Ten Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

Guiche fancied he recognized Manicamp. It was, indeed,

Manicamp himself; but as Malicorne had taken possession of

his very best costume, he had not been able to get any other

than a suit of violet velvet trimmed with silver. Guiche

recognized him as much by his dress as by his features, for

he had very frequently seen Manicamp in his violet suit,

which was his last resource. Manicamp presented himself to

the count under an arch of torches, which set in a blaze,

rather than illuminated, the gate by which Havre is entered,

and which is situated close to the tower of Francis I. The

count, remarking the woe-begone expression of Manicamp’s

face, could not resist laughing. “Well, my poor Manicamp,”

he exclaimed, “how violet you look; are you in mourning?”

“Yes,” replied Manicamp; “I am in mourning.”

“For whom, or for what?”

“For my blue-and-gold suit, which has disappeared, and in

the place of which I could find nothing but this; and I was

even obliged to economize from compulsion, in order to get

Page 492

Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

possession of it.”

“Indeed?”

“It is singular you should be astonished at that, since you

leave me without any money.”

“At all events, here you are, and that is the principal

thing.”

“By the most horrible roads.”

“Where are you lodging?”

“Lodging?”

“Yes!”

“I am not lodging anywhere.”

De Guiche began to laugh. “Well,” said he, “where do you

intend to lodge?”

“In the same place you do.”

“But I don’t know, myself.”

“What do you mean by saying you don’t know?”

“Certainly, how is it likely I should know where I should

stay?”

“Have you not retained an hotel?”

“I?”

“Yes, you or the prince.”

“Neither of us has thought of it. Havre is of considerable

size, I suppose; and provided I can get a stable for a dozen

horses, and a suitable house in a good quarter —- ”

“Certainly, there are some very excellent houses.”

“Well then —- ”

“But not for us.”

“What do you mean by saying not for us? — for whom, then?”

“For the English, of course.”

“For the English?”

“Yes; the houses are all taken.”

“By whom?”

“By the Duke of Buckingham.”

“I beg your pardon?” said Guiche, whose attention this name

had awakened.

“Yes, by the Duke of Buckingham. His Grace was preceded by a

Page 493

Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

courier, who arrived here three days ago, and immediately

retained all the houses fit for habitation the town

possesses.”

“Come, come, Manicamp, let us understand each other.”

“Well, what I have told you is clear enough, it seems to

me.”

“But surely Buckingham does not occupy the whole of Havre?”

“He certainly does not occupy it, since he has not yet

arrived; but, once disembarked, he will occupy it.”

“Oh! oh!”

“It is quite clear you are not acquainted with the English;

they have a perfect rage for monopolizing everything.”

“That may be; but a man who has the whole of one house, is

satisfied with it, and does not require two.”

“Yes, but two men?”

“Be it so; for two men, two houses, or four or six, or ten,

if you like; but there are a hundred houses at Havre.”

“Yes, and all the hundred are let.”

“Impossible!”

“What an obstinate fellow you are. I tell you Buckingham has

hired all the houses surrounding the one which the queen

dowager of England and the princess her daughter will

inhabit.”

“He is singular enough, indeed,” said De Wardes, caressing

his horse’s neck.

“Such is the case, however, monsieur.”

“You are quite sure of it, Monsieur de Manicamp?” and as he

put this question, he looked slyly at De Guiche, as though

to interrogate him upon the degree of confidence to be

placed in his friend’s state of mind. During this discussion

the night had closed in, and the torches, pages, attendants,

squires, horses, and carriages, blocked up the gate and the

open place; the torches were reflected in the channel, which

the rising tide was gradually filling, while on the other

side of the jetty might be noticed groups of curious

lookers-on, consisting of sailors and townspeople, who

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188

Leave a Reply 0

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *