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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 7 at Prostate Health
have unsealed asuspicious packet, and in order to read it so that no oneshould remark the effects of it upon his countenance, heturned round.Madame followed, with an anxiety almost equal to that of theprince, every maneuver of her august husband.Raoul, impassible, and a little disengaged by the attentionof his hosts, looked from his place through the open windowat the gardens and the statues which peopled them."Well!" cried Monsieur, all at once, with a cheerful smile;"here is an agreeable surprise, and a charming letter fromM. le Prince. Look, Madame!"The table was too large to allow the arm of the prince toreach the hand of Madame; Raoul sprang forward to be theirintermediary, and did it with so good a grace as to procurea flattering acknowledgment from the princess."You know the contents of this letter, no doubt?" saidGaston to Raoul."Yes, monseigneur; M. le Prince at first gave me the messageverbally, but upon reflection his highness took up his pen.""It is beautiful writing," said Madame, "but I cannot readit.""Will you read it to Madame, M. de Bragelonne?" said theduke."Yes, read it, if you please, monsieur."Raoul began to read, Monsieur giving again all hisattention. The letter was conceived in these terms:Monseigneur -- The king is about to set out for thefrontiers. You are aware that the marriage of his majesty isconcluded upon. The king has done me the honor to appoint mehis marechal-des-logis for this journey, and as I knew withwhat joy his majesty would pass a day at Blois, I venture toask your royal highnesss permission to mark the house youinhabit as our quarters. If, however, the suddenness of thisrequest should create to your royal highness anyembarrassment, I entreat you to say so by the messenger Isend, a gentleman of my suite, M. le Vicomte de Bragelonne.My itinerary will depend upon your royal highnesssdetermination, and instead of passing through Blois, weshall come through Vendome and Romorantin. I venture to hopethat your royal highness will be pleased with myarrangement, it being the expression of my boundless desireto make myself agreeable to you.""Nothing can be more gracious toward us," said Madame, whohad more than once consulted the looks of her husband duringthe reading of the letter. "The king here!" exclaimed she,in a rather louder tone than would have been necessary topreserve secrecy."Monsieur," said his royal highness in his turn, "you willoffer my thanks to M. de Conde, and express to him mygratitude for the honor he has done me."Raoul bowed."On what day will his majesty arrive?" continued the prince."The king, monseigneur, will in all probability arrive thisevening.""But how, then, could he have known my reply if it had beenin the negative?""I was desired, monseigneur, to return in all haste toBeaugency, to give counter-orders to the courier, who washimself to go back immediately with counter-orders to M. lePrince.""His majesty is at Orleans, then?""Much nearer, monseigneur; his majesty must by this timehave arrived at Meung.""Does the court accompany him?""Yes, monseigneur.""A propos, I forgot to ask you after M. le Cardinal.""His eminence appears to enjoy good health, monseigneur.""His nieces accompany him, no doubt?""No, monseigneur, his eminence has ordered theMesdemoiselles de Mancini to set out for Brouage. They willfollow the left bank of the Loire, while the court will comeby the right.""What! Mademoiselle Mary de Mancini quit the court in thatmanner?" asked Monsieur, his reserve beginning to diminish."Mademoiselle Mary de Mancini in particular," replied Raouldiscreetly.A fugitive smile, an imperceptible vestige of his ancientspirit of intrigue, shot across the pale face of the prince."Thanks, M. de Bragelonne," then said Monsieur. "You would,perhaps, not be willing to carry M. le Prince the commissionwith which I would charge you, and that is, that hismessenger has been very agreeable to me; but I will tell himso myself."Raoul bowed his thanks to Monsieur for the honor he had donehim.Monsieur made a sign to Madame, who struck a bell which wasplaced at her right hand; M. de Saint-Remy entered, and theroom was soon filled with people."Messieurs," said the prince, "his majesty is about to payme the honor of passing a day at Blois; I depend upon theking, my nephew, not having to repent of the favor he doesmy house.""Vive le Roi!" cried all the officers of the household withfrantic enthusiasm, and M. de Saint-Remy louder than
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