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The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - Part 3/3 · Audiobooks & Scary Stories

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Passed away without my seeing him again. But I also
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: kept my word with him, and I neither ate nor drank.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: I was, as I told him, resolved to die of hunger.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: I passed the day and the night in prayer, for
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: I hoped that God would pardon me my suicide. The
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: second night, the door opened, I was lying on the floor,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: for my strength began to abandon me. At the noise.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: I raised myself up on one hand. Well, said a voice,
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: which vibrated in too terrible a manner in my ear
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: not to be recognized. Well are we softened a little?
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Will we not pay for our liberty with a single
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: promise of silence? Come? I am a good sort of
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: a prince, added he. And although I like not Puritans,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: I do them justice. And it is the same with
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: puritanises when they are pretty. Come take a little oath
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: for me on the cross. I won't ask anything more
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: of you. On the cross, cried I, rising for at
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: that abhorred voice, I had recovered all my strength. On
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: the cross, I swear that no promise, no menace, no force,
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: no torture shall close my mouth. On the cross. I
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: swear to denounce you everywhere as a murderer, as a
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: thief of honor, as a base coward on the cross.
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: I swear if I ever leave this place to call
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: down vengeance upon you from the whole human race, beware,
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: said the voice, in a threatening accent that I had
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: never yet heard. I have an extraordinary means which I
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: will not employ, but in the last extremity, to close
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: your mouth, or at least to prevent any one from
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: believing a word you may utter. I mustered all my
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: strength to reply to him with a burst of laughter.
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: He saw that it was a merciless war between us,
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: a war to the death. Listen said he. I give
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: you the rest of to night and all day tomorrow.
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: Reflect promise to be silent and riches consideration, even honor
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: shall surround you. Threaten to speak, and I will condemn
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: you to infamy, you cried. I you to interminable, ineffaceable infamy,
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: you repeated. I. Oh, I declare to you felton, I
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: thought him. Mad, Yes, yes, I replied he oh, leave me,
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: said I begone. If you do not desire to see me,
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: dash my head against that wall before your eyes very well.
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: It is your own doing till tomorrow evening. Then till
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: tomorrow evening, then replied, I allowing myself to fall, and
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: biting the carpet with rage. Felton leaned for support upon
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: a piece of furniture, and Milady saw, with the joy
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: of a demon, that his strength would fail him, perhaps
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: before the end of her recital, Chapter fifty seven Means
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: for Classical Tragedy. After a moment of silence employed by
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: Milady in observing the young man who listened to her,
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: Milady continued her recital. It was nearly three days since
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: I had eaten or drunk anything. I suffered frightful torments.
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: At times there passed before me clouds which pressed my brow,
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: which veiled my eyes. This was delirium. When the evening came,
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: I was so weak that every time I fainted, I
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: thanked God, for I thought I was about to die.
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: In the midst of one of these swoons, I heard
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: the door open. Terror recalled me to myself. He entered
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: the apartment, followed by a man in a mask. He
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: was masked likewise, but I knew his step, I knew
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: his voice. I knew him by that imposing bearing which
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: Hell has bestowed upon his person. For the curse of humanity, well,
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: said he to me. Have you made your mind up
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: to take the oath I requested of you? You have said, puritans,
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: have but one word mine you have heard, and that
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: is to pursue you on earth to the tribunal of
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: men in heaven, to the tribunal of God. You persist,
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: then I swear it before the God who hears me.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: I will take the whole world as a witness of
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: your crime, and that until I have found an avenger,
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: you are a prostitute, said he in a voice of thunder,
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: And you shall undergo the punishment of prostitutes branded in
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: the eyes of the world. You invoke. Try to prove
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: to that world that you are neither guilty nor mad. Then,
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: addressing the man who accompanied him, executioner said, he do
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: your duty. Oh his name, his name, cried Felton, his name.
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: Tell it me. Then, in spite of my cries, in
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: spite of my resistance, for I began to comprehend that
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: there was a question of something worse than death, the
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, fastened me
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: with his bonds, and suffocated by sobs, almost without sense,
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: invoking God who did not listen, to me, I uttered
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: all at once, a frightful cry of pain and shame,
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: a burning fire, a red hot iron, the iron of
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: the executioner was imprinted on my shoulder. Felton uttered a groan. Here,
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: said Milady, rising with the majesty of a queen. Here, Felton,
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: behold the new martyrdom invented for a pure young girl,
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: the victim of the brutality of a villain. Learn to
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: know the heart of men, and henceforth make yourself less
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: easily the instrument of their unjust vengeance. Milady, with a
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: rapid gesture, opened her robe toward the cambric that covered
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: her bosom, and read, with feigned anger and simulated shame.
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: Showed the young man the ineffaceable impression which dishonored that
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: beautiful shoulder. But cried Felton, that is a flirtolise which
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: I see there, and therein consisted the infamy, replied Milady,
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: the brand of England. It would be necessary to prove
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: what tribunal had imposed it on me, and I could
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: have made a public appeal to all the tribunals of
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: the Kingdom. But the brand of France, oh, by that,
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: by that I was branded. Indeed, this was too much
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: for Felton, pale, motionless, overwhelmed by this frightful revelation, dazzled
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: by the superhuman beauty of this woman, who unveiled herself
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: before him with a modesty which appeared to him sublime,
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: he ended by falling on his knees before her, as
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: the early Christians did, before those pure and holy martyrs,
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: whom the persecution of the emperors gave up in a
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: circus to the sanguinary sensuality of the populace. The brand disappeared,
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: the beauty alone remained. Pardon, Pardon, cried Felton, Oh, pardon,
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: Milady read in his eyes. Love, love, Pardon for what,
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: asked she? Pardon me for having joined with your persecutors.
