Chapter XX. Showing the Advantage of Having Two Strings to One's Bow.
Manicamp quitted the king's apartment, delighted at having succeededso well, when, just as he reached the bottom of the staircase and waspassing a doorway, he felt that some one suddenly pulled him by thesleeve. He turned round and recognized Montalais, who was waiting forhim in the passage, and who, in a very mysterious manner, with herbody bent forward, and in a low tone of voice, said to him, "Follow me,monsieur, and without any delay, if you please."
"Where to, mademoiselle?" inquired Manicamp.
"In the first place, a true knight would not have asked such a question,but would have followed me without requiring any explanation."
"Well, mademoiselle, I am quite ready to conduct myself as a trueknight."
"No; it is too late, and you cannot take the credit of it. We are goingto Madame's apartment, so come at once."
"Ah, ah!" said Manicamp. "Lead on, then."
And he followed Montalais, who ran before him as light as Galatea.
"This time," said Manicamp, as he followed his guide, "I do not thinkthat stories about hunting expeditions would be acceptable. We will try,however, and if need be--well, if there should be any occasion for it,we must try something else."
Montalais still ran on.
"How fatiguing it is," thought Manicamp, "to have need of one's head andlegs at the same time."
At last, however, they arrived. Madame had just finished undressing, andwas in a most elegant _deshabille_, but it must be understood that shehad changed her dress before she had any idea of being subjected tothe emotions now agitating her. She was waiting with the most restlessimpatience; and Montalais and Manicamp found her standing near the door.At the sound of their approaching footsteps, Madame came forward to meetthem.
"Ah!" she said, "at last!"
"Here is M. Manicamp," replied Montalais.
Manicamp bowed with the greatest respect; Madame signed to Montalais towithdraw, and she immediately obeyed. Madame followed her with her eyes,in silence, until the door closed behind her, and then, turning towardsManicamp, said, "What is the matter?--and is it true, as I am told,Monsieur de Manicamp, that some one is lying wounded in the chateau?"
"Yes, Madame, unfortunately so--Monsieur de Guiche."
"Yes, Monsieur de Guiche," repeated the princess. "I had, in fact,heard it rumored, but not confirmed. And so, in truth, it is Monsieur deGuiche who has been thus unfortunate?"
"M. de Guiche himself, Madame."
"Are you aware, M. de Manicamp," said the princess, hastily, "that theking has the strongest antipathy to duels?"
"Perfectly so, Madame; but a duel with a wild beast is not answerable."
"Oh, you will not insult me by supposing that I credit the absurd fable,with what object I cannot tell, respecting M. de Guiche having beenwounded by a wild boar. No, no, monsieur; the real truth is known, and,in addition to the inconvenience of his wound, M. de Guiche runs therisk of losing his liberty if not his life."
"Alas! Madame, I am well aware of that, but what is to be done?"
"You have seen the king?"
"Yes, Madame."
"What did you say to him?"
"I told him how M. de Guiche went to the chase, and how a wild boarrushed forth out of the Bois-Rochin; how M. de Guiche fired at it, andhow, in fact, the furious brute dashed at De Guiche, killed his horse,and grievously wounded himself."
"And the king believed that?"
"Implicitly."
"Oh, you surprise me, Monsieur de Manicamp; you surprise me very much."
And Madame walked up and down the room, casting a searching look fromtime to time at Manicamp, who remained motionless and impassible in thesame place. At last she stopped.
"And yet," she said, "every one here seems unanimous in giving anothercause for this wound."
"What cause, Madame?" said Manicamp; "may I be permitted, withoutindiscretion, to ask your highness?"
"You ask such a question! You, M. de Guiche's intimate friend, hisconfidant, indeed!"
"Oh, Madame! his intimate friend--yes; confidant--no. De Guiche is a manwho can keep his own secrets, who has some of his own certainly, but whonever breathes a syllable about them. De Guiche is discretion itself,Madame."
