Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
without sense, invoking God, who did not listen to me, I uttered `
` all at once a frightful cry of pain and shame. A burning fire, a `
` red-hot iron, the iron of the executioner, was imprinted on my `
` shoulder." `
` `
` Felton uttered a groan. `
` `
` "Here," said Milady, rising with the majesty of a queen, "here, `
` Felton, behold the new martyrdom invented for a pure young girl, `
` the victim of the brutality of a villain. Learn to know the `
` heart of men, and henceforth make yourself less easily the `
` instrument of their unjust vengeance." `
` `
` Milady, with a rapid gesture, opened her robe, tore the cambric `
` that covered her bosom, and red with feigned anger and simulated `
` shame, showed the young man the ineffaceable impression which `
` dishonored that beautiful shoulder. `
` `
` "But," cried Felton, "that is a FLEUR-DE-LIS which I see there." `
` `
` "And therein consisted the infamy," replied Milady. "The brand `
` of England!--it would be necessary to prove what tribunal had `
` imposed it on me, and I could have made a public appeal to all `
` the tribunals of the kingdom; but the brand of France!--oh, by `
` that, by THAT I was branded indeed!" `
` `
` This was too much for Felton. `
` `
` Pale, motionless, overwhelmed by this frightful revelation, `
` dazzled by the superhuman beauty of this woman who unveiled `
` herself before him with an immodesty which appeared to him `
` sublime, he ended by falling on his knees before her as the early `
` Christians did before those pure and holy martyrs whom the `
` persecution of the emperors gave up in the circus to the `
` sanguinary sensuality of the populace. The brand disappeared; `
` the beauty alone remained. `
` `
` "Pardon! Pardon!" cried Felton, "oh, pardon!" `
` `
` Milady read in his eyes LOVE! LOVE! `
` `
` "Pardon for what?" asked she. `
` `
` "Pardon me for having joined with your persecutors." `
` `
` Milady held out her hand to him. `
` `
` "So beautiful! so young!" cried Felton, covering that hand with `
` his kisses. `
` `
` Milady let one of those looks fall upon him which make a slave of `
` a king. `
` `
` Felton was a Puritan; he abandoned the hand of this woman to kiss `
` her feet. `
` `
` He no longer loved her; he adored her. `
` `
` When this crisis was past, when Milady appeared to have resumed `
` her self-possession, which she had never lost; when Felton had `
` seen her recover with the veil of chastity those treasures of `
` love which were only concealed from him to make him desire them `
` the more ardently, he said, "Ah, now! I have only one thing to `
` ask of you; that is, the name of your true executioner. For to `
` me there is but one; the other was an instrument, that was all." `
` `
` "What, brother!" cried Milady, "must I name him again? Have you `
` not yet divined who he is?" `
` `
` "What?" cried Felton, "he--again he--always he? What--the truly `
` guilty?" `
` `
` "The truly guilty," said Milady, "is the ravager of England, the `
` persecutor of true believers, the base ravisher of the honor of `
` so many women--he who, to satisfy a caprice of his corrupt heart, `
` is about to make England shed so much blood, who protects the `
` Protestants today and will betray them tomorrow--" `
` `
` "Buckingham! It is, then, Buckingham!" cried Felton, in a high `
` state of excitement. `
` `
` Milady concealed her face in her hands, as if she could not `
` endure the shame which this name recalled to her. `
` `
` "Buckingham, the executioner of this angelic creature!" cried `
` Felton. "And thou hast not hurled thy thunder at him, my God! `
` And thou hast left him noble, honored, powerful, for the ruin of `
` us all!" `
` `
` "God abandons him who abandons himself," said Milady. `
` `
` "But he will draw upon his head the punishment reserved for the `
` damned!" said Felton, with increasing exultation. "He wills that `
` human vengeance should precede celestial justice." `
` `
` "Men fear him and spare him." `
` `
` "I," said Felton, "I do not fear him, nor will I spare him." `
` `
` The soul of Milady was bathed in an infernal joy. `
` `
` "But how can Lord de Winter, my protector, my father," asked `
` Felton, "possibly be mixed up with all this?" `
` `
` "Listen, Felton," resumed Milady, "for by the side of base and `
` contemptible men there are often found great and generous `
