Les Quarante-cinq. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER LXXXV.

  NEWS FROM AURILLY.

  On the following day the king was working at the Louvre with thesuperintendent of finances, when an attendant entered to inform hismajesty that Monsieur de Joyeuse, the eldest son of that family, hadjust arrived, and was waiting for him in the large audience chamber,having come from Chateau-Thierry, with a message from Monsieur le Ducd'Anjou.

  The king precipitately left the business which occupied him, and ran tomeet a friend whom he regarded with so much affection.

  A large number of officers and courtiers crowded the cabinet; thequeen-mother had arrived that evening, escorted by her maids of honor,and these light-hearted girls were, like suns, always attended by theirsatellites.

  The king gave Joyeuse his hand to kiss, and glanced with a satisfiedexpression around the assembly.

  In the angle of the entrance door, in his usual place, stood Henry duBouchage, rigorously discharging his service and the duties which wereimposed on him.

  The king thanked him, and saluted him with a friendly recognition, towhich Henri replied by a profound reverence.

  This good intelligence which prevailed between them made Joyeuse turnhis head and smilingly look at his brother, without, however, salutinghim in too marked a manner, from the fear of violating etiquette.

  "Sire," said Joyeuse, "I am sent to your majesty by Monsieur le Ducd'Anjou, recently returned from the expedition to Flanders."

  "Is my brother well, Monsieur l'Amiral?" inquired the king.

  "As well, sire, as the state of his mind will permit; however, I willnot conceal from your majesty that he appears to be suffering greatly."

  "He must need something to change the current of his thoughts after hismisfortune," said the king, delighted at the opportunity of proclaimingthe check which his brother had met with, while appearing to pity him.

  "I believe he does, sire."

  "We have been informed that the disaster had been most severe."

  "Sire--"

  "But that, thanks to you, a great portion of the army had been saved;thanks, Monsieur l'Amiral, thanks. Does poor Monsieur d'Anjou wish tosee us?"

  "Most anxiously so, sire."

  "In that case we will see him. Are not you of that opinion, madame?"said Henri, turning toward Catherine, whose heart was wrung withfeelings, the expression of which her face determinedly concealed.

  "Sire," she replied, "I should have gone alone to meet my son; but sinceyour majesty condescends to join with me in this mark of kindconsideration, the journey will be a party of pleasure for me."

  "You will accompany us, messieurs," said the king to the courtiers; "wewill set off to-morrow, and I shall sleep at Meaux."

  "Shall I at once announce this excellent news to monseigneur, sire?"

  "Not so; what! leave me so soon, Monsieur l'Amiral? not so, indeed. Ican well understand that a Joyeuse must be loved and sought after by mybrother, but we have two of the same family, thank Heaven. Du Bouchage,you will start for Chateau-Thierry, if you please."

  "Sire," said Henri, "may I be permitted, after having announced yourmajesty's arrival to Monseigneur le Duc d'Anjou, to return to Paris?"

  "You may do as you please, Du Bouchage," said the king.

  Henri bowed and advanced toward the door. Fortunately Joyeuse waswatching him narrowly.

  "Will you allow me to say one word to my brother?" he inquired.

  "Do so; but what is it?" said the king in an undertone.

  "The fact is, that he wishes to use the utmost speed to execute thecommission, and to return again immediately, which happens to interferewith my projects, sire, and with those of the cardinal."

  "Away with you, then, and rate this love-sick swain most roundly."

  Anne hurried after his brother, and overtook him in the antechambers.

  "Well!" said Joyeuse; "you are setting off very eagerly, Henri."

  "Of course, my brother!"

  "Because you wish to return here soon again?"

  "That is quite true."

  "You do not intend, then, to stay any time at Chateau-Thierry?"

  "As little as possible."

  "Why so?"

  "Where others are amusing themselves is not my place."

  "On the contrary, Henri, it is precisely because Monseigneur le Ducd'Anjou is about to give some fetes that you should remain atChateau-Thierry."

  "It is impossible."

  "Because of your wish for retirement, and of the austere projects youhave in view?"--"Yes."

  "You have been to the king to solicit a dispensation?"

  "Who told you so?"

  "I know it to be the case."

  "It is true, then, for I have been to him."

  "You will not obtain it."

  "Why so, my brother?"

  "Because the king has no interest in depriving himself of such a devotedservant as you are."

