Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
Felton cast his eyes round for means of escape, and seeing the door `
` free, he rushed into the next chamber, in which, as we have said, the `
` deputies from La Rochelle were waiting, crossed it as quickly as `
` possible, and rushed toward the staircase; but upon the first step he `
` met Lord de Winter, who, seeing him pale, confused, livid, and stained `
` with blood both on his hands and face, seized him by the throat, crying, `
` "I knew it! I guessed it! But too late by a minute, unfortunate, `
` unfortunate that I am!" `
` `
` Felton made no resistance. Lord de Winter placed him in the hands of `
` the guards, who led him, while awaiting further orders, to a little `
` terrace commanding the sea; and then the baron hastened to the duke's `
` chamber. `
` `
` At the cry uttered by the duke and the scream of Patrick, the man whom `
` Felton had met in the antechamber rushed into the chamber. `
` `
` He found the duke reclining upon a sofa, with his hand pressed upon the `
` wound. `
` `
` "Laporte," said the duke, in a dying voice, "Laporte, do you come from `
` her?" `
` `
` "Yes, monseigneur," replied the faithful cloak bearer of Anne of `
` Austria, "but too late, perhaps." `
` `
` "Silence, Laporte, you may be overheard. Patrick, let no one enter. `
` Oh, I cannot tell what she says to me! My God, I am dying!" `
` `
` And the duke swooned. `
` `
` Meanwhile, Lord de Winter, the deputies, the leaders of the expedition, `
` the officers of Buckingham's household, had all made their way into the `
` chamber. Cries of despair resounded on all sides. The news, which `
` filled the palace with tears and groans, soon became known, and spread `
` itself throughout the city. `
` `
` The report of a cannon announced that something new and unexpected had `
` taken place. `
` `
` Lord de Winter tore his hair. `
` `
` "Too late by a minute!" cried he, "too late by a minute! Oh, my God, my `
` God! what a misfortune!" `
` `
` He had been informed at seven o'clock in the morning that a rope ladder `
` floated from one of the windows of the castle; he had hastened to `
` Milady's chamber, had found it empty, the window open, and the bars `
` filed, had remembered the verbal caution d'Artagnan had transmitted to `
` him by his messenger, had trembled for the duke, and running to the `
` stable without taking time to have a horse saddled, had jumped upon the `
` first he found, had galloped off like the wind, had alighted below in `
` the courtyard, had ascended the stairs precipitately, and on the top `
` step, as we have said, had encountered Felton. `
` `
` The duke, however, was not dead. He recovered a little, reopened his `
` eyes, and hope revived in all hearts. `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said he, "leave me alone with Patrick and Laporte--ah, is `
` that you, de Winter? You sent me a strange madman this morning! See `
` the state in which he has put me." `
` `
` "Oh, my Lord!" cried the baron, "I shall never console myself." `
` `
` "And you would be quite wrong, my dear de Winter," said Buckingham, `
` holding out his hand to him. "I do not know the man who deserves being `
` regretted during the whole life of another man; but leave us, I pray `
` you." `
` `
` The baron went out sobbing. `
` `
` There only remained in the closet of the wounded duke Laporte and `
` Patrick. A physician was sought for, but none was yet found. `
` `
` "You will live, my Lord, you will live!" repeated the faithful servant `
` of Anne of Austria, on his knees before the duke's sofa. `
` `
` "What has she written to me?" said Buckingham, feebly, streaming with `
` blood, and suppressing his agony to speak of her he loved, "what has she `
` written to me? Read me her letter." `
` `
` "Oh, my Lord!" said Laporte. `
` `
` "Obey, Laporte, do you not see I have no time to lose?" `
` `
` Laporte broke the seal, and placed the paper before the eyes of the `
` duke; but Buckingham in vain tried to make out the writing. `
` `
` "Read!" said he, "read! I cannot see. Read, then! For soon, perhaps, `
` I shall not hear, and I shall die without knowing what she has written `
` to me." `
` `
` Laporte made no further objection, and read: `
` `
` `
` "My Lord, By that which, since I have known you, have suffered by you `
` and for you, I conjure you, if you have any care for my repose, to `
