Author: Alexandre Dumas
Category: Adventure
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CHAPTER XV.
THE MARRIAGE.
"A strange man," said Bussy.
"Yes, is he not, monsieur? When he was gone I felt sadder and morefrightened than ever. This icy respect, this ironical obedience,this repressed passion, which now and then showed itself in hisvoice, frightened me more than a will firmly expressed, and whichI could have opposed, would have done. The next day was Sunday;I had never in my life missed divine service, so I took a thickveil and went to St. Catherine's, followed by Gertrude, and noone seemed to remark us.
"The next day the count came to announce to me that the dukehad fulfilled his promise, and had obtained for him the placeof chief huntsman, which had been promised to M. de St. Luc.A week passed thus: the count came twice to see me, and alwayspreserved the same cold and submissive manner. The next Sunday Iwent again to the church. Imprudently, in the midst of my prayers,I raised my veil. I was praying earnestly for my father, whenGertrude touched me on the arm. I raised my head, and saw withterror M. le Duc d'Anjou leaning against the column, and lookingearnestly at me. A man stood by him."
"It was Aurilly," said Bussy.
"Yes, that was the name that Gertrude told me afterwards. I drewmy veil quickly over my face, but it was too late: he had seenme, and if he had not recognized me, at least my resemblance toher whom he believed dead had struck him. Uneasy, I left thechurch, but found him standing at the door and he offered tome the holy water as I passed. I feigned not to see him, andwent on. We soon discovered that we were followed. Had I knownanything of Paris, I would have attempted to lead them wrong,but I knew no more of it than from the church to the house, nordid I know any one of whom I could ask a quarter of an hour'shospitality; not a friend, and only one protector, whom I fearedmore than an enemy."
"Oh! mon Dieu!" cried Bussy, "why did not Heaven, or chance, throwme sooner in your path?"
Diana thanked the young man with a look.
"But pray go on," said Bussy, "I interrupt you, and yet I am dyingto hear more."
"That evening M. de Monsoreau came. I did not know whether totell him of what had happened, but he began, 'You asked me ifyou could go to mass, and I told you you were free, but that itwould be better not to do so. You would not believe me: you wentthis morning to St. Catherine's, and by a fatality the princewas there and saw you.' 'It is true, monsieur; but I do not knowif he recognized me.' 'Your face struck him; your resemblance tothe woman he regrets appeared to him extraordinary, he followedyou home, and made inquiries, but learned nothing, for no oneknew anything.' 'Mon Dieu!' cried I. 'The duke is persevering,'said he. 'Oh! he will forget me, I hope.'
"'No one forgets you who has once seen you,' said he. 'I didall I could to forget you, and I have not succeeded.' And thefirst passionate look that I had seen flashed from the eyes ofthe count. I was more terrified by it than I had been by thesight of the prince. I remained mute. 'What will you do?' askedthe count. 'Can I not change my abode--go to the other end ofParis, or, better still, return to Anjou?' 'It will be useless;the duke is a terrible bloodhound, and now he is on your track,he will follow you wherever you go till he finds you.' 'Oh! monDieu! you frighten me.' 'I tell you the simple truth.' 'Thenwhat do you advise me to do?' 'Alas!' said he, with a bitterirony. 'I am a man of poor imagination. I had formed a plan,but it does not suit you; I can find no other.' 'But the dangeris perhaps less pressing than you imagine.'
"'The future will show us, madame,' said the count, rising. 'Ican but add that the Comtesse de Monsoreau would have the less tofear from the prince, as my new post places me under the directprotection of the court.' I only replied by a sigh. He smiledbitterly, and as he went down-stairs I heard him giving vent tooaths. The next day, when Gertrude went out, she was accosted bya young man whom she recognized as the one who had accompanied theprince, but she remained obstinately silent to all his questions.This meeting inspired me with profound terror; I feared thatM. de Monsoreau would not come, and that they would invade thehouse in his absence. I sent for him, he came at once. I toldhim all about the young man, whom I described.
