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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 26 at Prostate Health
of a peal ofthunder, prevailing over the orchestra, the singing and thebuzz of the promenaders, the cardinal and the queen-motherlooked at each other with surprise.Louis XIV., pale, but resolved, supported as he was by thatintuition of his own thought which he had found in the mindof the officer of musketeers, and which he had justmanifested by the order given, arose from his chair, andtook a step towards the door."Are you going, my son?" said the queen, whilst Mazarinsatisfied himself with interrogating by a look which mighthave appeared mild if it had not been so piercing."Yes, madame," replied the king; "I am fatigued, and,besides, wish to write this evening."A smile stole over the lips of the minister, who appeared,by a bend of the head, to give the king permission.Monsieur and Madame hastened to give orders to the officerswho presented themselves.The king bowed, crossed the hall, and gained the door, wherea hedge of twenty musketeers awaited him. At the extremityof this hedge stood the officer, impassible, with his drawnsword in his hand. The king passed, and all the crowd stoodon tip-toe, to have one more look at him.Ten musketeers, opening the crowd of the ante-chambers andthe steps, made way for his majesty. The other tensurrounded the king and Monsieur, who had insisted uponaccompanying his majesty. The domestics walked behind. Thislittle cortege escorted the king to the chamber destined forhim. The apartment was the same that had been occupied byHenry III. during his sojourn in the States.Monsieur had given his orders. The musketeers, led by theirofficer, took possession of the little passage by which onewing of the castle communicates with the other. This passagewas commenced by a small square ante-chamber, dark even inthe finest days. Monsieur stopped Louis XIV."You are passing now, sire," said he, "the very spot wherethe Duc de Guise received the first stab of the poniard."The king was ignorant of all historical matters; he hadheard of the fact, but he knew nothing of the localities orthe details."Ah!" said he with a shudder.And he stopped. The rest, both behind and before him,stopped likewise."The duc, sire," continued Gaston, "was nearly where Istand: he was walking in the same direction as your majesty;M. de Lorgnes was exactly where your lieutenant ofmusketeers is; M. de Saint-Maline and his majestysordinaries were behind him and around him. It was here thathe was struck."The king turned towards his officer, and saw something likea cloud pass over his martial and daring countenance."Yes, from behind!" murmured the lieutenant, with a gestureof supreme disdain. And he endeavored to resume the march,as if ill at ease at being between walls formerly defiled bytreachery.But the king, who appeared to wish to be informed, wasdisposed to give another look at this dismal spot.Gaston perceived his nephews desire."Look, sire," said he, taking a flambeau from the hands ofM. de Saint-Remy, "this is where he fell. There was a bedthere, the curtains of which he tore with catching at them.""Why does the floor seem hollowed out at this spot?" askedLouis."Because it was here the blood flowed," replied Gaston; "theblood penetrated deeply into the oak, and it was only bycutting it out that they succeeded in making it disappear.And even then," added Gaston, pointing the flambeau to thespot, "even then this red stain resisted all the attemptsmade to destroy it."Louis XIV. raised his head. Perhaps he was thinking of thatbloody trace that had once been shown him at the Louvre, andwhich, as a pendant to that of Blois, had been made thereone day by the king his father with the blood of Concini."Let us go on," said he.The march was resumed promptly, for emotion, no doubt, hadgiven to the voice of the young prince a tone of commandwhich was not customary with him. When arrived at theapartment destined for the king, which communicated not onlywith the little passage we have passed through, but furtherwith the great staircase leading to the court, --"Will your majesty," said Gaston, "condescend to occupy thisapartment, all unworthy as it is to receive you?""Uncle," replied the young king, "I render you my thanks foryour cordial hospitality."Gaston bowed to his nephew, embraced him, and then went out.Of the twenty musketeers who had accompanied the king, tenreconducted Monsieur to the reception-rooms, which were notyet
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