Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
"At length I saw the lamp rise softly, and disappear in the `
` depths of the ceiling; my chamber was filled with darkness and `
` obscurity, but I made a strong effort to penetrate this darkness `
` and obscurity. `
` `
` "Nearly ten minutes passed; I heard no other noise but the `
` beating of my own heart. I implored heaven that he might come. `
` `
` "At length I heard the well-known noise of the door, which opened `
` and shut; I heard, notwithstanding the thickness of the carpet, a `
` step which made the floor creak; I saw, notwithstanding the `
` darkness, a shadow which approached my bed." `
` `
` "Haste! haste!" said Felton; "do you not see that each of your `
` words burns me like molten lead?" `
` `
` "Then," continued Milady, "then I collected all my strength; I `
` recalled to my mind that the moment of vengeance, or rather, of `
` justice, had struck. I looked upon myself as another Judith; I `
` gathered myself up, my knife in my hand, and when I saw him near `
` me, stretching out his arms to find his victim, then, with the `
` last cry of agony and despair, I struck him in the middle of his `
` breast. `
` `
` "The miserable villain! He had foreseen all. His breast was `
` covered with a coat-of-mail; the knife was bent against it. `
` `
` "'Ah, ah!' cried he, seizing my arm, and wresting from me the `
` weapon that had so badly served me, 'you want to take my life, do `
` you, my pretty Puritan? But that's more than dislike, that's `
` ingratitude! Come, come, calm yourself, my sweet girl! I `
` thought you had softened. I am not one of those tyrants who `
` detain women by force. You don't love me. With my usual fatuity `
` I doubted it; now I am convinced. Tomorrow you shall be free.' `
` `
` "I had but one wish; that was that he should kill me. `
` `
` "'Beware!' said I, 'for my liberty is your dishonor.' `
` `
` "'Explain yourself, my pretty sibyl!' `
` `
` "'Yes; for as soon as I leave this place I will tell everything. `
` I will proclaim the violence you have used toward me. I will `
` describe my captivity. I will denounce this place of infamy. `
` You are placed on high, my Lord, but tremble! Above you there is `
` the king; above the king there is God!' `
` `
` "However perfect master he was over himself, my persecutor `
` allowed a movement of anger to escape him. I could not see the `
` expression of his countenance, but I felt the arm tremble upon `
` which my hand was placed. `
` `
` "'Then you shall not leave this place,' said he. `
` `
` "'Very well,' cried I, 'then the place of my punishment will be `
` that of my tomb. I will die here, and you will see if a phantom `
` that accuses is not more terrible than a living being that `
` threatens!' `
` `
` "'You shall have no weapon left in your power.' `
` `
` "'There is a weapon which despair has placed within the reach of `
` every creature who has the courage to use it. I will allow `
` myself to die with hunger.' `
` `
` "'Come,' said the wretch, 'is not peace much better than such a `
` war as that? I will restore you to liberty this moment; I will `
` proclaim you a piece of immaculate virtue; I will name you the `
` Lucretia of England.' `
` `
` "'And I will say that you are the Sextus. I will denounce you `
` before men, as I have denounced you before God; and if it be `
` necessary that, like Lucretia, I should sign my accusation with `
` my blood, I will sign it.' `
` `
` "'Ah!' said my enemy, in a jeering tone, 'that's quite another `
` thing. My faith! everything considered, you are very well off `
` here. You shall want for nothing, and if you let yourself die of `
` hunger that will be your own fault.' `
` `
` "At these words he retired. I heard the door open and shut, and `
` I remained overwhelmed, less, I confess it, by my grief than by `
` the mortification of not having avenged myself. `
` `
` "He kept his word. All the day, all the next night passed away `
` without my seeing him again. But I also kept my word with him, `
` and I neither ate nor drank. I was, as I told him, resolved to `
` die of hunger. `
` `
` "I passed the day and the night in prayer, for I hoped that God `
` would pardon me my suicide. `
` `
` "The second night the door opened; I was lying on the floor, for `
` my strength began to abandon me. `
` `
