Chicot the Jester

  CHAPTER LXXIII.

  DIANA'S SECOND JOURNEY TO PARIS.

  Let us leave the two friends entering the Corne d'Abondance,and return to the litter of M. Monsoreau and to Bussy, who setout with the intention of following them. Not only is it notdifficult for a cavalier well mounted to overtake foot travelers,but it is difficult not to pass them. This happened to Bussy.

  It was the end of May, the heat was great, and about noon M.de Monsoreau wished to make a halt in a little wood, which wasnear the road, and as they had a horse laden with provisions,they remained there until the great heat of the day had gone by.During this time Bussy passed them, but he had not traveled, aswe may imagine, without inquiring if a party on horseback, anda litter carried by peasants, had been seen. Until he had passedthe village of Durtal, he had obtained the most satisfactoryinformation, and, convinced that they were before him, had riddenon quickly. But he could see nothing of them, and suddenly alltraces of them vanished, and on arriving at La Fleche he feltcertain he must have passed them on the road. Then he rememberedthe little wood, and doubted not that they had been resting therewhen he passed. He installed himself at a little inn, which hadthe advantage of being opposite the principal hotel, where hedoubted not that Monsoreau would stop; and he remained at thewindow watching. About four o'clock he saw a courier arrive,and half an hour afterwards the whole party. He waited till nineo'clock, and then he saw the courier set out again, and afterhim the litter, then Diana, Remy, and Gertrude on horseback.He mounted his horse and followed them, keeping them in sight.Monsoreau scarcely allowed Diana to move from his side, but keptcalling her every instant. After a little while, Bussy gave a long,shrill whistle, with which he had been in the habit of callinghis servants at his hotel. Remy recognized it in a moment. Dianastarted, and looked at the young man, who made an affirmativesign; then he came up to her and whispered:

  "It is he!"

  "Who is speaking to you, madame?" said Monsoreau.

  "To me, monsieur?"

  "Yes, I saw a shadow pass close to you, and heard a voice."

  "It is M. Remy; are you also jealous of him?"

  "No, but I like people to speak out, it amuses me."

  "There are some things which cannot be said aloud before M. leComte, however," said Gertrude, coming to the rescue.

  "Why not?"

  "For two reasons; firstly, because some would not interest you,and some would interest you too much."

  "And of which kind is what M. Remy has just whispered?"

  "Of the latter."

  "What did Remy say to you, madame?"

  "I said, M. le Comte, that if you excite yourself so much, youwill be dead before we have gone a third of the way."

  Monsoreau grew deadly pale.

  "He is expecting you behind," whispered Remy, again, "ride slowly,and he will overtake you."

  Monsoreau, who heard a murmur, tried to rise and look back afterDiana.

  "Another movement like that, M. le Comte, and you will bring onthe bleeding again," said Remy.

  Diana turned and rode back a little way, while Remy walked bythe litter to occupy the count. A few seconds after, Bussy wasby her side.

  "You see I follow you," said he, after their first embrace.

  "Oh! I shall be happy, if I know you are always so near to me."

  "But by day he will see us."

  "No; by day you can ride afar off; it is only I who will seeyou, Louis. From the summit of some hill, at the turn of someroad, your plume waving, your handkerchief fluttering in thebreeze, would speak to me in your name, and tell me that youlove me."

  "Speak on, my beloved Diana; you do not know what music I findin your voice."

  "And when we travel by night, which we shall often do, for Remyhas told him that the freshness of the evening is good for hiswounds, then, as this evening, from time to time, I will staybehind, and we will tell each other, with a rapid pressure ofthe hands, all our thoughts of each other during the day."

  "Oh! I love you! I love you!" murmured Bussy. "Oh! to see you,to press your hand, Diana."

  Suddenly they heard a voice which made them both tremble, Dianawith fear, and Bussy with anger.

  "Diana!" it cried, "where are you? Answer me."

  "Oh! it is he! I had forgotten him," said Diana. "Sweet dream,frightful awaking."

  "Listen, Diana; we are together. Say one word, and nothing canseparate us more; Diana, let us fly! What prevents us? Beforeus is happiness and liberty. One word, and we go; one word, andlost to him, you belong to me forever."

  "And my father?"

  "When he shall know how I love you?"

  "Oh! a father!"

  "I will do nothing by violence, dear Diana; order, and I obey."

  "It is our destiny, Bussy; but be strong, and you shall see ifI know how to love."

  "Must we then separate?"

  "Comtesse!" cried the voice, "reply, or, if I kill myself in doingit, I will jump from this infernal litter."

  "Adieu, Bussy, he will do as he says."

  "You pity him?"

  "Jealous!" said Diana, with an adorable smile.

  Bussy let her go.

  In a minute she was by the litter, and found the count half fainting.

  "Ah!" cried he, "where were you, madame?"

  "Where should I have been? Behind you."

  "At my side, madame; do not leave me again."

  From time to time this scene was renewed. They all hoped he woulddie with rage; but he did not die: on the contrary, at the end often days, when they arrived at Paris, he was decidedly better.During these ten days Diana had conquered all Bussy's pride,and had persuaded him to come and visit Monsoreau, who alwaysshowed him much friendship. Remy watched the husband and gavenotes to the wife.

  "Esculapius and Mercury," said he; "my functions accumulate."