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: Milady held out her hand to him, So beautiful, so young,
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: cried Felton, covering that hand with his kisses. Milady let
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: one of those looks fall upon him which make a
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: slave of a king. Felton was a Puritan. He abandoned
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: the hand of this woman to kiss her feet. He
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: no longer loved her, he adored her. When this crisis
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: was past, when Milady appeared to have resumed her self
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: possession which she had never lost. When Felton had seen
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: her recover with the veil of chastity those treasures of
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: love which were only concealed from him to make him
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: desire them the more ardently, he said, Ah, now I
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: have only one thing to ask of you. That is
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: the name of your true executioner. For to me there
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: is but one. The other was an instrument, that was all.
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: What brother cried Mlady. Must I name him again? Have
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: you not yet divined who he is? What? Cried Felton?
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: He again, he always he what the truly guilty, The
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: truly guilty, said Milady, is the ravager of England, the
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: persecutor of true believers, the base, ravisher of the honor
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: of so many women, He who, to satisfy a caprice
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: of his corrupt heart, is about to make England shed
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: so much blood. Who protects the Protestants to day and
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: will betray them tomorrow. Buckingham, It is then, Buckingham, cried Felton,
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: in a high state of excitement. Milady concealed her face
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: in her hands, as if she could not endure the
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: shame which this name recalled to her. Buckingham, the executioner
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: of this angelic creature, cried Felton, And thou hast not
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: hurled thy thunder at him, my God, and thou hast
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: left him noble, honored, powerful for the ruin of us.
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: All God abandons him who abandons himself, said Milady. But
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: he will draw upon his head the punishment reserved for
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: the damned, said Felton, with increasing exultation. He wills that
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: human vengeance should precede celestial justice. Men fear him and
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: spare him, I said Felton. I do not fear him,
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: nor will I spare him. The soul of Milady was
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: bathed in an infernal joy. But how can Lord de Winter,
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: my protector, my father asked Felton, possibly be mixed up
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: with all this? Listen. Felton resumed Milady. For by the
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: side of base and contemptible men there are often found
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: great and generous natures. I had an affianced husband, a
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: man whom I loved and who loved me, a heart
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: like yours, Felton, a man like you. I went to
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: him and told him all he knew me. That man
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: did and did not doubt an instant. He was a nobleman,
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: a man equal to Buckingham in every respect. He said nothing.
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: He only girded on his sword, wrapped himself in his cloak,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: and went straight to buckingham Palace. Yes, yes, said Felton,
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: I understand how he would act. But with such men
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: it is not the sword that should be employed. It
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: is the poniard. Buckingham had left England the day before,
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: sent his ambassador to Spain to demand the hand of
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: the Infanta for King Charles the First, who was then
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: only Prince of Wales. My affianced husband returned. Hear me,
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: said he this man has gone, and for the moment
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: has consequently escaped my vengeance. But let us be united
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: as we were to have been, and then leave it
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: to Lord de Winter to maintain his own honor and
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: that of his wife. Lord de Winter, cried Felton. Yes,
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: said milady, Lord de Winter. And now you can understand
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: it all, can you not. Buckingham remained nearly a year absent.
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: A week before his return, Lord de Winter died, leaving
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: me his sole heir. Whence came the blow. God who
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: knows all knows without doubt. But as for me, I
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: accuse nobody. Oh what an abyss, What an abyss? Cried Felton,
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother.
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: like a clap of thunder over the head of the guilty.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: Your protector had seen with pain this marriage of his
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: elder brother with a portionless girl. I was sensible that
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: I could look for no support from a man disappointed
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: in his hopes of an inheritance. I went to France
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: with a determination to remain there for the rest of
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: my life. But all my fortune is in England. Communication
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: being closed by the war, I was in want of everything.
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: I was then obliged to come back again. Six days
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: ago I landed at Portsmouth Well, said Felton. Well Buckingham
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: heard by some means no doubt of my return. He
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: spoke of me to Lord de Winter, already prejudiced against me,
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: and told him that his sister in law was a prostitute,
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: a branded woman. The noble and pure voice of my
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: husband was no longer here to defend me. Lord de
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: Winter believed all that was told him with so much,
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: the more ease that it was his interest to believe it.
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: He caused me to be arrested, had me conducted hither
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: and placed me under your guard. You know the rest.
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: The day after tomorrow he banishes me, he transports me.
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: The day after tomorrow he exiles me among the infamous. Oh,
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: the train is well laid. The plot is clever. My
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: honor will not survive it. You see, then, Felton, I
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: can do nothing but die. Felton, give me that knife.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: And at these words, as if all her strength was exhausted,
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: Milady sank, weak and languishing, into the arms of the
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: young officer, who, intoxicated with love, anger, and voluptuous sensations
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: hitherto unknown, received her with transport, pressed her against his heart,
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: all trembling at the breath from that charming mouth. Bewildered
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: by the contact with that palpitating bosom. No, no, said he, no.
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: You shall live, honored and pure, You shall live to
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: triumph over your enemies. Milady put him from her slowly
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: with her hand, while drawing him nearer with her look.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: But Felton, in his turn, embraced her more closely, imploring
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: her like a divinity. Oh death, death, said she, lowering
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: her voice and her eyelids, Oh death, Rather than shame, Felton,
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: my brother, my friend, I conjure you, No, cried Felton. No,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: you shall live and you shall be avenged. Felton, I
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: bring misfortune to all who surround me. Felton, abandon me. Felton,
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: let me die. Well, then we will live and die together,
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: cried he, pressing his lips to those of the prisoner.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: Several strokes resounded on the door. This time a lady
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: really pushed him away from her hark said she. We
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: have been overheard. Some one is coming. All is over.
