve you henceforward as the rule `
` of order in the life I consent to leave you." `
` `
` Then turning his eyes from Milady to the paper, he read: "'Order `
` to conduct--' The name is blank," interrupted Lord de Winter. `
` "If you have any preference you can point it out to me; and if it `
` be not within a thousand leagues of London, attention will be `
` paid to your wishes. I will begin again, then: `
` `
` "'Order to conduct to--the person named Charlotte Backson, `
` branded by the justice of the kingdom of France, but liberated `
` after chastisement. She is to dwell in this place without ever `
` going more than three leagues from it. In case of any attempt to `
` escape, the penalty of death is to be applied. She will receive `
` five shillings per day for lodging and food'". `
` `
` "That order does not concern me," replied Milady, coldly, "since `
` it bears another name than mine." `
` `
` "A name? Have you a name, then?" `
` `
` "I bear that of your brother." `
` `
` "Ay, but you are mistaken. My brother is only your second `
` husband; and your first is still living. Tell me his name, and I `
` will put it in the place of the name of Charlotte Backson. No? `
` You will not? You are silent? Well, then you must be registered `
` as Charlotte Backson." `
` `
` Milady remained silent; only this time it was no longer from `
` affectation, but from terror. She believed the order ready for `
` execution. She thought that Lord de Winter had hastened her `
` departure; she thought she was condemned to set off that very `
` evening. Everything in her mind was lost for an instant; when `
` all at once she perceived that no signature was attached to the `
` order. The joy she felt at this discovery was so great she could `
` not conceal it. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Lord de Winter, who perceived what was passing `
` in her mind; "yes, you look for the signature, and you say to `
` yourself: 'All is not lost, for that order is not signed. It is `
` only shown to me to terrify me, that's all.' You are mistaken. `
` Tomorrow this order will be sent to the Duke of Buckingham. The `
` day after tomorrow it will return signed by his hand and marked `
` with his seal; and four-and-twenty hours afterward I will answer `
` for its being carried into execution. Adieu, madame. That is `
` all I had to say to you." `
`