Alexandre Dumas

“ The light burned dim, and only threw faint circles on the ceiling of carved oak.
"Alone, still!" murmured the king. "Mon Dieu! I am alone all my life, as I shall be after death."
"'Alone after death'; that is not certain," said a powerful voice near the bed.
The king started up and looked round him in terror. "I know that voice," cried he.
"Ah! that is lucky," replied the voice.
"It is like the voice of Chicot."
"You burn, Henri: you burn."
Then the king, getting half out of bed, saw a man sitting in the very chair which he had pointed out to D'Epernon. ”

“ You are ambitious, sire."
"Here is a man determined to make me want something," cried Henri.
"God forbid, sire; I desire with all my heart, on the contrary, that your majesty should want nothing."
"Nothing calls you back to Paris, does it, Chicot?"
"No, sire."
"Then you will pass some days with me?"
"If your majesty does me the honor to wish for my company, I ask no better than to give you a week."
"So be it; in a week you will know me like a brother. Drink, Chicot."
"Sire, I am no longer thirsty," said Chicot, who had given up all hopes of seeing the king take too much. ”

“ You do foul injustice to your race, Henri, most truly."
"Brother!" exclaimed the young man, pale as death, while his eyes blazed with kindling fire, "would you sooner have me blow out my brains, or plunge in my heart the sword I have the honor to wear by my side? Pardieu, monseigneur, if you, who are cardinal and prince besides, will give me absolution for so mortal a sin, the affair will be so quickly done that you shall have no time to complete your odious and unworthy thought that I am capable of dishonoring my race, which, Heaven be praised, a Joyeuse will never do." ”

“ Joyeuse's heart was smitten by her reply.
"Oh! madame," he murmured after a long silence, "you are indeed beautiful, and truly must Henri have loved you. Surely Heaven can only have bestowed upon you loveliness such as you possess to cast it like perfume upon an existence devoted to your own."
"Monsieur, have you not conversed with your brother? or, if you have done so, he cannot have thought it expedient to make you his confidant; had not that been the case, he would have told you that I have done what you say—I have loved; I shall never love again; I have lived and must die." ”

“ We are not here to flatter each other. To take Cahors, which is held by M. de Vesin, one must be a Hannibal or a Cæsar; and your majesty—"
"Well?" said Henri, with a smile.
"Has just said, you do not like war."
Henri sighed, and his eyes flashed for a minute; then he said:
"It is true I have never drawn the sword, and perhaps never shall. I am a king of straw, a man of peace; but, by a singular contrast, I love to think of warlike things—that is in my blood. St. Louis, my ancestor, pious by education and gentle by nature, became on occasion a brave soldier and a skillful swordsman. ”

“ You wish to serve God, and you are right; he is a better master than I am. You have my promise, dear comte."
"Your majesty overwhelms me with joy," cried the young man, kissing Henri's hand as though he had made him duke, peer, or marshal of France. "Then it is settled?"
"On my word as a king and a gentleman."
Something like a smile passed over the lips of Du Bouchage; he bowed respectfully to the king and took leave.
"What a happy young man," said Henri.
"Oh!" said Chicot, "you need not envy him; he is not more doleful than yourself."
"But, Chicot, he is going to give himself up to religion." ”

“ Oh! mon Dieu! in such a case you should use all your strength and all your power, Henri. In your place, I should have taken her house by assault, and then herself; and when she was conquered, and came to throw her arms round your neck and say, 'Henri, I adore you,' I should have repulsed her, and said, 'You do well, madame; it is your turn—I have suffered enough for you—to suffer also.'"
Henri seized his brother's hand. "You do not mean a word of what you say," said he.
"Yes, on my honor."
"You, so good—so generous!"
"Generosity with heartless people is folly." ”

“ Aurilly affected the most perfect equality with Remy, and showed to Diana the greatest respect. But this respect was very interested. Indeed, to hold the stirrup of a woman when she mounts or dismounts, to watch each of her movements with solicitude, to let slip no occasion of picking up her glove, is the role either of a lover, a servant, or a spy. In touching Diana's glove Aurilly saw her hand, in clasping her cloak he peeped under her mask, and always did his utmost to see that face which the duke had not been able to recognize, but which he doubted not he should be able to. ”