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: We are lost. No, said Felton, it is only the
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: sentinel warning me that they are about to change the guard.
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: Then run to the door and open it yourself. Felton obeyed.
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: This woman was now his whole thought, his whole soul.
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: He found himself face to face with a sergeant commanding
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: a watch patrol. Well, what is the matter, asked the
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: young lieutenant. You told me to open the door if
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: I heard any one cry out, said the soldier. But
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: you forgot to leave me the key. I heard you
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: cry out, without understanding what you said. I tried to
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: open the door, but it was locked inside. Then I
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: called the sergeant, and here I am, said the sergeant.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: Felton quite bewildered, almost mad, stood speechless, Milady plainly perceived
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: that it was now her turn to take part in
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: the scene. She ran to the table, and, seizing the
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: knife which Felton had laid down, exclaimed, and by what
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: right will you prevent me from dying? Great God, exclaimed Felton,
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: on seeing the knife glitter in her hand. At that moment,
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: a burst of ironical laughter resounded through the corridor. The baron,
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: attracted by the noise in his chamber, gown his sword
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: under his arm, stood in the door. Ah said he
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: here we are at the last act of the tragedy.
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: You see, Felton, the drama has gone through all the
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: phases I named. But be easy, No blood will flow.
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: Milady perceived that all was lost unless she gave Felton
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: an immediate and terrible proof of her courage. You are mistaken,
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: my lord. Blood will flow, and may that blood fall
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: back on those who cause it to flow. Felton uttered
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: a cry and rushed toward her. He was too late.
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: Milady had stabbed herself, but the knife had, fortunately, we
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: ought to say, skillfully, come in contact with the steel busk,
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: which at that period like a cuirass defended the chests
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: of women. It had glided down it, tearing the robe,
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: and had penetrated slantingly between the flesh and the ribs.
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: Milady's robe was not the less stained with blood. In
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: a second, Milady fell down and seemed to be in
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: a swoon. Felton snatched away the knife. See, my lord,
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: said he in a deep gloomy tone. Here is a
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: woman who was under my guard and who has killed herself.
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: Be at ease, Felton said, Lord de Winter. She is
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: not dead. Demons do not die so easily. Be tranquil
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: and go wait for me in my chamber. But my
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: lord go, sir, I command you at this injunction from
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: his superior Felton obeyed, but in going out he put
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: the knife into his bosom. As to Lord de Winter,
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: he contented himself with calling the woman who waited on Milady,
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: and when she was come, he recommended the prisoner, who
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: was still fainting, to her care, and left them alone. Meanwhile,
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: all things considered, in notwithstanding his suspicions as the wound
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: might be serious, he immediately sent off a mounted man
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: to find a physician Chapter fifty eight. Escape. As Lord
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: de Winter had thought Milady's wound was not dangerous. So
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: soon as she was left alone with the woman whom
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: the baron had summoned to her assistance, she opened her eyes.
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: It was, however, necessary to effect weakness and pain, not
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: a very difficult task for so finished an actress as Mlady.
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: Thus the poor woman was completely the dupe of the prisoner, whom,
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: notwithstanding her hints, she persisted in watching all night. But
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: the presence of this woman did not prevent m'lady from
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: thinking there was no longer a doubt that Felton was
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: convinced Felton was hers. If an angel appeared to that
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: young man as an accuser of Milady, he would take
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: him in the mental disposition in which he now found
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: himself for a messenger sent by the devil. Milady smiled
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: at this thought, for Felton was now her only hope,
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: her only means of safety. But Lord de Winter might
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: suspect him. Felton himself might now be watched. Toward four
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: o'clock in the morning, the doctor arrived, But since the
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: time m'lady stabbed herself, however short the wound had closed.
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: The doctor could therefore measure neither the direction nor the
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: depth of it. He only satisfied himself by Milady's pulse
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: that the case was not serious. In the morning, Milady,
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: under the pretext that she had not slept well in
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: the night and wanted rest, sent away the woman who
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: attended her. She had one hope, which was that Felton
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: would appear at the breakfast hour. But Felton did not come.
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: Were her fears realized? Was Felton suspected by the baron
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: about to fail her At the decisive moment, She had
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: only one day left. Lord de Winter had announced her
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: embarkation for the twenty third, and it was now the
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: morning of the twenty second. Nevertheless, she still waited patiently
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: till the hour for dinner, although she had eaten nothing
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: in the morning. The dinner was brought in at its
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: usual time. Milady then perceived with terror that the uniform
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: of the soldiers who guarded her was changed. Then she
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: ventured to ask what had become of Felton. She was
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: told that he had left the castle an hour before
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: on horseback. She inquired if the Baron was still at
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: the castle. The soldier replied that he was, and that
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: he had given orders to be informed if the prisoner
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: wished to speak to him. Milady replied that she was
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: too weak at present, and that her only desire was
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: to be left alone. The soldier went out, leaving the
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: dinner served. Felton was sent away, the marines were removed.
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: Felton was then mistrusted. This was the last blow to
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: the prisoner. Left alone, she arose the bed, which she
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: had kept from prudence, and that they might believe her
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: seriously wounded, burned her like a bed of fire. She
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: cast a glance at the door. The baron had had
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: a plank nailed over the grating. He no doubt feared
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: that by this opening, she might still, by some diabolical means,
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: corrupt her guards. Milady smiled with joy. She was free
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: now to give way to her transp without being observed.
