CHAPTER XIX.
HOW DE WARDES WAS RECEIVED AT COURT.
Monsieur had received De Wardes with that marked favor which all lightand frivolous minds bestow on every novelty that may come in their way.De Wardes, who had been absent for a month, was like fresh fruit to him.To treat him with marked kindness was an infidelity to his old friends,and there is always something fascinating in that; moreover, it was asort of reparation to De Wardes himself. Nothing, consequently, couldexceed the favorable notice Monsieur took of him. The Chevalier deLorraine, who feared this rival not a little, but who respected acharacter and disposition which were precisely parallel to his own inevery particular, with the addition of a courage he did not himselfpossess, received De Wardes with a greater display of regard andaffection than even Monsieur had done. De Guiche, as we have said, wasthere also, but kept a little in the background, waiting very patientlyuntil all these embraces were over. De Wardes, while talking to theothers, and even to Monsieur himself, had not for a moment lost sight ofDe Guiche, who, he instinctively felt, was there on his account. As soonas he had finished with the others, he went up to De Guiche. They bothexchanged the most courteous compliments, after which De Wardes returnedto Monsieur and to the other gentlemen. In the midst of thesecongratulations Madame was announced. She had been informed of DeWardes' arrival, and knowing all the details of his voyage and of hisduel, she was not sorry to be present at the remarks she knew would bemade, without delay, by one who, she felt assured, was her personalenemy. Two or three of her ladies accompanied her. De Wardes salutedMadame in the most graceful and respectful manner, and, as acommencement of hostilities, announced, in the first place, that hecould furnish the Duke of Buckingham's friends with the latest newsabout him.
This was a direct answer to the coldness with which Madame had receivedhim. The attack was a vigorous one, and Madame felt the blow, butwithout appearing to have even noticed it. He rapidly cast a glance atMonsieur and at De Guiche--the former had colored, and the latter hadturned very pale. Madame alone had preserved an unmoved countenance;but, as she knew how many unpleasant thoughts and feelings her enemycould awaken in the two persons who were listening to him, she smilinglybent forward toward the traveler, as if to listen to the news he hadbrought, but he was speaking of other matters. Madame was brave, even toimprudence; if she were to retreat, it would be inviting an attack; so,after the first disagreeable impression had passed away, she returned tothe charge.
"Have you suffered much from your wounds, Monsieur de Wardes?" sheinquired, "for we have been told that you had the misfortune to getwounded."
It was now De Wardes' turn to wince; he bit his lips and replied, "No,madame, hardly at all."
"Indeed, and yet in this terribly hot weather--"
"The sea breezes are fresh and cool, madame, and then I had oneconsolation."
"Indeed. What was it?"
"The knowledge that my adversary's sufferings were still greater than myown."
"Ah! you mean he was more seriously wounded than you were; I was notaware of that," said the princess, with utter indifference.
"Oh! madame, you are mistaken, or rather you pretend to misunderstand myremark. I did not say that he was more suffering in body than myself;but his heart was seriously affected."
De Guiche comprehended in what direction the struggle was approaching;he ventured to make a sign to Madame, as if entreating her to retirefrom the contest. But she, without acknowledging De Guiche's gesture,without pretending to have noticed it even, and still smiling,continued:
"Is it possible," she said, "that the Duke of Buckingham's heart wastouched? I had no idea, until now, that a heart wound could be cured."
"Alas! madame," replied De Wardes, politely, "every woman believes that;and it is such a belief which gives them over us that superiority whichconfidence imposes."
"You misunderstand altogether, dearest," said the prince, impatiently;"M. de Wardes means that the Duke of Buckingham's heart had beentouched, not by a sword, but by something else."
"Ah! very good, very good!" exclaimed Madame. "It is a jest of M. deWardes'; very good; but I should like to know if the Duke of Buckinghamwould appreciate the jest. It is, indeed, a very great pity he is nothere, M. de Wardes."
The young man's eyes seemed to flash fire. "Oh!" he said, as he clenchedhis teeth, "there is nothing I should like better."
De Guiche did not move. Madame seemed to expect that he would come toher assistance. Monsieur hesitated. The Chevalier de Lorraine advancedand continued the conversation.
"Madame," he said, "De Wardes knows perfectly well that for aBuckingham's heart to be touched is nothing new, and what he has saidhas already taken place."
