Ten Years Later

  This brilliant and animated company, the members of which were inspiredby various feelings, arrived at Havre four days after their departurefrom Paris. It was about five o'clock in the afternoon, and nointelligence had yet been received of Madame. They were soon engaged inquest of apartments; but the greatest confusion immediately ensued amongthe masters, and violent quarrels among their attendants. In the midstof this disorder, the Comte de Guiche fancied he recognized Manicamp. Itwas, indeed, Manicamp himself; but as Malicorne had taken possession ofhis very best costume, he had not been able to get any other than a suitof violet velvet trimmed with silver. Guiche recognized him as much byhis dress as by his features, for he had very frequently seen Manicampin his violet suit, which was his last resource. Manicamp presentedhimself to the count under an arch of torches, which set in a blaze,rather than illuminated, the gate by which Havre is entered, and whichis situated close to the tower of Francis I. The count, remarking thewoe-begone expression of Manicamp's face, could not resist laughing."Well, my poor Manicamp," he exclaimed, "how violet you look; are you inmourning?"

  "Yes," replied Manicamp; "I am in mourning."

  "For whom, or for what?"

  "For my blue-and-gold suit, which has disappeared, and in the place ofwhich I could find nothing but this; and I was even obliged to economizefrom compulsion, in order to get possession of it."

  "Indeed?"

  "It is singular you should be astonished at that, since you leave mewithout any money."

  "At all events, here you are, and that is the principal thing."

  "By the most horrible roads."

  "Where are you lodging?"

  "Lodging?"

  "Yes!"

  "I am not lodging anywhere."

  De Guiche began to laugh. "Well," said he, "where do you intend tolodge?"

  "In the same place you do."

  "But I don't know, myself."

  "What do you mean by saying you don't know?"

  "Certainly, how is it likely I should know where I should stay?"

  "Have you not retained an hotel?"

  "I?"

  "Yes, you or the prince."

  "Neither of us has thought of it. Havre is of considerable size, Isuppose; and provided I can get a stable for a dozen horses, and asuitable house in a good quarter----"

  "Certainly, there are some very excellent houses."

  "Well then----"

  "But not for us."

  "What do you mean by saying not for us?--for whom, then?"

  "For the English, of course."

  "For the English?"

  "Yes; the houses are all taken."

  "By whom?"

  "By the Duke of Buckingham."

  "I beg your pardon?" said Guiche, whose attention this name hadawakened.

  "Yes, by the Duke of Buckingham. His Grace was preceded by a courier,who arrived here three days ago, and immediately retained all the housesfit for habitation the town possesses."

  "Come, come, Manicamp, let us understand each other."

  "Well, what I have told you is clear enough, it seems to me."

  "But surely Buckingham does not occupy the whole of Havre?"

  "He certainly does not occupy it, since he has not yet arrived; but,once disembarked, he will occupy it."

  "Oh! oh!"

  "It is quite clear you are not acquainted with the English; they have aperfect rage for monopolizing everything."

  "That may be; but a man who has the whole of one house, is satisfiedwith it, and does not require two."

  "Yes, but two men?"

  "Be it so; for two men, two houses, or four or six, or ten, if you like;but there are a hundred houses at Havre."

  "Yes, and all the hundred are let."

  "Impossible!"

  "What an obstinate fellow you are. I tell you Buckingham has hired allthe houses surrounding the one which the queen dowager of England andthe princess her daughter will inhabit."

  "He is singular enough, indeed," said De Wardes, caressing his horse'sneck.

  "Such is the case, however, monsieur."

  "You are quite sure of it, Monsieur de Manicamp?" and as he put thisquestion, he looked slyly at De Guiche, as though to interrogate himupon the degree of confidence to be placed in his friend's state ofmind. During this discussion the night had closed in, and the torches,pages, attendants, squires, horses, and carriages, blocked up the gateand the open place; the torches were reflected in the channel, which therising tide was gradually filling, while on the other side of the jettymight be noticed groups of curious lookers-on, consisting of sailors andtownspeople, who seemed anxious to miss nothing of the spectacle. Amidstall this hesitation of purpose, Bragelonne, as though a perfect strangerto the scene, remained on his horse somewhat in the rear of Guiche, andwatched the rays of light reflected on the water, inhaling with rapturethe sea breezes, and listening to the waves which noisily broke upon theshore and on the beach, tossing the spray into the air with a noisethat echoed in the distance. "But," exclaimed De Guiche, "what isBuckingham's motive for providing such a supply of lodgings?"

  "Yes, yes," said De Wardes; "what reason has he?"

  "A very excellent one," replied Manicamp.

  "You know what it is, then?"