` "At the noise I raised myself up on one hand. `
` `
` "'Well,' said a voice which vibrated in too terrible a manner in `
` my ear not to be recognized, 'well! Are we softened a little? `
` Will we not pay for our liberty with a single promise of silence? `
` Come, I am a good sort of a prince,' added he, 'and although I `
` like not Puritans I do them justice; and it is the same with `
` Puritanesses, when they are pretty. Come, take a little oath for `
` me on the cross; I won't ask anything more of you.' `
` `
` "'On the cross,' cried I, rising, for at that abhorred voice I `
` had recovered all my strength, 'on the cross I swear that no `
` promise, no menace, no force, no torture, shall close my mouth! `
` On the cross I swear to denounce you everywhere as a murderer, as `
` a thief of honor, as a base coward! On the cross I swear, if I `
` ever leave this place, to call down vengeance upon you from the `
` whole human race!' `
` `
` "'Beware!' said the voice, in a threatening accent that I had `
` never yet heard. 'I have an extraordinary means which I will not `
` employ but in the last extremity to close your mouth, or at least `
` to prevent anyone from believing a word you may utter.' `
` `
` "I mustered all my strength to reply to him with a burst of `
` laughter. `
` `
` "He saw that it was a merciless war between us--a war to the `
` death. `
` `
` "'Listen!' said he. 'I give you the rest of tonight and all day `
` tomorrow. Reflect: promise to be silent, and riches, `
` consideration, even honor, shall surround you; threaten to speak, `
` and I will condemn you to infamy.' `
` `
` "'You?' cried I. 'You?' `
` `
` "'To interminable, ineffaceable infamy!' `
` `
` "'You?' repeated I. Oh, I declare to you, Felton, I thought him `
` mad! `
` `
` "'Yes, yes, I!' replied he. `
` `
` "'Oh, leave me!' said I. 'Begone, if you do not desire to see me `
` dash my head against that wall before your eyes!' `
` `
` "'Very well, it is your own doing. Till tomorrow evening, then!' `
` `
` "'Till tomorrow evening, then!' replied I, allowing myself to `
` fall, and biting the carpet with rage." `
` `
` Felton leaned for support upon a piece of furniture; and Milady `
` saw, with the joy of a demon, that his strength would fail him `
` perhaps before the end of her recital. `
` `
` `
` `
` 57 MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY `
` `
` After a moment of silence employed by Milady in observing the `
` young man who listened to her, Milady continued her recital. `
` `
` "It was nearly three days since I had eaten or drunk anything. I `
` suffered frightful torments. At times there passed before me `
` clouds which pressed my brow, which veiled my eyes; this was `
` delirium. `
` `
` "When the evening came I was so weak that every time I fainted I `
` thanked God, for I thought I was about to die. `
` `
` "In the midst of one of these swoons I heard the door open. `
` Terror recalled me to myself. `
` `
` "He entered the apartment followed by a man in a mask. He was `
` masked likewise; but I knew his step, I knew his voice, I knew `
` him by that imposing bearing which hell has bestowed upon his `
` person for the curse of humanity. `
` `
` "'Well,' said he to me, 'have you made your mind up to take the `
` oath I requested of you?' `
` `
` "'You have said Puritans have but one word. Mine you have heard, `
` and that is to pursue you--on earth to the tribunal of men, in `
` heaven to the tribunal of God.' `
` `
` "'You persist, then?' `
` `
` "'I swear it before the God who hears me. I will take the whole `
` world as a witness of your crime, and that until I have found an `
` avenger.' `
` `
` "'You are a prostitute,' said he, in a voice of thunder, 'and you `
` shall undergo the punishment of prostitutes! Branded in the eyes `
` of the world you invoke, try to prove to that world that you are `
` neither guilty nor mad!' `
` `
` "Then, addressing the man who accompanied him, 'Executioner,' `
` said he, 'do your duty.'" `
` `
` "Oh, his name, his name!" cried Felton. "His name, tell it me!" `
` `
` "Then in spite of my cries, in spite of my resistance--for I `
` began to comprehend that there was a question of something worse `
` than death--the executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, `
` fastened me with his bonds, and suffocated by sobs, almost `
