“You will take whatever steps in the matter you please, M. Raoul; only, do not betray the source whence you derived the truth. That is all I have to ask; that is the only price I require for the service I have rendered you.”
“Fear nothing, Madame!” said Bragelonne, with a bitter smile.
“I bribed the locksmith in whom the lovers had confided. You can just as well do so as myself, can you not?”
“Yes, Madame. Your royal Highness, however, has no other advice or caution to give me, except that of not betraying you?”
“None other.”
“I am, therefore, about to beg your royal Highness to allow me to remain here for one moment.”
“Without me?”
“Oh, no, Madame! It matters very little, for what I have to do can be done in your presence. I only ask one moment to write a line to some one.”
“It is dangerous, M. de Bragelonne. Take care!”
“No one can possibly know that your royal Highness has done me the honor to conduct me here. Besides, I shall sign the letter I am going to write.”
“Do as you please, then.”
Raoul drew out his tablet, and wrote rapidly on one of the leaves the following words:-
“MONSIEUR THE COUNT: Do not be surprised to find here this paper signed by me. The friend whom I shall very shortly send to call on you will have the honor to explain the object of my visit to you.
“VICOMTE RAOUL DE BRAGELONNE.”
Rolling up the paper, and slipping it into the lock of the door which communicated with the room set apart for the two lovers, Raoul satisfied himself that the paper was so apparent that De Saint-Aignan could not but see it as he entered; then he rejoined the princess, who had already reached the top of the staircase. They then separated,- Raoul pretending to thank her Highness; Henrietta pitying, or seeming to pity, with all her heart the unhappy man she had just condemned to so fearful torture. “Oh,” she said as she saw him disappear, pale as death, his eye injected with blood, “if I had known this, I should have concealed the truth from that poor young man!”
Chapter XV: Porthos’s Plan of Action
THE multiplicity of the personages we have introduced into this long history compels that each shall appear only in his own turn and according to the exigencies of the recital. The result is that our readers have had no opportunity of again meeting our friend Porthos since his return from Fontainebleau. The honors which he had received from the King had not changed the tranquil, affectionate character of that worthy man; only, he held up his head a little higher than usual, and a majesty of demeanor as it were betrayed itself, since the honor of dining at the King’s table had been accorded him.
His Majesty’s banqueting-room had produced a certain effect upon Porthos. Le Seigneur de Bracieux et de Pierrefonds delighted to remember that during that memorable dinner the numerous array of servants and the large number of officials who were in attendance upon the guests gave a certain tone and effect to the repast, and seemed to furnish the room. Porthos proposed to confer upon Mouston a position of some kind or other, in order to establish a sort of hierarchy among his domestics, and to create a military household,- which was not unusual among the great captains of the age, since in the preceding century this luxury had been greatly encouraged by Messieurs de Treville, de Schomberg, de la Vieuville, without alluding to Messieurs de Richelieu, de Conde, and de Bouillon-Turenne. And, therefore, why should not he,- Porthos, the friend of the King and of M. Fouquet, a baron, an engineer, etc.,- why should not he indeed enjoy all the delightful privileges attached to large possessions and great merit? Somewhat neglected by Aramis, who we know was greatly occupied with M. Fouquet; neglected also, on account of his being on duty, by d’Artagnan; tired of Truchen and Planchet,- Porthos was surprised to find himself dreaming, without precisely knowing why; but if any one had said to him, “Do you want anything, Porthos?” he would most certainly have replied, “Yes.”