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: She traversed her chamber with the excitement of a furious maniac,
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: or of a tigris shut up in an iron cage.
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: Cerdees if the knife had been left in her power,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: she would now have thought not of killing herself, but
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: of killing the baron. At six o'clock, Lord de Winter
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: came in. He was armed at all points, this man
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: in whom Milady till that time had only seen a
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: very simple gentleman had become an admirable jailer. He appeared
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: to foresee all, to divine all, to anticipate all. A
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: single look at Milady apprised him of all that was
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: passing in her mind. I said, he, I see, but
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: you shall not kill me to day. You have no
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: longer a weapon, and besides, I am on my guard.
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: You had begun to pervert my poor Felton. He was
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: yielding to your infernal influence. But I will save him.
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: He will never see you again. All is over. Get
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: your clothes together. Tomorrow you will go. I had fixed
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: the embarkation for the twenty fourth, but I have reflected
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: that the more promptly the affair takes place, the more
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: sure it will be. Tomorrow, by twelve o'clock I shall
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: have the order for your exile signed Buckingham. If you
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: speak a single word to any one before going aboard ship,
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: my sergeant will blow your brains out. He has orders
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: to do so. If when on the ship, you speak
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: a single word to any one before the captain permits you,
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: the captain will have you thrown into the sea. That
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: is agreed upon O revoir. Then that is all I
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: have to say to day tomorrow, I will see you
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: again to take my leave. With these words, the baron
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: went out. Milady had listened to all this menacing tirade
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: with a smile of disdain on her lips, but rage
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: in her heart. Supper was served. Milady felt that she
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: stood in need of all her strength. She did not
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: know what might take place during this night, which approached
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: so menacingly, for large masses of cloud rolled over the
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: face of the sky, and distant lightning announced a storm.
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: The storm broke about ten o'clock. Milady felt a consolation
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: in seeing nature partake of the disorder of her heart.
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: The thunder growled in the air, like the passion and
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: anger in her thoughts. It appeared to her that the blast,
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: as it swept along, disheveled her brow, as it bowed
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: the branches of the trees and bore away their leaves.
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: She howled as the hurricane howled, and her voice was
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: lost in the great voice of nature, which also seemed
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: to groan with despair. All at once she heard a
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: tap at her window, and by the help of a
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: flash of lightning, she saw the face of a man
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: appear behind the bars. She ran to the window and
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: opened it. Felton cried, She I am saved, Yes, said Felton.
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: But silence, silence. I must have time to file through
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: these bars. Only take care that I am not seen
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: through the wicket. Oh, it is a proof that the
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: Lord is on our side, Felton replied Milady. They have
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: closed up the grating with a board. That is well,
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: God has made them senseless, said Felton. But what must
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: I do, asked milady. Nothing, nothing, Only shut the window.
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: Go to bed, or at least lie down in your clothes.
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: As soon as I have done, I will knock on
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: one of the panes of glass. But will you be
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: able to follow me? Oh? Yes, You're wound gives me pain,
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: but will not prevent my walking. Be ready. Then, at
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: the first signal, Milady shut the window, extinguished the lamp,
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: and went as Felton had desired her to lie down
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: on the bed. Amid the moaning of the storm. She
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: heard the grinding of the file upon the bars, and
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: by the light of every flash she perceived the shadow
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: of Felton through the panes. She passed an hour without breathing,
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: panting with a cold sweat upon her brow, and her
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: heart oppressed by frightful agony at every movement she heard
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: in the corridor. There are hours which last a year.
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: At the expiration of an hour, Felton tapped again. Milady
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: sprang out of bed and opened the window. Two bars
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: removed formed an opening for a man to pass through.
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: Are you ready, asked Felton. Yes. Must I take anything
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: with me, money, if you have any? Yes, Fortunately they
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: have left me all I had so much the better
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: for I have expended all mine in chartering a vessel. Here,
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: said Milady, placing a bag full of Lewis in Felton's hands.
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: of the wall. Now said he will you come? I
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: am ready. Milady mounted upon a chair and passed the
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: upper part of her body through the window. She saw
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: the young officer suspended over the abyss by a ladder
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: of ropes. For the first time, an emotion of terror
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: reminded her that she was a woman. The dark space
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: frightened her. I expected this, said Felton. It's nothing. It's nothing,
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: said Milady. I will descend with my eyes shut. Have
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: you confidence in me? Said Felton, you ask that put
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: your two hands together, cross them. That's right. Felton tied
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: her two wrists together with his handkerchief, and then with
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: a cord over the handkerchief. What are you doing, asked
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: milady with surprise. Pass your arms around my neck and
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: fear nothing. But I shall make you lose your balance
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: and we shall both be dashed to pieces. Don't be afraid,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: I am a sailor. Not a second was to be lost.
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: Milady passed her two arms round Felton's neck and let
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: herself slip out of the window. Felton began to descend
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: the ladder slowly, step by step, despite the weight of
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: two bodies. The blast of the hurricane shook them in
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: the air all at once. Felton stopped. What is the matter,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: ask Milady. Silence, said Felton. I hear footsteps. We are discovered.
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: There was a silence of several seconds. No, said Felton,
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: it is nothing. But what then is the noise? That
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: of the patrol going their rounds? Where is their road?
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: Just under us? They will discover us. No if it
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: does not lighten, but they will run against the bottom
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: of the ladder. Fortunately, it is too short by six feet.
