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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 19 at Prostate Health
so long, that the unknownsaid, hastily:"I prefer your selling it, monsieur; for it is worth threehundred pistoles. A Jew -- are there any Jews in Blois? --would give you two hundred or a hundred and fifty for it --take whatever may be offered for it, if it be no more thanthe price of your lodging. Begone!""Oh! monsieur," replied Cropole, ashamed of the suddeninferiority which the unknown reflected upon him by thisnoble and disinterested confidence, as well as by theunalterable patience opposed to so many suspicions andevasions. "Oh, monsieur, I hope people are not so dishonestat Blois as you seem to think, and that the diamond, beingworth what you say ---- "The unknown here again darted at Cropole one of hiswithering glances."I really do not understand diamonds, monsieur, I assureyou," cried he."But the jewelers do: ask them," said the unknown. "Now Ibelieve our accounts are settled, are they not, monsieurlhote?""Yes, monsieur, and to my profound regret; for I fear I haveoffended monsieur.""Not at all!" replied the unknown, with ineffable majesty."Or have appeared to be extortionate with a noble traveler.Consider, monsieur, the peculiarity of the case.""Say no more about it, I desire; and leave me to myself."Cropole bowed profoundly, and left the room with a stupefiedair, which announced that he had a good heart, and feltgenuine remorse.The unknown himself shut the door after him, and when leftalone, looked mournfully at the bottom of the purse, fromwhich he had taken a small silken bag containing thediamond, his last resource.He dwelt likewise upon the emptiness of his pockets, turnedover the papers in his pocket-book, and convinced himself ofthe state of absolute destitution in which he was about tobe plunged.He raised his eyes towards heaven, with a sublime emotion ofdespairing calmness, brushed off with his hand some drops ofsweat which trickled over his noble brow, and then cast downupon the earth a look which just before had been impressedwith almost divine majesty.That the storm had passed far from him, perhaps he hadprayed in the bottom of his soul.He drew near to the window, resumed his place in thebalcony, and remained there, motionless, annihilated, dead,till the moment when, the heavens beginning to darken, thefirst flambeaux traversed the enlivened street, and gave thesignal for illumination to all the windows of the city.CHAPTER 7Parry.Whilst the unknown was viewing these lights with interest,and lending an ear to the various noises, Master Cropoleentered his apartment, followed by two attendants, who laidthe cloth for his meal.The stranger did not pay them the least attention; butCropole approaching him respectfully, whispered " Monsieur,the diamond has been valued.""Ah!" said the traveler. "Well?""Well, monsieur, the jeweler of S. A. R. gives two hundredand eighty pistoles for it.""Have you them?""I thought it best to take them, monsieur; nevertheless, Imade it a condition of the bargain, that if monsieur wishedto keep his diamond, it should be held till monsieur wasagain in funds.""Oh, no, not at all; I told you to sell it.""Then I have obeyed, or nearly so, since, without havingdefinitely sold it, I have touched the money.""Pay yourself," added the unknown."I will do so, monsieur, since you so positively requireit."A sad smile passed over the lips of the gentleman."Place the money on that trunk," said he, turning round andpointing to the piece of furniture.Cropole deposited a tolerably large bag as directed, afterhaving taken from it the amount of his reckoning."Now," said he, "I hope monsieur will not give me the painof not taking any supper. Dinner has already been refused;this is affronting to the house of les Medici. Look,monsieur, the supper is on the table, and I venture to saythat it is not a bad one."The unknown asked for a glass of wine, broke off a morsel ofbread, and did not stir from the window whilst he ate anddrank.Shortly after was heard a loud flourish of trumpets; criesarose in the distance, a confused buzzing filled the lowerpart of the city, and the first distinct sound that struckthe ears of the stranger was the tramp of advancing horses."The king! the king!" repeated a noisy and eager crowd."The king!" cried Cropole, abandoning his guest and hisideas of delicacy, to satisfy his curiosity.With Cropole were mingled, and jostled, on the staircase,Madame Cropole, Pittrino, and the waiters and scullions.The cortege
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