Dumas_The_Three_Musketeers.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
is doubtless ignorant, since you have honored
her with your confidence."
"," said the cardinal, "if de has committed the
crimes you lay to her charge, she shall be punished."
" has been punished, monseigneur."
" who has punished her?"
"."
" is in prison?"
" is dead."
"!" repeated the cardinal, who could not believe what he heard,
"dead! you not say she was dead?"
" times she attempted to kill me, and pardoned her; but she
murdered the woman loved. my friends and took her, tried her,
and condemned her."
' then related the poisoning of . in the convent
of the at , the trial in the isolated house, and the
execution on the banks of the .
shudder crept through the body of the cardinal, who did not shudder
readily.
all at once, as if undergoing the influence of an unspoken thought,
the countenance of the cardinal, till then gloomy, cleared up by
degrees, and recovered perfect serenity.
"," said the cardinal, in a tone that contrasted strongly with the
severity of his words, "you have constituted yourselves judges, without
remembering that they who punish without license to punish are
assassins?"
", swear to you that never for an instant had the
intention of defending my head against you. willingly submit to any
punishment your may please to inflict upon me. do not hold
life dear enough to be afraid of death."
", know you are a man of a stout heart, monsieur," said the
cardinal, with a voice almost affectionate; " can therefore tell you
beforehand you shall be tried, and even condemned."
" might reply to your that he had his pardon in his
pocket. content myself with saying: , monseigneur; am
ready."
" pardon?" said , surprised.
", monseigneur," said d'.
" signed by whom--by the king?" the cardinal pronounced these
words with a singular expression of contempt.
", by your ."
" me? are insane, monsieur."
" will doubtless recognize his own handwriting."
d' presented to the cardinal the precious piece of paper
which had forced from , and which he had given to d'
to serve him as a safeguard.
took the paper, and read in a slow voice, dwelling upon
every syllable:
". 3, 1627
" is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this
has done what he has done.
""
cardinal, after having read these two lines, sank into a profound
reverie; but he did not return the paper to d'.
" is meditating by what sort of punishment he shall cause me to die,"
said the to himself. ", my faith! he shall see how a
gentleman can die."
young was in excellent disposition to die heroically.
still continued thinking, rolling and unrolling the paper in
his hands.
length he raised his head, fixed his eagle look upon that loyal,
open, and intelligent countenance, read upon that face, furrowed with
tears, all the sufferings its possessor had endured in the course of a
month, and reflected for the third or fourth time how much there was in
that youth of twenty-one years before him, and what resources his
activity, his courage, and his shrewdness might offer to a good master.
the other side, the crimes, the power, and the infernal genius of
had more than once terrified him. felt something like a
secret joy at being forever relieved of this dangerous accomplice.
slowly tore the paper which d' had generously
relinquished.
" am lost!" said d' to himself. he bowed profoundly
before the cardinal, like a man who says, ", will be done!"
cardinal approached the table, and without sitting down, wrote a few
lines upon a parchment of which two-thirds were already filled, and
affixed his seal.
" is my condemnation," thought d'; "he will spare me the
of the , or the tediousness of a trial. 's very kind
of him."
", monsieur," said the cardinal to the young man. " have taken
from you one to give you another. name is wanting in
this commission; you can write it yourself."
' took the paper hesitatingly and cast his eyes over it; it was
a lieutenant's commission in the .
' fell at the feet of the cardinal.
"," said he, "my life is yours; henceforth dispose of it.
this favor which you bestow upon me do not merit. have three
friends who are more meritorious and more worthy--"
" are a brave youth, d'," interrupted the cardinal, tapping
him familiarly on the shoulder, charmed at having vanquished this
rebellious nature. " with this commission what you will; only
remember, though the name be blank, it is to you give it."
" shall never forget it," replied d'. " may be
certain of that."
cardinal turned and said in a loud voice, "!"
chevalier, who no doubt was near the door, entered immediately.
"," said the cardinal, "you see d'. receive
him among the number of my friends. each other, then; and be wise
if you wish to preserve your heads."
and d' coolly greeted each other with their lips; but
the cardinal was there, observing them with his vigilant eye.
left the chamber at the same time.
" shall meet again, shall we not, monsieur?"
" you please," said d'.
" opportunity will come," replied .
