Part 26 (1/2)
The king mounted his horse; his old servant did the sale person on their road, in the streets or the faubourgs of the city For the prince the bloas theto the sood; and when they are obliged to quit the place where that hope has soothed their hearts, they experience the ret which the banished man feels when he places his foot upon the vessel which is to bear him into exile It appears that the heart already wounded so many times suffers froood thebut the absence of pain; and that God, into the most terrible misfortunes, has thrown hope as the drop of water which the rich sinner in hell entreated of Lazarus
For one instant even the hope of Charles II had been itive joy;--that hen he found hi; then it had taken a form that had become a reality; then, all at once, the refusal of Mazarin had reduced the fictitious reality to the state of a dream This pro but a mockery; a mockery like his crown--like his scepter--like his friends--like all that had surrounded his royal childhood, and which had abandoned his proscribed youth Mockery!
everything was a mockery for Charles II except the cold, black repose promised by death
Such were the ideas of the unfortunate prince while sitting listlessly upon his horse, to which he abandoned the reins: he rode slowly along beneath the warm May sun, in which the sorief
Chapter XVI ”Re towards Blois, which he had left nearly half an hour before, passed the two travelers, and, though apparently in haste, raised his hat as he passed theround several tiate of a handsome white-and-red house; that is to say, built of brick and stone, with a slated roof, situated on the left hand of the road the prince was traveling
This man, old, tall, and thin, hite hair,--we speak of the one standing by the gate;--this ns of parting as tender as could have beenman disappeared at the first turn of the road, bordered by fine trees, and the oldto return to the house, when the two travelers, arriving in front of the gate, attracted his attention
The king, as we have said, was riding with his head cast down, his aro what pace he liked, whilst Parry, behind hienial influence of the sun, had taken off his hat, and was looking about right and left His eyes encountered those of the old ate; the latter, as if struck by soe spectacle, uttered an exclamation, and made one step towards the two travelers Fro, upon whom they rested for an instant This examination, however rapid, was instantly reflected in a visible manner upon the features of the tall old er of the travelers--and we said recognized, for nothing but a perfect recognition could have explained such an act--scarcely, we say, had he recognized the younger of the two travelers, than he clapped his hands together, with respectful surprise, and, raising his hat froht have been said he was kneeling
This demonstration, however absent, or rather, however absorbed was the king in his reflections, attracted his attention instantly; and checking his horse and turning towards Parry, he exclaimed, ”Good God, Parry, who is that man who salutes me in such a marked itated and very pale, had already turned his horse towards the gate ”Ah, sire!” said he, stopping suddenly at five or six paces'
distance fro old nize that brave man Yes, it must be he! Will your majesty permit me to speak to him?”
”Certainly”
”Can it be you, Monsieur Grimaud?” asked Parry
”Yes, it is I,” replied the tall oldhis respectful demeanor
”Sire,” then said Parry, ”I was not deceived This good man is the servant of the Comte de la Fere, and the Coentleman of whom I have so often spoken to your majesty that the remembrance of him must remain, not only in your mind, but in your heart”
”He who assisted my father at his last moments?” asked Charles, evidently affected at the remembrance
”The sa Grient eyes seehts--”My friend,”
said he, ”does your hborhood?”
”There,” replied Gri with his outstretched arate
”And is Monsieur le Comte de la Fere at home at present?”
”At the back, under the chestnut trees”
”Parry,” said the king, ”I will not entleman to whom our house is indebted for such a noble exaenerosity Holdthe bridle to Gri entered the abode of Athos, quite alone, as one equal enters the dwelling of another Charles had been informed by the concise explanation of Grimaud,--”At the back, under the chestnut trees;” he left, therefore, the house on the left, and went straight down the path indicated The thing was easy; the tops of those noble trees, already covered with leaves and flowers, rose above all the rest
On arriving under the lozenges, by turns luround of this path according as the trees were entleed in a deep entle, Charles II walked straight up to him At the sound of his footsteps, the Co an unknowntowards him, he raised his hat and waited At some paces from him, Charles II likewise took off his hat Then, as if in reply to the coation,--