"Very well, then; those secrets which M. de Guiche keeps soscrupulously, I shall have the pleasure of informing you of," said theprincess, almost spitefully; "for the king may possibly question you asecond time, and if, on the second occasion, you were to repeat the samestory to him, he possibly might not be very well satisfied with it."
"But, Madame, I think your highness is mistaken with regard to the king.His majesty was perfectly satisfied with me, I assure you."
"In that case, permit me to assure you, Monsieur de Manicamp, it onlyproves one thing, which is, that his majesty is very easily satisfied."
"I think your highness is mistaken in arriving at such an opinion; hismajesty is well known not to be contented except with very good reason."
"And do you suppose that he will thank you for your officious falsehood,when he will learn to-morrow that M. de Guiche had, on behalf of hisfriend M. de Bragelonne, a quarrel which ended in a hostile meeting?"
"A quarrel on M. de Bragelonne's account," said Manicamp, with the mostinnocent expression in the world; "what does your royal highness do methe honor to tell me?"
"What is there astonishing in that? M. de Guiche is susceptible,irritable, and easily loses his temper."
"On the contrary, Madame, I know M. de Guiche to be very patient, andnever susceptible or irritable except upon very good grounds."
"But is not friendship a just ground?" said the princess.
"Oh, certainly, Madame; and particularly for a heart like his."
"Very good; you will not deny, I suppose, that M. de Bragelonne is M. deGuiche's good friend?"
"A great friend."
"Well, then, M. de Guiche has taken M. de Bragelonne's part; and as M.de Bragelonne was absent and could not fight, he fought for him."
Manicamp began to smile, and moved his head and shoulders very slightly,as much as to say, "Oh, if you will positively have it so--"
"But speak, at all events," said the princess, out of patience; "speak!"
"I?"
"Of course; it is quite clear you are not of my opinion, and that youhave something to say."
"I have only one thing to say, Madame."
"Name it!"
"That I do not understand a single word of what you have just beentelling me."
"What!--you do not understand a single word about M. de Guiche's quarrelwith M. de Wardes," exclaimed the princess, almost out of temper.
Manicamp remained silent.
"A quarrel," she continued, "which arose out of a conversationscandalous in its tone and purport, and more or less well founded,respecting the virtue of a certain lady."
"Ah! of a certain lady,--this is quite another thing," said Manicamp.
"You begin to understand, do you not?"
"Your highness will excuse me, but I dare not--"
"You dare not," said Madame, exasperated; "very well, then, wait onemoment, I will dare."
"Madame, Madame!" exclaimed Manicamp, as if in great dismay, "be carefulof what you are going to say."
"It would seem, monsieur, that, if I happened to be a man, you wouldchallenge me, notwithstanding his majesty's edicts, as Monsieur deGuiche challenged M. de Wardes; and that, too, on account of the virtueof Mademoiselle de la Valliere."
"Of Mademoiselle de la Valliere!" exclaimed Manicamp, startingbackwards, as if that was the very last name he expected to hearpronounced.
"What makes you start in that manner, Monsieur de Manicamp?" saidMadame, ironically; "do you mean to say you would be impertinent enoughto suspect that young lady's honor?"
"Madame, in the whole course of this affair there has not been theslightest question of Mademoiselle de la Valliere's honor."
"What! when two men have almost blown each ot
her's brains out on awoman's behalf, do you mean to say she has had nothing to do with theaffair, and that her name has not been called in question at all? I didnot think you so good a courtier, Monsieur de Manicamp."
"Pray forgive me, Madame," said the young man, "but we are very far fromunderstanding one another. You do me the honor to speak one languagewhile I am speaking altogether another."
"I beg your pardon, but I do not understand your meaning."
"Forgive me, then; but I fancied I understood your highness to remarkthat De Guiche and De Wardes had fought on Mademoiselle de la Valliere'saccount?"
"Certainly."
"On account of Mademoiselle de la Valliere, I think you said?" repeatedManicamp.
