wrote to you without delay; I have been looking for you for
the last half-hour.”
Raoul approached Athos as he unsealed the letter. saying,
“With your permission, monsieur.”
“Certainly.”
“Dear Raoul,” wrote the Comte de Guiche, “I have an affair
in hand which requires immediate attention; I know you have
returned, come to me as soon as possible.”
Hardly had he finished reading it, when a servant in the
livery of the Duke of Buckingham, turning out of the
gallery, recognized Raoul, and approached him respectfully,
saying, “From his Grace, monsieur.”
“Well, Raoul, as I see you are already as busy as a general
of an army, I shall leave you, and will find M. d’Artagnan
myself.”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“You will excuse me, I trust,” said Raoul.
“Yes, yes, I excuse you; adieu, Raoul; you will find me at
my apartments until to-morrow; during the day I may set out
for Blois, unless I have orders to the contrary.”
“I shall present my respects to you to-morrow, monsieur.”
As soon as Athos had left, Raoul opened Buckingham’s letter.
“Monsieur de Bragelonne,” it ran, “You are, of all the
Frenchmen I have known, the one with whom I am most pleased;
I am about to put your friendship to the proof. I have
received a certain message, written in very good French. As
I am an Englishman, I am afraid of not comprehending it very
clearly. The letter has a good name attached to it, and that
is all I can tell you. Will you be good enough to come and
see me? for I am told you have arrived from Blois.
“Your devoted
“Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.”
“I am going now to see your master,” said Raoul to De
Guiche’s servant, as he dismissed him; “and I shall be with
the Duke of Buckingham in an hour,” he added, dismissing
with these words the duke’s messenger.
CHAPTER 94
Sword-thrusts in the Water
Raoul, on betaking himself to De Guiche, found him
conversing with De Wardes and Manicamp. De Wardes, since the
affair of the barricade, had treated Raoul as a stranger;
they behaved as if they were not acquainted. As Raoul
entered, De Guiche walked up to him; and Raoul, as he
grasped his friend’s hand, glanced rapidly at his two
companions, hoping to be able to read on their faces what
was passing in their minds. De Wardes was cold and
impenetrable; Manicamp seemed absorbed in the contemplation
of some trimming to his dress. De Guiche led Raoul to an
adjoining cabinet, and made him sit down, saying, “How well
you look!”
“That is singular,” replied Raoul, “for I am far from being
in good spirits.”
“It is your case, then, Raoul, as it is my own, — our love
affairs do not progress.”
“So much the better, count, as far as you are concerned; the
worst news would be good news.”
“In that case do not distress yourself, for, not only am I
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
very unhappy, but, what is more, I see others about me who
are happy.”
“Really, I do not understand you,” replied Raoul; “explain
yourself.”
“You will soon learn. I have tried, but in vain, to overcome
the feeling you saw dawn in me, increase and take entire
possession of me. I have summoned all your advice and my own
strength to my aid. I have well weighed the unfortunate
affair in which I have embarked; I have sounded its depths;
that it is an abyss, I am aware, but it matters little, for
I shall pursue my own course.”
“This is madness, De Guiche! you cannot advance another step
without risking your own ruin to-day, perhaps your life
to-morrow.”
“Whatever may happen, I have done with reflections; listen.”
“And you hope to succeed; you believe that Madame will love
you?”
“Raoul, I believe nothing; I hope, because hope exists in
man, and never abandons him till death.”
“But, admitting that you obtain the happiness you covet,
even then, you are more certainly lost than if you had
failed in obtaining it.”
“I beseech you, Raoul, not to interrupt me any more; you