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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 43 at Prostate Health
like liquid diamonds; the grass wasbursting at the foot of the hedges; the swallows, havingreturned since only a few days, described their gracefulcurves between the heavens and the water; a breeze, ladenwith the perfumes of the blossoming woods, sighed along theroad, and wrinkled the surface of the waters of the river;all these beauties of the day, all these perfumes of theplants, all these aspirations of the earth towards heaven,intoxicated the two lovers, walking side by side, leaningupon each other, eyes fixed upon eyes, hand clasping hand,and who, lingering as by a common desire, did not dare tospeak they had so much to say.The officer saw that the kings horse, in wandering this wayand that, annoyed Mademoiselle de Mancini. He took advantageof the pretext of securing the horse to draw near them, anddismounting, walked between the two horses he led; he didnot lose a single word or gesture of the lovers. It wasMademoiselle de Mancini who at length began."Ah, my dear sire!" said she, "you do not abandon me, then?""No, Marie," replied the king; "you see I do not.""I had so often been told, though, that as soon as we shouldbe separated you would no longer think of me.""Dear Marie, is it then to-day only that you have discoveredwe are surrounded by people interested in deceiving us?""But, then, sire, this journey, this alliance with Spain?They are going to marry you off!"Louis hung his head. At the same time the officer could seethe eyes of Marie de Mancini shine in the sun with thebrilliancy of a dagger starting from its sheath. "And youhave done nothing in favor of our love?" asked the girl,after a silence of a moment."Ah! mademoiselle, how could you believe that? I threwmyself at the feet of my mother; I begged her, I imploredher; I told her all my hopes of happiness were in you, Ieven threatened ---- ""Well?" asked Marie, eagerly."Well? the queen-mother wrote to the court of Rome, andreceived as answer, that a marriage between us would have novalidity, and would be dissolved by the holy father. Atlength, finding there was no hope for us, I requested tohave my marriage with the infanta at least delayed.""And yet that does not prevent your being on the road tomeet her?""How can I help it? To my prayers, to my supplications, tomy tears, I received no answer but reasons of state.""Well, well?""Well, what is to be done, mademoiselle, when so many willsare leagued against me?"It was now Maries turn to hang her head. "Then I must bidyou adieu for ever," said she. "You know that I am beingexiled; you know that I am going to be buried alive; youknow still more that they want to marry me off, too."Louis became very pale, and placed his hand upon his heart."If I had thought that my life only had, been at stake, Ihave been so persecuted that I might have yielded; but Ithought yours was concerned, my dear sire, and I stood outfor the sake of preserving your happiness. ""Oh, yes! my happiness, my treasure!" murmured the king,more gallantly than passionately, perhaps."The cardinal might have yielded," said Marie, "if you hadaddressed yourself to him, if you had pressed him. For thecardinal to call the king of France his nephew! do you notperceive, sire? He would have made war even for that honor;the cardinal, assured of governing alone, under the doublepretext of having brought up the king and given his niece tohim in marriage -- the cardinal would have fought allantagonists, overcome all obstacles. Oh, sire! I can answerfor that. I am a woman, and I see clearly into everythingwhere love is concerned."These words produced a strange effect upon the king. Insteadof heightening his passion, they cooled it. He stopped, andsaid hastily, --"What is to be said, mademoiselle? Everything has failed.""Except your will, I trust, my dear sire?""Alas!" said the king, coloring, "have I a will?""Oh!" said Mademoiselle de Mancini mournfully, wounded bythat expression."The king has no will but that which policy dictates, butthat which reasons of state impose upon him.""Oh! it is because you have no love," cried Mary; "if youloved, sire, you would have a will."On pronouncing these words, Mary raised her eyes to herlover, whom she saw more pale and
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