Ten Years Later

by Alexandre Dumas

  Malicorne, then, left Blois, as we have said, and went to find hisfriend Manicamp, then in temporary retreat in the city of Orleans. Itwas just at the moment when that young nobleman was employed in sellingthe last decent clothing he had left. He had, a fortnight beforeextorted from the Comte de Guiche a hundred pistoles, all he had, toassist in equipping him properly to go and meet Madame, on her arrivalat Havre. He had drawn from Malicorne, three days before, fiftypistoles, the price of the brevet obtained for Montalais. He had then noexpectation of anything else, having exhausted all his resources, withthe exception of selling a handsome suit of cloth and satin, embroideredand laced with gold, which had been the admiration of the court. But tobe able to sell this suit, the last he had left--as we have been forcedto confess to the reader--Manicamp had been obliged to take to his bed.No more fire, no more pocket-money, no more walking-money, nothing butsleep to take the place of repasts, companies and balls. It has beensaid--"he who sleeps, dines;" but it has never been affirmed--he whosleeps, plays--or he who sleeps, dances. Manicamp, reduced to thisextremity of neither playing nor dancing, for a week at least, was,consequently, very sad; he was expecting a usurer, and saw Malicorneenter. A cry of distress escaped him.

  "Eh! what!" said he, in a tone which nothing can describe, "is that youagain, dear friend?"

  "Humph! you are very polite!" said Malicorne.

  "Ay, but look you, I was expecting money, and, instead of money, I seeyou."

  "And suppose I brought you some money?"

  "Oh! that would be quite another thing. You are very welcome, my dearfriend!"

  And he held out his hand, not for the hand of Malicorne, but for thepurse. Malicorne pretended to be mistaken, and gave him his hand.

  "And the money?" said Manicamp.

  "My dear friend, if you wish to have it, earn it."

  "What must be done for it?"

  "Earn it, parbleu!"

  "And after what fashion?"

  "Oh! that is rather trying, I warn you."

  "The devil!"

  "You must get out of bed, and go immediately to M. le Comte de Guiche."

  "I get out!" said Manicamp, stretching himself in his bed, complacently,"oh, no, thank you!"

  "You have sold all your clothes?"

  "No, I have one suit left, the handsomest even, but I expect apurchaser."

  "And the chausses?"

  "Well, if you look, you will see them on that chair."

  "Very well! since you have some chausses and a pourpoint left, put yourlegs into the first and your back into the other; have a horse saddled,and set off."

  "Not I."

  "And why not?"

  "Mordieu! don't you know, then, that M. de Guiche is at Etampes?"

  "No, I thought he was at Paris. You will then only have fifteen leaguesto go, instead of thirty."

  "You are a wonderfully clever fellow! If I were to ride fifteen leaguesin these clothes, they would never be fit to put on again; and, insteadof selling them for thirty pistoles, I should be obliged to takefifteen."

  "Sell them for what you like, but I must have a second commission ofmaid of honor."

  "Good! for whom? Is Montalais doubled then?"

  "Vile fellow!--It is you who are doubled. You swallow up twofortunes--mine, and that of M. le Comte de Guiche."

  "You should say, that of M. le Comte de Guiche and yours."

  "That is true; honor where it is due; but I return to my brevet."

  "And you are wrong."

  "Prove me that."

  "My friend, there will only be twelve maids of honor for madame, I havealready obtained for you what twelve hundred women are trying for, andfor that I was forced to employ all my diplomacy."

  "Oh! yes, I know you have been quite heroic, my dear friend."

  "We know what we are about," said Manicamp.

  "To whom do you tell that? When I am king, I promise you one thing."

  "What? To call yourself Malicorne the first?"

  "No; to make you superintendent of my finances; but that is not thequestion now."

  "Unfortunately."

  "The present affair is to procure for me a second place of maid ofhonor."

  "My friend, if you were to promise me the price of heaven, I woulddecline to disturb myself at this moment." Malicorne chinked the moneyin his pocket.

  "There are twenty pistoles here," said Malicorne.

  "And what would you do with twenty pistoles, mon Dieu!"

  "Well!" said Malicorne, a little angrily, "suppose I were to add them tothe five hundred you already owe me?"

  "You are right," replied Manicamp, stretching out his hand again, "andfrom that point of view I can accept them. Give them to me."

  "An instant, what the devil! it is not only holding out your hand thatwill do; if I give you the twenty pistoles, shall I have my brevet?"

  "To be sure you shall."

  "Soon?"

  "To-day."

  "Oh! take care! Monsieur de Manicamp; you undertake much, and I do notask that. Thirty leagues in a day is too much, you would kill yourself."

  "I think nothing impossible when obliging a friend."

  "You are quite heroic."

  "Where are the twenty pistoles?"

  "Here they are," said Malicorne, showing them.

  "That's well."

  "Yes, but my dear M. Manicamp, you would consume them in post-horsesalone!"

  "No, no, make yourself easy on that score."

  "Pardon me. Why, it is fifteen leagues from this place to Etampes?"

  "Fourteen."

  "Well! fourteen be it; fourteen leagues makes seven posts; at twentysous the post, seven livres; seven livres the courier, fourteen; as manyfor coming back, twenty-eight! as much for bed and supper, that makessixty livres this complaisance would cost."

  Manicamp stretched himself like a serpent in his bed, and fixing his twogreat eyes upon Malicorne, "You are right," said he; "I could not returnbefore to-morrow;" and he took the twenty pistoles.

  "Now, then, be off!"

  "Well, as I cannot be back before to-morrow, we have time."

  "Time for what?"

  "Time to play."

  "What do you wish to play with?

  "Your twenty pistoles, pardieu!"

  "No; you always win."

  "I will wager them, then."

  "Against what?"

  "Against twenty others."

  "And what shall be the object of the wager?"

  "This. We have said it was fourteen leagues to Etampes?"

  "Yes."

  "And fourteen leagues back?

  "Doubtless."

  "Well; for these twenty-eight leagues you cannot allow less thanfourteen hours?"

  "That is agreed."

  "One hour to find the Comte de Guiche.

  "Go on."

  "And an hour to persuade him to write a letter to Monsieur."

  "Just so."

  "Sixteen hours in all?"

  "You reckon as well as M. Colbert."

  "It is now twelve o'clock."

  "Half-past."

  "Hein!--you have a handsome watch!"

  "What were you saying?" said Malicorne, putting his watch quickly backinto his fob.

  "Ah! true; I was offering to lay you twenty pistoles against these youhave lent me, that you will have the Comte de Guiche's letter in----"

  "How soon?"

  "In eight hours."

  "Have you a winged horse, then?"

  "That is no matter. Will you bet?"

  "I shall have the comte's letter in eight hours?"

  "Yes."

  "In hand?"

  "In hand."

  "Well, be it so; I lay," said Malicorne, curious to know how this sellerof clothes would get through.

  "Is it agreed?"

  "It is."

  "Pass me the pen, ink, and paper.

  "Here they are."

  "Thank you."

  Manicamp raised himself with a sigh, and leaning on his left elbow, inhis bes
t hand, traced the following lines:--

  "Good for an order for a place of maid of honor to Madame, which M. leComte de Guiche will take upon him to obtain at sight.

  "De Manicamp."