` natures. I had an affianced husband, a man whom I loved, and who `
` loved me--a heart like yours, Felton, a man like you. I went to `
` him and told him all; he knew me, that man did, and did not doubt `
` an instant. He was a nobleman, a man equal to Buckingham in `
` every respect. He said nothing; he only girded on his sword, `
` wrapped himself in his cloak, and went straight to Buckingham `
` Palace. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Felton; "I understand how he would act. But `
` with such men it is not the sword that should be employed; it is `
` the poniard." `
` `
` "Buckingham had left England the day before, sent as ambassador `
` to Spain, to demand the hand of the Infanta for King Charles I, `
` who was then only Prince of Wales. My affianced husband `
` returned. `
` `
` "'Hear me,' said he; 'this man has gone, and for the moment has `
` consequently escaped my vengeance; but let us be united, as we `
` were to have been, and then leave it to Lord de Winter to `
` maintain his own honor and that of his wife.'" `
` `
` "Lord de Winter!" cried Felton. `
` `
` "Yes," said Milady, "Lord de Winter; and now you can understand `
` it all, can you not? Buckingham remained nearly a year absent. `
` A week before his return Lord de Winter died, leaving me his sole `
` heir. Whence came the blow? God who knows all, knows without `
` doubt; but as for me, I accuse nobody." `
` `
` "Oh, what an abyss; what an abyss!" cried Felton. `
` `
` "Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother. `
` The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst, like a `
` clap of thunder, over the head of the guilty. Your protector had `
` seen with pain this marriage of his elder brother with a `
` portionless girl. I was sensible that I could look for no `
` support from a man disappointed in his hopes of an inheritance. `
` I went to France, with a determination to remain there for the `
` rest of my life. But all my fortune is in England. `
` Communication being closed by the war, I was in want of `
` everything. I was then obliged to come back again. Six days `
` ago, I landed at Portsmouth." `
` `
` "Well?" said Felton. `
` `
` "Well; Buckingham heard by some means, no doubt, of my return. `
` He spoke of me to Lord de Winter, already prejudiced against me, `
` and told him that his sister-in-law was a prostitute, a branded `
` woman. The noble and pure voice of my husband was no longer here `
` to defend me. Lord de Winter believed all that was told him with `
` so much the more ease that it was his interest to believe it. He `
` caused me to be arrested, had me conducted hither, and placed me `
` under your guard. You know the rest. The day after tomorrow he `
` banishes me, he transports me; the day after tomorrow he exiles `
` me among the infamous. Oh, the train is well laid; the plot is `
` clever. My honor will not survive it! You see, then, Felton, I `
` can do nothing but die. Felton, give me that knife!" `
` `
` And at these words, as if all her strength was exhausted, Milady `
` sank, weak and languishing, into the arms of the young officer, `
` who, intoxicated with love, anger, and voluptuous sensations `
` hitherto unknown, received her with transport, pressed her `
` against his heart, all trembling at the breath from that charming `
` mouth, bewildered by the contact with that palpitating bosom. `
` `
` "No, no," said he. "No, you shall live honored and pure; you `
` shall live to triumph over your enemies." `
` `
` Milady put him from her slowly with her hand, while drawing him `
` nearer with her look; but Felton, in his turn, embraced her more `
` closely, imploring her like a divinity. `
` `
` "Oh, death, death!" said she, lowering her voice and her eyelids, `
` "oh, death, rather than shame! Felton, my brother, my friend, I `
` conjure you!" `
` `
` "No," cried Felton, "no; you shall live and you shall be `
` avenged." `
` `
` "Felton, I bring misfortune to all who surround me! Felton, `
` abandon me! Felton, let me die!" `
` `
` "Well, then, we will live and die together!" cried he, pressing `
` his lips to those of the prisoner. `
` `
` Several strokes resounded on the door; this time Milady really `
` pushed him away from her. `
` `
` "Hark," said she, "we have been overheard! Someone is coming! `
` All is over! We are lost!" `
` `
` "No," said Felton; it is only the sentinel warning me that they `
