35 A GASCON A MATCH FOR CUPID
The evening so impatiently waited for by Porthos and by d'Artagnan atlast arrived.
As was his custom, d'Artagnan presented himself at Milady's at aboutnine o'clock. He found her in a charming humor. Never had he been sowell received. Our Gascon knew, by the first glance of his eye, that hisbillet had been delivered, and that this billet had had its effect.
Kitty entered to bring some sherbet. Her mistress put on a charmingface, and smiled on her graciously; but alas! the poor girl was so sadthat she did not even notice Milady's condescension.
D'Artagnan looked at the two women, one after the other, and was forcedto acknowledge that in his opinion Dame Nature had made a mistake intheir formation. To the great lady she had given a heart vile and venal;to the SOUBRETTE she had given the heart of a duchess.
At ten o'clock Milady began to appear restless. D'Artagnan knew what shewanted. She looked at the clock, rose, reseated herself, smiled atd'Artagnan with an air which said, "You are very amiable, no doubt, butyou would be charming if you would only depart."
D'Artagnan rose and took his hat; Milady gave him her hand to kiss. Theyoung man felt her press his hand, and comprehended that this was asentiment, not of coquetry, but of gratitude because of his departure.
"She loves him devilishly," he murmured. Then he went out.
This time Kitty was nowhere waiting for him; neither in the antechamber,nor in the corridor, nor beneath the great door. It was necessary thatd'Artagnan should find alone the staircase and the little chamber. Sheheard him enter, but she did not raise her head. The young man went toher and took her hands; then she sobbed aloud.
As d'Artagnan had presumed, on receiving his letter, Milady in adelirium of joy had told her servant everything; and by way ofrecompense for the manner in which she had this time executed thecommission, she had given Kitty a purse.
Returning to her own room, Kitty had thrown the purse into a corner,where it lay open, disgorging three or four gold pieces on the carpet.The poor girl, under the caresses of d'Artagnan, lifted her head.D'Artagnan himself was frightened by the change in her countenance. Shejoined her hands with a suppliant air, but without venturing to speak aword. As little sensitive as was the heart of d'Artagnan, he was touchedby this mute sorrow; but he held too tenaciously to his projects, aboveall to this one, to change the program which he had laid out in advance.He did not therefore allow her any hope that he would flinch; only herepresented his action as one of simple vengeance.
For the rest this vengeance was very easy; for Milady, doubtless toconceal her blushes from her lover, had ordered Kitty to extinguish allthe lights in the apartment, and even in the little chamber itself.Before daybreak M. de Wardes must take his departure, still inobscurity.
Presently they heard Milady retire to her room. D'Artagnan slipped intothe wardrobe. Hardly was he concealed when the little bell sounded.Kitty went to her mistress, and did not leave the door open; but thepartition was so thin that one could hear nearly all that passed betweenthe two women.
Milady seemed overcome with joy, and made Kitty repeat the smallestdetails of the pretended interview of the soubrette with de Wardes whenhe received the letter; how he had responded; what was the expression ofhis face; if he seemed very amorous. And to all these questions poorKitty, forced to put on a pleasant face, responded in a stifled voicewhose dolorous accent her mistress did not however remark, solelybecause happiness is egotistical.
Finally, as the hour for her interview with the count approached, Miladyhad everything about her darkened, and ordered Kitty to return to herown chamber, and introduce de Wardes whenever he presented himself.
Kitty's detention was not long. Hardly had d'Artagnan seen, through acrevice in his closet, that the whole apartment was in obscurity, thanhe slipped out of his concealment, at the very moment when Kittyreclosed the door of communication.
"What is that noise?" demanded Milady.
"It is I," said d'Artagnan in a subdued voice, "I, the Comte de Wardes."
"Oh, my God, my God!" murmured Kitty, "he has not even waited for thehour he himself named!"
"Well," said Milady, in a trembling voice, "why do you not enter? Count,Count," added she, "you know that I wait for you."
At this appeal d'Artagnan drew Kitty quietly away, and slipped into thechamber.