"Instead of an ally, I have two enemies," murmured Madame; "twodetermined enemies, and in league with each other." And she changed theconversation. To change the conversation is, as every one knows, a rightpossessed by princes which etiquette requires all to respect. Theremainder of the conversation was moderate enough in its tone; theprincipal actors had finished their parts. Madame withdrew early, andMonsieur, who wished to question her on several matters, offered her hishand on leaving. The chevalier was seriously afraid that a goodunderstanding might be established between the husband and wife if hewere to leave them quietly together. He therefore made his way toMonsieur's apartments, in order to surprise him on his return, and todestroy with a few words all the good impressions that Madame might havebeen able to sow in his heart. De Guiche advanced toward De Wardes, whowas surrounded by a large number of persons, and thereby indicated hiswish to converse with him; De Wardes, at the same time, showing by hislooks and by a movement of his head that he perfectly understood him.There was nothing in these signs to enable strangers to suppose theywere otherwise than upon the most friendly footing. De Guiche couldtherefore turn away from him, and wait until he was at liberty. He hadnot long to wait; for De Wardes, freed from his questioners, approachedDe Guiche, and both of them, after a fresh salutation, began to walkside by side together.
"You have made a good impression since your return, my dear De Wardes,"said the comte.
"Excellent, as you see."
"And your spirits are just as lively as ever?"
"More than ever."
"And a very great happiness, too."
"Why not? Everything is so ridiculous in this world, everything soabsurd around us."
"You are right."
"You are of my opinion, then?"
"I should think so! And what news do you bring us from yonder?"
"I? none at all. I have come to look for news here."
"But, tell me, you surely must have seen some people at Boulogne, one ofour friends, for instance; it is no great time ago?"
"Some people--one of our friends--"
"Your memory is short."
"Ah! true; Bragelonne, you mean."
"Exactly so."
"Who was on his way to fulfill a mission, with which he was intrusted,to King Charles II."
"Precisely. Well, then, did he not tell you, or did not you tell him--"
"I do not precisely know what I told him, I must confess; but I do knowwhat I did not tell him." De Wardes was finesse itself. He perfectlywell knew from De Guiche's tone and manner, which was cold anddignified, that the conversation was about assuming a disagreeable turn.He resolved to let it take what course it pleased, and to keep strictlyon his guard.
"May I ask what it was you did not tell him?" inquired De Guiche.
"That about La Valliere."
"La Valliere.... What is it? and what was that strange circumstance youseem to have known out yonder, which Bragelonne, who was here on thespot, was not acquainted with?"
"Do you really ask me that in a serious manner?"
"Nothing can be more so."
"What! you, a member of the court, living in Madame's household, afriend of Monsieur's, a guest at their table, the favorite of our lovelyprincess?"
Guiche colored violently from anger. "What princess are you a
lludingto?" he said.
"I am only acquainted with one, my dear fellow. I am speaking of Madameherself. Are you devoted to another princess, then? Come, tell me."
Guiche was on the point of launching out, but he saw the drift of theremark. A quarrel was imminent between the two young men. De Wardeswished the quarrel to be only in Madame's name, while De Guiche wouldnot accept it except on La Valliere's account. From this moment, itbecame a series of feigned attacks, which would have continued until oneof the two had been touched home. De Guiche therefore resumed all theself-possession he could command.
"There is not the slightest question in the world of Madame in thismatter, my dear De Wardes," said Guiche, "but simply of what you weretalking about just now."
"What was I saying?"
"That you had concealed certain things from Bragelonne."
"Certain things which you know as well as I do," replied De Wardes.
"No, upon my honor."
"Nonsense."
"If you tell me what it is, I shall know, but not otherwise, I swear."
"What! I, who have just arrived from a distance of sixty leagues, andyou who have not stirred from this place, who have witnessed with yourown eye that which rumor informed me of at Calais! Do you now tell meseriously that you do not know what it is about? Oh! comte, this ishardly charitable of you."
"As you like, De Wardes; but I again repeat, I know nothing."
"You are very discreet--well!--perhaps it is very prudent of you."
"And so you will not tell me anything, will not tell me any more thanyou told Bragelonne?"
"You are pretending to be deaf, I see. I am convinced that Madame couldnot possibly have more command over herself than you have overyourself."
"Double hypocrite," murmured Guiche to himself, "you are againreturning to the old subject."
"Very well, then," continued De Wardes, "since we find it so difficultto understand each other about La Valliere and Bragelonne, let us speakabout your own affairs."
"Nay," said Guiche, "I have no affairs of my own to talk about. You havenot said anything about me, I suppose, to Bragelonne, which you cannotrepeat to myself."
"No; but understand me, Guiche, that however much I may be ignorant ofcertain matters, I am quite as conversant with others. If, for instance,we were conversing about certain intimacies of the Duke of Buckingham atParis, as I did during my journey with the duke, I could tell you agreat many interesting circumstances. Would you like me to mentionthem?"
Guiche passed his hand across his forehead, which was covered withperspiration. "No, no," he said, "a hundred times no! I have nocuriosity for matters which do not concern me. The Duke of Buckingham isfor me nothing more than a simple acquaintance, while Raoul is anintimate friend. I have not the slightest curiosity to learn whathappened to the duke, while I have, on the contrary, the greatestinterest in learning what happened to Raoul."
