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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 44 at Prostate Health
more cast down than anexile who is about to quit his native land forever. "Accuseme," murmured the king, "but do not say I do not love you."A long silence followed these words, which the young kinghad pronounced with a perfectly true and profound feeling."I am unable to think that to-morrow, and after to-morrow, Ishall see you no more; I cannot think that I am going to endmy sad days at a distance from Paris; that the lips of anold man, of an unknown, should touch that hand which youhold within yours; no, in truth, I cannot think of all that,my dear sire, without having my poor heart burst withdespair."And Marie de Mancini did shed floods of tears. On his part,the king, much affected, carried his handkerchief to hismouth, and stifled a sob."See," said she, "the carriages have stopped, my sisterwaits for me, the time is come; what you are about to decideupon will be decided for life. Oh, sire! you are willing,then, that I should lose you? You are willing, then, Louis,that she to whom you have said `I love you, should belongto another than to her king; to her master, to her lover?Oh! courage, Louis! courage! One word, a single word! Say `Iwill! and all my life is enchained to yours, and all myheart is yours forever."The king made no reply. Mary then looked at him as Didolooked at AEneas in the Elysian fields, fierce anddisdainful."Farewell, then," said she; "farewell life! love! heaven!"And she took a step away. The king detained her, seized herhand, which he pressed to his lips, and despair prevailingover the resolution he appeared to have inwardly formed, helet fall upon that beautiful hand a burning tear of regret,which made Mary start, so really had that tear burnt her.She saw the humid eyes of the king, his pale brow, hisconvulsed lips, and cried, with an accent that cannot bedescribed, --"Oh, sire! you are a king, you weep, and yet I depart!"As his sole reply, the king hid his face in hishandkerchief. The officer uttered something so like a roarthat it frightened the horses. Mademoiselle de Mancini,quite indignant, quitted the kings arm, hastily entered thecarriage, crying to the coachman, "Go on, go on, and quick!"The coachman obeyed, flogged his mules, and the heavycarriage rocked upon its creaking axle, whilst the king ofFrance, alone, cast down, annihilated, did not dare to lookeither behind or before him.CHAPTER 14In which the King and the Lieutenant each give Proofs of MemoryWhen the king, like all the people in the world who are inlove, had long and attentively watched disappear in thedistance the carriage which bore away his mistress; when hehad turned and turned again a hundred times to the same sideand had at length succeeded in somewhat calming theagitation of his heart and thoughts, he recollected that hewas not alone. The officer still held the horse by thebridle, and had not lost all hope of seeing the king recoverhis resolution. He had still the resource of mounting andriding after the carriage; they would have lost nothing bywaiting a little. But the imagination of the lieutenant ofthe musketeers was too rich and too brilliant; it left farbehind it that of the king, who took care not to allowhimself to be carried away to any such excess. He contentedhimself with approaching the officer, and in a dolefulvoice, "Come," said he, "let us be gone; all is ended. Tohorse!"The officer imitated this carriage, this slowness, thissadness, and leisurely mounted his horse. The king pushed onsharply, the lieutenant followed him. At the bridge Louisturned around for the last time. The lieutenant, patient asa god who has eternity behind and before him, still hopedfor a return of energy. But it was groundless, nothingappeared. Louis gained the street which led to the castle,and entered as seven was striking. When the king hadreturned, and the musketeer, who saw everything, had seen acorner of the tapestry over the cardinals window lifted up,he breathed a profound sigh, like a man unloosed from thetightest bounds, and said in a low voice:"Now, then, my officer, I hope that it is over."The king summoned his gentleman. "Please to understand Ishall receive nobody before two oclock," said he."Sire," replied the gentleman, "there is, however,
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