If rage or sorrow ever torture the heart, it is when a lover receivesunder a name which is not his own protestations of love addressed to hishappy rival. D'Artagnan was in a dolorous situation which he had notforeseen. Jealousy gnawed his heart; and he suffered almost as much aspoor Kitty, who at that very moment was crying in the next chamber.
"Yes, Count," said Milady, in her softest voice, and pressing his handin her own, "I am happy in the love which your looks and your words haveexpressed to me every time we have met. I also--I love you. Oh,tomorrow, tomorrow, I must have some pledge from you which will provethat you think of me; and that you may not forget me, take this!" andshe slipped a ring from her finger onto d'Artagnan's. D'Artagnanremembered having seen this ring on the finger of Milady; it was amagnificent sapphire, encircled with brilliants.
The first movement of d'Artagnan was to return it, but Milady added,"No, no! Keep that ring for love of me. Besides, in accepting it," sheadded, in a voice full of emotion, "you render me a much greater servicethan you imagine."
"This woman is full of mysteries," murmured d'Artagnan to himself. Atthat instant he felt himself ready to reveal all. He even opened hismouth to tell Milady who he was, and with what a revengeful purpose hehad come; but she added, "Poor angel, whom that monster of a Gasconbarely failed to kill."
The monster was himself.
"Oh," continued Milady, "do your wounds still make you suffer?"
"Yes, much," said d'Artagnan, who did not well know how to answer.
"Be tranquil," murmured Milady; "I will avenge you--and cruelly!"
"PESTE!" said d'Artagnan to himself, "the moment for confidences has notyet come."
It took some time for d'Artagnan to resume this little dialogue; butthen all the ideas of vengeance which he had brought with him hadcompletely vanished. This woman exercised over him an unaccountablepower; he hated and adored her at the same time. He would not havebelieved that two sentiments so opposite could dwell in the same heart,and by their union constitute a passion so strange, and as it were,diabolical.
Presently it sounded one o'clock. It was necessary to separate.D'Artagnan at the moment of quitting Milady felt only the liveliestregret at the parting; and as they addressed each other in areciprocally passionate adieu, another interview was arranged for thefollowing week.
Poor Kitty hoped to speak a few words to d'Artagnan when he passedthrough her chamber; but Milady herself reconducted him through thedarkness, and only quit him at the staircase.
The next morning d'Artagnan ran to find Athos. He was engaged in anadventure so singular that he wished for counsel. He therefore told himall.
"Your Milady," said he, "appears to be an infamous creature, but not theless you have done wrong to deceive her. In one fashion or another youhave a terrible enemy on your hands."
While thus speaking Athos regarded with attention the sapphire set withdiamonds which had taken, on d'Artagnan's finger, the place of thequeen's ring, carefully kept in a casket.
"You notice my ring?" said the Gascon, proud to display so rich a giftin the eyes of his friends.
"Yes," said Athos, "it reminds me of a family jewel."
"It is beautiful, is it not?" said d'Artagnan.
"Yes," said Athos, "magnificent. I did not think two sapphires of such afine water existed. Have you traded it for your diamond?"
"No. It is a gift from my beautiful Englishwoman, or ratherFrenchwoman--for I am convinced she was born in France, though I havenot questioned her."
"That ring comes from Milady?" cried Athos, with a voice in which it waseasy to detect strong emotion.
"Her very self; she gave it me last night.
Here it is," repliedd'Artagnan, taking it from his finger.
Athos examined it and became very pale. He tried it on his left hand; itfit his finger as if made for it.
A shade of anger and vengeance passed across the usually calm brow ofthis gentleman.
"It is impossible it can be she," said he. "How could this ring comeinto the hands of Milady Clarik? And yet it is difficult to suppose sucha resemblance should exist between two jewels."
"Do you know this ring?" said d'Artagnan.
"I thought I did," replied Athos; "but no doubt I was mistaken." And hereturned d'Artagnan the ring without, however, ceasing to look at it.
"Pray, d'Artagnan," said Athos, after a minute, "either take off thatring or turn the mounting inside; it recalls such cruel recollectionsthat I shall have no head to converse with you. Don't ask me forcounsel; don't tell me you are perplexed what to do. But stop! let melook at that sapphire again; the one I mentioned to you had one of itsfaces scratched by accident."