` countermand those great armaments which you are preparing against `
` France, to put an end to a war of which it is publicly said religion is `
` the ostensible cause, and of which, it is generally whispered, your love `
` for me is the concealed cause. This war may not only bring great `
` catastrophes upon England and France, but misfortune upon you, my Lord, `
` for which I should never console myself. `
` `
` "Be careful of your life, which is menaced, and which will be dear to me `
` from the moment I am not obliged to see an enemy in you. `
` `
` "Your affectionate `
` `
` "ANNE" `
` `
` `
` Buckingham collected all his remaining strength to listen to the reading `
` of the letter; then, when it was ended, as if he had met with a bitter `
` disappointment, he asked, "Have you nothing else to say to me by the `
` living voice, Laporte?" `
` `
` "The queen charged me to tell you to watch over yourself, for she had `
` advice that your assassination would be attempted." `
` `
` "And is that all--is that all?" replied Buckingham, impatiently. `
` `
` "She likewise charged me to tell you that she still loved you." `
` `
` "Ah," said Buckingham, "God be praised! My death, then, will not be to `
` her as the death of a stranger!" `
` `
` Laporte burst into tears. `
` `
` "Patrick," said the due, "bring me the casket in which the diamond studs `
` were kept." `
` `
` Patrick brought the object desired, which Laporte recognized as having `
` belonged to the queen. `
` `
` "Now the scent bag of white satin, on which her cipher is embroidered in `
` pearls." `
` `
` Patrick again obeyed. `
` `
` "Here, Laporte," said Buckingham, "these are the only tokens I ever `
` received from her--this silver casket and these two letters. You will `
` restore them to her Majesty; and as a last memorial"--he looked round `
` for some valuable object--"you will add--" `
` `
` He still sought; but his eyes, darkened by death, encountered only the `
` knife which had fallen from the hand of Felton, still smoking with the `
` blood spread over its blade. `
` `
` "And you will add to them this knife," said the duke, pressing the hand `
` of Laporte. He had just strength enough to place the scent bag at the `
` bottom of the silver casket, and to let the knife fall into it, making a `
` sign to Laporte that he was no longer able to speak; than, in a last `
` convulsion, which this time he had not the power to combat, he slipped `
` from the sofa to the floor. `
` `
` Patrick uttered a loud cry. `
` `
` Buckingham tried to smile a last time; but death checked his thought, `
` which remained engraved on his brow like a last kiss of love. `
` `
` At this moment the duke's surgeon arrived, quite terrified; he was `
` already on board the admiral's ship, where they had been obliged to seek `
` him. `
` `
` He approached the duke, took his hand, held it for an instant in his `
` own, and letting it fall, "All is useless," said he, "he is dead." `
` `
` "Dead, dead!" cried Patrick. `
` `
` At this cry all the crowd re-entered the apartment, and throughout the `
` palace and town there was nothing but consternation and tumult. `
` `
` As soon as Lord de Winter saw Buckingham was dead, he ran to Felton, `
` whom the soldiers still guarded on the terrace of the palace. `
` `
` "Wretch!" said he to the young man, who since the death of Buckingham `
` had regained that coolness and self-possession which never after `
` abandoned him, "wretch! what have you done?" `
` `
` "I have avenged myself!" said he. `
` `
` "Avenged yourself," said the baron. "Rather say that you have served as `
` an instrument to that accursed woman; but I swear to you that this crime `
` shall be her last." `
` `
` "I don't know what you mean," replied Felton, quietly, "and I am `
` ignorant of whom you are speaking, my Lord. I killed the Duke of `
` Buckingham because he twice refused you yourself to appoint me captain; `
` I have punished him for his injustice, that is all." `
` `
` De Winter, stupefied, looked on while the soldiers bound Felton, and `
` could not tell what to think of such insensibility. `
` `
` One thing alone, however, threw a shade over the pallid brow of Felton. `
` At every noise he heard, the simple Puritan fancied he recognized the `
` step and voice of Milady coming to throw herself into his arms, to `
` accuse herself, and die with him. `
` `
` All at once he started. His eyes became fixed upon a point of the sea, `
