41. Paternal Affection.
Whilst this terrible scene was passing at Lord de Winter's, Athos,seated near his window, his elbow on the table and his head supported onhis hand, was listening intently to Raoul's account of the adventures hemet with on his journey and the details of the battle.
Listening to the relation of those emotions so fresh and pure, the fine,noble face of Athos betrayed indescribable pleasure; he inhaled thetones of that young voice, as harmonious music. He forgot all that wasdark in the past and that was cloudy in the future. It almost seemed asif the return of this much loved boy had changed his fears to hopes.Athos was happy--happy as he had never been before.
"And you assisted and took part in this great battle, Bragelonne!" criedthe former musketeer.
"Yes, sir."
"And it was a fierce one?"
"His highness the prince charged eleven times in person."
"He is a great commander, Bragelonne."
"He is a hero, sir. I did not lose sight of him for an instant. Oh! howfine it is to be called Conde and to be so worthy of such a name!"
"He was calm and radiant, was he not?"
"As calm as at parade, radiant as at a fete. When we went up to theenemy it was slowly; we were forbidden to draw first and we weremarching toward the Spaniards, who were on a height with loweredmuskets. When we arrived about thirty paces from them the prince turnedaround to the soldiers: 'Comrades,' he said, 'you are about to suffer afurious discharge; but after that you will make short work with thosefellows.' There was such dead silence that friends and enemies couldhave heard these words; then raising his sword, 'Sound trumpets!' hecried."
"Well, very good; you will do as much when the opportunity occurs, willyou, Raoul?"
"I know not, sir, but I thought it really very fine and grand!"
"Were you afraid, Raoul?" asked the count.
"Yes, sir," replied the young man naively; "I felt a great chill at myheart, and at the word 'fire,' which resounded in Spanish from theenemy's ranks, I closed my eyes and thought of you."
"In honest truth, Raoul?" said Athos, pressing his hand.
"Yes, sir; at that instant there was such a rataplan of musketry thatone might have imagined the infernal regions had opened. Those who werenot killed felt the heat of the flames. I opened my eyes, astonished tofind myself alive and even unhurt; a third of the squadron were lying onthe ground, wounded, dead or dying. At that moment I encountered the eyeof the prince. I had but one thought and that was that he was observingme. I spurred on and found myself in the enemy's ranks."
"And the prince was pleased with you?"
"He told me so, at least, sir, when he desired me to return to Pariswith Monsieur de Chatillon, who was charged to carry the news to thequeen and to bring the colors we had taken. 'Go,' said he; 'the enemywill not rally for fifteen days and until that time I have no need ofyour service. Go and see those whom you love and who love you, and tellmy sister De Longueville that I thank her for the present that she mademe of you.' And I came, sir," added Raoul, gazing at the count with asmile of real affection, "for I thought you would be glad to see meagain."
Athos drew the young man toward him and pressed his lips to his brow, ashe would have done to a young daughter.
"And now, Raoul," said he, "you are launched; you have dukes forfriends, a marshal of France for godfather, a prince of the blood ascommander, and on the day of your return you have been received by twoqueens; it is not so bad for a novice."
"Oh sir," said Raoul, suddenly, "you recall something, which, in myhaste to relate my exploits, I had forgotten; it is that there was withHer Majesty the Queen of England, a gentleman who, when I pronouncedyour name, uttered a cry of surprise and joy; he said he was a friend ofyours, asked your address, and is coming to see you."
"What is his name?"
"I did not venture to ask, sir; he spoke elegantly, although I thoughtfrom his accent he was an Englishman."
"Ah!" said Athos, leaning down his head as if to remember who it couldbe. Then, when he raised it again, he was struck by the presence of aman who was standing at the open door and was gazing at him with acompassionate air.
"Lord de Winter!" exclaimed the count.
"Athos, my friend!"
And the two gentlemen were for an instant locked in each other's arms;then Athos, looking into his friend's face and taking him by both hands,said:
"What ails you, my lord? you appear as unhappy as I am the reverse."
"Yes, truly, dear friend; and I may even say the sight of you increasesmy dismay."
And De Winter glancing around him, Raoul quickly understood that the twofriends wished to be alone and he therefore left the room unaffectedly.
"Come, now that we are alone," said Athos, "let us talk of yourself."
"Whilst we are alone let us speak of ourselves," replied De Winter. "Heis here."
"Who?"
"Milady's son."
Athos, again struck by this name, which seemed to pursue him like anecho, hesitated for a moment, then slightly knitting his brows, hecalmly said:
"I know it, Grimaud met him between Bethune and Arras and then came hereto warn me of his presence."
