Le collier de la reine. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER LXIX.

  THE CONGE.

  The queen went to mass the next day, which was Sunday, smiling andbeautiful. When she woke in the morning she said, "It is a lovely day,it makes me happy only to live." She seemed full of joy, and wasgenerous and gracious to every one. The road was lined as usual on herreturn with ladies and gentlemen. Among them were Madame de la Motte andM. de Charny, who was complimented by many friends on his return, and onhis radiant looks. Glancing round, he saw Philippe standing near him,whom he had not seen since the day of the duel.

  "Gentlemen," said Charny, passing through the crowd, "allow me to fulfilan act of politeness;" and, advancing towards Philippe, he said, "Allowme, M. de Taverney, to thank you now for the interest you have taken inmy health. I shall have the honor to pay you a visit to-morrow. I trustyou preserve no enmity towards me."

  "None, sir," replied Philippe.

  Charny held out his hand, but Philippe, without seeming to notice it,said, "Here comes the queen, sir." As she approached, she fixed herlooks on Charny with that rash openness which she always showed in heraffections, while she said to several gentlemen who were pressing roundher, "Ask me what you please, gentlemen, for to-day I can refusenothing." A voice said, "Madame." She turned, and saw Philippe, and thusfound herself between two men, of whom she almost reproached herselfwith loving one too much and the other too little.

  "M. de Taverney, you have something to ask me; pray speak----"

  "Only ten minutes' audience at your majesty's leisure," replied he, withgrave solemnity.

  "Immediately, sir--follow me." A quarter of an hour after, Philippe wasintroduced into the library, where the queen waited for him.

  "Ah! M. de Taverney, enter," said she in a gay tone, "and do not look sosorrowful. Do you know I feel rather frightened whenever a Taverney asksfor an audience. Reassure me quickly, and tell me that you are not cometo announce a misfortune."

  "Madame, this time I only bring you good news."

  "Oh! some news."

  "Alas, yes, your majesty."

  "There! an 'alas' again."

  "Madame, I am about to assure your majesty that you need never againfear to be saddened by the sight of a Taverney; for, madame, the last ofthis family, to whom you once deigned to show some kindness, is about toleave the court of France forever."

  The queen, dropping her gay tone, said, "You leave us?"

  "Yes, your majesty."

  "You also!"

  Philippe bowed. "My sister, madame, has already had that grief; I ammuch more useless to your majesty."

  The queen started as she remembered that Andree had asked for her congeon the day following her first visit to Charny in the doctor'sapartments. "It is strange," she murmured, as Philippe remainedmotionless as a statue, waiting his dismissal. At last she saidabruptly, "Where are you going?"

  "To join M. de la Perouse, madame."

  "He is at Newfoundland."

  "I have prepared to join him there."

  "Do you know that a frightful death has been predicted for him?"

  "A speedy one," replied Philippe; "that is not necessarily a frightfulone."

  "And you are really going?"

  "Yes, madame, to share his fate."

  The queen was silent for a time, and then said, "Why do you go?"

  "Because I am anxious to travel."

  "But you have already made the tour of the world."

  "Of the New World, madame, but not of the Old."

  "A race of iron, with hearts of steel, are you Taverneys. You and yoursister are terrible people--you go not for the sake of traveling, but toleave me. Your sister said she was called by religions duty; it was apretext. However, she wished to go, and she went. May she be happy! Youmight be happy here, but you also wish to go away."

  "Spare us, I pray you, madame; if you could read our hearts, you wouldfind them full of unlimited devotion towards you."

  "Oh!" cried the queen, "you are too exacting; she takes the world for aheaven, where one should only live as a saint; you look upon it as ahell--and both fly from it; she because she finds what she does notseek, and you because you do not find what you do seek. Am I not right?Ah! M. de Taverney, allow human beings to be imperfect, and do notexpect royalty to be superhuman. Be more tolerant, or, rather, lessegotistical." She spoke earnestly, and continued: "All I know is, that Iloved Andree, and that she left me; that I valued you, and you are aboutto do the same. It is humiliating to see two such people abandon mycourt."

  "Nothing can humiliate persons like your majesty. Shame does not reachthose placed so high."

  "What has wounded you?" asked the queen.

  "Nothing, madame."

  "Your rank has been raised, your fortune was progressing."

  "I can but repeat to your majesty that the court does not please me."

  "And if I ordered you to stay here?"

  "I should have the grief of disobeying your majesty."

  "Oh! I know," cried she impatiently, "you bear malice; you quarreledwith a gentleman here, M. de Charny, and wounded him; and because yousee him returned to-day, you are jealous, and wish to leave."

  Philippe turned pale, but replied, "Madame, I saw him sooner than youimagine, for I met him at two o'clock this morning by the baths ofApollo."

  It was now the queen's time to grow pale, but she felt a kind ofadmiration for one who had retained so much courtesy and self-command inthe midst of his anger and grief. "Go," murmured she at length, in afaint voice, "I will keep you no longer."

  Philippe bowed, and left the room, while the queen sank, terrified andoverwhelmed, on the sofa.