"At Paris?"
"Yes, at Paris, or at Boulogne. You understand, I am on the spot: ifanything should happen, I am here to meet it; while Raoul is absent, andhas only myself to represent him; so, Raoul's affairs before my own."
"But Raoul will return."
"Not, however, until his mission is completed. In the meantime, youunderstand, evil reports cannot be permitted to circulate about himwithout my looking into them."
"And for a greater reason still, that he will remain some time inLondon," said De Wardes, chuckling.
"You think so," said Guiche, simply.
"Think so, indeed! do you suppose that he was sent to London for noother purpose than to go there and return again immediately? No, no; hewas sent to London to remain there."
"Ah! De Wardes," said Guiche, seizing De Wardes' hand violently, "thatis a very serious suspicion concerning Bragelonne, which completelyconfirms what he wrote to me from Boulogne."
De Wardes resumed his former coldness of manner, his love of railleryhad led him too far, and by his own imprudence he had laid himself opento attack.
"Well, tell me, what did he write to you about?" he inquired.
"He told me that you had artfully insinuated some injurious remarksagainst La Valliere, and that you had seemed to laugh at his greatconfidence in that young girl."
"Well, it is perfectly true I did so," said De Wardes, "and I was quiteready, at the time, to hear from the Vicomte de Bragelonne that whichevery man expects from another whenever anything may have been said todisplease him. In the same way, for instance, if I were seeking aquarrel with you, I should tell you that Madame, after having shown thegreatest preference for the Duke of Buckingham, is at this momentsupposed to have sent the handsome duke away for your benefit."
"Oh! that would not wound me in the slightest degree, my dear DeWardes," said De Guiche, smiling, notwithstanding the shiver which ranthrough his whole frame. "Why, such a favor as that would be too great ahappiness."
"I admit that; but if I absolutely wished to quarrel with you, I shouldtry and invent a falsehood perhaps, and should speak to you about acertain arbor, where you and that illustrious princess were together--Ishould speak also of certain genuflections, of certain kissings of thehand; and you, who are so secret on all occasions, so hasty, andpunctilious--"
"Well," said Guiche, interrupting him, with a smile upon his lips,although he almost felt as if he were going to die; "I swear I shouldnot care for that, nor should I in any way contradict you; for you mustknow, my dear marquis, that for all matters which concern myself, I am ablock of ice; but it is a very different thing when an absent friend isconcerned, a friend who, on leaving, confided his interests to my safekeeping: for such a friend, De Wardes, believe me, I am like fireitself."
"I understand you, Monsieur de Guiche; in spite of what you say, therecannot be any question between us just now, either of Bragelonne or ofthis young insignificant girl, whose name is La Valliere."
At this moment some of the younger courtiers were crossing theapartment, and having already heard the few words which had just beenpronounced, were able also to hear those words which were about tofollow. De Wardes observed this, and continued aloud:--"Oh! if LaValliere were a coquette like Madame, whose very innocent flirtations, Iam sure, were, first of all, the cause of the Duke of Buckingham beingsent to England, and afterward were the reason of your being sent intoexile: for you will not deny, I suppose, that Madame's seductive mannersdid have a certain influence over you?"
The courtiers drew nearer to the two speakers, Saint-Aignan at theirhead, and then Manicamp.
"But, my dear fellow, whose fault was that?" said Guiche, laughing. "Iam a vain, conceited fellow, I know, and everybody else knows it, too. Itook seriously that which was only intended as a jest, and I got myselfexiled for my pains. But I saw my error. I overcame my vanity, and Iobtained my recall by making the _amende honorable_, and by promisingmyself to overcome this defect; and the consequence is, that I am sothoroughly cured, that I now laugh at the very thing which three or fourdays ago would have almost broken my heart. But Raoul is in love, and isloved in return, he cannot laugh at the reports which disturb hishappiness--reports which you seem to have undertaken to interpret, whenyou know, marquis, as I do, as those gentlemen do, as every one does infact, that these reports are pure calumny."
"Calumny!" exclaimed De Wardes, furious at seeing himself caught in thesnare by De Guiche's coolness of temper.
"Certainly, a calumny. Look at this letter from him, in which he tellsme you have spoken ill of Mademoiselle de la Valliere; and where he asksme, if what you reported about this young girl be true or not. Do youwish me to appeal to these gentlemen, De Wardes, to decide?" And withadmirable coolness, Guiche read aloud the paragraph of the letter whichreferred to La Valliere. "And now," continued De Guiche, "there is nodoubt in the world, as far as I am concerned, that you wished to disturbBragelonne's peace of mind, and that your remarks were maliciouslyintended."
