Part 60 (1/2)
”Listen to o, I shall die here of grief and love I kno long a time I have to live thus
Send me away quickly, monsieur, or you will see er than th--you may plainly see that within one month I have lived thirty years, and that I approach the end of o with the intention of getting killed in Africa? Oh, tell rew deadly pale, and remained silent for two seconds, which were to his father two hours of agony Then, all at once: ”Monsieur,” said he, ”I have proe for the sacrifice I , and that is, to preserve me for you, because you are the only tie which attaches th not to forget that I owe you everything, and that nothing ought to stand in my esteem before you”
Athos embraced his son tenderly, and said:
”You have just replied to me on the word of honor of an honest man; in two days we shall be with M de Beaufort at Paris, and you will then do ill be proper for you to do You are free, Raoul; adieu”
And he slowly gained his bedrooht in the alley of limes
Chapter XXVIII Preparations for Departure
Athos lost no ave all his attention to preparing, during the two days the duke had granted him, the proper appointments for Raoul This labor chiefly concerned Griood-will and intelligence we know he possessed Athos gave this worthy servant orders to take the route to Paris when the equiper of keeping the duke waiting, or delaying Raoul, so that the duke should perceive his absence, he himself, the day after the visit of M de Beaufort, set off for Paris with his son
For the poor young man it was an est all the people who had known and loved hi to him who had suffered so much; to him who had loved so much, so Paris, felt as if he were dying Once in Paris, he really existed no longer When he reached Guiche's residence, he was informed that Guiche ith Monsieur Raoul took the road to the Luxe to the place where La Valliere had lived, he heard so much music and respired so hter, and saw soshadows, that if it had not been for a charitable woman, who perceived him so dejected and pale beneath a doorway, he would have reone away, never to return But, as we have said, in the first ante-cha hi around him in the adjacent salons And as one of Monsieur's servants, recognizing him, had asked him if he wished to see Monsieur or Madame, Raoul had scarcely answered him, but had sunk down upon a bench near the velvet doorway, looking at a clock, which had stopped for nearly an hour The servant had passed on, and another, better acquainted with hiated Raoul whether he should infor there This name did not even arouse the recollections of Raoul The persistent servant went on to relate that De Guiche had just invented a new ga it to the ladies Raoul, opening his large eyes, like the absent man in Theophrastus, made no answer, but his sadness increased two shades With his head hanging down, his lihs, Raoul reotten, in the ante-chaainst the doors of a side salon, which opened on the gallery A lady, young, pretty, and gay, scolding an officer of the household, entered by that way, and expressed herself with much vivacity The officer replied in calm but firm sentences; it was rather a little love pet than a quarrel of courtiers, and was terers of the lady Suddenly, on perceiving Raoul, the lady beca away the officer:
”Make your escape, Malicorne,” said she; ”I did not think there was any one here I shall curse you, if they have either heard or seen us!”
Malicorne hastened away The young lady advanced behind Raoul, and stretching her joyous face over hiallant man,” said she, ”and no doubt--”
She here interrupted herself by uttering a cry ”Raoul!” said she, blushi+ng
”Mademoiselle de Montalais!” said Raoul, paler than death
He rose unsteadily, and tried to make his way across the slippery e and cruel grief; she felt that in the flight of Raoul there was an accusation of herself A woht to let the opportunity slip of h stopped by her in the allery, did not seem disposed to surrender without a combat He took it up in a tone so cold and embarrassed, that if they had been thus surprised, the whole court would have no doubt about the proceedings of Mademoiselle de Montalais
”Ah!is very unworthy of a gentleman My heart inclines me to speak to you; you co, monsieur; and you confound your friends with enemies Farewell!”
Raoul had sworn never to speak of Louise, never even to look at those whointo another world, that heLouise had seen, or even touched But after the first shock of his pride, after having had a glimpse of Montalais, the companion of Louise--Montalais, who reminded him of the turret of Blois and the joys of youth--all his reason faded away
”Pardon hts to be uncivil”
”Do you wish to speak to me?” said she, with the smile of former days
”Well! come somewhere else; for we may be surprised”
”Oh!” said he
She looked at the clock, doubtingly, then, having reflected:
”In my apartment,” said she, ”we shall have an hour to ourselves” And taking her course, lighter than a fairy, she ran up to her cha in the hands of her _cameriste_ theM de Guiche, were you not?” said she to Raoul
”Yes, o and ask him to come up here, presently, after I have spoken to you”