` without sense, invoking God, who did not listen to me, I uttered `
`
` depths of the ceiling; my chamber was filled with darkness and `
` obscurity, but I made a strong effort to penetrate this darkness `
` and obscurity. `
` `
` "Nearly ten minutes passed; I heard no other noise but the `
` beating of my own heart. I implored heaven that he might come. `
` `
` "At length I heard the well-known noise of the door, which opened `
` and shut; I heard, notwithstanding the thickness of the carpet, a `
` step which made the floor creak; I saw, notwithstanding the `
` darkness, a shadow which approached my bed." `
` `
` "Haste! haste!" said Felton; "do you not see that each of your `
` words burns me like molten lead?" `
` `
` "Then," continued Milady, "then I collected all my strength; I `
` recalled to my mind that the moment of vengeance, or rather, of `
` justice, had struck. I looked upon myself as another Judith; I `
` gathered myself up, my knife in my hand, and when I saw him near `
` me, stretching out his arms to find his victim, then, with the `
` last cry of agony and despair, I struck him in the middle of his `
` breast. `
` `
` "The miserable villain! He had foreseen all. His breast was `
` covered with a coat-of-mail; the knife was bent against it. `
` `
` "'Ah, ah!' cried he, seizing my arm, and wresting from me the `
` weapon that had so badly served me, 'you want to take my life, do `
` you, my pretty Puritan? But that's more than dislike, that's `
` ingratitude! Come, come, calm yourself, my sweet girl! I `
` thought you had softened. I am not one of those tyrants who `
` detain women by force. You don't love me. With my usual fatuity `
` I doubted it; now I am convinced. Tomorrow you shall be free.' `
` `
` "I had but one wish; that was that he should kill me. `
` `
` "'Beware!' said I, 'for my liberty is your dishonor.' `
` `
` "'Explain yourself, my pretty sibyl!' `
` `
` "'Yes; for as soon as I leave this place I will tell everything. `
` I will proclaim the violence you have used toward me. I will `
` describe my captivity. I will denounce this place of infamy. `
` You are placed on high, my Lord, but tremble! Above you there is `
` the king; above the king there is God!' `
` `
` "However perfect master he was over himself, my persecutor `
` allowed a movement of anger to escape him. I could not see the `
` expression of his countenance, but I felt the arm tremble upon `
` which my hand was placed. `
` `
` "'Then you shall not leave this place,' said he. `
` `
` "'Very well,' cried I, 'then the place of my punishment will be `
` that of my tomb. I will die here, and you will see if a phantom `
` that accuses is not more terrible than a living being that `
` threatens!' `
` `
` "'You shall have no weapon left in your power.' `
` `
` "'There is a weapon which despair has placed within the reach of `
` every creature who has the courage to use it. I will allow `
` myself to die with hunger.' `
` `
` "'Come,' said the wretch, 'is not peace much better than such a `
` war as that? I will restore you to liberty this moment; I will `
` proclaim you a piece of immaculate virtue; I will name you the `
` Lucretia of England.' `
` `
` "'And I will say that you are the Sextus. I will denounce you `
` before men, as I have denounced you before God; and if it be `
` necessary that, like Lucretia, I should sign my accusation with `
` my blood, I will sign it.' `
` `
` "'Ah!' said my enemy, in a jeering tone, 'that's quite another `
` thing. My faith! everything considered, you are very well off `
` here. You shall want for nothing, and if you let yourself die of `
` hunger that will be your own fault.' `
` `
` "At these words he retired. I heard the door open and shut, and `
` I remained overwhelmed, less, I confess it, by my grief than by `
` the mortification of not having avenged myself. `
` `
` "He kept his word. All the day, all the next night passed away `
` without my seeing him again. But I also kept my word with him, `
` and I neither ate nor drank. I was, as I told him, resolved to `
` die of hunger. `
` `
` "I passed the day and the night in prayer, for I hoped that God `
` would pardon me my suicide. `
` `
` "The second night the door opened; I was lying on the floor, for `
` my strength began to abandon me. `
` `
` "At the noise I raised myself up on one hand. `
` `
