four o’clock in the morning.’ Which is as clear as if he had
said, — `Monsieur the lieutenant of my musketeers,
to-morrow, at four, at the bridge of Blois — do you
understand?’ Here is a state secret, then, which I, humble
as I am, have in my possession, while it is in action. And
how do I get it? Because I have good eyes, as his majesty
just now said. They say he loves this little Italian doll
furiously. They say he threw himself at his mother’s feet,
to beg her to allow him to marry her. They say the queen
went so far as to consult the court of Rome, whether such a
marriage, contracted against her will, would be valid. Oh,
if I were but twenty-five! If I had by my side those I no
longer have! If I did not despise the whole world most
profoundly, I would embroil Mazarin with the queen-mother,
France with Spain, and I would make a queen after my own
fashion. But let that pass.” And the lieutenant snapped his
fingers in disdain.
“This miserable Italian — this poor creature — this sordid
wretch — who has just refused the king of England a
million, would not perhaps give me a thousand pistoles for
the news I could carry him. Mordioux! I am falling into
second childhood — I am becoming stupid indeed! The idea of
Mazarin giving anything! ha! ha! ha!” and he laughed in a
subdued voice.
“Well, let us go to sleep — let us go to sleep; and the
sooner the better. My mind is wearied with my evening’s
work, and will see things to-morrow more clearly than
to-day.”
And upon this recommendation, made to himself, he folded his
cloak around him, looking with contempt upon his royal
neighbor. Five minutes after this he was asleep, with his
hands clenched and his lips apart, giving escape, not to his
secret, but to a sonorous sound, which rose and spread
freely beneath the majestic roof of the ante-chamber.
CHAPTER 13
Page 78
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
Mary de Mancini
The sun had scarcely shed its first beams on the majestic
trees of the park and the lofty turrets of the castle, when
the young king, who had been awake more than two hours,
possessed by the sleeplessness of love, opened his shutters
himself, and cast an inquiring look into the courts of the
sleeping palace. He saw that it was the hour agreed upon:
the great court clock pointed to a quarter past four. He did
not disturb his valet de chambre, who was sleeping soundly
at some distance; he dressed himself, and the valet, in a
great fright sprang up, thinking he had been deficient in
his duty; but the king sent him back again, commanding him
to preserve the most absolute silence. He then descended the little staircase, went out at a lateral door, and perceived
at the end of the wall a mounted horseman holding another
horse by the bridle. This horseman could not be recognized
in his cloak and slouched hat. As to the horse, saddled like
that of a rich citizen, it offered nothing remarkable to the
most experienced eye. Louis took the bridle: the officer
held the stirrup without dismounting, and asked his
majesty’s orders in a low voice.
“Follow me,” replied the king.
The officer put his horse to the trot, behind that of his
master, and they descended the hill towards the bridge. When
they reached the other side of the Loire, —
“Monsieur,” said the king, “you will please to ride on till
you see a carriage coming; then return and inform me. I will
wait here.”
“Will your majesty deign to give me some description of the
carriage I am charged to discover?”
“A carriage in which you will see two ladies, and probably
their attendants likewise.”
“Sire, I should not wish to make a mistake; is there no
other sign by which I may know this carriage?”
“It will bear, in all probability, the arms of monsieur le
cardinal.”
“That is sufficient, sire,” replied the officer, fully
instructed in the object of his search. He put his horse to