“Your majesty is correctly informed.”
“More than that, the young lady has lately become one of the
princess’s maids of honor.”
“Your majesty is better acquainted with her history than I
am.”
The king again reflected, and glancing at the comte’s
anxious countenance, said: “The young lady does not seem to
me to be very pretty, comte.”
“I am not quite sure,” replied Athos.
“I have seen her, but she hardly struck me as being so.”
“She seems to be a good and modest girl, but has little
beauty, sire.”
“Beautiful fair hair, however.”
“I think so.”
“And her blue eyes are tolerably good.”
“Yes, sire.”
“With regard to beauty, then, the match is but an ordinary
one. Now for the money side of the question.”
“Fifteen to twenty thousand francs dowry at the very
outside, sire; the lovers are disinterested enough; for
myself, I care little for money.”
“For superfluity, you mean; but a needful amount is of
importance. With fifteen thousand francs, without landed
property, a woman cannot live at court. We will make up the
deficiency; I will do it for De Bragelonne.” The king again
remarked the coldness with which Athos received the remark.
“Let us pass from the question of money to that of rank,”
said Louis XIV.; “the daughter of the Marquis de la
Valliere, that is well enough; but there is that excellent
Saint-Remy, who somewhat damages the credit of the family;
and you, comte, are rather particular, I believe, about your
own family.”
“Sire, I no longer hold to anything but my devotion to your
majesty.”
The king again paused. “A moment, comte. You have surprised
me in no little degree from the beginning of your
conversation. You came to ask me to authorize a marriage,
and you seem greatly disturbed in having to make the
request. Nay, pardon me, comte, but I am rarely deceived,
young as I am; for while with some persons I place my
friendship at the disposal of my understanding, with others
I call my distrust to my aid, by which my discernment is
Page 556
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
increased. I repeat that you do not prefer your request as
though you wished it success.”
“Well, sire, that is true.”
“I do not understand you, then; refuse.”
“Nay, sire; I love De Bragelonne with my whole heart; he is
smitten with Mademoiselle de la Valliere, he weaves dreams
of bliss for the future; I am not one who is willing to
destroy the illusions of youth. This marriage is
objectionable to me, but I implore your majesty to consent
to it forthwith, and thus make Raoul happy.”
“Tell me, comte, is she in love with him?”
“If your majesty requires me to speak candidly, I do not
believe in Mademoiselle de la Valliere’s affection; the
delight at being at court, the honor of being in the service
of Madame, counteract in her head whatever affection she may
happen to have in her heart; it is a marriage similar to
many others which already exist at court; but De Bragelonne
wishes it, and so let it be.”
“And yet you do not resemble those easy-tempered fathers who
volunteer as stepping-stones for their children,” said the
king.
“I am determined enough against the viciously disposed, but
not so against men of upright character. Raoul is suffering;
he is in great distress of mind: his disposition, naturally
light and cheerful, has become gloomy and melancholy. I do
not wish to deprive your majesty of the services he may be
able to render.”
“I understand you,” said the king; “and what is more, I
understand your heart, too, comte.”
“There is no occasion, therefore,” replied the comte, “to
tell your majesty that my object is to make these children,
or rather Raoul, happy.”
“And I, too, as much as yourself, comte, wish to secure M.
de Bragelonne’s happiness.”
“I only await your majesty’s signature. Raoul will have the
honor of presenting himself before your majesty to receive
your consent.”
“You are mistaken, comte,” said the king, firmly; “I have
just said that I desire to secure M. de Bragelonne’s
happiness, and from the present moment, therefore, I oppose
his marriage.”