La Dame de Monsoreau (103 page)

" Monseigneur, beware of choosing badly."

" I will risk- it," said Franqois, somewhat disturbed, but making an effort to keep cool.

" For your own interest, I advise you not to do so."

" But if I sign, I compromise myself."

" If you refuse to sign, you do worse : you become a party to your own murder."

Francois shuddered.

"Would they dare? " said he.

"They will dare everything. The conspirators have advanced too far; they must succeed at any price."

HE TOOK, OR RATHER, TORE, THE PEN FROM THE COUNT'S HAND AND SIGNED.

The duke fell into a state of indecision easy to understand.

" I will sign," said he.

« When ? "

" To-morrow."

" To-morrow ? No, monseigneur ; if you sign, you must sign immediately."

" But MM. de Guise have to draw up the agreement I am to sign in connection with them."

"It is drawn up already, monseigneur; I have it with me."

Monsoreau drew a paper from his pocket: it was a full and entire adhesion to the scheme with which we are already acquainted.

The duke read it from end to end, and the count could see that, as he read, he turned pale ; when he had finished, his legs failed him, and he sat, or rather fell, down on the chair before the table.

" Take this, monseigneur," said Monsoreau, handing him a pen.

" Must I sign, then ? " said Francois, pressing his hand to his forehead, for he felt as if his head was turning.

" You must if you wish ; no one forces you."

" But if no one force me, there are some who threaten me with assassination."

" I do not threaten you, monseigneur, God forbid; I warn you. That is quite a different thing."

" Give it," said the duke.

And, as if making an effort over himself, he took, or rather, tore, the pen from the count's hand and signed.

Monsoreau watched him with an eye burning with hate and hope; when he saw him put pen to paper, he had to lean on the table; his eyes seemed to dilate as the duke formed the letters that composed his name.

" Ah ! " cried he, when the duke had finished.

And seizing the paper with a movement as violent as that with which the duke had seized the pen, he folded it, hid it between his shirt and the silken habiliment that did duty for a waistcoat at the time, buttoned his doublet, and wrapped his cloak over it.

The duke stared at him in amazement; he could read nothing on that face, across which a gleam of ferocious joy had just flashed.

" And now, monseigneur," said Monsoreau, " be prudent."

" In what way ? "

" Give up running about the streets with Aurilly, as you have been doing awhile ago.' 7

" What do you mean ? "

" 1 mean, monseigneur, that to-night you persecuted with your love a woman whom her husband adores, a woman of whom he is so jealous that, by my faith, he is determined to kill any one who approaches her without his permission."

" May I ask is it of yourself and your wife that you are really speaking ? "

" Yes, monseigneur, since yoii have guessed so correctly at the first trial I will not deny it. I have married Diane de Meridor; she is mine, and no one shall have her, at least, as long as I am living, not even a prince ! "

He almost touched with his poniard the breast of the prince, who started back.

" Monsieur, you threaten me," said Franqois, pale with fury.

" No, my prince, I only warn you, as I did a moment ago."

" Warn me of what ? "

" That no one shall have my wife."

" And I, you double-dyed fool," cried the Due d'Anjou, beside himself with rage, " tell you your warning comes too late, for some one has had her already."

Monsoreau uttered a terrible cry and buried his hands in his hair.

" It was not you," he stammered, " it was not you, monseigneur ? "

And he held his poniard in such a way that with a single thrust he could stab the prince to the heart.

Francois recoiled.

" You are mad, count," preparing to strike the bell.

" No, I see clearly, speak sensibly, and understand correctly. You have just said that some one has possessed my wife; you said so."

" I repeat it."

" Name this person, and prove the fact."

'" Who was hidden to-night, about twenty yards from your house, with a musket ? "

« j »

" Well, count, during that time " —

" During that time "

•'< A man was in your house, or rather, in your wife's room."

" You saw him enter ? "

" No, I saw him come out."

« By the door ? "

" By the window."

" You recognized the man ? "

« Yes."

" Name him," cried Monsoreau, " name him, monseigneur, or I cannot answer for myself."

The duke passed his hand over his forehead and something like a smile flitted across his lips.

" M. le Comte," said he, "'on my honor as a prince of the blood, on my soul and before God, within a week I will make you acquainted with the man who possesses your wife."

" You swear it ? " cried Monsoreau.

" I swear it."

"Well, monseigneur, in a week," said Monsoreau, striking the part of his breast upon which lay the paper, " in a week, or, — you understand ? "

" Return in a week ; that is all I have to say to you."

" After all, that is better," said Monsoreau. " In a week I shall be well, and he who is eager for vengeance needs all his strength."

He passed out, making a gesture that was more threatening than valedictory.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

A PROMENADE AT LES TOURNELLES.

MEANWHILE the Angevine gentlemen had gradually returned to Paris.

It cannot be said, however, that they returned with confidence. They knew the King and the King's brother and mother too well to hope that everything would end in a family embrace.

They never forgot how they had been chased by the King's friends, and had not the slightest expectation that a triumphal entry would be allotted to them as a sort of reparation for that rather disagreeable incident.

And so their return was marked by a certain degree of timidity ; they stole into the city, armed to the teeth, were

ready to fire on the slightest provocation, and before arriving at the Hotel d'Anjou drew their swords at least fifty times on innocent tradesmen whose sole crime was that of looking at them as they passed by.

