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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 54 at Prostate Health
soul, which aspiresto heaven.""Your majesty has a mother, a sister, and brothers; yourmajesty is the head of the family, and ought, therefore, toask a long life of God, instead of imploring Him for aprompt death. Your majesty is an exile, a fugitive, but youhave right on your side; you ought to aspire to combats,dangers, business, and not to rest in heavens.""Count," said Charles II., with a smile of indescribablesadness, "have you ever heard of a king who reconquered hiskingdom with one servant of the age of Parry, and with threehundred crowns which that servant carried in his purse?""No, sire; but I have heard -- and that more than once --that a dethroned king has recovered his kingdom with a firmwill, perseverance, some friends, and a million skillfullyemployed.""But you cannot have understood me. The million I asked ofmy brother Louis was refused me.""Sire," said Athos, "will your majesty grant me a fewminutes, and listen attentively to what remains for me tosay to you?"Charles II. looked earnestly at Athos. "Willingly,monsieur," said he."Then I will show your majesty the way," resumed the count,directing his steps towards the house. He then conducted theking to his study, and begged him to be seated. "Sire," saidhe, "your majesty just now told me that, in the presentstate of England, a million would suffice for the recoveryof your kingdom.""To attempt it at least, monsieur, and to die as a king if Ishould not succeed.""Well, then, sire, let your majesty, according to thepromise you have made me, have the goodness to listen towhat I have to say." Charles made an affirmative sign withhis head. Athos walked straight up to the door, the bolts ofwhich he drew, after looking to see if anybody was near, andthen returned. "Sire," said he, "your majesty has kindlyremembered that I lent assistance to the very noble and veryunfortunate Charles I., when his executioners conducted himfrom St. Jamess to Whitehall.""Yes, certainly, I do remember it, and always shall rememberit.""Sire, it is a dismal history to be heard by a son who nodoubt has had it related to him many times; and yet I oughtto repeat it to your majesty without omitting one detail.""Speak on, monsieur.""When the king your father ascended the scaffold, or ratherwhen he passed from his chamber to the scaffold on a levelwith his window, everything was prepared for his escape. Theexecutioner was got out of the way; a hole contrived underthe floor of his apartment; I myself was beneath the funeralvault, which I heard all at once creak beneath his feet.""Parry has related to me all these terrible details,monsieur."Athos bowed, and resumed. "But here is something he has notrelated to you, sire, for what follows passed between God,your father, and myself; and never has the revelation of itbeen made even to my dearest friends. `Go a little furtheroff, said the august patient to the executioner; `it is butfor an instant, and I know that I belong to you; butremember not to strike till I give the signal. I wish tooffer up my prayers in freedom.""Pardon me," said Charles II., turning very pale, "but you,count, who know so many details of this melancholy event, --details which, as you said just now, have never beenrevealed to anyone, -- do you know the name of that infernalexecutioner, of that base wretch who concealed his face thathe might assassinate a king with impunity?"Athos became slightly pale. "His name?" said he, "yes, Iknow it, but cannot tell it.""And what is become of him, for nobody in England knows hisdestiny?""He is dead.""But he did not die in his bed; he did not die a calm andpeaceful death, he did not die the death of the good?""He died a violent death, in a terrible night, rendered soby the passions of man and a tempest from God. His body,pierced by a dagger, sank to the depths of the ocean. Godpardon his murderer!""Proceed, then," said Charles II., seeing that the count wasunwilling to say more."The king of England, after having, as I have said, spokenthus to the masked executioner, added, -- `Observe, you willnot strike till I shall stretch out my arms saying --REMEMBER!""I was aware," said Charles, in an agitated voice, "thatthat was the last word pronounced by my unfortunate
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