"I do not say that M. de Guiche personally took an interest inMademoiselle de la Valliere, but I say that he did so as representing oracting on behalf of another."
"On behalf of another?"
"Come, do not always assume such a bewildered look. Does not everyone here know that M. de Bragelonne is affianced to Mademoiselle de laValliere, and that before he went on the mission with which the kingintrusted him, he charged his friend M. de Guiche to watch over thatinteresting young lady?"
"There is nothing more for me to say, then. Your highness iswell-informed."
"Of everything. I beg you to understand that clearly."
Manicamp began to laugh, which almost exasperated the princess, who wasnot, as we know, of a very patient disposition.
"Madame," resumed the discreet Manicamp, saluting the princess, "let usbury this affair altogether in forgetfulness, for it will probably neverbe quite cleared up."
"Oh, as far as that goes there is nothing more to do, and theinformation is complete. The king will learn that M. de Guiche has takenup the cause of this little adventuress, who gives herself all theairs of a grand lady; he will learn that Monsieur de Bragelonne, havingnominated his friend M. de Guiche his guardian-in-ordinary, the latterimmediately fastened, as he was required to do, upon the Marquis deWardes, who ventured to trench upon his privileges. Moreover, youcannot pretend to deny, Monsieur Manicamp--you who know everything sowell--that the king on his side casts a longing eye upon this famoustreasure, and that he will bear no slight grudge against M. de Guichefor constituting himself its defender. Are you sufficiently wellinformed now, or do you require anything further? If so, speak,monsieur."
"No, Madame, there is nothing more I wish to know."
"Learn, however--for you ought to know it, Monsieur de Manicamp--learnthat his majesty's indignation will be followed by terribleconsequences. In princes of a similar temperament to that of hismajesty, the passion which jealousy causes sweeps down like awhirlwind."
"Which you will temper, Madame."
"I!" exclaimed the princess, with a gesture of indescribable irony; "I!and by what title, may I ask?"
"Because you detest injustice, Madame."
"And according to your account, then, it would be an injustice toprevent the king arranging his love affairs as he pleases."
"You will intercede, however, in M. de Guiche's favor?"
"You are mad, monsieur," said the princess, in a haughty tone of voice.
"On the contrary, I am in the most perfect possession of my senses; andI repeat, you will defend M. de Guiche before the king."
"Why should I?"
"Because the cause of M. de Guiche is your own, Madame," said Manicamp,with ardor kindling in his eyes.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, Madame, that, with respect to the defense which Monsieur deGuiche undertook in M. de Bragelonne's absence, I am surprised that yourhighness has not detected a pretext in La Valliere's name having beenbrought forward."
"A pretext? But a pretext for what?" repeated the princess,hesitatingly, for Manicamp's steady look had just revealed something ofthe truth to her.
"I trust, Madame," said the young man, "I have said sufficient to induceyour highness not to overwhelm before his majesty my poor friend, DeGuiche, against whom all the malevolence of a party bitterly opposed toyour own will now be directed."
"You mean, on the contrary, I suppose, that all those who have no greataffection for Mademoiselle de la Valliere, and even, perhaps, a few ofthose who have some regard for her, will be angry with the comte?"
"Oh, Madame! why will you push your obstinacy to such an extent, andrefuse to open your ears and listen to the counsel of one whosedevotion to you is unbounded? Must I expose myself to the risk of yourdispleasure,--am I really to be called upon to name, contrary to my ownwish, the person who was the real cause of this quarrel?"
"The person?" said Madame, blushing.
