La Dame de Monsoreau (9 page)

" Ah, good heavens ! the King is quarrelling with some one, if I am not greatly mistaken," cried M. de Nancey.

" I 'm really afraid he is," answered Bussy, pretending to be uneasy. " I wonder is it with M. d. Anjou ? you know I came with him."

The captain buckled on his sword and started for the gallery, where, in fact, there was an altercation loud enough to pierce the walls and roof.

" Say, don't you think I have managed pretty well ? " said Bussy, turning to Saint-Luc.

" What is it all about ? " asked the latter.

" Only the King and Anjou tearing each other to pieces, and as that must be a splendid spectacle, I must not lose any of it. You had better profit by the scrimmage, not by flight, the King would be sure to follow you ; but by hiding away in

some secure place the pretty page I am giving you; is it possible to do so ? "

" Yes, pardieu ! and if it were n't, I 'd make it possible. But, luckily, I am pretending to be ill and keeping my room."

" In that case, good-by, Saint-Luc. Madame, do not forget me in your prayers."

And Bussy, delighted at having tricked Henri III., passed out of the ante-chamber and entered the gallery, where the King, red with anger, was swearing to the prince, pale with rage, that in the scene on the preceding night Bussy was the challenger.

"I assert, sire," shouted the Due d'Anjou, "that D'Epernon, Schomberg, D'O, Maugiron, and Quelus lay in wait for him at the Hotel des Tournelles."

" Who told you so ? "

" I saw them with my own eyes, sire."

" And in the darkness, too ? Why, the night was as black as pitch."

" True. And so it was not by their faces I recognized them."

" By what, then ? their shoulders ? "

" No, sire, by their voices."

" They spoke to you ? "

" Better than that, they took me for Bussy and charged on me."

"On you? "

" Yes, on me."

" And what were you doing at the Porte Saint-Antoine ? "

" What is that to you ? "

" I want to know. I am in an inquisitive mood to-day."

" I was going to Maiiasses."

" To Manasses the Jew ! "

" You go to Ruggieri, the poisoner, and think nothing of it."

" I go where I like ; I am the King."

" What you say is better calculated to sicken a person than to answer him."

" Besides, as I said already, Bussy was the challenger."

" Bussy ? "

" Yes."

"Where ?"

" At Saint-Luc's ball."

" Bussy challenged five men ? What nonsense ! Bussy is brave, but Bussy is not a madman."

" Par la Mordieu ! I tell you I heard the challenge myself. Moreover, he is just the kind to do such a thing, since, in spite of all you say, he has wounded Schomberg in the thigh, D'Eper-non in the arm, and has almost killed Quelus."

" Ah, indeed! " answered the prince; " he told me nothing of that. I must congratulate him."

" Well, T," said the King, " do not purpose congratulating anybody ; but I am very decided on making an example of this swash-buckler."

"And I," retorted Anjou, "whom your friends attack, not only in the person of Bussy, but even in my own, — I intend to learn whether or not I am your brother, and whether there is a single man in France, your Majesty excepted, who has the right to look me in the face and refuse to lower his eyes, if not through respect, at least through fear."

At this moment, attracted by the squabble between the two brothers, Bussy appeared, gayly attired in his dress of pale-green satin with its knots of rose.

" Sire," said he, inclining before Henri, " deign to receive my most humble respects."

" Pardieu! he is here," said Henri.

" Your Majesty, apparently, has done me the honor of speaking about me ? "

" Yes," answered the King, " and I am very glad to see you. Whatever they may say, your face is the very picture of health."

" Sire, a good blood-letting always brightens up the complexion," said Bussy, " and so mine must be very bright this evening."

" Well, as you have been beaten and injured, make y\»ur complaint, Seigneur de Bussy, and I will do you justice."

"Pardon me, sire, I have been neither beaten nor injured, and I make no complaint."

Henri seemed astounded, and looked at the Due d'Anjou.

" Well! what were you saying a moment ago ? " he asked.

" I was saying that Bussy was wounded by a dagger in the side."

u Is that true, Bussy ? " asked the King.