De Wardes looked round him, to see if he could find support from anyone; but, at the idea that De Wardes had insulted, e
ither directly orindirectly, the idol of the day, every one shook his head; and De Wardessaw that there was no one present who would have refused to say he wasin the wrong.
"Messieurs," said De Guiche, intuitively divining the general feeling,"my discussion with Monsieur de Wardes refers to a subject so delicatein its nature, that it is most important no one should hear more thanyou have already heard. Close the doors, then, I beg you, and let usfinish our conversation in the manner which becomes two gentlemen, oneof whom has given the other the lie."
"Messieurs, messieurs!" exclaimed those who were present.
"Is it your opinion, then, that I was wrong in defending Mademoiselle dela Valliere?" said De Guiche. "In that case, I pass judgment uponmyself, and am ready to withdraw the offensive words I may have used toMonsieur de Wardes."
"The deuce! certainly not!" said Saint-Aignan. "Mademoiselle de laValliere is an angel."
"Virtue and purity itself," said Manicamp.
"You see, Monsieur de Wardes," said Guiche, "I am not the only one whoundertakes the defense of that poor girl. I entreat you, therefore,messieurs, a second time, to leave us. You see, it is impossible wecould be more calm and composed than we are."
It was the very thing the courtiers wished; some went out at one door,and the rest at the other, and the two young men were left alone.
"Well played," said De Wardes, to the comte.
"Was it not?" replied the latter.
"How can it be wondered at, my dear fellow; I have got quite rusty inthe country, while the command you have acquired over yourself, comte,confounds me; a man always gains something in women's society; so, prayaccept my congratulations."
"I do accept them."
"And I will make Madame a present of them."
"And now, my dear Monsieur de Wardes, let us speak as loud as youplease."
"Do not defy me."
"I do defy you, for you are known to be an evil-minded man; if you dothat, you will be looked upon as a coward, too; and Monsieur would haveyou hanged this evening at his window-casement. Speak, my dear DeWardes, speak."
"I have fought already."
"But not quite enough, yet."
"I see, you would not be sorry to fight with me while my wounds arestill open."
"No; better still."
"The deuce! you are unfortunate in the moment you have chosen; a duel,after the one I have just fought, would hardly suit me: I have lost toomuch blood at Boulogne: at the slightest effort my wounds would openagain, and you would really have too good a bargain with me."
"True," said Guiche: "and yet, on your arrival here, your looks and yourarms showed there was nothing the matter with you."
"Yes, my arms are all right, but my legs are weak; and then, I have nothad a foil in my hand since that devil of a duel; and you, I am sure,have been fencing every day, in order to carry your little conspiracyagainst me to a successful issue."
"Upon my honor, monsieur," replied De Guiche, "it is six months since Ilast practiced."
"No, comte, after due reflection, I will not fight, at least with you. Ishall await Bragelonne's return, since you say that it is Bragelonne whohas fault to find with me."
"Oh, no, indeed!--You shall not wait until Bragelonne's return,"exclaimed the comte, losing all command over himself, "for you have saidthat Bragelonne might, possibly, be some time before he returns; and, inthe meanwhile, your wicked insinuations would have had their effect."
"Yet, I shall have my excuse. So take care."
"I will give you a week to finish your recovery."
"That is better. So let us wait a week."
"Yes, yes, I understand; a week will give time to my adversary to makehis escape. No, no; I will not give you one day, even."
"You are mad, monsieur," said De Wardes, retreating a step.
"And you are a coward, if you do not fight willingly. Nay, what is more,I will denounce you to the king, as having refused to fight, afterhaving insulted La Valliere."
"Ah!" said De Wardes, "you are dangerously treacherous, though you passfor a man of honor."
"There is nothing more dangerous than the treachery, as you term it, ofthe man whose conduct is always loyal and upright."
"Restore me the use of my legs, then, or get yourself bled, till you areas white as I am, so as to equalize our chances."
"No, no; I have something better than that to propose."
"What is it?"
"We will fight on horseback, and will exchange three pistol-shots each.You are a first-rate marksman. I have seen you bring down swallows withsingle balls, and at full gallop. Do not deny it, for I have seen youmyself."
"I believe you are right," said De Wardes; "and as that is the case, itis not unlikely I might kill you."
"You would be rendering me a very great service, if you did."
"I will do my best."
"Is it agreed? Give me your hand upon it."
"There it is;--but on one condition, however."
"Name it."
"That not a word shall be said about it to the king."
"Not a word, I swear."
"I shall go and get my horse, then."
"And I, mine."
"Where shall we meet?"
"In the open plain: I know an admirable place."
"Shall we go together?"
"Why not?"
And both of them, on their way to the stables, passed beneath Madame'swindows, which were faintly lighted; a shadow could be seen behind thelace curtains. "There is a woman," said De Wardes, smiling, "who doesnot suspect that we are going to fight--to die, perhaps, on heraccount."