Reading Help The Three Musketeers Ch.41-67
pride and joy, presenting a letter to Milady. `
` `
` "The writing of Madame de Chevreuse!" said Milady to herself. "Ah, I `
` always thought there was some secret understanding in that quarter!" `
` And she greedily read the following few lines: `
` `
` `
` My Dear Child, Hold yourself ready. OUR FRIEND will see you soon, `
` and he will only see you to release you from that imprisonment in which `
` your safety required you should be concealed. Prepare, then, for your `
` departure, and never despair of us. `
` `
` Our charming Gascon has just proved himself as brave and faithful as `
` ever. Tell him that certain parties are grateful for the warning he has `
` given. `
` `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Milady; "the letter is precise. Do you know what that `
` warning was?" `
` `
` "No, I only suspect he has warned the queen against some fresh `
` machinations of the cardinal." `
` `
` "Yes, that's it, no doubt!" said Milady, returning the letter to Mme. `
` Bonacieux, and letting her head sink pensively upon her bosom. `
` `
` At that moment they heard the gallop of a horse. `
` `
` "Oh!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, darting to the window, "can it be he?" `
` `
` Milady remained still in bed, petrified by surprise; so many unexpected `
` things happened to her all at once that for the first time she was at a `
` loss. `
` `
` "He, he!" murmured she; "can it be he?" And she remained in bed with `
` her eyes fixed. `
` `
` "Alas, no!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "it is a man I don't know, although he `
` seems to be coming here. Yes, he checks his pace; he stops at the gate; `
` he rings." `
` `
` Milady sprang out of bed. `
` `
` "You are sure it is not he?" said she. `
` `
` "Yes, yes, very sure!" `
` `
` "Perhaps you did not see well." `
` `
` "Oh, if I were to see the plume of his hat, the end of his cloak, I `
` should know HIM!" `
` `
` Milady was dressing herself all the time. `
` `
` "Yes, he has entered." `
` `
` "It is for you or me!" `
` `
` "My God, how agitated you seem!" `
` `
` "Yes, I admit it. I have not your confidence; I fear the cardinal." `
` `
` "Hush!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "somebody is coming." `
` `
` Immediately the door opened, and the superior entered. `
` `
` "Did you come from Boulogne?" demanded she of Milady. `
` `
` "Yes," replied she, trying to recover her self-possession. "Who wants `
` me?" `
` `
` "A man who will not tell his name, but who comes from the cardinal." `
` `
` "And who wishes to speak with me?" `
` `
` "Who wishes to speak to a lady recently come from Boulogne." `
` `
` "Then let him come in, if you please." `
` `
` "Oh, my God, my God!" cried Mme. Bonacieux. "Can it be bad news?" `
` `
` "I fear it." `
` `
` "I will leave you with this stranger; but as soon as he is gone, if you `
` will permit me, I will return." `
` `
` "PERMIT you? I BESEECH you." `
` `
` The superior and Mme. Bonacieux retired. `
` `
` Milady remained alone, with her eyes fixed upon the door. An instant `
` later, the jingling of spurs was heard upon the stairs, steps drew near, `
` the door opened, and a man appeared. `
` `
` Milady uttered a cry of joy; this man was the Comte de Rochefort--the `
` demoniacal tool of his Eminence. `
` `
` `
` `
` 62 TWO VARIETIES OF DEMONS `
` `
` "Ah," cried Milady and Rochefort together, "it is you!" `
` `
` "Yes, it is I." `
` `
` "And you come?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "From La Rochelle; and you?" `
` `
` "From England." `
` `
` "Buckingham?" `
` `
` "Dead or desperately wounded, as I left without having been able to hear `
` anything of him. A fanatic has just assassinated him." `
` `
` "Ah," said Rochefort, with a smile; "this is a fortunate chance--one `
` that will delight his Eminence! Have you informed him of it?" `
` `
` "I wrote to him from Boulogne. But what brings you here?" `
` `
` "His Eminence was uneasy, and sent me to find you." `
` `
` "I only arrived yesterday." `
` `
` "And what have you been doing since yesterday?" `
` `
` "I have not lost my time." `
` `
` "Oh, I don't doubt that." `
` `
` "Do you know whom I have encountered here?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Guess." `