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: Here they are my God silence. Both remained suspended, motionless
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: and breathless, within twenty paces of the ground, while the
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: patrol passed beneath them, laughing and talking. This was a
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: terrible moment for the fugitives. The patrol passed. The noise
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: of their retreating footsteps and the murmur of their voices
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: soon died away. Now said Felton, we are safe. Milady
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: breathed a deep sigh and fainted. Felton continued to descend
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: near the bottom of the ladder. When he found no
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: more support for his feet, he clung with his hands
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: at length arrived at the last step, He let himself
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: hang by the strength of his wrists and touched the ground.
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: He stooped down, picked up the bag of money, and
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: placed it between his teeth. Then he took Milady in
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: his arms and set off briskly in the direction opposite
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: to that which the patrol had taken. He soon left
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: the pathway of the patrol, descended across the rocks, and
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: when arrived on the edge of the sea, whistled a
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: similar signal replied to him, and five minutes after a
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: boat appeared, rowed by four men. The boat approached as
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: near as it could to the shore, but there was
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: not depth enough of water for it to touch land.
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: Felton walked into the sea up to his middle, being
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: unwilling to trust his precious burden to anybody. Fortunately, the
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: storm began to subside, but still the sea was disturbed.
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: The little boat bounded over the waves like a nut shell.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: To the sloop, said Felton, and row quickly. The four
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: men bent to their oars, but the sea was too
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: high to let them get much hold of it. However,
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: they left the castle behind. That was the principal thing.
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: The night was extremely dark. It was almost impossible to
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: see the shore from the boat. They would therefore be
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: less likely to see the boat from the shore. A
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: black point floated on the sea. That was the sloop.
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: While the boat was advancing with all the speed its
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: four rowers could give it, Felton untied the cord and
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: then the handkerchief which bound Milady's hands together. When her
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: hands were loosed, he took some sea water and sprinkled
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: it over her face. Milady breathed a sigh and opened
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: her eyes. Where am I said? She saved? Replied the
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: young officer, oh, saved, saved, cried she. Yes, there is
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: the sky, here is the sea. The air I breathe
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: is the air of liberty. Ah. Thanks Felton, Thanks, The
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: young man pressed her to his heart. But what is
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: the matter with my hands, asked milady. It seems as
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: if my wrists had been crushed in a vice. Milady
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: held out her arms. Her wrists were bruised, alas, said Felton,
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: looking at those beautiful hands and shaking his head sorrowfully.
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: Oh it's nothing, nothing, cried milady. I remember now. Milady
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: looked around her, as if in search of something. It
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: is there, said Felton, touching the bag of money with
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: his foot. They drew near to the sloop. A sailor
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: on watch hailed the boat. The boat replied, What vessel
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: is that, asked m'lady, the one I have hired for you.
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: Where will it take me where you please? After you
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: have put me on shore at Portsmouth? What are you
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: going to do at Portsmouth? Asked m'lady. Accomplish the orders
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: of Lord de Winter, said Felton, with a gloomy smile.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: What orders, asked m'lady. You do not understand, asked Felton, no,
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: explain yourself. I beg as he mistrusted me. He determined
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: to guard you himself, and sent me in his place
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: to get Buckingham to sign the order for your transportation.
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: But if he mistrusted you, how could he confide such
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: an order to you? How could I know what I
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: was the bearer of. That's true, and you are going
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: to Portsmouth. I have no time to lose. Tomorrow is
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: the twenty third, and Buckingham set sail tomorrow with his fleet.
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: He set sail tomorrow. Wherefore for La Rochelle he need
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: not sail, cried Milady, forgetting her usual presence of mind.
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: Be satisfied, replied Felton, he will not sail. Milady started
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: with joy. She could read to the depths of the
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: heart of this young man, the death of Buckingham was
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: written there at full length. Felton cried, she, you are
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: as great as judas maccabeus. If you die, I will
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: die with you. That is all I can say to you. Silence,
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: cried Felton. We are here. In fact, they touched the sloop.
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: Felton mounted the latter first and gave his hand to Milady,
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: while the sailor supported her, for the sea was still
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: much agitated. An instant after they were on the deck,
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: Captain said Felton, this is the person of whom I
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: spoke to you, and whom you must convey safe and
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: sound to France for a thousand pistoles, said the captain.
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: I have paid you five hundred of them. That's correct,
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: said the captain. And here are the other five hundred,
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: replied Milady, placing her hand upon the bag of gold. No,
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: said the captain. I make but one bargain, and I
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: have agreed with this young man that the other five
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: hundred shall not be due to me till we arrive
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: at Boulogne. And shall we arrive there safe and sound
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: as true as my name's Jack Butler, Well, said Milady.
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: If you keep your word, instead of five hundred, I
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: will give you a thousand pistoles. Hurrah for you then,
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: my beautiful lady, cried the captain. And may God often
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: send me such passengers as your ladyship. Meanwhile, said Felton,
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: convey me to the little bay of you know it
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: was agreed you should put in there. The captain replied
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: by ordering the necessary maneuvers and towards seven o'clock in
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: the morning, the little vessel cast Anchor in the bay
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: that had been named. During this passage. Felton related everything
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: to Mlady, how instead of going to London he had
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: chartered the little vessel, how he had returned, how he
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: had scaled the wall by fastening cramps in the interstices
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: of the stones as he ascended to give him foothold,
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: and how when he had reached the bars he fastened
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: his ladder. Milady knew the rest on her side. Milady
• 33:27
  Speaker 1: tried to encourage Felton in his project, but at the
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: first words which issued from her mouth she plainly saw
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: that the young Fanatics stood more in need of being
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: moderated than urged. It was agreed that Mlady should wait
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: for Felton till ten o'clock. If he did not return
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: by ten o'clock, she was to sail in that case,
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: and supposing he was at liberty, he was to rejoin
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: her in France at the convent of the Carmelites at Bethune.