“ As he rose, they heard the sound of trumpets on the plain, from which the water was rapidly disappearing. The gendarmes seized their arms and were on horseback at once.
Henri listened. "Gentlemen," cried he, "those are the admiral's trumpets; I know them. Oh, God! may they announce my brother!"
"You see that you still wish something, and still love something; why, then, should you choose despair, like those who desire nothing—like those who love no one?"
"A horse!" cried Henri; "who will lend me a horse?"
"But the water is still all around us," said the ensign. ”

“ Chicot began to understand the king of Navarre. Therefore, instead of going to sleep, he sat somber and thoughtful on his bed, while the moon shed its silver light over stream and meadows.
"Henri is a real king, and he conspires," thought Chicot. "All this palace, park, town—the whole province—is a focus of conspiracy. All the women make love, but it is political love; and all the men live in the hope of a future. Henri is clever, his talent borders on genius, and he is in communication with Spain, the land of deceit. ”

“ The unknown only replied by attacking Joyeuse with fresh fury; but now Joyeuse was on his guard, and knew with what a skillful swordsman he had to deal. He parried two or three thrusts with as much skill as fury, and it was now the stranger who made a step back.
"See!" cried Joyeuse, "what one can do fighting for one's country! A pure heart and a loyal arm suffice to defend a head without a helmet, a face without a vizor;" and he threw his helmet far from him, displaying his noble and beautiful head, with eyes sparkling with pride, youth and anger. ”

“ Diana smiled.
"He is furious," continued Remy.
"He shall not see me; of that I am determined."
"But once we are at Chateau-Thierry, must he not see your face?"
"What matter, if the discovery come too late? Besides, the duke did not recognize me."
"No, but his follower will. All these mysteries which have so annoyed Aurilly for eight days had not existed for the prince; they had not excited his curiosity or awakened his souvenirs, while for a week Aurilly has been seeking, imagining, suspecting. Your face will strike on a memory fully awakened, and he will know you at once." ”

“ This one is loyal to Mayenne, he will be loyal to me."
"Toward you, sire, I shall be more than loyal—I shall be devoted," cried Ernanton.
"Now, D'Epernon, no more quarrels," said the king; "and you must at once pardon in this brave fellow what you looked upon as a want of loyalty, but which I regard as a proof of honesty."
"Sire," said Ernanton, "M. le Duc is too superior a man not to have discovered, through my disobedience (for which I confess my regret) , my respect for him; only, before all things, I must do what I believe to be my duty." ”

“ Henri leaned back in his chair to laugh. "They say I reign more over my female than my male subjects, do they not?" said he.
"Yes, sire, and it astonishes me."
"Why so?"
"Because, sire, you have much of that restless spirit which makes great kings."
"Ah, Chicot! you are wrong; I am lazy, and the proof of it is in my life. If I have a love to choose, I take the nearest; if a wine, the bottle close to my hand. To your health, Chicot."
"Sire, you do me honor," said Chicot, emptying his glass.
"Thus," continued the king, "what quarrels in my household!" ”

“ Handsome, brave and rich, Nature had done so much for him that Henri often regretted that she had left so little for him to add. The king knew his men well, for he was remarkably clear-sighted: and though often betrayed, was never deceived. But ennui was the curse of his life; he was ennuyé now, and was wondering if any one would come and amuse him, when M. le Duc d'Epernon was announced. Henri was delighted.
"Ah! good-evening, duke; I am enchanted to see you. Why were you not present at the execution of Salcede?—I told you there would be room in my box." ”

“ Where is the woman that can resist at once beauty, youth and wealth? There are none, Du Bouchage."
"Sire, your goodness is great."
"If you wish to be discreet, and tell me nothing, do so; I will find out, and then act. You know what I have done for your brother, I will do as much for you; a hundred thousand crowns shall not stop me."
Du Bouchage seized the king's hand, and pressed his lips to it.
"May your majesty ask one day for my blood, and I will shed it to the last drop to show you how grateful I am for the protection that I refuse!"
Henri III. turned on his heel angrily. ”

“ I love too deeply, madame, I perceive."
Diana plucked several sprigs of jasmine and of clematis, and two beautiful roses which bordered the whole of one side of the pedestal of the statue behind which Henri was shrinking terrified.
"What are you doing, madame?" inquired the prince.
"I have always understood, monseigneur," she said, "that the perfume of flowers was the best remedy for attacks of giddiness; I am gathering a bouquet with the hope that this bouquet, if presented by me, will have the magical influence which I wish it to possess." ”