` `
` "How can I?" `
` `
` "That young woman whom the queen took out of prison." `
` `
` "The mistress of that fellow d'Artagnan?" `
` `
` "Yes; Madame Bonacieux, with whose retreat the cardinal was `
` unacquainted." `
` `
` "Well, well," said Rochefort, "here is a chance which may pair off with `
` the other! Monsieur Cardinal is indeed a privileged man!" `
` `
` "Imagine my astonishment," continued Milady, "when I found myself face `
` to face with this woman!" `
` `
` "Does she know you?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Then she looks upon you as a stranger?" `
` `
` Milady smiled. "I am her best friend." `
` `
` "Upon my honor," said Rochefort, "it takes you, my dear countess, to `
` perform such miracles!" `
` `
` "And it is well I can, Chevalier," said Milady, "for do you know what is `
` going on here?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "They will come for her tomorrow or the day after, with an order from `
` the queen." `
` `
` "Indeed! And who?" `
` `
` "d'Artagnan and his friends." `
` `
` "Indeed, they will go so far that we shall be obliged to send them to `
` the Bastille." `
` `
` "Why is it not done already?" `
` `
` "What would you? The cardinal has a weakness for these men which I `
` cannot comprehend." `
` `
` "Indeed!" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Well, then, tell him this, Rochefort. Tell him that our conversation `
` at the inn of the Red Dovecot was overheard by these four men; tell him `
` that after his departure one of them came up to me and took from me by `
` violence the safe-conduct which he had given me; tell him they warned `
` Lord de Winter of my journey to England; that this time they nearly `
` foiled my mission as they foiled the affair of the studs; tell him that `
` among these four men two only are to be feared--d'Artagnan and Athos; `
` tell him that the third, Aramis, is the lover of Madame de Chevreuse--he `
` may be left alone, we know his secret, and it may be useful; as to the `
` fourth, Porthos, he is a fool, a simpleton, a blustering booby, not `
` worth troubling himself about." `
` `
` "But these four men must be now at the siege of La Rochelle?" `
` `
`
` `
` "The writing of Madame de Chevreuse!" said Milady to herself. "Ah, I `
` always thought there was some secret understanding in that quarter!" `
` And she greedily read the following few lines: `
` `
` `
` My Dear Child, Hold yourself ready. OUR FRIEND will see you soon, `
` and he will only see you to release you from that imprisonment in which `
` your safety required you should be concealed. Prepare, then, for your `
` departure, and never despair of us. `
` `
` Our charming Gascon has just proved himself as brave and faithful as `
` ever. Tell him that certain parties are grateful for the warning he has `
` given. `
` `
` `
` "Yes, yes," said Milady; "the letter is precise. Do you know what that `
` warning was?" `
` `
` "No, I only suspect he has warned the queen against some fresh `
` machinations of the cardinal." `
` `
` "Yes, that's it, no doubt!" said Milady, returning the letter to Mme. `
` Bonacieux, and letting her head sink pensively upon her bosom. `
` `
` At that moment they heard the gallop of a horse. `
` `
` "Oh!" cried Mme. Bonacieux, darting to the window, "can it be he?" `
` `
` Milady remained still in bed, petrified by surprise; so many unexpected `
` things happened to her all at once that for the first time she was at a `
` loss. `
` `
` "He, he!" murmured she; "can it be he?" And she remained in bed with `
` her eyes fixed. `
` `
` "Alas, no!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "it is a man I don't know, although he `
` seems to be coming here. Yes, he checks his pace; he stops at the gate; `
` he rings." `
` `
` Milady sprang out of bed. `
` `
` "You are sure it is not he?" said she. `
` `
` "Yes, yes, very sure!" `
` `
` "Perhaps you did not see well." `
` `
` "Oh, if I were to see the plume of his hat, the end of his cloak, I `
` should know HIM!" `
` `
` Milady was dressing herself all the time. `
` `
` "Yes, he has entered." `
` `
` "It is for you or me!" `
` `
` "My God, how agitated you seem!" `
` `
` "Yes, I admit it. I have not your confidence; I fear the cardinal." `