"Does Grimaud know him, then?"
"No; but he was present at the deathbed of a man who knew him."
"The headsman of Bethune?" exclaimed De Winter.
"You know about that?" cried Athos, astonished.
"He has just left me," replied De Winter, "after telling me all. Ah! myfriend! what a horrible scene! Why did we not destroy the child with themother?"
"What need you fear?" said Athos, recovering from the instinctive fearhe had at first experienced, by the aid of reason; "are we not menaccustomed to defend ourselves? Is this young man an assassin byprofession--a murderer in cold blood? He has killed the executioner ofBethune in an access of passion, but now his fury is assuaged."
De Winter smiled sorrowfully and shook his head.
"Do you not know the race?" said he.
"Pooh!" said Athos, trying to smile in his turn. "It must have lost itsferocity in the second generation. Besides, my friend, Providence haswarned us, that we may be on our guard. All we can now do is to wait.Let us wait; and, as I said before, let us speak of yourself. Whatbrings you to Paris?"
"Affairs of importance which you shall know later. But what is this thatI hear from Her Majesty the Queen of England? Monsieur d'Artagnan sideswith Mazarin! Pardon my frankness, dear friend. I neither hate nor blamethe cardinal, and your opinions will be held ever sacred by me. But doyou happen to belong to him?"
"Monsieur d'Artagnan," replied Athos, "is in the service; he is asoldier and obeys all constitutional authority. Monsieur d'Artagnan isnot rich and has need of his position as lieutenant to enable him tolive. Millionaires like yourself, my lord, are rare in France."
"Alas!" said De Winter, "I am at this moment as poor as he is, if notpoorer. But to return to our subject."
"Well, then, you wish to know if I am of Mazarin's party? No. Pardon myfrankness, too, my lord."
"I am obliged to you, count, for this pleasing intelligence! You make meyoung and happy again by it. Ah! so you are not a Mazarinist?Delightful! Indeed, you could not belong to him. But pardon me, are youfree? I mean to ask if you are married?"
"Ah! as to that, no," replied Athos, laughing.
"Because that young man, so handsome, so elegant, so polished----"
"Is a child I have adopted and who does not even know who was hisfather."
"Very well; you are always the same, Athos, great and generous. Are youstill friends with Monsieur Porthos and Monsieur Aramis?"
"Add Monsieur d'Artagnan, my lord. We still remain four friends devotedto each other; but when it becomes a question of serving the cardinal orof fighting him, of being Mazarinists or Frondists, then we are onlytwo."
"Is Monsieur Aramis with D'Artagnan?" asked Lord de Winter.
"No," said Athos; "Monsieur Aramis does me the honor to share myopinions."
r /> "Could you put me in communication with your witty and agreeable friend?Is he much changed?"
"He has become an abbe, that is all."
"You alarm me; his profession must have made him renounce any greatundertakings."
"On the contrary," said Athos, smiling, "he has never been so much amusketeer as since he became an abbe, and you will find him a veritablesoldier."
"Could you engage to bring him to me to-morrow morning at ten o'clock,on the Pont du Louvre?"
"Oh, oh!" exclaimed Athos, smiling, "you have a duel in prospect."
"Yes, count, and a splendid duel, too; a duel in which I hope you willtake your part."
"Where are we to go, my lord?"
"To Her Majesty the Queen of England, who has desired me to present youto her."
"This is an enigma," said Athos, "but it matters not; since you know thesolution of it I ask no further. Will your lordship do me the honor tosup with me?"
"Thanks, count, no," replied De Winter. "I own to you that that youngman's visit has subdued my appetite and probably will rob me of mysleep. What undertaking can have brought him to Paris? It was not tomeet me that he came, for he was ignorant of my journey. This young manterrifies me, my lord; there lies in him a sanguinary predisposition."
"What occupies him in England?"
"He is one of Cromwell's most enthusiastic disciples."
"But what attached him to the cause? His father and mother wereCatholics, I believe?"
"His hatred of the king, who deprived him of his estates and forbade himto bear the name of De Winter."
"And what name does he now bear?"
"Mordaunt."
"A Puritan, yet disguised as a monk he travels alone in France."
"Do you say as a monk?"
"It was thus, and by mere accident--may God pardon me if Iblaspheme--that he heard the confession of the executioner of Bethune."
"Then I understand it all! he has been sent by Cromwell to Mazarin, andthe queen guessed rightly; we have been forestalled. Everything is clearto me now. Adieu, count, till to-morrow."