  "My brother, the cardinal, will therefore do what his majesty will bedisinclined to do."

  "And all that for a woman?"

  "Anne, I entreat you, do not persist any further."

  "Ah! do not fear that I shall begin over again; but, once for all, letus to the point. You set off for Chateau-Thierry; well, instead ofreturning as hurriedly as you seem disposed to do, I wish you to waitfor me in my apartments there; it is a long time since we have livedtogether. I particularly wish to be with you again, you understand."

  "You are going to Chateau-Thierry to amuse yourself, Anne, and if I wereto remain there I should poison all your pleasures."

  "Oh! far from that, I do not care for them; I am of a happy temperament,and quite fitted to drive away all your fits of melancholy."

  "Brother--"

  "Permit me, comte," said the admiral, with an imperious air of command,"I am the representative of our father here, and I enjoin you to waitfor me at Chateau-Thierry. You will find out my apartment, which will beyour own also; it is on the ground floor, looking out on the park."

  "If you command me to do so, my brother," said Henri, with a resignedair.

  "Call it by what name you please, comte, desire or command; but await myarrival."

  "I will obey you, my brother."

  "And I am persuaded that you will not be angry with me for it," addedJoyeuse, pressing the young man in his arms.

  The latter withdrew from the fraternal embrace, somewhat ungraciously,perhaps, ordered his horses, and immediately set off forChateau-Thierry. He hurried thither with the anger of a vexed anddisappointed man; that is to say, he pressed his horses to the top oftheir speed.

  The same evening, he was slowly ascending, before nightfall, the hill onwhich Chateau-Thierry is situated, with the river Marne flowing at itsfeet.

  At his name, the doors of the chateau flew open before him, but, as faras an audience was concerned, he was more than an hour before he couldobtain it.

  The prince, some told him, was in his apartments; others said he wasasleep; he was practicing music, the valet-de-chambre supposed. No one,however, among the attendants could give a positive reply.

  Henri persisted, in order that he might no longer have to think of hisservice on the king, so that he might abandon himself from that momentto his melancholy thoughts unrestrained.

  Won over by his perseverance, it being well known too that he and hisbrother were on the most intimate terms with the duke, Henri was usheredinto one of the salons on the first floor, where the prince at lastconsented to receive him.

  Half an hour passed away, and the shades of evening insensibly closedin.

  The heavy and measured footsteps of the Duc d'Anjou resounded in thegallery, and Henri, on recognizing them, prepared to discharge hismission with the accustomed formal ceremonies. But the prince, whoseemed very much pressed, quickly dispensed with these formalities onthe part of his ambassador, by taking him by the hand and embracing him.

  "Good-day, comte," he said; "why should they have given you the troubleto come and see a poor defeated general?"

  "The king has sent
me, monseigneur, to inform you that he is exceedinglydesirous of seeing your highness, and that in order to enable you torecover from your fatigue, his majesty will himself come and pay a visitto Chateau-Thierry, to-morrow at the latest."

  "The king will be here to-morrow!" exclaimed Francois, with a gesture ofimpatience, but recovering himself immediately afterward.

  "To-morrow, to-morrow," he resumed; "why, the truth is, that nothingwill be in readiness, either here or in the town, to receive hismajesty."

  Henri bowed, as one whose duty it had been to transmit an order, butwhose province it was not to comment upon it.

  "The extreme haste which their majesties have to see your royalhighness has not allowed them to think of the embarrassment they may bethe means of occasioning."

  "Well, well," said the prince, hurriedly, "it is for me to make the bestuse of the time I have at my disposal. I leave you, therefore, Henri;thanks for the alacrity you have shown, for you have traveled fast, Iperceive. Go and take some rest."

  "Your highness has no other orders to communicate to me?" Henriinquired, respectfully.

  "None. Go and lie down. You shall dine in your own apartment. I hold noreception this evening; I am suffering and ill at ease; I have lost myappetite, and cannot sleep, which makes my life a sad, dreary one, andwhich, you understand, I do not choose to inflict upon any one else.By-the-by, you have heard the news?"

  "No, monseigneur; what news?"

  "Aurilly has been eaten up by the wolves--"

  "Aurilly!" exclaimed Henri, with surprise.

  "Yes, yes--devoured! It is singular how every one who comes near me diesa violent death. Good-night, count; may you sleep well!"

  And the prince hurried away rapidly.