` are about to change the guard." `
` `
`
` all at once a frightful cry of pain and shame. A burning fire, a `
` red-hot iron, the iron of the executioner, was imprinted on my `
` shoulder." `
` `
` Felton uttered a groan. `
` `
` "Here," said Milady, rising with the majesty of a queen, "here, `
` Felton, behold the new martyrdom invented for a pure young girl, `
` the victim of the brutality of a villain. Learn to know the `
` heart of men, and henceforth make yourself less easily the `
` instrument of their unjust vengeance." `
` `
` Milady, with a rapid gesture, opened her robe, tore the cambric `
` that covered her bosom, and red with feigned anger and simulated `
` shame, showed the young man the ineffaceable impression which `
` dishonored that beautiful shoulder. `
` `
` "But," cried Felton, "that is a FLEUR-DE-LIS which I see there." `
` `
` "And therein consisted the infamy," replied Milady. "The brand `
` of England!--it would be necessary to prove what tribunal had `
` imposed it on me, and I could have made a public appeal to all `
` the tribunals of the kingdom; but the brand of France!--oh, by `
` that, by THAT I was branded indeed!" `
` `
` This was too much for Felton. `
` `
` Pale, motionless, overwhelmed by this frightful revelation, `
` dazzled by the superhuman beauty of this woman who unveiled `
` herself before him with an immodesty which appeared to him `
` sublime, he ended by falling on his knees before her as the early `
` Christians did before those pure and holy martyrs whom the `
` persecution of the emperors gave up in the circus to the `
` sanguinary sensuality of the populace. The brand disappeared; `
` the beauty alone remained. `
` `
` "Pardon! Pardon!" cried Felton, "oh, pardon!" `
` `
` Milady read in his eyes LOVE! LOVE! `
` `
` "Pardon for what?" asked she. `
` `
` "Pardon me for having joined with your persecutors." `
` `
` Milady held out her hand to him. `
` `
` "So beautiful! so young!" cried Felton, covering that hand with `
` his kisses. `
` `
` Milady let one of those looks fall upon him which make a slave of `
` a king. `
` `
` Felton was a Puritan; he abandoned the hand of this woman to kiss `
` her feet. `
` `
` He no longer loved her; he adored her. `
` `
` When this crisis was past, when Milady appeared to have resumed `
` her self-possession, which she had never lost; when Felton had `
` seen her recover with the veil of chastity those treasures of `
` love which were only concealed from him to make him desire them `
` the more ardently, he said, "Ah, now! I have only one thing to `
` ask of you; that is, the name of your true executioner. For to `
` me there is but one; the other was an instrument, that was all." `
` `
` "What, brother!" cried Milady, "must I name him again? Have you `
` not yet divined who he is?" `
` `
` "What?" cried Felton, "he--again he--always he? What--the truly `
` guilty?" `
` `
` "The truly guilty," said Milady, "is the ravager of England, the `
` persecutor of true believers, the base ravisher of the honor of `
` so many women--he who, to satisfy a caprice of his corrupt heart, `
` is about to make England shed so much blood, who protects the `
` Protestants today and will betray them tomorrow--" `
` `
` "Buckingham! It is, then, Buckingham!" cried Felton, in a high `
` state of excitement. `
` `
` Milady concealed her face in her hands, as if she could not `
` endure the shame which this name recalled to her. `
` `
` "Buckingham, the executioner of this angelic creature!" cried `
` Felton. "And thou hast not hurled thy thunder at him, my God! `
` And thou hast left him noble, honored, powerful, for the ruin of `
` us all!" `
` `
` "God abandons him who abandons himself," said Milady. `
` `
` "But he will draw upon his head the punishment reserved for the `
` damned!" said Felton, with increasing exultation. "He wills that `
` human vengeance should precede celestial justice." `
` `
` "Men fear him and spare him." `
` `
` "I," said Felton, "I do not fear him, nor will I spare him." `
` `
` The soul of Milady was bathed in an infernal joy. `
` `
` "But how can Lord de Winter, my protector, my father," asked `
` Felton, "possibly be mixed up with all this?" `
` `
` "Listen, Felton," resumed Milady, "for by the side of base and `
` contemptible men there are often found great and generous `
` natures. I had an affianced husband, a man whom I loved, and who `