"But the night is dark," said Athos, perceiving that Lord de Winterseemed more uneasy than he wished to appear; "and you have no servant."
"I have Tony, a safe if simple youth."
"Halloo, there, Grimaud, Olivain, and Blaisois! call the viscount andtake the musket with you."
Blaisois was the tall youth, half groom, half peasant, whom we saw atthe Chateau de Bragelonne, whom Athos had christened by the name of hisprovince.
"Viscount," said Athos to Raoul, as he entered, "you will conduct mylord as far as his hotel and permit no one to approach him."
"Oh! count," said De Winter, "for whom do you take me?"
"For a stranger who does not know Paris," said Athos, "and to whom theviscount will show the way."
De Winter shook him by the hand.
"Grimaud," said Athos, "put yourself at the head of the troop and bewareof the monk."
Grimaud shuddered, and nodding, awaited the departure, regarding thebutt of his musket with silent eloquence. Then obeying the orders givenhim by Athos, he headed the small procession, bearing the torch in onehand and the musket in the other, until it reached De Winter's inn, whenpounding on the portal with his fist, he bowed to my lord and facedabout without a word.
The same order was followed in returning, nor did Grimaud's searchingglance discover anything of a suspicious appearance, save a dark shadow,as it were, in ambuscade, at the corner of the Rue Guenegaud and of theQuai. He fancied, also, that in going he had already observed the streetwatcher who had attracted his attention. He pushed on toward him, butbefore he could reach it the shadow had disappeared into an alley, intowhich Grimaud deemed it scarcely prudent to pursue it.
The next day, on awaking, the count perceived Raoul by his bedside. Theyoung man was already dressed and was reading a new book by M.Chapelain.
"Already up, Raoul?" exclaimed the count.
"Yes, sir," replied Raoul, with slight hesitation; "I did not sleepwell."
"You, Raoul, not sleep well! then you must have something on your mind!"said Athos.
"Sir, you will perhaps think that I am in a great hurry to leave youwhen I have only just arrived, but----"
"Have you only two days of leave, Raoul?"
"On the contrary, sir, I have ten; nor is it to the camp I wish to go."
"Where, then?" said Athos, smiling, "if it be not a secret. You are nowalmost a man, since you have made your first passage of arms, and haveacquired the right to go where you will without consulting me."
"Never, sir," said Raoul, "as long as I possess the happiness of havingyou for a protector, shall I deem I have the right of freeing myselffrom a guardianship so valuable to me. I have, however, a wish to go andpass a day at Blois. You look at me and you are going to laugh at me."
"No, on the contrary, I am not inclined to laugh," said Athos,suppressing a sigh. "You wish to see Blois again; it is but natural."
"Then you permit me to go, you are not angry in your heart?" exclaimedRaoul, joyously.
"Certainly; and why should I regret what gives you pleasure?"
"Oh! how kind you are," exclaimed the young man, pressing his guardian'shand; "and I can set out immediately?"
"When you like, Raoul."
"Sir," said Raoul, as he turned to leave the room, "I have thought ofone thing, and that is about the Duchess of Chevreuse, who was so kindto me and to whom I owe my introduction to the prince."
"And you ought to thank her, Raoul. Well, try the Hotel de Luynes,Raoul, and ask if the duchess can receive you. I am glad to see you payattention to the usages of the world. You must take Grimaud andOlivain."
"Both, sir?" asked Raoul, astonished.
"Both."
Raoul went out, and when Athos heard his young, joyous voice calling toGrimaud and Olivain, he sighed.
"It is very soon to leave me," he thought, "but he follows the commoncustom. Nature has made us thus; she makes the young look ever forward,not behind. He certainly likes the child, but will he love me less ashis affection grows for her?"
And Athos confessed to himself that, he was unprepared for so prompt adeparture; but Raoul was so happy that this reflection effacedeverything else from the consideration of his guardian.
Everything was ready at ten o'clock for the departure, and as Athos waswatching Raoul mount, a groom rode up from the Duchess de Chevreuse. Hewas charged to tell the Comte de la Fere, that she had learned of thereturn of her youthful protege, and also the manner he had conductedhimself on the field, and she added that she should be very glad tooffer him her congratulations.
"Tell her grace," replied Athos, "that the viscount has just mounted hishorse to proceed to the Hotel de Luynes."
Then, with renewed instructions to Grimaud, Athos signified to Raoulthat he could set out, and ended by reflecting that it was perhapsbetter that Raoul should be away from Paris at that moment.