Part 51 (1/2)
During all this time Charles II had fallen into a profound reverie For the first time he found himself face to face with Monk; with the lance which God has given to eagles and kings, he had fathomed the abyss of his heart He beheld Monk, then, resolved positively to die rather than speak, which was not to be wondered at in so considerable a man, the wound in whose mind must at the moment have been cruel Charles II formed, on the instant, one of those resolutions upon which an ordinary doht upon certain points; I do not, therefore, ask you to answer me, but to listen tolooked at Monk, who remained impassible
”You have made ; ”you said that one of my emissaries had been to Newcastle to lay a snare for you, and that, parenthetically, cannot be understood by M
d'Artagnan here, and to whoenerous, his heroic devotion”
D'Artagnan boith respect; Monk took no notice
”For M d'Artagnan--and observe, M Monk, I do not say this to excuse land of his free will, without interest, without orders, without hope, like a true gentle, and to add to the illustrious actions of an existence, already so well filled, one glorious deed hed to keep his countenance Monk did not stir
”You do not believe what I tell you, M Monk,” continued the king ”I can understand that,--such proofs of devotion are so rare, that their realitynot to believe you, sire,” cried D'Artagnan: ”for that which your majesty has said is the exact truth, and the truth so exact that it see which sets everything wrong In truth, if it be so, I a, pressing the hand of the ed me as much as if you had promoted the success of my cause, for you have revealed to rateful, and who pressed his hand cordially ”And,” continued he, bowing to Monk, ”an enemy whom I shall henceforth esteem at his proper value”
The eyes of the Puritan flashed, but only once, and his countenance, for an instant, illuminated by that flash, resunan,” continued Charles, ”this is as about to happen: M le Comte de la Fere, who you know, I believe, has set out for Newcastle”
”What, Athos!” exclaiuerre, I believe The Co, perhaps, to bring the general to hold a conference with me or with those of my party, when you violently, as it appears, interfered with the negotiation”
”Mordioux!” replied D'Artagnan, ”he entered the ca into it with my fishermen--”
An alnan that he had surht I knew his person; I even fancied I knew his voice Unlucky wretch that I aht I had so successfully steeredill in it, sir,” said the king, ”except that the general accuseslaid a snare for hieneral, those are not the ar with you, as you will soon see In the entlenan, a ith you, if you please”
”I listen on my knees, sire”
”You are truly at my service, are you not?”
”Your majesty has seen that I am, too much so”
”That is well; from a man like you one word suffices In addition to that word you bring actions General, have the goodness to follow nan, considerably surprised, prepared to obey Charles II went out, Monk followed hinan followed Monk Charles took the path by which D'Artagnan had come to his abode; the fresh sea breezes soon caressed the faces of the three nocturnal travelers, and, at fifty paces froate which Charles opened, they found the ceased to rise, reposed upon the shore like a wearieddown and his hand beneath his cloak Monk followed hinan came last, with his hand on the hilt of his sword
”Where is the boat in which you caentlemen?” said Charles to the musketeer
”Yonder, sire; I have seven hted by a fire”