"You wish Monsieur's death," exclaimed Raoul.
"No, no, I am not jealous of the husband; I am jealous of the lover."
"Of the lover?" said Raoul.
"Have you not observed it, you who were formerly so keensighted?"
"Are you jealous of the Duke of Buckingham?"
"To the very death."
"Again jealous?"
"This time the affair will be easy to arrange between us; I have taken the initiative, and have sent him a letter."
"It was you, then, who wrote to him?"
"How do you know that?"
"I know it, because he told me so. Look at this;" and he handed De Guiche the letter he had received nearly at the same moment as his own. De Guiche read it eagerly, and said, "He is a brave man, and more than that, a gallant man."
"Most certainly the duke is a gallant man; I need not ask if you wrote to him in a similar style."
"He will show you my letter when you call on him on my behalf."
"But that is almost out of the question."
"What is?"
"That I shall call on him for that purpose."
"Why so?"
"The duke consults me as you do."
"I suppose you will give me the preference! Listen to me, Raoul, I wish you to tell his Graceit is a very simple matterthat today, tomorrow, the following day, or any other day he may choose, I will meet him at Vincennes."
"The duke consults me as you do."
"I suppose you will give me the preference! Listen to me, Raoul, I wish you to tell his Graceit is a very simple matterthat today, tomorrow, the following day, or any other day he may choose, I will meet him at Vincennes."
"Reflect, De Guiche."
"I thought I told you I have reflected."
"The duke is a stranger here; he is on a mission which renders his person inviolable. Vincennes is close to the Bastile."
"The consequences concern me."
"But the motive for this meeting? What motive do you wish me to assign?"
"Be perfectly easy on that score, he will not ask any. The duke must be as sick of me as I am of him. I implore you, therefore, seek the duke, and if it is necessary to entreat him, to accept my offer, I will do so."
"That is useless. The duke has already informed me that he wishes to speak to me. The duke is now playing cards with the king. Let us both go there. I will draw him aside in the gallery; you will remain aloof. Two words will be sufficient."
"That is well arranged. I will take De Wardes to keep me in countenance."
"Why not Manicamp? De Wardes can join us at any time; we can leave him here."
"Yes, that is true."
"He knows nothing?"
"Positively nothing. You continue still on an unfriendly footing, then?"
"Has he not told you anything?"
"Nothing."
"I do not like the man, and, as I never liked him, the result is, that I am on no worse terms with him today than I was yesterday."
"Let us go, then."
The four descended the stairs. De Guiche's carriage was waiting at the door, and took them to the Palais Royal. As they were going along, Raoul was engaged in devising his scheme of action. The sole depositary of two secrets, he did not despair of concluding some arrangement between the two parties. He knew the influence he exercised over Buckingham, and the ascendency he had acquired over De Guiche, and affairs did not look utterly hopeless. On their arrival in the gallery, dazzling with the blaze of light, where the most beautiful and illustrious women of the court moved to and fro, like stars in their own atmosphere, Raoul could not prevent himself for a moment forgetting De Guiche in order to seek out Louise, who, amidst her companions, like a dove completely fascinated, gazed long and fixedly upon the royal circle, which glittered with jewels and gold. All its members were standing, the king alone being seated. Raoul perceived Buckingham, who was standing a few paces from Monsieur, in a group of French and English, who were admiring his aristocratic carriage and the incomparable magnificence of his costume. Some of the older courtiers remembered having seen his father, but their recollections were not prejudicial to the son.
Buckingham was conversing with Fouquet, who was talking with him aloud about BelleIsle. "I cannot speak to him at present," said Raoul.
"Wait, then, and choose your opportunity, but finish everything speedily. I am on thorns."
"See, our deliverer approaches," said Raoul, perceiving D'Artagnan, who, magnificently dressed in his new uniform of captain of the musketeers, had just made his entry in the gallery; and he advanced towards D'Artagnan.
"The Comte de la Fere has been looking for you, chevalier," said Raoul.
"Yes," replied D'Artagnan, "I have just left him."
"I thought you would have passed a portion of the evening together."
"We have arranged to meet again."
As he answered Raoul, his absent looks were directed on all sides, as if seeking some one in the crowd or looking for something in the room. Suddenly his gaze became fixed, like that of an eagle on its prey. Raoul followed the direction of his glance, and noticed that De Guiche and D'Artagnan saluted each other, but he could not distinguish at whom the captain's lingering and haughty glance was aimed.
"Chevalier," said Raoul, "there is no one here but yourself who can render me a service."