` loved me--a heart like yours, Felton, a man like you. I went to `
` him and told him all; he knew me, that man did, and did not doubt `
` an instant. He was a nobleman, a man equal to Buckingham in `
` every respect. He said nothing; he only girded on his sword, `
` wrapped himself in his cloak, and went straight to Buckingham `
` Palace. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Felton; "I understand how he would act. But `
` with such men it is not the sword that should be employed; it is `
` the poniard." `
` `
` "Buckingham had left England the day before, sent as ambassador `
` to Spain, to demand the hand of the Infanta for King Charles I, `
` who was then only Prince of Wales. My affianced husband `
` returned. `
` `
` "'Hear me,' said he; 'this man has gone, and for the moment has `
` consequently escaped my vengeance; but let us be united, as we `
` were to have been, and then leave it to Lord de Winter to `
` maintain his own honor and that of his wife.'" `
` `
` "Lord de Winter!" cried Felton. `
` `
` "Yes," said Milady, "Lord de Winter; and now you can understand `
` it all, can you not? Buckingham remained nearly a year absent. `
` A week before his return Lord de Winter died, leaving me his sole `
` heir. Whence came the blow? God who knows all, knows without `
` doubt; but as for me, I accuse nobody." `
` `
` "Oh, what an abyss; what an abyss!" cried Felton. `
` `
` "Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother. `
` The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst, like a `
` clap of thunder, over the head of the guilty. Your protector had `
` seen with pain this marriage of his elder brother with a `
` portionless girl. I was sensible that I could look for no `
` support from a man disappointed in his hopes of an inheritance. `
` I went to France, with a determination to remain there for the `
` rest of my life. But all my fortune is in England. `
` Communication being closed by the war, I was in want of `
` everything. I was then obliged to come back again. Six days `
` ago, I landed at Portsmouth." `
` `
` "Well?" said Felton. `
` `
` "Well; Buckingham heard by some means, no doubt, of my return. `
` He spoke of me to Lord de Winter, already prejudiced against me, `
` and told him that his sister-in-law was a prostitute, a branded `
` woman. The noble and pure voice of my husband was no longer here `
` to defend me. Lord de Winter believed all that was told him with `
` so much the more ease that it was his interest to believe it. He `
` caused me to be arrested, had me conducted hither, and placed me `
` under your guard. You know the rest. The day after tomorrow he `
` banishes me, he transports me; the day after tomorrow he exiles `
` me among the infamous. Oh, the train is well laid; the plot is `
` clever. My honor will not survive it! You see, then, Felton, I `
` can do nothing but die. Felton, give me that knife!" `
` `
` And at these words, as if all her strength was exhausted, Milady `
` sank, weak and languishing, into the arms of the young officer, `
` who, intoxicated with love, anger, and voluptuous sensations `
` hitherto unknown, received her with transport, pressed her `
` against his heart, all trembling at the breath from that charming `
` mouth, bewildered by the contact with that palpitating bosom. `
` `
` "No, no," said he. "No, you shall live honored and pure; you `
` shall live to triumph over your enemies." `
` `
` Milady put him from her slowly with her hand, while drawing him `
` nearer with her look; but Felton, in his turn, embraced her more `
` closely, imploring her like a divinity. `
` `
` "Oh, death, death!" said she, lowering her voice and her eyelids, `
` "oh, death, rather than shame! Felton, my brother, my friend, I `
` conjure you!" `
` `
` "No," cried Felton, "no; you shall live and you shall be `
` avenged." `
` `
` "Felton, I bring misfortune to all who surround me! Felton, `
` abandon me! Felton, let me die!" `
` `
` "Well, then, we will live and die together!" cried he, pressing `
` his lips to those of the prisoner. `
` `
` Several strokes resounded on the door; this time Milady really `
` pushed him away from her. `
` `
` "Hark," said she, "we have been overheard! Someone is coming! `
` All is over! We are lost!" `
` `
` "No," said Felton; it is only the sentinel warning me that they `
` are about to change the guard." `
` `
`