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: Chapter fifty nine. What took place at Portsmouth August twenty third,
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: sixteen twenty eight. Felton took leave of me a lady
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: as a brother about to go for a mere walk
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: takes leave of his sister, kissing her hand. His whole
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: body appeared in its ordinary state of calmness. Only an
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: unusual fire beamed from his eyes, like the effects of
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: a fever. His brow was more pale than it generally was,
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: his teeth were clenched, and his speech had a short,
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: dry accent, which indicated that something dark was at work
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: within him. As long as he remained in the boat
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: which conveyed him to land, he kept his face toward Mlady,
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: who standing on the deck, followed him with her eyes.
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: Both were free from the fear of pursuit. Nobody ever
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: came into Milady's apartment before nine o'clock, and it would
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: require three hours to go from the castle to London.
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: Felton jumped on shore, climbed the little ascent which led
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: to the top of the cliff, saluted Milady a last time,
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: and took his course toward the city. At the end
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: of a hundred paces, the ground began to decline and
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: he could only see the mast of the sloop. He
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: immediately ran in the direction of Portsmouth, which he saw
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: I saw at nearly half a league before him, standing
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: out in the haze of the morning, with its houses
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: and towers. Beyond Portsmouth, the sea was covered with vessels,
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: whose masts like a forest of poplars, despoiled by the winter,
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: bent with each breath of the wind. Felton, in his
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: rapid walk, reviewed in his mind all the accusations against
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: the favorite of James the First and Charles the First,
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: furnished by two years of premature meditation and a long
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: sojourn among the Puritans. When he compared the public crimes
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: of this minister, startling crimes European crimes, if so we
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: may say, with the private and unknown crimes with which
• 35:37
  Speaker 1: Milady had charged him, Felton found that the more culpable
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: of the two men which formed the character of Buckingham
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: was the one of whom the public knew, not the life.
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: This was because his love, so strange, so new, and
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: so ardent, made him view the infamous and imaginary accusations
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: of Milady de Winter as through a magnifying glass one
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: views as frightful monsters, atoms in reality, imperceptible by the
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: side of an aunt. The rapidity of his walk heated
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: his blood still more. The idea that he left behind him,
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: exposed to a frightful vengeance the woman he loved, or
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: rather whom he adored as a saint. The emotion he
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: had experienced present fatigue, altogether exalted his mind above human feeling.
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: He entered Portsmouth about eight o'clock in the morning. The
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: whole population was on foot. Drums were beating in the streets,
• 36:25
  Speaker 1: and in the port the troops about to embark were
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: marching toward the sea. Felton arrived at the Palace of
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: the Admiralty, covered with dust and streaming with perspiration. His countenance,
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: usually so pale, was purple with heat and passion. The
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: sentinel wanted to repulse him, but Felton called to the
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: officer of the Post, and, drawing from his pocket the
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: letter of which he was the bearer, he said a
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: pressing message from Lord de Winter. At the name of
• 36:53
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter, who was known to be one of
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: his Grace's most intimate friends. The officer of the post
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: gave orders to let felt pass, who besides were the
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: uniform of a naval officer. Felton darted into the palace.
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: At the moment he entered the vestibule, another man was
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: entering likewise dusty out of breath, leaving at the gate
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: a post horse, which, on reaching the palace tumbled on
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: his fore knees Felton, and he addressed Patrick, the Duke's
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: confidential lackey. At the same moment Felton named Lord de
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: Winter the unknown, would not name anybody, and pretended that
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: it was to the Duke alone he would make himself known.
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: Each was anxious to gain admission before the other. Patrick,
• 37:37
  Speaker 1: who knew Lord de Winter was in affairs of the
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: service and in relations of friendship with the Duke, gave
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: the preference to the one who came in his name.
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: The other was forced to wait, and it was easily
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: to be seen how he cursed the delay. The valet
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: led Felton through a large hall in which waited the
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: deputies from La Rochelle, headed by the Prince de Surbiz,
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: and introduced him into a closet where Buckingham, just out
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: of the bath, was finishing his toilet, upon which, as
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: at all times, he bestowed extraordinary attention. Lieutenant Felton from
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter, said Patrick. From Lord de Winter repeated Buckingham,
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: let him come in. Felton entered. At that moment Buckingham
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: was throwing upon a couch a rich toilet robe worked
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: with gold in order to put on a blue velvet
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: doublet embroidered with pearls. Why didn't the Baron come himself,
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: demanded Buckingham. I expected him this morning. He desired me
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: to tell your grace, replied Felton that he very much
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: regretted not having that honor, but that he was prevented
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: by the guard. He is obliged to keep at the castle. Yes,
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: I know that, said Buckingham. He has a prisoner. It
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: is of that prisoner that I wish to speak to.
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: Your Grace replied Felton. Well, then speak that which I
• 38:56
  Speaker 1: have to say of her can only be heard by yourself.
