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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 48 at Prostate Health
inspired His elect, Cromwell! Iopen, I said, the door, that is to say, the palace of onebrother to another brother, and I see -- stop, sire, that isa load on my heart! -- I see the minister of that king driveaway the proscribed prince, and humiliate his master bycondemning to want another king, his equal. Then I see myprince, who is young, handsome, and brave, who has couragein his heart, and lightning in his eye, -- I see him tremblebefore a priest, who laughs at him behind the curtain of hisalcove, where he digests all the gold of France, which heafterwards stuffs into secret coffers. Yes -- I understandyour looks, sire. I am bold to madness; but what is to besaid? I am an old man, and I tell you here, sire, to you, myking, things which I would cram down the throat of any onewho should dare to pronounce them before me. You havecommanded me to pour out the bottom of my heart before you,sire, and I cast at the feet of your majesty the pent-upindignation of thirty years, as I would pour out all myblood, if your majesty commanded me to do so."The king, without speaking a word, wiped the drops of coldand abundant perspiration which trickled from his temples.The moment of silence which followed this vehement outbreakrepresented for him who had spoken, and for him who hadlistened, ages of suffering."Monsieur," said the king at length, "you spoke the wordforgetfulness. I have heard nothing but that word; I willreply, then, to it alone. Others have perhaps been able toforget, but I have not, and the proof is, that I rememberthat one day of riot, that one day when the furious people,raging and roaring as the sea, invaded the royal palace;that one day when I feigned sleep in my bed, one man alone,naked sword in hand, concealed behind my curtain, watchedover my life, ready to risk his own for me, as he had beforerisked it twenty times for the lives of my family. Was notthe gentleman, whose name I then demanded, called M.dArtagnan? say, monsieur.""Your majesty has a good memory," replied the officer,coldly."You see, then," continued the king, "if I have suchremembrances of my childhood, what an amount I may gather inthe age of reason.""Your majesty has been richly endowed by God," said theofficer, in the same tone."Come, Monsieur dArtagnan," continued Louis, with feverishagitation, "ought you not to be as patient as I am? Oughtyou not to do as I do? Come!""And what do you do, sire?""I wait.""Your majesty may do so, because you are young; but I, sire,have not time to wait; old age is at my door, and death isbehind it, looking into the very depths of my house. Yourmajesty is beginning life, its future is full of hope andfortune; but I, sire, I am on the other side of the horizon,and we are so far from each other, that I should never havetime to wait till your majesty came up to me."Louis made another turn in his apartment, still wiping themoisture from his brow, in a manner that would haveterrified his physicians, if his physicians had witnessedthe state his majesty was in."It is very well, monsieur," said Louis XIV., in a sharpvoice; "you are desirous of having your discharge, and youshall have it. You offer me your resignation of the rank oflieutenant of the musketeers?""I deposit it humbly at your majestys feet, sire.""That is sufficient. I will order your pension.""I shall have a thousand obligations to your majesty.""Monsieur," said the king, with a violent effort, "I thinkyou are losing a good master.""And I am sure of it, sire.""Shall you ever find such another?""Oh, sire! I know that your majesty is alone in the world;therefore will I never again take service with any king uponearth, and will never again have other master than myself.""You say so?""I swear so, your majesty.""I shall remember that word, monsieur."DArtagnan bowed."And you know I have a good memory," said the king."Yes, sire, and yet I should desire that that memory shouldfail your majesty in this instance, in order that you mightforget all the miseries I have been forced to spread beforeyour eyes. Your majesty is so much above the poor and themean
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