" Since your Majesty's brother avouches for it, it must be true ; the first prince of the blood could not lie."

" And although you have a wound in your side," said Henri, " you did not complain ? "

" The only case in which I should complain, sire, would be, if I happened to lose my right hand, for that might prevent me from avenging myself; and yet," continued the incorrigible duellist, " I don't know but that I might still manage to avenge myself with the -left."

" Insolent rascal! " murmured Henri.

" Sire," said the Due d'Anjou, "you have spoken of justice; then do justice ; we ask for nothing better. Order an inquiry, name the judges, and then it shall be known who prepared the ambush, who plotted murder."

Henri blushed.

" No," said he. " I. prefer this time to be ignorant with which party the wrong lies and to grant a general pardon. I prefer compelling these fierce ^enemies to make peace, and I am sorry that Schomberg and D'Epernon are kept away by their wounds. Come, M. d'Anjou, which of my friends was the most violent on this occasion ? It ought to be easy for you to answer, since you claim you saw them."

" Quelus, sire," answered the Due d'Anjou.

"By my soul, yes, sire ! " said Quelus ; " I make no secret of it, and his Highness has seen things clearly."

" Then," said Henri, " let M. de Bussy and M. de Quelus make peace in the name of all the rest."

" Oh, sire !" exclaimed Quelus, " what does this mean ? "

" It means that you are to embrace here in my presence, this very moment."

Quelus frowned.

"What, signor," said Bussy, turning round to Quelus, and imitating the gestures of an Italian pantaloon, " will you not do me this favor ?"

The sally was so unexpected and made with such dash, that the King himself could not help laughing.

Then Bussy drew near to Quelus.

" You come-a now, monsou ; the King-a wills it," said he, and threw both arms about his neck.

" I hope this does not bind us to anything," whispered Quelus to Bussy.

" Rest easy," replied Bussy, in the same tone. " We '11 meet, some day or other."

Quelus drew back in a fury, with flaming cheeks and disordered curls.

Henri frowned, and Bussy, still imitating a pantaloon, whirled round on his heels and passed out of the council chamber.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PETIT COUCHER OF HENRI III.

AFTER this scene, beginning so tragically and ending so comically, the report of which was quickly noised abroad outside the Louvre, the King, still in a rage, took the way to his apartments, followed by Chicot, who asked for his supper.

" I 'in not hungry," said the King, as he stepped over the threshold.

" It 7 s possible," said Chicot; " but I 'in famished, and I should like a bite at something, if it were only a leg of mutton."

The King acted as if he had riot heard. He unclasped his mantle, laid it on the bed, took off his cap, which was kept on his head by four long black pins, and flung it on a chair. Then, proceeding to the lobby that led to Saint-Luc's room, between which and his own there was but a simple wall :

" Wait for me here, Chicot/' said he, " I shall return."

" Oh, there 's no hurry, my son," said the jester ; " in fact," he added, listening to Henri's footsteps as they died away, " I am anxious to have time enough to get up a little surprise for your benefit."

Then, when there was complete silence : " Ho, there ! " said he, opening the door of the ante-chamber.

A valet ran up.

" The King has changed his mind," said he ; " he wants a nice supper prepared for himself and Saint-Luc. He gave special recommendations as to the wine. Begone, lackey."

The valet turned on his heels and hastened to execute Cl.vi-cot's orders, not doubting they were those of the King.

As for Henri, he had passed, as we have said, into the chamber of Saint-Luc, who, having been notified of his Majesty's visit, had gone to bed, and was having prayers read for him by an old servant who, having followed him to the Louvre, was now a prisoner like himself. In a gilt arm-chair, in a corner, the page introduced by Bussy was sleeping profoundly, the head resting on the hands.

The King took in all this at a glance.

" Who is that young man ? " he asked Saint-Luc, uneasily.

" Did not your Majesty, when you detained me here, authorize me to send for a page ? "

" No doubt I did/ 7 answered the King.

" Well, I have taken advantage of your permission, sire."

" Ah, indeed! "

" Does your Majesty repent of granting me this indulgence ? " asked Saint-Luc.

