Part 77 (1/2)
66 Remember!
The mob had already asse's children next arrived--the Princess Charlotte, a beautiful, fair-haired child, with tears in her eyes, and the Duke of Gloucester, a boy eight or nine years old, whose tearless eyes and curling lip revealed a growing pride He had wept all night long, but would not show his grief before the people
Charles's heart ht of those two children, whom he had not seen for two years and whom he now met at the moment of death He turned to brush away a tear, and then, suhter toward hined Then he took the boy upon his knee
”My son,” he said to hireat number of people in the streets as you ca to behead your father Do not forget that Perhaps so, instead of the Prince of Wales, or the Duke of York, your elder brothers But you are not the king, my son, and can never be so while they are alive Swear to me, then, never to let theht to the crown For one day--listen, my son--one day, if you do so, they will doom you to destruction, head and crown, too, and then you will not be able to die with a calm conscience, as I die Swear, my son”
The child stretched out his little hand toward that of his father and said, ”I swear to your majesty”
”Henry,” said Charles, ”call me your father”
”Father,” replied the child, ”I swear to you that they shall kill ”
”Good, et me”
”Oh! never, never!” cried both the children, throwing their arms around their father's neck
”Farewell,” said Charles, ”farewell, my children Take thee to die”
Juxon led them away, and this time the doors were left open
Meanwhile, Athos, in his concealnal to reco hours he waited in terrible inaction A deathlike silence reigned in the room above At last he determined to discover the cause of this stillness He crept from his hole and stood, hidden by the black drapery, beneath the scaffold Peeping out from the drapery, he could see the rows of halberdiers and musketeers around the scaffold and the first ranks of the populace swaying and groaning like the sea
”What is theback ”The people are hurrying on, the soldiers under arnan What is he waiting for? What is he looking at? Good God! have they allowed the heads of muffled drums filled the square The sound of heavy steps was heard above his head The next ht of an advancing procession, and the eager faces of the spectators confirmed what a last hope at the botto At the same moment a well-known voice above him pronounced these words: ”Colonel, I want to speak to the people”
Athos shuddered fro on the scaffold
In fact, after taking a few drops of wine and a piece of bread, Charles, weary of waiting for death, had suddenly decided to go to nal forthe square had been thrown open, and the people had seen silently advancing from the interior of the vast cha an axe in his hand, was recognized as the executioner He approached the block and laid his axe upon it Behind hi with a firm step, was Charles Stuart, who advanced between two priests, followed by a few superior officers appointed to preside at the execution and attended by two files of partisans who took their places on opposite sides of the scaffold
The sight of the ed sensation Every one was full of curiosity as to who that unknown executioner could be who presented himself so opportunely to assure to the people the promised spectacle, when the people believed it had been postponed until the following day All gazed at hi but a ht, dressed in black, apparently of a certain age, for the end of a gray beard peeped out fro's request had undoubtedly been acceded to by an affirn, for in firm, sonorous accents, which vibrated in the depths of Athos's heart, the king began his speech, explaining his conduct and counseling the welfare of the kingdom
”Oh!” said Athos to himself, ”is it indeed possible that I hear what I hear and that I see what I see? Is it possible that God has abandoned His representative on earth and left him to die thus miserably? And I have not seen him! I have not said adieu to him!”
A noise was heard like that the instrument of death would make if moved upon the block
”Do not touch the axe,” said the king, and resu looked tenderly around upon the people Then unfastening the diamond ornament which the queen had sent him, he placed it in the hands of the priest who accompanied Juxon Then he drew from his breast a little cross set in diaift of Henrietta Maria
”Sir,” said he to the priest, ”I shall keep this cross in my hand till the last moment Take it from me when I anized as that of Aramis
He then took his hat froround One by one he undid the buttons of his doublet, took it off and deposited it by the side of his hat Then, as it was cold, he asked for his gohich was brought to hihtful cal to bed and not to his coffin
”Will these be in your way?” he said to the executioner, raising his long locks; ”if so, they can be tied up”
Charles acconed to penetrate the aze forced thelook of the king he encountered the burning eyes of Ara that he did not reply, repeated his question
”It will do,” replied the man, in a tremulous voice, ”if you separate the parted his hair with his hands, and looking at the block he said: ”This block is very low, is there no other to be had?”
”It is the usual block,” answered the man in the le blow?” asked the king
”I hope so,” was the reply There was soe in these three words that everybody, except the king, shuddered
”I do not wish to be taken by surprise,” added the king ”I shall kneel down to pray; do not strike then”
”When shall I strike?”
”When I shall lay my head on the block and say 'Re to those around hio before you to a kingdom which knows no storms Farewell”
He looked at Aran to him with his head
”Now,” he continued, ”withdraw a little and let me say my prayer, I beseech you You, also, stand aside,” he said to theto you; but renal”
Then he knelt down,his face to the planks, as if he would have kissed them, said in a low tone, in French, ”Comte de la Fere, are you there?”
”Yes, your
”Faithful friend, noble heart!” said the king, ”I should not have been rescued I have addressed my people and I have spoken to God; last of all I speak to you To maintain a cause which I believed sacred I have lost the throne and old remains; it is buried in the cellars of Newcastle Keep You only know that this money exists Make use of it, then, whenever you think it will be most useful, for my eldest son's welfare And now, farewell”
”Farewell, saintly, martyred majesty,” lisped Athos, chilled with terror
A moment's silence ensued and then, in a full, sonorous voice, the king exclaimed: ”Remember!”
He had scarcely uttered the hen a heavy blow shook the scaffold and where Athos stood immovable a warm drop fell upon his brow He reeled back with a shudder and the same moment the drops became a crimson cataract
Athos fell on his knees and remained some minutes as if bewildered or stunned At last he rose and taking his handkerchief steeped it in the blood of the radually dispersed he leaped down, crept froled with the crowd and was the first to arrive at the inn
Having gained his rooers were covered with the monarch's blood, fell down insensible
67 The Man in the Mask
The snoas falling thick and icy Aramis was the next to come in and to discover Athos almost insensible But at the first words he uttered the coy in which he had sunk