` commanded by the terrace where he was. With the eagle glance of a `
`
` free, he rushed into the next chamber, in which, as we have said, the `
` deputies from La Rochelle were waiting, crossed it as quickly as `
` possible, and rushed toward the staircase; but upon the first step he `
` met Lord de Winter, who, seeing him pale, confused, livid, and stained `
` with blood both on his hands and face, seized him by the throat, crying, `
` "I knew it! I guessed it! But too late by a minute, unfortunate, `
` unfortunate that I am!" `
` `
` Felton made no resistance. Lord de Winter placed him in the hands of `
` the guards, who led him, while awaiting further orders, to a little `
` terrace commanding the sea; and then the baron hastened to the duke's `
` chamber. `
` `
` At the cry uttered by the duke and the scream of Patrick, the man whom `
` Felton had met in the antechamber rushed into the chamber. `
` `
` He found the duke reclining upon a sofa, with his hand pressed upon the `
` wound. `
` `
` "Laporte," said the duke, in a dying voice, "Laporte, do you come from `
` her?" `
` `
` "Yes, monseigneur," replied the faithful cloak bearer of Anne of `
` Austria, "but too late, perhaps." `
` `
` "Silence, Laporte, you may be overheard. Patrick, let no one enter. `
` Oh, I cannot tell what she says to me! My God, I am dying!" `
` `
` And the duke swooned. `
` `
` Meanwhile, Lord de Winter, the deputies, the leaders of the expedition, `
` the officers of Buckingham's household, had all made their way into the `
` chamber. Cries of despair resounded on all sides. The news, which `
` filled the palace with tears and groans, soon became known, and spread `
` itself throughout the city. `
` `
` The report of a cannon announced that something new and unexpected had `
` taken place. `
` `
` Lord de Winter tore his hair. `
` `
` "Too late by a minute!" cried he, "too late by a minute! Oh, my God, my `
` God! what a misfortune!" `
` `
` He had been informed at seven o'clock in the morning that a rope ladder `
` floated from one of the windows of the castle; he had hastened to `
` Milady's chamber, had found it empty, the window open, and the bars `
` filed, had remembered the verbal caution d'Artagnan had transmitted to `
` him by his messenger, had trembled for the duke, and running to the `
` stable without taking time to have a horse saddled, had jumped upon the `
` first he found, had galloped off like the wind, had alighted below in `
` the courtyard, had ascended the stairs precipitately, and on the top `
` step, as we have said, had encountered Felton. `
` `
` The duke, however, was not dead. He recovered a little, reopened his `
` eyes, and hope revived in all hearts. `
` `
` "Gentlemen," said he, "leave me alone with Patrick and Laporte--ah, is `
` that you, de Winter? You sent me a strange madman this morning! See `
` the state in which he has put me." `
` `
` "Oh, my Lord!" cried the baron, "I shall never console myself." `
` `
` "And you would be quite wrong, my dear de Winter," said Buckingham, `
` holding out his hand to him. "I do not know the man who deserves being `
` regretted during the whole life of another man; but leave us, I pray `
` you." `
` `
` The baron went out sobbing. `
` `
` There only remained in the closet of the wounded duke Laporte and `
` Patrick. A physician was sought for, but none was yet found. `
` `
` "You will live, my Lord, you will live!" repeated the faithful servant `
` of Anne of Austria, on his knees before the duke's sofa. `
` `
` "What has she written to me?" said Buckingham, feebly, streaming with `
` blood, and suppressing his agony to speak of her he loved, "what has she `
` written to me? Read me her letter." `
` `
` "Oh, my Lord!" said Laporte. `
` `
` "Obey, Laporte, do you not see I have no time to lose?" `
` `
` Laporte broke the seal, and placed the paper before the eyes of the `
` duke; but Buckingham in vain tried to make out the writing. `
` `
` "Read!" said he, "read! I cannot see. Read, then! For soon, perhaps, `
` I shall not hear, and I shall die without knowing what she has written `
` to me." `
` `
` Laporte made no further objection, and read: `
` `
` `
` "My Lord, By that which, since I have known you, have suffered by you `
` and for you, I conjure you, if you have any care for my repose, to `
` countermand those great armaments which you are preparing against `