"?" said the cardinal, opening the door.
two men smiled at each other, shook hands, and saluted his .
" were beginning to grow impatient," said .
" am, my friends," replied d'; "not only free, but in
favor."
" us about it."
" evening; but for the moment, let us separate."
, that same evening d' repaired to the quarters of
, whom he found in a fair way to empty a bottle of wine--an
occupation which he religiously accomplished every night.
' related what had taken place between the cardinal and
himself, and drawing the commission from his pocket, said, ", my
dear , this naturally belongs to you."
smiled with one of his sweet and expressive smiles.
"," said he, "for this is too much; for the de la
it is too little. the commission; it is yours. ! you have
purchased it dearly enough."
' left 's chamber and went to that of . found
him clothed in a magnificent dress covered with splendid embroidery,
admiring himself before a glass.
", ah! is that you, dear friend?" exclaimed . " do you
think these garments fit me?"
"," said d'; but come to offer you a dress which
will become you still better."
"?" asked .
" of a lieutenant of ."
' related to the substance of his interview with the
cardinal, and said, taking the commission from his pocket, ", my
friend, write your name upon it and become my chief."
cast his eyes over the commission and returned it to d',
to the great astonishment of the young man.
"," said he, "yes, that would flatter me very much; but should not
have time enough to enjoy the distinction. our expedition to
the husband of my duchess died; so, my dear, the coffer of the
defunct holding out its arms to me, shall marry the widow. here!
was trying on my wedding suit. the lieutenancy, my dear, keep
it."
young man then entered the apartment of . found him
kneeling before a with his head leaning on an open prayer book.
described to him his interview with the cardinal, and said, for the
third time drawing his commission from his pocket, ", our friend, our
intelligence, our invisible protector, accept this commission. have
merited it more than any of us by your wisdom and your counsels, always
followed by such happy results."
", dear friend!" said , "our late adventures have disgusted
me with military life. time my determination is irrevocably taken.
the siege shall enter the house of the . the
commission, d'; the profession of arms suits you. will be a
brave and adventurous captain."
', his eye moist with gratitude though beaming with joy, went
back to , whom he found still at table contemplating the charms of
his last glass of by the light of his lamp.
"," said he, "they likewise have refused me."
", dear friend, is because nobody is more worthy than yourself."
took a quill, wrote the name of d' in the commission, and
returned it to him.
" shall then have no more friends," said the young man. "!
nothing but bitter recollections."
he let his head sink upon his hands, while two large tears rolled
down his cheeks.
" are young," replied ; "and your bitter recollections have time
to change themselves into sweet remembrances."
, deprived of the assistance of the fleet and of the
diversion promised by , surrendered after a siege of a year.
the twenty-eighth of , 1628, the capitulation was signed.
king made his entrance into on the twenty-third of of
the same year. was received in triumph, as if he came from
conquering an enemy and not . entered by the .
, under verdant arches.
' took possession of his command. left the service,
and in the course of the following year married . ; the
coffer so much coveted contained eight hundred thousand livres.
had a magnificent livery, and enjoyed the satisfaction of
which he had been ambitious all his life--that of standing behind a
gilded carriage.
, after a journey into , disappeared all at once, and
ceased to write to his friends; they learned at a later period through
. de , who told it to two or three of her intimates, that,
yielding to his vocation, he had retired into a convent--only into
which, nobody knew.
became a lay brother.
remained a under the command of d' till the year
1633, at which period, after a journey he made to , he also quit
the service, under the pretext of having inherited a small property in
.
followed .
' fought three times with , and wounded him three
times.
" shall probably kill you the fourth," said he to him, holding out his
hand to assist him to rise.
" is much better both for you and for me to stop where we are,"
answered the wounded man. "-- am more your friend than you
think--for after our very first encounter, could by saying a word to
the cardinal have had your throat cut!"
this time embraced heartily, and without retaining any malice.
obtained from the rank of sergeant in the
regiment.
. lived on very quietly, wholly ignorant of what had become
of his wife, and caring very little about it. day he had the
imprudence to recall himself to the memory of the cardinal.
cardinal had him informed that he would provide for him so that he
should never want for anything in future. fact, . ,
having left his house at seven o'clock in the evening to go to the
, never appeared again in the des ; the opinion
of those who seemed to be best informed was that he was fed and
lodged in some royal castle, at the expense of his generous .