“ At last, Jacques rushed a last time on Chicot, who, parrying his thrust with force, threw the poor fellow off his equilibrium, and he fell, while Chicot himself remained firm as a rock.
"You did not tell us you were a pillar," said Borromée, biting his nails with vexation.
"I, a poor bourgeois!" said Chicot.
"But, monsieur, to manage a sword as you do, you must have practiced enormously."
"Oh! mon Dieu! yes, monsieur, I have often held the sword, and have always found one thing."—"What is that?"
"That for him who holds it, pride is a bad counselor and anger a bad assistant. ”

“ There only remained the queen-mother, D'Epernon, and Du Bouchage. The king beckoned to the latter, and said:
"Why do you hide thus behind the ladies; do you not know it gives me pleasure to see you?"
"Your kind words do me honor, sire," said the young man, bowing.
"Then how is it that we never see you here now?"
"If your majesty has not seen me, it is because you have not deigned to cast an eye on the corner of the room. I am here every day regularly; I never have failed, and never will, as long as I can stand upright: it is a sacred duty to me." ”

“ Henri rose.
"I thank you," said he, "for having had compassion on my misfortunes; now I have decided."
"Then you will be calmer for the future. M. le Comte, you will go away, and leave us to ourselves?"
"Yes, be easy; I will go away, and forever."
"You mean to die?"
"Why not? I cannot live without her."
"M. le Comte, believe me, it is bad to die by your own hand."
"Therefore I shall not choose that death; but there is, for a young man like me, a death which has always been reckoned the best—that received in defending your king and country." ”

“ Ernanton rose, pale and angry.
"Excuse me, madame," said he, "it seems I commit nothing but follies here; I am not yet accustomed to the habits of Paris. Among us in the provinces, 200 leagues off, when a woman says 'I love,' she loves, and does not hold herself aloof, or take pretexts for humiliating the man at her feet. It is your custom as a Parisian, and your right as a princess. I accept it, therefore, only I have not been accustomed to it. The habit, doubtless, will come in time."
"Ah! you are angry, I believe," said the duchess, haughtily. ”

“ The window of Gorenflot's room opened with folding-doors on to a balcony, and Chicot saw them open, and Gorenflot come out, with his most gallant manner and winning smile, leading a lady almost hidden under a mantle of velvet and fur.
"Oh!" thought Chicot, "here is the penitent. She looks young; it is very odd, but I find resemblances in every one I see. And here comes the squire; as for him, there is no mistake; I know him, and if he be Mayneville—ventre de biche!—why should not the lady be Madame de Montpensier? And, morbleu! that woman is the duchess!" ”

“ I have such bad eyes, and yet I am not old. Yes, here comes Salcede."
"He fears," said Catherine; "he will speak."
"If he has strength," said the king. "See, his head falls about like that of a corpse."
"He is frightful," said Joyeuse.
"How should a man be handsome whose thoughts are so ugly? Have I not explained to you, Anne, the secret connection of the physical and the moral, as Hippocrates and Galen understood and expounded them?"
"I admit it, sire, but I am not a good pupil. I have sometimes seen very ugly men very good soldiers. Have you not, Henri?" ”

“ And they looked fiercely at each other, but Borromée, quickly assuming an air of amiable urbanity, said, "Vive Dieu, you are cunning, M. Robert Briquet."
"I, reverend father; and why do you say so?"
"When you were at the convent of the Jacobins, you made me believe you were only a simple bourgeois."
"Ah!" replied Chicot, "and what must we say of you, M. Borromée?"
"Of me?"
"Yes, of you."
"And why?"
"For making me believe you were only a monk. You must be more cunning than the pope himself; but you took me in the snare." ”

“ Remark one thing, Chicot, that a great man from the ranks of the people is complete; we gentlemen, you see, inherit in our blood certain vices and virtues. Thus, the Valois are cunning and subtle, brave, but idle; the Lorraines are ambitious, greedy, and intriguing; the Bourbons are sensual, without ideas, force, or will. Look at Henri: when Nature, on the contrary, draws a great man from among the people, like Gorenflot, he is complete. ”