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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 20 at Prostate Health
advanced slowly, lighted by a thousandflambeaux, in the streets and from the windows.After a company of musketeers, a closely ranked troop ofgentlemen, came the litter of monsieur le cardinal, drawnlike a carriage by four black horses. The pages and peopleof the cardinal marched behind.Next came the carriage of the queen-mother, with her maidsof honor at the doors, her gentlemen on horseback at bothsides.The king then appeared, mounted upon a splendid horse ofSaxon breed, with a flowing mane. The young princeexhibited, when bowing to some windows from which issued themost animated acclamations, a noble and handsomecountenance, illumined by the flambeaux of his pages.By the side of the king, though a little in the rear, thePrince de Conde, M. Dangeau, and twenty other courtiers,followed by their people and their baggage, closed thisveritably triumphant march. The pomp was of a militarycharacter.Some of the courtiers -- the elder ones, for instance --wore traveling dresses; but all the rest were clothed inwarlike panoply. Many wore the gorges and buff coat of thetimes of Henry IV. and Louis XIII.When the king passed before him, the unknown, who had leantforward over the balcony to obtain a better view, and whohad concealed his face by leaning on his arm, felt his heartswell and overflow with a bitter jealousy.The noise of the trumpets excited him -- the popularacclamations deafened him: for a moment he allowed hisreason to be absorbed in this flood of lights, tumult andbrilliant images."He is a king!" murmured he, in an accent of despair.Then, before he had recovered from his sombre reverie allthe noise, all the splendor, had passed away. At the angleof the street there remained nothing beneath the strangerbut a few hoarse, discordant voices, shouting at intervals,"Vive le Roi!"There remained likewise the six candles held by theinhabitants of the hostelry des Medici; that is to say, twofor Cropole, two for Pittrino, and one for each scullion.Cropole never ceased repeating, "How good-looking the kingis! How strongly he resembles his illustrious father!""A handsome likeness!" said Pittrino."And what a lofty carriage he has!" added Madame Cropole,already in promiscuous commentary with her neighbors of bothsexes.Cropole was feeding their gossip with his own personalremarks, without observing that an old man on foot, butleading a small Irish horse by the bridle, was endeavoringto penetrate the crowd of men and women which blocked up theentrance to the Medici. But at that moment the voice of thestranger was heard from the window."Make way, monsieur lhotelier, to the entrance of yourhouse!"Cropole turned around, and, on seeing the old man, cleared apassage for him.The window was instantly closed.Pittrino pointed out the way to the newly-arrived guest, whoentered without uttering a word.The stranger waited for him on the landing; he opened hisarms to the old man and led him to a seat."Oh, no, no, my lord!" said he. "Sit down in your presence?-- never!""Parry," cried the gentleman, "I beg you will; you come fromEngland -- you come so far. Ah! it is not for your age toundergo the fatigues my service requires. Rest yourself.""I have my reply to give your lordship, in the first place.""Parry, I conjure you to tell me nothing; for if your newshad been good, you would not have begun in such a manner;you go about, which proves that the news is bad.""My lord," said the old man, "do not hasten to alarmyourself, all is not lost, I hope. You must employ energy,but more particularly resignation.""Parry," said the young man, "I have reached this placethrough a thousand snares and after a thousand difficulties;can you doubt my energy? I have meditated this journey tenyears, in spite of all counsels and all obstacles -- haveyou faith in my perseverance? I have this evening sold thelast of my fathers diamonds; for I had nothing wherewith topay for my lodging and my host was about to turn me out."Parry made a gesture of indignation, to which the young manreplied by a pressure of the hand and a smile."I have still two hundred and seventy-four pistoles left,and I feel myself rich. I do not despair, Parry; have youfaith in my resignation?"The old man raised his trembling hands towards heaven."Let me know," said the stranger, -- "disguise nothing fromme -- what has happened?""My recital will be short, my
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