` France, to put an end to a war of which it is publicly said religion is `
` the ostensible cause, and of which, it is generally whispered, your love `
` for me is the concealed cause. This war may not only bring great `
` catastrophes upon England and France, but misfortune upon you, my Lord, `
` for which I should never console myself. `
` `
` "Be careful of your life, which is menaced, and which will be dear to me `
` from the moment I am not obliged to see an enemy in you. `
` `
` "Your affectionate `
` `
` "ANNE" `
` `
` `
` Buckingham collected all his remaining strength to listen to the reading `
` of the letter; then, when it was ended, as if he had met with a bitter `
` disappointment, he asked, "Have you nothing else to say to me by the `
` living voice, Laporte?" `
` `
` "The queen charged me to tell you to watch over yourself, for she had `
` advice that your assassination would be attempted." `
` `
` "And is that all--is that all?" replied Buckingham, impatiently. `
` `
` "She likewise charged me to tell you that she still loved you." `
` `
` "Ah," said Buckingham, "God be praised! My death, then, will not be to `
` her as the death of a stranger!" `
` `
` Laporte burst into tears. `
` `
` "Patrick," said the due, "bring me the casket in which the diamond studs `
` were kept." `
` `
` Patrick brought the object desired, which Laporte recognized as having `
` belonged to the queen. `
` `
` "Now the scent bag of white satin, on which her cipher is embroidered in `
` pearls." `
` `
` Patrick again obeyed. `
` `
` "Here, Laporte," said Buckingham, "these are the only tokens I ever `
` received from her--this silver casket and these two letters. You will `
` restore them to her Majesty; and as a last memorial"--he looked round `
` for some valuable object--"you will add--" `
` `
` He still sought; but his eyes, darkened by death, encountered only the `
` knife which had fallen from the hand of Felton, still smoking with the `
` blood spread over its blade. `
` `
` "And you will add to them this knife," said the duke, pressing the hand `
` of Laporte. He had just strength enough to place the scent bag at the `
` bottom of the silver casket, and to let the knife fall into it, making a `
` sign to Laporte that he was no longer able to speak; than, in a last `
` convulsion, which this time he had not the power to combat, he slipped `
` from the sofa to the floor. `
` `
` Patrick uttered a loud cry. `
` `
` Buckingham tried to smile a last time; but death checked his thought, `
` which remained engraved on his brow like a last kiss of love. `
` `
` At this moment the duke's surgeon arrived, quite terrified; he was `
` already on board the admiral's ship, where they had been obliged to seek `
` him. `
` `
` He approached the duke, took his hand, held it for an instant in his `
` own, and letting it fall, "All is useless," said he, "he is dead." `
` `
` "Dead, dead!" cried Patrick. `
` `
` At this cry all the crowd re-entered the apartment, and throughout the `
` palace and town there was nothing but consternation and tumult. `
` `
` As soon as Lord de Winter saw Buckingham was dead, he ran to Felton, `
` whom the soldiers still guarded on the terrace of the palace. `
` `
` "Wretch!" said he to the young man, who since the death of Buckingham `
` had regained that coolness and self-possession which never after `
` abandoned him, "wretch! what have you done?" `
` `
` "I have avenged myself!" said he. `
` `
` "Avenged yourself," said the baron. "Rather say that you have served as `
` an instrument to that accursed woman; but I swear to you that this crime `
` shall be her last." `
` `
` "I don't know what you mean," replied Felton, quietly, "and I am `
` ignorant of whom you are speaking, my Lord. I killed the Duke of `
` Buckingham because he twice refused you yourself to appoint me captain; `
` I have punished him for his injustice, that is all." `
` `
` De Winter, stupefied, looked on while the soldiers bound Felton, and `
` could not tell what to think of such insensibility. `
` `
` One thing alone, however, threw a shade over the pallid brow of Felton. `
` At every noise he heard, the simple Puritan fancied he recognized the `
` step and voice of Milady coming to throw herself into his arms, to `
` accuse herself, and die with him. `
` `
` All at once he started. His eyes became fixed upon a point of the sea, `
` commanded by the terrace where he was. With the eagle glance of a `
`