"I fancy I do."
"Tell us then."
"Bend your head down towards me."
"What! may it not be spoken except in private?""You shall judge of that yourself."
"Very well." De Guiche bent down.
"Love," said Manicamp.
"I do not understand you at all."
"Say rather, you cannot understand me yet.""Explain yourself."
"Very well; it is quite certain, count, that his royal highness will be the most unfortunate of husbands.""What do you mean?"
"The Duke of Buckingham ---- "
"It is a name of ill omen to the princes of the house of France.""And so the duke is madly in love with Madame, so the rumor runs, and will have no one approach her but himself."De Guiche colored."Thank you, thank you," said he to Manicamp, grasping his hand.Then, recovering himself, added, "Whatever you do, Manicamp, be careful that this project of Buckingham's is not made known to any Frenchman here; for, if so, many a sword would be unsheathed in this country that does not fear English steel.""But after all," said Manicamp, "I have had no satisfactory proof given me of the love in question, and it may be no more than an idle tale.""No, no," said De Guiche, "it must be the truth;" and despite his command over himself, he clenched his teeth.
"Well," said Manicamp, "after all, what does it matter to you? What does it matter to me whether the prince is to be what the late king was? Buckingham the father for the queen, Buckingham the son for the princess.""Manicamp! Manicamp!
"It is a fact, or at least, everybody says so.""Silence!" cried the count.
"But why, silence?" said De Wardes, "it is a highly creditable circumstance for the French nation.Are not you of my opinion, Monsieur de Bragelonne?""To what circumstance do you allude?" inquired De Bragelonne with an abstracted air.
"That the English should render homage to the beauty of our queens and our princesses.""Forgive me, but I have not been paying attention to what has passed; will you oblige me by explaining,"There is no doubt it was necessary that Buckingham the father should come to Paris in order that his majesty, King Louis XIII., should perceive that his wife was one of the most beautiful women of the French court; and it seems necessary, at the present time, that Buckingham the son should consecrate, by the devotion of his worship, the beauty of a princess who has French blood in her veins.The fact of having inspired a passion on the other side of the Channel will henceforth confer a title to beauty on this.""Sir," replied De Bragelonne, "I do not like to hear such matters treated so lightly.Gentlemen like ourselves should be careful guardians of the honor of our queens and our princesses.If we jest at them, what will our servants do?""How am I to understand that?" said De Wardes, whose ears tingled at the remark.
"In any way you choose, monsieur," replied De Bragelonne, coldly.
"Bragelonne, Bragelonne," murmured De Guiche.
"M.de Wardes," exclaimed Manicamp, noticing that the young man had spurred his horse close to the side of Raoul.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said De Guiche, "do not set such an example in public, in the street too.De Wardes, you are wrong.""Wrong; in what way, may I ask?"
"You are wrong, monsieur, because you are always speaking ill of someone or something," replied Raoul with undisturbed composure.
"Be indulgent, Raoul," said De Guiche, in an undertone.
"Pray do not think of fighting, gentlemen!" said Manicamp, "before you have rested yourselves; for in that case you will not be able to do much.""Come," said De Guiche, "forward, gentlemen!" and breaking through the horses and attendants, he cleared the way for himself towards the center of the square, through the crowd, followed by the whole cavalcade.A large gateway looking out upon a courtyard was open; Guiche entered the courtyard, and Bragelonne, De Wardes, Manicamp, and three or four other gentlemen, followed him.A sort of council of war was held, and the means to be employed for saving the dignity of the embassy were deliberated upon.Bragelonne was of opinion that the right of priority should be respected, while De Wardes suggested that the town should be sacked.This latter proposition appearing to Manicamp rather premature, he proposed instead that they should first rest themselves.
This was the wisest thing to do, but, unhappily, to follow his advice, two things were wanting; namely, a house and beds.De Guiche reflected for awhile, and then said aloud, "Let him who loves me, follow me!""The attendants also?" inquired a page who had approached the group.
"Every one," exclaimed the impetuous young man."Manicamp, show us the way to the house.destined for her Royal Highness's residence."Without in any way divining the count's project, his friends followed him, accompanied by a crowd of people whose acclamations and delight seemed a happy omen for the success of that project with which they were yet unacquainted.The wind was blowing strongly from the harbor, and moaning in fitful gusts.