"Must I," continued Manicamp, "tell you how poor De Guiche becameirritated, furious, exasperated beyond all control, at the differentrumors now being circulated about this person? Must I, if you persistin this willful blindness, and if respect should continue to prevent menaming her,--must I, I repeat, recall to your recollection thevarious scenes which Monsieur had with the Duke of Buckingham, and theinsinuations which were reported respecting the duke's exile? Must Iremind you of the anxious care the comte always took in his efforts toplease, to watch, to protect that person for whom alone he lives,--forwhom alone he breathes? Well! I will do so; and when I shall have madeyou recall all the particulars I refer to, you will perhaps understandhow it happened that the comte, having lost all control over himself,and having been for some time past almost harassed to death by DeWardes, became, at the first disrespectful expression which the latterpronounced respecting the person in question, inflamed with passion, andpanted only for an opportunity of avenging the affront."
The princess concealed her face with her hands. "Monsieur, monsieur!"she exclaimed; "do you know what you are saying, and to whom you arespeaking?"
"And so, Madame," pursued Manicamp, as if he had not heard theexclamations of the princess, "nothing will astonish you anylonger,--neither the comte's ardor in seeking the quarrel, nor hiswonderful address in transferring it to a quarter foreign to your ownpersonal interests. That latter circumstance was, indeed, a marvelousinstance of tact and perfect coolness, and if the person in whosebehalf the comte so fought and shed his blood does, in reality, owesome gratitude to the poor wounded sufferer, it is not on account of theblood he has shed, or the agony he has suffered, but for the steps hehas taken to preserve from comment or reflection an honor which is moreprecious to him than his own."
"Oh!" cried Madame, as if she had been alone, "is it possible thequarrel was on my account!"
Manicamp felt he could now breathe for a moment--and gallantly had hewon the right to do so. Madame, on her side, remained for some timeplunged in a painful reverie. Her agitation could be seen by her quickrespiration, by her drooping eyelids, by the frequency with which shepressed her hand upon her heart. But, in her, coquetry was not so mucha passive quality, as, on the contrary, a fire which sought for fuel tomaintain itself, finding anywhere and everywhere what it required.
"If it be as you assert," she said, "the comte will have obliged twopersons at the same time; for Monsieur de Bragelonne also owes a deepdebt of gratitude to M. de Guiche--and with far greater reason, indeed,because everywhere, and on every occasion, Mademoiselle de la Vallierewill be regarded as having been defended by this generous champion."
Manicamp perceived that there still remained some lingering doubt in theprincess's heart. "A truly admirable service, indeed," he said, "is theone he has rendered to Mademoiselle de la Valliere! A truly admirableservice to M. de Bragelonne! The duel has created a sensation which, insome respects, casts a dishonorable suspicion upon that young girl;a sensation, indeed, which will embroil her with the vicomte. Theconsequence is that De Wardes's pistol-bullet has had three resultsinstead of one; it destroys at the same time the honor of a woman, thehappiness of a man, and, perhaps, it has wounded to death one ofthe best gentlemen in France. Oh, Madame! your logic is cold--evencalculating; it always condemns--it never absolves."
Manicamp's concluding words scat
tered to the winds the last doubt whichlingered, not in Madame's heart, but in her mind. She was no longera princess full of scruples, nor a woman with her ever-returningsuspicions, but one whose heart has just felt the mortal chill of awound. "Wounded to death!" she murmured, in a faltering voice, "oh,Monsieur de Manicamp! did you not say, wounded to death?"
Manicamp returned no other answer than a deep sigh.
"And so you said that the comte is dangerously wounded?" continued theprincess.
"Yes, Madame; one of his hands is shattered, and he has a bullet lodgedin his breast."
"Gracious heavens!" resumed the princess, with a feverish excitement,"this is horrible! Monsieur de Manicamp! a hand shattered, do you say,and a bullet in his breast? And that coward! that wretch! that assassin,De Wardes, did it!"
Manicamp seemed overcome by a violent emotion. He had, in fact,displayed no little energy in the latter part of his speech. As forMadame, she entirely threw aside all regard for the formal observancesof propriety society imposes; for when, with her, passion spokein accents either of anger or sympathy, nothing could restrain herimpulses. Madame approached Manicamp, who had subsided in a chair, as ifhis grief were a sufficiently powerful excuse for his infraction of thelaws of etiquette. "Monsieur," she said, seizing him by the hand, "befrank with me."