` "'Well,' said a voice which vibrated in too terrible a manner in `
` my ear not to be recognized, 'well! Are we softened a little? `
` Will we not pay for our liberty with a single promise of silence? `
` Come, I am a good sort of a prince,' added he, 'and although I `
` like not Puritans I do them justice; and it is the same with `
` Puritanesses, when they are pretty. Come, take a little oath for `
` me on the cross; I won't ask anything more of you.' `
` `
` "'On the cross,' cried I, rising, for at that abhorred voice I `
` had recovered all my strength, 'on the cross I swear that no `
` promise, no menace, no force, no torture, shall close my mouth! `
` On the cross I swear to denounce you everywhere as a murderer, as `
` a thief of honor, as a base coward! On the cross I swear, if I `
` ever leave this place, to call down vengeance upon you from the `
` whole human race!' `
` `
` "'Beware!' said the voice, in a threatening accent that I had `
` never yet heard. 'I have an extraordinary means which I will not `
` employ but in the last extremity to close your mouth, or at least `
` to prevent anyone from believing a word you may utter.' `
` `
` "I mustered all my strength to reply to him with a burst of `
` laughter. `
` `
` "He saw that it was a merciless war between us--a war to the `
` death. `
` `
` "'Listen!' said he. 'I give you the rest of tonight and all day `
` tomorrow. Reflect: promise to be silent, and riches, `
` consideration, even honor, shall surround you; threaten to speak, `
` and I will condemn you to infamy.' `
` `
` "'You?' cried I. 'You?' `
` `
` "'To interminable, ineffaceable infamy!' `
` `
` "'You?' repeated I. Oh, I declare to you, Felton, I thought him `
` mad! `
` `
` "'Yes, yes, I!' replied he. `
` `
` "'Oh, leave me!' said I. 'Begone, if you do not desire to see me `
` dash my head against that wall before your eyes!' `
` `
` "'Very well, it is your own doing. Till tomorrow evening, then!' `
` `
` "'Till tomorrow evening, then!' replied I, allowing myself to `
` fall, and biting the carpet with rage." `
` `
` Felton leaned for support upon a piece of furniture; and Milady `
` saw, with the joy of a demon, that his strength would fail him `
` perhaps before the end of her recital. `
` `
` `
` `
` 57 MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY `
` `
` After a moment of silence employed by Milady in observing the `
` young man who listened to her, Milady continued her recital. `
` `
` "It was nearly three days since I had eaten or drunk anything. I `
` suffered frightful torments. At times there passed before me `
` clouds which pressed my brow, which veiled my eyes; this was `
` delirium. `
` `
` "When the evening came I was so weak that every time I fainted I `
` thanked God, for I thought I was about to die. `
` `
` "In the midst of one of these swoons I heard the door open. `
` Terror recalled me to myself. `
` `
` "He entered the apartment followed by a man in a mask. He was `
` masked likewise; but I knew his step, I knew his voice, I knew `
` him by that imposing bearing which hell has bestowed upon his `
` person for the curse of humanity. `
` `
` "'Well,' said he to me, 'have you made your mind up to take the `
` oath I requested of you?' `
` `
` "'You have said Puritans have but one word. Mine you have heard, `
` and that is to pursue you--on earth to the tribunal of men, in `
` heaven to the tribunal of God.' `
` `
` "'You persist, then?' `
` `
` "'I swear it before the God who hears me. I will take the whole `
` world as a witness of your crime, and that until I have found an `
` avenger.' `
` `
` "'You are a prostitute,' said he, in a voice of thunder, 'and you `
` shall undergo the punishment of prostitutes! Branded in the eyes `
` of the world you invoke, try to prove to that world that you are `
` neither guilty nor mad!' `
` `
` "Then, addressing the man who accompanied him, 'Executioner,' `
` said he, 'do your duty.'" `
` `
` "Oh, his name, his name!" cried Felton. "His name, tell it me!" `
` `
` "Then in spite of my cries, in spite of my resistance--for I `
` began to comprehend that there was a question of something worse `
` than death--the executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, `
` fastened me with his bonds, and suffocated by sobs, almost `
` without sense, invoking God, who did not listen to me, I uttered `
`