taking part in such an act, had remained away.
When the name of Colonel Fairfax was called, one of those
brief but solemn silences ensued, which announced the
absence of the members who had no wish to take a personal
part in the trial.
“Colonel Fairfax,” repeated Bradshaw.
“Fairfax,” answered a laughing voice, the silvery tone of
which betrayed it as that of a woman, “is not such a fool as
to be here.”
Page 447
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
A loud laugh followed these words, pronounced with that
boldness which women draw from their own weakness — a
weakness which removes them beyond the power of vengeance.
“It is a woman’s voice,” cried Aramis; “faith, I would give
a good deal if she is young and pretty.” And he mounted on
the bench to try and get a sight of her.
“By my soul,” said Aramis, “she is charming. Look
D’Artagnan; everybody is looking at her; and in spite of
Bradshaw’s gaze she has not turned pale.”
“It is Lady Fairfax herself,” said D’Artagnan. “Don’t you
remember, Porthos, we saw her at General Cromwell’s?”
The roll call continued.
“These rascals will adjourn when they find that they are not
in sufficient force,” said the Comte de la Fere.
“You don’t know them. Athos, look at Mordaunt’s smile. Is
that the look of a man whose victim is likely to escape him?
Ah, cursed basilisk, it will be a happy day for me when I
can cross something more than a look with you.”
“The king is really very handsome,” said Porthos; “and look,
too, though he is a prisoner, how carefully he is dressed.
The feather in his hat is worth at least five-and-twenty
pistoles. Look at it, Aramis.”
The roll call finished, the president ordered them to read
the act of accusation. Athos turned pale. A second time he
was disappointed in his expectation. Notwithstanding the
judges were so few the trial was to continue; the king then,
was condemned in advance.
“I told you so, Athos,” said D’Artagnan, shrugging his
shoulders. “Now take your courage in both hands and hear
what this gentleman in black is going to say about his
sovereign, with full license and privilege.”
Never till then had a more brutal accusation or meaner
insults tarnished kingly majesty.
Charles listened with marked attention, passing over the
insults, noting the grievances, and, when hatred overflowed
all bounds and the accuser turned executioner beforehand,
replying with a smile of lofty scorn.
“The fact is,” said D’Artagnan, “if men are punished for
imprudence and triviality, this poor king deserves
punishment. But it seems to me that that which he is just
now undergoing is hard enough.”
“In any case,” Aramis replied, “the punishment should fall
not on the king, but on his ministers; for the first article
of the constitution is, `The king can do no wrong.'”
“As for me,” thought Porthos, giving Mordaunt his whole
attention, “were it not for breaking in on the majesty of
the situation I would leap down from the bench, reach
Mordaunt in three bounds and strangle him; I would then take
him by the feet and knock the life out of these wretched
Page 448
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
musketeers who parody the musketeers of France. Meantime,
D’Artagnan, who is full of invention, would find some way to
save the king. I must speak to him about it.”
As to Athos, his face aflame, his fists clinched, his lips
bitten till they bled, he sat there foaming with rage at
that endless parliamentary insult and that long enduring
royal patience; the inflexible arm and steadfast heart had
given place to a trembling hand and a body shaken by
excitement.
At this moment the accuser concluded with these words: “The
present accusation is preferred by us in the name of the
English people.”
At these words there was a murmur along the benches, and a
second voice, not that of a woman, but a man’s, stout and
furious, thundered behind D’Artagnan.
“You lie!” it cried. “Nine-tenths of the English people are
horrified at what you say.”
This voice was that of Athos, who, standing up with
outstretched hand and quite out of his mind, thus assailed