Part 88 (1/2)
”As to the cavalier in the brown cloak----”
”It is the cardinal”
”In person”
”How the devil do they venture so near the Hotel de Bouillon?”
Athos smiled, but did not reply Five minutes afterward they knocked at the prince's door
This door was guarded by a sentinel and there was also a guard placed in the courtyard, ready to obey the orders of the Prince de Conti's lieutenant
Monsieur de Bouillon had the gout, but notwithstanding his illness, which had prevented hison horseback for the last ed--he was ready to receive the Comte de la Fere and the Chevalier d'Herblay
He was in bed, but surrounded with all the paraphernalia of war Everywhere were swords, pistols, cuirasses, and arquebuses, and it was plain that as soon as his gout was better Monsieur de Bouillon would give a pretty tangle to the eneret, as he said, he was obliged to keep his bed
”Ah, gentlemen,” he cried, as the two friends entered, ”you are very happy! you can ride, you can go and coht for the cause of the people But I, as you see, aout!”
”My lord,” said Athos, ”we are just arrived froland and our first concern is to inquire after your health”
”Thanks, gentlemen, thanks! As you see, land And King Charles is well, as I have just heard?”
”He is dead, my lord!” said Aramis
”Pooh!” said the duke, too much astonished to believe it true
”Dead on the scaffold; condemned by parliament”
”Impossible!”
”And executed in our presence”
”What, then, has Monsieur de Fla one out”
Athos smiled ”With two companions?” he said
”With two companions, yes,” replied the duke Then he added with a certain uneasiness, ”Did you meet them?”
”Why, yes, I think so--in the street,” said Athos; and he looked sly at Aramis, who looked at hiout!” cried Monsieur de Bouillon, evidently ill at ease
”My lord,” said Athos, ”we admire your devotion to the cause you have espoused, in re at the head of the army whilst so ill, in so much pain”
”One must,” replied Monsieur de Bouillon, ”sacrifice one's coood; but I confess to you I a, out, o'ercrows me I confess, if the court would do justice to ive the head of my house the title of prince, and if my brother De Turenne were reinstated in his command I would return to s between theht, my lord”
”You think so? At this veryovertures to me; hitherto I have repulsed the in doing so, I've a good mind to follow your advice and to accept a proposition made to me by the Duc de Chatillon just now”
”Accept it, my lord, accept it,” said Ara I almost repulsed--but there will be a conference to-morrow and we shall see”
The two friends saluted the duke
”Go, gentlee Poor King Charles! But, after all, he was somewhat to blame in all that business and we may console ourselves with the reflection that France has no cause of reproach in the matter and did all she could to serve him”
”Oh! as to that,” said Aramis, ”we are witnesses Mazarin especially----”
”Yes, do you know, I aive that testiood in hiner--well, he would be out!”
Athos and Aramis took their leave, but even in the ante-chamber they could still hear the duke's cries; he was evidently suffering the tortures of the damned
When they reached the street, Aramis said: ”Well, Athos, what do you think?”
”Of whom?”
”Pardieu! of Monsieur de Bouillon”
”My friend, I think that he is out”
”You noticed that I didn't breathe a word as to the purpose of our visit?”
”You did well; you would have caused hio to Monsieur de Beaufort”
The two friends went to the Hotel de Vendome It was ten o'clock when they arrived The Hotel de Vendouarded than the Hotel de Bouillon, and presented as warlike an appearance There were sentinels, a guard in the court, stacks of ar out as Athos and Araive place to theentles We shall be very unfortunate if, after , we should not succeed into-morrow”
”Oh, as to that, sir,” replied Chatillon (for it was he ith Fla the Duc de Beaufort), ”youeach other,it”
”I hope that is true,” said Aramis
”As for me, I am sure of it,” said the duke
De Flamarens and De Chatillon continued on their way and Athos and Araiven the bridles of their horses to their lackeys and rid themselves of their cloaks when aat the in the centre of the courtyard he uttered an exclamation of joy and ran to embrace them
”Comte de la Fere!” the man cried out; ”Chevalier d'Herblay! How does it happen that you are in Paris?”
”Rochefort!” cried the two friends