musketeers is; M. de Saint-Maline and his majesty’s
ordinaries were behind him and around him. It was here that
he was struck.”
The king turned towards his officer, and saw something like
a cloud pass over his martial and daring countenance.
“Yes, from behind!” murmured the lieutenant, with a gesture
of supreme disdain. And he endeavored to resume the march,
as if ill at ease at being between walls formerly defiled by
treachery.
But the king, who appeared to wish to be informed, was
disposed to give another look at this dismal spot.
Gaston perceived his nephew’s desire.
“Look, sire,” said he, taking a flambeau from the hands of
M. de Saint-Remy, “this is where he fell. There was a bed
there, the curtains of which he tore with catching at them.”
“Why does the floor seem hollowed out at this spot?” asked
Louis.
“Because it was here the blood flowed,” replied Gaston; “the
blood penetrated deeply into the oak, and it was only by
cutting it out that they succeeded in making it disappear.
And even then,” added Gaston, pointing the flambeau to the
spot, “even then this red stain resisted all the attempts
made to destroy it.”
Louis XIV. raised his head. Perhaps he was thinking of that
bloody trace that had once been shown him at the Louvre, and
which, as a pendant to that of Blois, had been made there
one day by the king his father with the blood of Concini.
“Let us go on,” said he.
The march was resumed promptly, for emotion, no doubt, had
given to the voice of the young prince a tone of command
which was not customary with him. When arrived at the
apartment destined for the king, which communicated not only
with the little passage we have passed through, but further
with the great staircase leading to the court, —
“Will your majesty,” said Gaston, “condescend to occupy this
apartment, all unworthy as it is to receive you?”
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“Uncle,” replied the young king, “I render you my thanks for
your cordial hospitality.”
Gaston bowed to his nephew, embraced him, and then went out.
Of the twenty musketeers who had accompanied the king, ten
reconducted Monsieur to the reception-rooms, which were not
yet empty, notwithstanding the king had retired.
The ten others were posted by their officer, who himself
explored, in five minutes, all the localities, with that
cold and certain glance which not even habit gives unless
that glance belongs to genius.
Then, when all were placed, he chose as his headquarters the
ante-chamber, in which he found a large fauteuil, a lamp,
some wine, some water: and some dry bread.
He refreshed his lamp, drank half a glass of wine, curled
his lip with a smile full of expression, installed himself
in his large armchair, and made preparations for sleeping.
CHAPTER 9
In which the Unknown of the Hostelry
of Les Medici loses his Incognito.
This officer, who was sleeping, or preparing to sleep, was,
notwithstanding his careless air, charged with a serious
responsibility.
Lieutenant of the king’s musketeers, he commanded all the
company which came from Paris, and that company consisted of
a hundred and twenty men; but, with the exception of the
twenty of whom we have spoken, the other hundred were
engaged in guarding the queen-mother, and more particularly
the cardinal.
Monsignor Giulio Mazarini economized the traveling expenses
of his guards; he consequently used the king’s, and that
largely, since he took fifty of them for himself — a
peculiarity which would not have failed to strike any one
unacquainted with the usages of that court.
That which would still further have appeared, if not
inconvenient, at least extraordinary, to a stranger, was,
that the side of the castle destined for monsieur le
cardinal was brilliant, light and cheerful. The musketeers
there mounted guard before every door, and allowed no one to
enter, except the couriers, who, even while he was
traveling, followed the cardinal for the carrying on of his
correspondence.
Twenty men were on duty with the queen-mother; thirty
rested, in order to relieve their companions the next day.
On the king’s side, on the contrary, were darkness, silence,