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: My Lord leave us, Patrick, said Buckingham, but remained within
• 39:03
  Speaker 1: sound of the bell. I shall call you presently. Patrick
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: went out. We are alone, sir, said Buckingham. Speak, my Lord,
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: said Felton. The Baron de Winter wrote to you the
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: other day to request you to sign an order of
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: embarkation relative to a young woman named Charlotte Bagxon. Yes, sir,
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: and I answered him to bring or send me that order,
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: and I would sign it here it is my lord,
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: give it to me, said the Duke, and taking it
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: from Felton, he cast a rapid glance over the paper, and,
• 39:38
  Speaker 1: perceiving that it was the one that had been mentioned
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: to him, he placed it on the table, took a pen,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: and prepared to sign it. Pardon, my Lord, said Felton,
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: stopping the Duke, but does your grace know that the
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: name of Charlotte Bagxon is not the true name of
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: this young woman? Yes, Sir, I know it, replied the Duke,
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: dipping the quill in the ink. Then your grace knows
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: her real name, asked Felton, in a sharp tone. I
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: know it, and the Duke put the quill to the paper.
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: Felton grew pale, and knowing that real name, my Lord
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: replied Felton, will you sign it all the same? Doubtless,
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: said Buckingham, and rather twice than once. I cannot believe,
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: continued Felton, in a voice that became more sharp and rough.
• 40:25
  Speaker 1: That your grace knows that it is to Milady de Winter.
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: This relates. I know it perfectly, although I am astonished
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: that you know it, And will your grace sign that
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: order without remorse? Buckingham looked at the young man haughtily.
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: Do you know, sir, that you are asking me very
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: strange questions and that I am very foolish to answer them.
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: Reply to them, my lord, said Felton. The circumstances are
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: more serious than you perhaps believe. Buckingham reflected that the
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: young man coming from Lord de Winter undoubtedly spoke in
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: his name, and softly without remorse, said he. The Baron
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: knows as well as myself that Milady de Winter is
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: a very guilty woman, and it is treating her very
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: favorably to commute her punishment to transportation. The Duke put
• 41:14
  Speaker 1: his pen to the paper. You will not sign that order,
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: my lord, said Felton, making a step toward the Duke.
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: I will not sign this order. And why not, because
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: you will look into yourself and you will do justice
• 41:29
  Speaker 1: to the lady. I should do her justice by sending
• 41:32
  Speaker 1: her to Tyburn, said Buckingham. This lady is infamous, my lord.
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: Milady de Winter is an angel. You know that she is,
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: and I demand her liberty of you. Bah Are you
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: mad to talk to me? Thus, said Buckingham. My Lord,
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: excuse me, I speak as I can. I restrain myself,
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: But my lord, think of what you are about to do,
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: and beware of going too far. What do you say, God,
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: pardon me, cried Buckingham. I really think he threatens me. No,
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: my Lord, I still plead, and I say to you,
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: one drop of water suffices to make the full vase overflow.
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: One slight fault may draw down punishment upon the head spared.
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: Despite many crimes, mister Felton, said Buckingham, you will withdraw
• 42:24
  Speaker 1: and place yourself at once under arrest. You will hear
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: me to the end. My Lord, you have seduced this
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: young girl. You have outraged, defiled her. Repair your crimes
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: toward her, Let her go free, and I will exact
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: nothing else from you. You will exact, said Buckingham, looking
• 42:43
  Speaker 1: at Felton with astonishment and dwelling upon each syllable of
• 42:47
  Speaker 1: the three words as he pronounced them. My Lord continued Felton,
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: becoming more excited as he spoke. My Lord, beware all
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: England is tired of your iniquities. My Lord. You have
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: abused the royal power which you have almost usurped. My Lord,
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: you are held in horror by God and men. God
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: will punish you hereafter, but I will punish you here. Ah,
• 43:11
  Speaker 1: this is too much, cried Buckingham, making a step toward
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: the door, Felton barred his passage. I ask it humbly
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: of you, my lord, said he sign the order for
• 43:24
  Speaker 1: the liberation of Milady de Winter. Remember that she is
• 43:27
  Speaker 1: a woman whom you have dishonored withdraw sir, said Buckingham.
• 43:32
  Speaker 1: Or I will call my attendant and have you placed
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: in irons. You shall not call, said Felton, throwing himself
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: between the Duke and the bell placed on a stand
• 43:42
  Speaker 1: encrusted with silver. Beware, my lord, you are in the
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: hands of God, in the hands of the devil you mean,
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: cried Buckingham, raising his voice so as to attract the
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: notice of his people without absolutely shouting. Sign, my lord,
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: sign the liberation of Milady de Winter, said Felton, holding
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: out a paper to the Duke. By force, you are joking,
• 44:08
  Speaker 1: Holloa Patrick, Sign my lord never never help, shouted the Duke,
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: and at the same time he sprang toward his sword,
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: but Felton did not give him time to draw it.
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: He held the knife with which Milady had stabbed herself
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: open in his bosom. At one bound he was upon
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: the Duke. At that moment, Patrick entered the room, crying
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: a letter from France. My lord from France, cried Buckingham
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: forgetting everything in thinking from whom that letter came, Felton
• 44:42
  Speaker 1: took advantage of this moment and plunged the knife into
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: his side, up to the handle. Ah, traitor, cried Buckingham,
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: you have killed me. Murder, screamed Patrick. Felton cast his
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: eyes round for means of escape, and, seeing the door free,
• 44:59
  Speaker 1: he rushed in to the next chamber, in which, as
• 45:02
  Speaker 1: we have said, the deputies from La Rochelle were waiting,
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: crossed it as quickly as possible, and rushed toward the staircase.
• 45:08
  Speaker 1: But upon the first step he met Lord de Winter, who,
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: seeing him pale, confused, livid and stained with blood both
• 45:16
  Speaker 1: on his hands and face, seized him by the throat, crying,
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: I knew it, I guessed it, but too late by
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: a minute. Unfortunate, unfortunate that I am Felton made no resistance.