  "I fancy I do."

  "Tell us then."

  "Bend your head down towards me."

  "What! may it not be spoken except in private?"

  "You shall judge of that yourself."

  "Very well." De Guiche bent down.

  "Love," said Manicamp.

  "I do not understand you at all."

  "Say rather, you cannot understand me yet."

  "Explain yourself."

  "Very well; it is quite certain, count, that his royal highness will bethe most unfortunate of husbands."

  "What do you mean?"

  "The Duke of Buckingham----"

  "It is a name of ill omen to the princes of the house of France."

  "And so the duke is madly in love with Madame, so the rumor runs, andwill have no one approach her but himself."

  De Guiche colored. "Thank you, thank you," said he to Manicamp, graspinghis hand. Then, recovering himself, added, "Whatever you do, Manicamp,be careful that this project of Buckingham's is not made known to anyFrenchman here; for, if so, many a sword would be unsheathed in thiscountry that does not fear English steel."

  "But after all," said Manicamp, "I have had no satisfactory proof givenme of the love in question, and it may be no more than an idle tale."

  "No, no," said De Guiche, "it must be the truth;" and despite hiscommand over himself, he clenched his teeth.

  "Well," said Manicamp, "after all, what does it matter to you? Whatdoes it matter to me whether the prince is to be what the late kingwas? Buckingham the father for the queen, Buckingham the son for theprincess."

  "Manicamp! Manicamp!

  "It is a fact, or at least, everybody says so."

  "Silence!" cried the count.

  "But why, silence?" said De Wardes, "it is a highly creditablecircumstance for the French nation. Are not you of my opinion, Monsieurde Bragelonne?"

  "To what circumstance do you allude?" inquired De Bragelonne with anabstracted air.

  "That the English should render homage to the beauty of our queens andour princesses."

  "Forgive me, but I have not been paying attention to what has passed;will you oblige me by explaining.

  "There is no doubt it was necessary that Buckingham the father shouldcome to Paris in order that his majesty, King Louis XIII., shouldperceive that his wife was one of the most beautiful women of the Frenchcourt; and it seems necessary, at the present time, that Buckingham theson should consecrate, by the devotion of his worship, the beauty of aprincess who has French blood in her veins. The fact of having inspireda passion on the other side of the Channel will henceforth confer atitle to beauty on this."

  "Sir," replied De Bragelonne, "I do not like to hear such matterstreated so lightly. Gentlemen like ourselves should be care
ful guardiansof the honor of our queens and our princesses. If we jest at them, whatwill our servants do?"

  "How am I to understand that?" said De Wardes, whose ears tingled at theremark.

  "In any way you choose, monsieur," replied De Bragelonne, coldly.

  "Bragelonne, Bragelonne," murmured De Guiche.

  "M. de Wardes," exclaimed Manicamp, noticing that the young man hadspurred his horse close to the side of Raoul.

  "Gentlemen, gentlemen," said De Guiche, "do not set such an example inpublic, in the street too. De Wardes, you are wrong."

  "Wrong; in what way, may I ask?"

  "You are wrong, monsieur, because you are always speaking ill of someoneor something," replied Raoul with undisturbed composure.

  "Be indulgent, Raoul," said De Guiche, in an undertone.

  "Pray do not think of fighting, gentlemen!" said Manicamp, "before youhave rested yourselves; for in that case you will not be able to domuch."

  "Come," said De Guiche, "forward, gentlemen!" and breaking through thehorses and attendants, he cleared the way for himself towards the centerof the square, through the crowd, followed by the whole cavalcade. Alarge gateway looking out upon a courtyard was open; Guiche entered thecourtyard, and Bragelonne, De Wardes, Manicamp, and three or four othergentlemen, followed him. A sort of council of war was held, andthe means to be employed for saving the dignity of the embassy weredeliberated upon. Bragelonne was of opinion that the right of priorityshould be respected, while De Wardes suggested that the town should besacked. This latter proposition appearing to Manicamp rather premature,he proposed instead that they should first rest themselves. This wasthe wisest thing to do, but, unhappily, to follow his advice, two thingswere wanting; namely, a house and beds. De Guiche reflected for awhile,and then said aloud, "Let him who loves me, follow me!"

  "The attendants also?" inquired a page who had approached the group.

  "Every one," exclaimed the impetuous young man. "Manicamp, show us theway to the house destined for her Royal Highness's residence."

  Without in any way divining the count's project, his friends followedhim, accompanied by a crowd of people whose acclamations and delightseemed a happy omen for the success of that project with which they wereyet unacquainted. The wind was blowing strongly from the harbor, andmoaning in fitful gusts.

  CHAPTER 84. At Sea