"What is it, my dear vicomte?"
"It is simply to go and interrupt the Duke of Buckingham, to whom I wish to say two words, and, as the duke is conversing with M. Fouquet, you understand that it would not do for me to throw myself into the middle of the conversation."
"Ah, ah, is M. Fouquet there?" inquired D'Artagnan.
"Do you not see him?"
"Yes, now I do. But do you think I have a greater right than you have?"
"You are a more important personage."
"Yes, you're right; I am captain of the musketeers; I have had the post promised me so long, and have enjoyed it for so brief a period, that I am always forgetting my dignity."
"You will do me this service, will you not?"
"M. Fouquetthe deuce!"
"Are you not on good terms with him?"
"It is rather he who may not be on good terms with me; however, since it must be done some day or another"
"Stay; I think he is looking at you; or is it likely that it might be"
"No, no; don't deceive yourself, it is indeed me for whom this honor is intended."
"The opportunity is a good one, then?"
"Do you think so?"
"Pray go."
"Well, I will."
De Guiche had not removed his eyes from Raoul, who made a sign to him that all was arranged. D'Artagnan walked straight up to the group, and civilly saluted M. Fouquet as well as the others.
"Good evening, M. d'Artagnan; we were speaking of BelleIsle," said Fouquet, with that usage of society, and that perfect knowledge of the language of looks, which require half a lifetime thoroughly to acquire, and which some persons, notwithstanding all their study, never attain.
"Of BelleIleenMer! Ah!" said D'Artagnan. "It belongs to you, I believe, M. Fouquet?"
"M. Fouquet has just told us that he had presented it to the king," said Buckingham.
"Do you know BelleIsle, chevalier?" inquired Fouquet.
"I have only been there once," replied D'Artagnan, with readiness and goodhumor.
"Did you remain there long?"
"Scarcely a day."
"Did you see much of it while you were there?"
"All that could be seen in a day."
"A great deal can be seen with observation as keen as yours," said Fouquet; at which D'Artagnan bowed.
During this Raoul made a sign to Buckingham. "M. Fouquet," said Buckingham, "I leave the captain with you, he is more learned than I am in bastions, scarps, and counterscarps, and I will join one of my friends, who has just beckoned me." Saying this, Buckingham disengaged himself from the group, and advanced towards Raoul, stopping for a moment at the table where the queenmother, the young queen, and the king were playing together.
"Now, Raoul," said De Guiche, "there he is; be firm and quick."
Buckingham, having made some complimentary remark to Madame, continued his way towards Raoul, who advanced to meet him, while De Guiche remained in his place, though he followed him with his eyes. The maneuver was so arranged that the young men met in an open space which was left vacant, between the groups of players and the gallery, where they walked, stopping now and then for the purpose of saying a few words to some of the graver courtiers who were walking there. At the moment when the two lines were about to unite, they were broken by a third. It was Monsieur who advanced towards the Duke of Buckingham. Monsieur had his most engaging smile on his red and perfumed lips.
"My dear duke," said he, with the most affectionate politeness; "is it really true what I have just been told?"
Buckingham turned round; he had not noticed Monsieur approach; but had merely heard his voice. He started in spite of his command over himself, and a slight pallor overspread his face. "Monseigneur," he asked, "what has been told you that surprises you so much?"
Buckingham turned round; he had not noticed Monsieur approach; but had merely heard his voice. He started in spite of his command over himself, and a slight pallor overspread his face. "Monseigneur," he asked, "what has been told you that surprises you so much?"
"That which throws me into despair, and will, in truth, be a real cause of mourning for the whole court."
"Your highness is very kind, for I perceive that you allude to my departure."
"Precisely."
Guiche had overheard the conversation from where he was standing, and started in his turn. "His departure," he murmured. "What does he say?"
Philip continued with the same gracious air, "I can easily conceive, monsieur, why the king of Great Britain recalls you; we all know that King Charles II., who appreciates true gentlemen, cannot dispense with you. But it cannot be supposed we can let you go without great regret; and I beg you to receive the expression of my own."
"Believe me, monseigneur," said the duke, "that if I quit the court of France"
"Because you are recalled; but, if you suppose the expression of my own wish on the subject might possibly have any influence with the king, I will gladly volunteer to entreat his majesty Charles II. to leave you with us a little while longer."
"I am overwhelmed, monseigneur, by so much kindness," replied Buckingham; "but I have received positive commands. My residence in France was limited; I have prolonged it at the risk of displeasing my gracious sovereign. It is only this very day that I recollected I ought to have set off four days ago."