Antraguet, especially, was the most ferocious of them all, and laid all the imaginary insults they received to the account of the King's minions, comforting himself with the thought that whenever the opportunity arose he should have a few very significant words to say to them.

He imparted his purpose to R-ibeirac, a man of proved sagacity, who replied that whenever he indulged in such a pleasure he should take care to have a frontier or two at hand.

" I '11 try to do so," answered Antraguet.

The duke gave them a cordial welcome.

They were his men, just as MM. de Maugiron, Schomberg, Quelus, and D'%>ernon were the King's.

He began by saying :

" My friends, there are people here who are just a little bit in the humor for killing you. I know the wind sets in that quarter. Look out for yourselves."

" We have done so, monseigneur," answered Antraguet; " but ought we not to offer our very humble respects to his Majesty ? For to hide ourselves would really do no great honor to Anjou. How does it strike your highness ? "

" You are right," said the duke, " go, and, if you like, I will go along with you."

The three young men looked inquiringly at one another. At this moment Bussy entered the hall and embraced his friends.

" Why," said he, " you have been awfully late ! But what is this I hear ? Monseigneur proposing to go and get himself killed in the Louvre like Caesar in the Roman senate ! Only think of what the pleasure of the minions would be if they could each carry away a little bit of his highness under their cloaks ! "

" But, my dear friend," said Antraguet, " the very thing we want is just to have a little fling at these fellows."

Bussy did not think the time had come to tell them of the proposed duel.

" Oh," said he, « as to that, we '11 see, we '11 see."

The duke observed him very attentively.

" Let us go to the Louvre," said Bussy, " but by ourselves.

Monseigneur will stay in his garden and amuse himself by knocking off the heads of the poppies."

Franqois pretended to laugh in merry protest, but the fact was he was pleased to be relieved of an irksome task.

The Angevines were arrayed in great splendor.

They were high and mighty lords who joyously squandered the revenues derived from the paternal acres in silks, velvets, and laces. •

The whole four of them, when together, presented a dazzling spectacle of gold, precious stones, and magnificent brocades. They were cheered on the way by the people, who, with their usual infallible instinct, detected under these fine costumes hearts on fire with hatred for the minions.

Henri III. refused to receive these gentlemen from Anjou, and they waited vainly in the gallery.

It was Maugiron, Quelus, Schomberg, and D'Epernon who brought them the tidings of the King's refusal, which they did with the most courteous salutations and with expressions of the most profound regret.

" Ah, messires," said Aritraguet, " this is sad news indeed ! but coming from your lips it loses half its bitterness."

"Gentlemen," said Schornberg, "you are the very pink of grace and courtesy. Would it be agreeable to you to make up for the reception which you have missed by enjoying a little promenade ? "

" Oh ! gentlemen, we were just on the point of requesting that favor," was the quick answer of Antraguet, though Bussy touched his arm lightly, saying :

" Silence, if you please, and let them alone."

" I wonder where we should go," said Quelus, as if in doubt.

" I know a charming spot near the Bastile," replied Schomberg.

" Gentlemen, we follow you," said Ribeirac; " pray take the lead."

And the King's four friends passed out of the Louvre, followed by the four Angevines, and marched along the quays to the old paddock of Les Tournelles, then the Marche-aux-Ohevaux ; it formed a sort of square, perfectly level, with a few poor-looking trees scattered here and there, and fences which served to keep the horses inside and to which they were also tied.

The young gentlemen walked arm in arm, lavishing on one

another every sort of civility and conversing in the most gay and sprightly fashion, to the stupefaction of the good citizens, who began to regret their late hurrahs and to say that the Angevines had made a covenant with the swine of Herodes!

On arriving, Quelus said:

" You could n't find a nicer or a lonelier spot for the purpose, and what a capital footing the ground gives! " • " Faith, you 're right," answered Antraguet, stamping the earth several times.

" Well," continued Quelus, " these gentlemen and I have been thinking, knowing your politeness, that you would accompany us hither, one of these days, and second, tierce, and quarte M. de Bussy, your friend, who has done us the honor of challenging us all four."

" It is true," said Bussy to his astounded companions.

" And he never said a word about it! " cried Antraguet.

" Oh, M. de Bussy is a gentleman who knows the value of words," retorted Quelus. " Would you deign to accept, gentlemen of Anjou ? "

" Accept ? Why, of course," cried the three Angevines together. " We are delighted at so great an honor."

" Nothing could be better," said Schomberg, rubbing his hands. " And now if it be agreeable to you, let each select his adversary."

" I am perfectly willing," answered Bibeirac, with flaming eyes ; " and, after that"

" No," interrupted Bussy, " that would not be fair. We are all actuated by the same feelings ; therefore we are inspired by God. God, I assure you, gentlemen, is the author of human ideas. Then leave to God the task of settling the matter. And, besides, should we agree that the first who kills or mortally wounds his antagonist shall be at liberty to attack the others "

" Yes ! yes !" cried the minions, " that is what we wish "

" The more reason, then, that we should act like the Horatii, and draw lots."

" Are you sure the Horatii drew lots ?" asked Quelus, thoughtfully.

" I have every reason to believe so," replied Bussy.

" Then let us imitate them."

" A moment," said Bussy. " Before knowing who are to be our antagonists, let us agree on the rules of combat. It

would be highly indecorous to make these rules only after the selection of opponents."