" Not at all, my son, not at all ; on the contrary, amuse yourself. Well, how do you feel ? "

" Sire," said Saint-Luc, " I am in a terrible fever."

"Of a truth, my child," said the King, "your face is very red. Let me feel your pulse ; you know I am something of a doctor."

Saint-Luc held out his wrist, with visible ill-temper.

" Hum ! " said the King, " intermittent, agitated !"

" Oh, sire," returned Saint-Luc, " I am really and truly very ill."

" Do not be alarmed," said Henri, " I '11 send my own doctor to attend you."

" Thanks, sire, but I detest Miron."

« Then I '11 take care of you myself."

" Sire, I could not allow it"

" I will have a bed made up for you in my own room, Saint-Luc. We '11 talk the whole night. I have a thousand things to relate to you."

" Ah! " cried Saint-Luc, driven to desperation, " you call yourself a doctor, you call yourself a friend, and you would hinder me from getting a wink of sleep. Morbleu ! doctor, you have a queer way of treating your patients ! Morbleu ! sire, you have a singular fashion of showing your affection for your friends! "

"What! you would remain by yourself, and you in such a state of suffering ? "

" Sire, I have my page, Jean."

" But he sleeps."

" I like the people who nurse me to be sleepy; at least they won't prevent me from sleeping myself."

" Let me watch by your bed. I will not speak to you unless you are awake."

" Sire, I am very ill-humored when I awake, and I should have to ask your pardon for all the foolish things I should be sure to say when only half-awake."

"Well, at least, come and wait upon me while I am preparing for bed."

" And I shall be free afterward to go to bed myself ? "

" Perfectly free."

" Well, I agree. But I warn you you '11 find me but a poor courtier. I can't stand, I 'in so sleepy."

" You may yawn at your ease."

" What tyranny ! — when you had all your other friends to call on ! "

" Ah, yes, my other friends are in a nice condition. Bussy has led them a pretty dance, I can tell you : Schomberg has a wound in his thigh, D'^pernon has his wrist slashed, and Quelus is still dizzy with the blow he got yesterday and the embrace a while ago. Of course, D'O and Maugiron are left; but the one bores me to death and the other is always sulky."

" Would your Majesty be kind enough to leave me now ? "

" Why are you so anxious to get rid of me ? "

" I assure you, sire, I shall be with you in five minutes."

" In five minutes, agreed. But not more than five, you understand ? And spend those five minutes in inventing a few diverting stories so that we may have a laugh together."

And then the King, who had half achieved his purpose, left the apartment, half satisfied.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the page started up and was at the bedside in a twinkling.

" Oh, Saint-Luc ! " said she, when the sound of the King's footsteps could no longer be heard, " are you going to leave me again ? Great heavens ! this is actual torture ! I amdying of fright. What if I were to be discovered !"

" My dear Jeanne," said Saint-Luc, " Gaspard, whom you see yonder," and he pointed to the old servant, " will protect you against annoying curiosity."

" Then I might just as well go away at once," said the young woman, blushing.

" If you insist on doing so, Jeanne," said Saint-Luc, sadly, " I '11 see that you are taken back safely to the Hotel de Mont-morency, for I alone am imprisoned here. But if you were as kind-hearted as you are beautiful, and had a little love for your poor Saint-Luc, you would wait for him a few moments. I shall pretend to be suffering so seriously from my head and nerves that the King will soon get tired of so melancholy a companion and let me leave him."

Jeanne lowered her eyes. " Go then," said she, " I will wait for you ; but, like the King, I shall say to you: Do not be long."

" Jeanne, my darling Jeanne, you are adorable," exclaimed Saint-Luc. " Depend upon it, I shall be with you again at the earliest possible moment. Besides, an .idea has occurred to me which may bear fruit ; I will tell it to you when I return."

" And that idea will restore you to liberty ? "

" I hope so."

" Then go ; go at once."

" Gaspard," said Saint-Luc, " take good care that no one enters for the next quarter of an hour. At the end of that time, lock the door and bring me the key. I shall be in the King's apartment. Then go to the hotel and tell them not to be uneasy at the absence of Madame la Comtesse ; you need not return until to-morrow."