Manicamp looked up.
"Is M. de Guiche in danger of death?"
"Doubly so, Madame," he replied; "in the first place on account of thehemorrhage which has taken place, an artery having been injured in thehand; and next, in consequence of the wound in his breast, which may,the doctor is afraid, at least, have injured some vital part."
"He may die, then?"
"Die, yes, Madame; and without even having had the consolation ofknowing that you have been told of his devotion."
"You will tell him."
"I?"
"Yes; are you not his friend?"
"I? oh, no, Madame; I will only tell M. de Guiche--if, indeed, he isstill in a condition to hear me--I will only tell him what I have seen;that is, your cruelty to him."
"Oh, monsieur, you will not be guilty of such barbarity!"
"Indeed, Madame, I shall speak the truth, for nature is very energeticin a man of his age. The physicians are clever men, and if, by chance,the poor comte should survive his wound, I should not wish him to die ofa wound of the heart, after surviving one of the body." Manicamp rose,and with an expression of profoundest respect, seemed to be desirous oftaking leave.
"At least, monsieur," said Madame, stopping him with almost a suppliantair, "you will be kind enough to tell me in what state your woundedfriend is, and who is the physician who attends him?"
"As regards the state he is in, Madame, he is seriously ill; hisphysician is M. Valot, his majesty's private medical attendant. M. Valotis moreover assisted by a professional friend, to whose house M. deGuiche has been carried."
"What! he is not in the chateau?" said Madame.
"Alas, Madame! the poor fellow was so ill, that he could not even beconveyed thither."
"Give me the address, monsieur," said the princess, hurriedly; "I willsend to inquire after him."
"Rue du Feurre; a brick-built house, with white outside blinds. Thedoctor's name is on the door."
"You are returning to your wounded friend, Monsieur de Manicamp?"
"Yes, Madame."
"You will be able, then, to do me a service."
"I am at your highness's orders."
"Do what you intended to do; return to M. de Guiche, send away all thosewhom you may find there, and have the kindness yourself to go away too."
"Madame--"
"Let us waste no time in useless explanations. Accept the fact as Ipresent it to you; see nothing in it beyond what is really there, andask nothing further than what I tell you. I am going to send one of myladies, perhaps two, because it is now getting late; I do not wish themto see you, or rather I do not wish you to see them. These are scruplesyou can understand--you particularly, Monsieur de Manicamp, who seemcapable of divining so much."
"Oh, Madame, perfectly; I can even do better still,--I will precede, orrather walk, in advance of your attendants; it will, at the same time,be the means of showing them the way more accurately, and of protectingthem, if occasion arises, though there is no probability of theirneeding protection."
"And, by this means, then, they would be sure of entering withoutdifficulty, would they not?"
"Certainly, Madame; for as I should be the first to pass, I thus removeany difficulties that might chance to be in the way."
"Very well. Go, go, Monsieur de Manicamp, and wait at the bottom of thestaircase."
"I go at once, Madame."
"Stay."
Manicamp paused.
"When you hear the footsteps of two women descending the stairs, go out,and, without once turning round, take the road which leads to where thepoor count is lying."
"But if, by any mischance, two other persons were to descend, and I wereto be mistaken?"
"You will hear one of the two clap her hands together softly. Go."
Manicamp turned round, bowed once more, and left the room, his heartoverflowing with joy. In fact, he knew very well that the presence ofMadame herself would be the best balm to apply to his friend's wounds. Aquarter of an hour had hardly elapsed when he heard the sound of a dooropened softly, and closed with like precaution. He listened to the lightfootfalls gliding down the staircase, and then heard the signal agreedupon. He immediately went out, and, faithful to his promise, benthis way, without once turning his head, through the streets ofFontainebleau, towards the doctor's dwelling.