` `
` "Hush!" said Mme. Bonacieux; "somebody is coming." `
` `
` Immediately the door opened, and the superior entered. `
` `
` "Did you come from Boulogne?" demanded she of Milady. `
` `
` "Yes," replied she, trying to recover her self-possession. "Who wants `
` me?" `
` `
` "A man who will not tell his name, but who comes from the cardinal." `
` `
` "And who wishes to speak with me?" `
` `
` "Who wishes to speak to a lady recently come from Boulogne." `
` `
` "Then let him come in, if you please." `
` `
` "Oh, my God, my God!" cried Mme. Bonacieux. "Can it be bad news?" `
` `
` "I fear it." `
` `
` "I will leave you with this stranger; but as soon as he is gone, if you `
` will permit me, I will return." `
` `
` "PERMIT you? I BESEECH you." `
` `
` The superior and Mme. Bonacieux retired. `
` `
` Milady remained alone, with her eyes fixed upon the door. An instant `
` later, the jingling of spurs was heard upon the stairs, steps drew near, `
` the door opened, and a man appeared. `
` `
` Milady uttered a cry of joy; this man was the Comte de Rochefort--the `
` demoniacal tool of his Eminence. `
` `
` `
` `
` 62 TWO VARIETIES OF DEMONS `
` `
` "Ah," cried Milady and Rochefort together, "it is you!" `
` `
` "Yes, it is I." `
` `
` "And you come?" asked Milady. `
` `
` "From La Rochelle; and you?" `
` `
` "From England." `
` `
` "Buckingham?" `
` `
` "Dead or desperately wounded, as I left without having been able to hear `
` anything of him. A fanatic has just assassinated him." `
` `
` "Ah," said Rochefort, with a smile; "this is a fortunate chance--one `
` that will delight his Eminence! Have you informed him of it?" `
` `
` "I wrote to him from Boulogne. But what brings you here?" `
` `
` "His Eminence was uneasy, and sent me to find you." `
` `
` "I only arrived yesterday." `
` `
` "And what have you been doing since yesterday?" `
` `
` "I have not lost my time." `
` `
` "Oh, I don't doubt that." `
` `
` "Do you know whom I have encountered here?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Guess." `
` `
` "How can I?" `
` `
` "That young woman whom the queen took out of prison." `
` `
` "The mistress of that fellow d'Artagnan?" `
` `
` "Yes; Madame Bonacieux, with whose retreat the cardinal was `
` unacquainted." `
` `
` "Well, well," said Rochefort, "here is a chance which may pair off with `
` the other! Monsieur Cardinal is indeed a privileged man!" `
` `
` "Imagine my astonishment," continued Milady, "when I found myself face `
` to face with this woman!" `
` `
` "Does she know you?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Then she looks upon you as a stranger?" `
` `
` Milady smiled. "I am her best friend." `
` `
` "Upon my honor," said Rochefort, "it takes you, my dear countess, to `
` perform such miracles!" `
` `
` "And it is well I can, Chevalier," said Milady, "for do you know what is `
` going on here?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "They will come for her tomorrow or the day after, with an order from `
` the queen." `
` `
` "Indeed! And who?" `
` `
` "d'Artagnan and his friends." `
` `
` "Indeed, they will go so far that we shall be obliged to send them to `
` the Bastille." `
` `
` "Why is it not done already?" `
` `
` "What would you? The cardinal has a weakness for these men which I `
` cannot comprehend." `
` `
` "Indeed!" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Well, then, tell him this, Rochefort. Tell him that our conversation `
` at the inn of the Red Dovecot was overheard by these four men; tell him `
` that after his departure one of them came up to me and took from me by `
` violence the safe-conduct which he had given me; tell him they warned `
` Lord de Winter of my journey to England; that this time they nearly `
` foiled my mission as they foiled the affair of the studs; tell him that `
` among these four men two only are to be feared--d'Artagnan and Athos; `
` tell him that the third, Aramis, is the lover of Madame de Chevreuse--he `
` may be left alone, we know his secret, and it may be useful; as to the `
` fourth, Porthos, he is a fool, a simpleton, a blustering booby, not `
` worth troubling himself about." `
` `
` "But these four men must be now at the siege of La Rochelle?" `
` `
`