Twenty Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

the last month —that is, since Paris had been besieged —

he was ready to receive the Comte de la Fere and the

Chevalier d’Herblay.

He was in bed, but surrounded with all the paraphernalia of

war. Everywhere were swords, pistols, cuirasses, and

arquebuses, and it was plain that as soon as his gout was

better Monsieur de Bouillon would give a pretty tangle to

the enemies of the parliament to unravel. Meanwhile, to his

great regret, as he said, he was obliged to keep his bed.

“Ah, gentlemen,” he cried, as the two friends entered, “you

are very happy! you can ride, you can go and come and fight

for the cause of the people. But I, as you see, am nailed to

my bed — ah! this demon, gout — this demon, gout!”

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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

“My lord,” said Athos, “we are just arrived from England and

our first concern is to inquire after your health.”

“Thanks, gentlemen, thanks! As you see, my health is but

indifferent. But you come from England. And King Charles is

well, as I have just heard?”

“He is dead, my lord!” said Aramis.

“Pooh!” said the duke, too much astonished to believe it

true.

“Dead on the scaffold; condemned by parliament.”

“Impossible!”

“And executed in our presence.”

“What, then, has Monsieur de Flamarens been telling me?”

“Monsieur de Flamarens?”

“Yes, he has just gone out.”

Athos smiled. “With two companions?” he said.

“With two companions, yes,” replied the duke. Then he added

with a certain uneasiness, “Did you meet them?”

“Why, yes, I think so — in the street,” said Athos; and he

looked smilingly at Aramis, who looked at him with an

expression of surprise.

“The devil take this gout!” cried Monsieur de Bouillon,

evidently ill at ease.

“My lord,” said Athos, “we admire your devotion to the cause

you have espoused, in remaining at the head of the army

whilst so ill, in so much pain.”

“One must,” replied Monsieur de Bouillon, “sacrifice one’s

comfort to the public good; but I confess to you I am now

almost exhausted. My spirit is willing, my head is clear,

but this demon, the gout, o’ercrows me. I confess, if the

court would do justice to my claims and give the head of my

house the title of prince, and if my brother De Turenne were

reinstated in his command I would return to my estates and

leave the court and parliament to settle things between

themselves as they might.”

“You are perfectly right, my lord.”

“You think so? At this very moment the court is making

overtures to me; hitherto I have repulsed them; but since

such men as you assure me that I am wrong in doing so, I’ve

a good mind to follow your advice and to accept a

proposition made to me by the Duc de Chatillon just now.”

“Accept it, my lord, accept it,” said Aramis.

“Faith! yes. I am even sorry that this evening I almost

repulsed — but there will be a conference to-morrow and we

shall see.”

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Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After

The two friends saluted the duke.

“Go, gentlemen,” he said; “you must be much fatigued after

your voyage. Poor King Charles! But, after all, he was

somewhat to blame in all that business and we may console

ourselves with the reflection that France has no cause of

reproach in the matter and did all she could to serve him.”

“Oh! as to that,” said Aramis, “we are witnesses. Mazarin

especially —- ”

“Yes, do you know, I am very glad to hear you give that

testimony; the cardinal has some good in him, and if he were

not a foreigner — well, he would be more justly estimated.

Oh! the devil take this gout!”

Athos and Aramis took their leave, but even in the

ante-chamber they could still hear the duke’s cries; he was

evidently suffering the tortures of the damned.

When they reached the street, Aramis said:

“Well, Athos, what do you think?”

“Of whom?”

“Pardieu! of Monsieur de Bouillon.”

“My friend, I think that he is much troubled with gout.”

“You noticed that I didn’t breathe a word as to the purpose

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