D'Artagnan took off the ring, giving it again to Athos.
Athos started. "Look," said he, "is it not strange?" and he pointed outto d'Artagnan the scratch he had remembered.
"But from whom did this ring come to you, Athos?"
"From my mother, who inherited it from her mother. As I told you, it isan old family jewel."
"And you--sold it?" asked d'Artagnan, hesitatingly.
"No," replied Athos, with a singular smile. "I gave it away in a nightof love, as it has been given to you."
D'Artagnan became pensive in his turn; it appeared as if there wereabysses in Milady's soul whose depths were dark and unknown. He tookback the ring, but put it in his pocket and not on his finger.
"d'Artagnan," said Athos, taking his hand, "you know I love you; if Ihad a son I could not love him better. Take my advice, renounce thiswoman. I do not know her, but a sort of intuition tells me she is a lostcreature, and that there is something fatal about her."
"You are right," said d'Artagnan; "I will have done with her. I own thatthis woman terrifies me."
"Shall you have the courage?" said Athos.
"I shall," replied d'Artagnan, "and instantly."
"In truth, my young friend, you will act rightly," said the gentleman,pressing the Gascon's hand with an affection almost paternal; "and Godgrant that this woman, who has scarcely entered into your life, may notleave a terrible trace in it!" And Athos bowed to d'Artagnan like a manwho wishes it understood that he would not be sorry to be left alonewith his thoughts.
On reaching home d'Artagnan found Kitty waiting for him. A month offever could not have changed her more than this one night ofsleeplessness and sorrow.
She was sent by her mistress to the false de Wardes. Her mistress wasmad with love, intoxicated with joy. She wished to know when her loverwould meet her a second night; and poor Kitty, pale and trembling,awaited d'Artagnan's reply. The counsels of his friend, joined to thecries of his own heart, made him determine, now his pride was saved andhis vengeance satisfied, not to see Milady again. As a reply, he wrotethe following letter:
Do not depend upon me, madame, for the next meeting. Since myconvalescence I have so many affairs of this kind on my hands that I amforced to regulate them a little. When your turn comes, I shall have thehonor to inform you of it. I kiss your hands.
Comte de Wardes
Not a word about the sapphire. Was the Gascon determined to keep it as aweapon against Milady, or else, let us be frank, did he not reserve thesapphire as a last resource for his outfit? It would be wrong to judgethe actions of one period from the point of view of another. That whichwould now be considered as disgraceful to a gentleman was at that timequite a simple and natural affair, and the younger sons of the bestfamilies were frequently supported by their mistresses. D'Artagnan gavethe open letter to Kitty, who at first was unable to comprehend it, butwho became almost wild with joy on reading it a second time. She couldscarcely believe in her happiness; and d'Artagnan was forced to renewwith the living voice the assurances which he had written. And whatevermight be--considering the violent character of Milady--the danger whichthe poor girl incurred in giving this billet to her mistress, she ranback to the Place Royale as fast as her legs could carry her.
The heart of the best woman is pitiless toward the sorrows of a rival.
Milady opened the letter with eagerness equal to Kitty's in bringing it;but at the first words she read she became livid. She crushed the paperin her hand, and turning with flashing eyes upon Kitty, she cried, "Whatis this letter?"
"The answer to Madame's," replied Kitty, all in a tremble.
"Impossible!" cried Milady. "It is impossible a gentleman could havewritten such a letter to a woman." Then all at once, starting, shecried, "My God! can he have--" and she stopped. She ground her teeth;she was of the color of ashes. She tried to go toward the window forair, but she could only stretch forth her arms; her legs failed her, andshe sank into an armchair. Kitty, fearing she was ill, hastened towardher and was beginning to open her dress; but Milady started up, pushingher away. "What do you want with me?" said she, "and why do you placeyour hand on me?"
"I thought that Madame was ill, and I wished to bring her help,"responded the maid, frightened at the terrible expression which had comeover her mistress's face.
"I faint? I? I? Do you take me for half a woman? When I am insulted I donot faint; I avenge myself!"
And she made a sign for Kitty to leave the room.
Les trois mousquetaires. English Page 36