"'It was Aurilly;' he said, 'and what did Gertrude answer?' 'Shedid not answer at all.' 'She was wrong,' said he. 'Why?' 'Wemust gain time.' 'Time?' 'Yes, I am now dependent on the Ducd'Anjou; in a fortnight, in a week perhaps, he will be in mypower. We must deceive him to get him to wait.' 'Mon Dieu!''Certainly; hope will make him patient. A complete refusal willpush him to extremities.' 'Monsieur, write to my father; he willthrow himself at the feet of the king. He will have pity on anold man.' 'That is according to the king's humor, and whetherhe be for the time friendly or hostile to the duke. Besides,it would take six days for a messenger to reach your father,and six days for him to come here. In twelve days, if we do notstop him, the duke will have done all he can do.'
"'And how to stop him?' I cried. A smile passed over the lips ofM. de Monsoreau at this first appeal to his protection. 'Madame,'said he, 'will you permit me to pass two or three hours in yourroom? I may be seen going out, and would rather wait till dark.'I signed him to sit down. We conversed; he was clever and hadtraveled much, and at the end of the time I understood, betterthan I had ever done before, the influence he had obtained overmy father. When it grew dark, he rose and took leave. Gertrudeand I then approached the window, and could distinctly see twomen examining the house. The next day, Gertrude, when she wentout, found the same young man in the same place. He spoke toher again, and this time she answered him. On the following dayshe told him that I was the widow of a counselor, who, beingpoor, lived in retirement. He tried to learn more, but couldextract nothing further from her. The next day, Aurilly, whoseemed to doubt her story, spoke of Anjou, of Beauge, and Meridor.Gertrude declared these names to be perfectly unknown to her.Then he avowed that he came from the Duc d'Anjou, who had seenand fallen in love with me; then came magnificent offers forboth of us, for her, if she would introduce the prince into myhouse, and for me, if I would receive him.
"Every evening M. de Monsoreau came, to hear what was going on,and remained from eight o'clock to midnight, and it was evidentthat his anxiety was great. On Saturday evening he arrived paleand agitated.
"'You must promise to receive the duke on Tuesday or Wednesday,'said he. 'Promise! and why?' 'Because he has made up his mind tocome in, and he is just now on the best terms with the king; wehave nothing to expect from him.' 'But before then will anythinghappen to help me?' 'I hope so. I expect from day to day theevent which is to place the duke in my power. But tomorrow Imust leave you, and must go to Monsoreau.' 'Must you?' cried Iwith a mixture of joy and terror. 'Yes, I have there a rendezvouswhich is indispensable to bring about the event of which I speak.''But if you fail, what are we to do?' 'What can I do againsta prince, if I have no right to protect you, but yield to badfortune?'
"'Oh! my father! my father!' cried I. The count looked at me.'What have you to reproach me with?' said he. 'Nothing, on thecontrary.' 'Have I not been a devoted friend, and as respectfulas a brother?' 'You have behaved throughout like a gallant man.''Had I not your promise?' 'Yes.' 'Have I once recalled it toyou?' 'No.' 'And yet you prefer to be the mistress of the duke,to being my wife?' 'I do not say so, monsieur.' 'Then decide.' 'Ihave decided.' 'To be Countess of Monsoreau?' 'Rather than mistressof the duke.' 'The alternative is flattering. But, meanwhile,let Gertrude gain time until Tuesday.' The next day Gertrudewent out, but did not meet Aurilly. We felt more frightened athis absence than we had done at his presence. Night came, andwe were full of terror. We were alone and feeble, and for thefirst time I felt my injustice to the count."
"Oh! madame!" cried Bussy, "do not be in a hurry to think so,his conduct conceals some mystery, I believe."
"All was quiet," continued Diana, "until eleven o'clock. Thenfive men came out of the Rue St Antoine, and hid themselves bythe Hotel des Tournelles. We began to tremble; were they therefor us? However, they remained quiet, and a quarter of an hourpassed; then we saw two other men approach. By the moonlightGertrude recognized Aurilly. 'Alas! mademoiselle; it is th
ey,'cried she. 'Yes,' cried I, trembling, 'and the five others areto help them.' 'But they must force the door,' said Gertrude,'perhaps the neighbors will come and help us.' 'Oh! no, theydo not know us, and they will not fight against the duke. Alas!Gertrude, I fear we have no real defender but the count.' 'Well!then, why do you always refuse to marry him?' I sighed."