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter placed him in the hands of the guards,
• 45:33
  Speaker 1: who led him, while awaiting further orders, to a little
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: terrace commanding the sea, and then the Baron hastened to
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: the Duke's chamber. At the cry uttered by the Duke
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: and the scream of Patrick. The man whom Felton had
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: met in the antechamber, rushed into the chamber. He found
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: the Duke reclining upon a sofa, with his hand pressed
• 45:52
  Speaker 1: upon the wound. Laporte, said the Duke in a dying voice. Laporte,
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: do you come from her? Yes, replied the faithful cloak
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: bearer of Anne of Austria. But too late, perhaps, silence Leporte,
• 46:07
  Speaker 1: you may be overheard. Patrick. Let no one enter. Oh
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: I cannot tell what she says to me. My god,
• 46:16
  Speaker 1: I am dying. And the Duke's swooned. Meanwhile, Lord de Winter,
• 46:22
  Speaker 1: the deputies, the leaders of the expedition, the officers of
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: Buckingham's household, had all made their way into the chamber.
• 46:30
  Speaker 1: Cries of despair resounded on all sides. The news, which
• 46:34
  Speaker 1: filled the palace with tears and groans, soon became known
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: and spread itself throughout the city. The report of a
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: cannon announced that something new and unexpected had taken place.
• 46:46
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter tore his hair. Too late by a minute,
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: cried he too late by a minute. Oh my god,
• 46:54
  Speaker 1: my god, what a misfortune. He had been informed at
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: seven o'clock in the morning that a rope ladder floated
• 47:01
  Speaker 1: from one of the windows of the castle. He had
• 47:03
  Speaker 1: hastened to Milady's chamber, had found it empty, the window open,
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: and the bars filed. Had remembered the verbal cautioned d'Artagnan
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: had transmitted to him by his messenger, had trembled for
• 47:13
  Speaker 1: the Duke, and, running to the stable, without taking time
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: to have a horse saddled, had jumped upon the first
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: he found, had galloped off like the wind, had alighted
• 47:22
  Speaker 1: below in the courtyard, had ascended the stairs precipitately, and
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: on the top step, as we have said, had encountered Felton.
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: The Duke, however, was not dead. He recovered a little,
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: reopened his eyes, and hope revived in all hearts. Gentlemen,
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: said he leave me alone with Patrick and Laporte. Ah
• 47:43
  Speaker 1: is that you, de Winter? You sent me a strange
• 47:47
  Speaker 1: madman this morning. See the state in which he has
• 47:50
  Speaker 1: put me. Oh, my lord, cried the Baron. I shall
• 47:54
  Speaker 1: never console myself, and you would be quite wrong, My
• 47:58
  Speaker 1: dear de Winter, said Buckingham, holding out his hand to him.
• 48:03
  Speaker 1: I do not know the man who deserves being regretted.
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: During the whole life of another man, But leave us,
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: I pray you. The baron went out, sobbing. There only
• 48:12
  Speaker 1: remained in the closet of the wounded Duke, Laporte and Patrick.
• 48:16
  Speaker 1: A physician was sought for, but none was yet found.
• 48:20
  Speaker 1: You will live, my lord, you will live, repeated the
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: faithful servant of Anne of Austria, on his knees before
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: the Duke's sofa. What has she written to me? Said Buckingham, feebly,
• 48:32
  Speaker 1: streaming with blood and suppressing his agony to speak of her.
• 48:35
  Speaker 1: He loved. What has she written to me? Read me
• 48:39
  Speaker 1: her letter? Oh, my lord, said Laporte. Obey, Laporte, do
• 48:45
  Speaker 1: you not see? I have no time to lose. Laporte
• 48:48
  Speaker 1: broke the seal and placed the paper before the eyes
• 48:51
  Speaker 1: of the Duke. But Buckingham, in vain, tried to make
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: out the writing. Read said he read. I cannot see
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: read then, for soon perhaps I shall not hear, and
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: I shall die without knowing what she has written to me.
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: Laporte made no further objection, and read, my lord, by
• 49:12
  Speaker 1: that which since I have known you, have suffered by
• 49:15
  Speaker 1: you and for you, I conjure you, if you have
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: any care for my repose to countermand those great armaments
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: which you are preparing against France to put an end
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: to a war of which it is publicly said religion
• 49:27
  Speaker 1: is the ostensible cause, and of which it is generally whispered.
• 49:30
  Speaker 1: Your love for me is the concealed cause. This war
• 49:34
  Speaker 1: may not only bring great catastrophes upon England and France,
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: but misfortune upon you, my lord, for which I should
• 49:41
  Speaker 1: never console myself. Be careful of your life, which is menaced,
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: and which will be dear to me from the moment.
• 49:47
  Speaker 1: I am not obliged to see an enemy in you,
• 49:51
  Speaker 1: your affectionate and Buckingham collected all his remaining strength to
• 49:54
  Speaker 1: listen to the reading of the letter. Then, when it
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: was ended, as if he had met with a bitter disappointment,
• 50:00
  Speaker 1: he asked, have you nothing else to say to me?
• 50:02
  Speaker 1: By the living voice Laporte? The Queen charged me to
• 50:06
  Speaker 1: tell you to watch over yourself, for she had advised
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: that your assassination would be attempted. And is that all?
• 50:13
  Speaker 1: Is that all? Replied Buckingham impatiently. She likewise charged me
• 50:18
  Speaker 1: to tell you that she still loved you, Ah, said Buckingham,
• 50:22
  Speaker 1: God be praised my death, then will not be to
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: her as the death of a stranger. Laporte burst into tears.
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: Patrick said, the Duke bring me the casket in which
• 50:35
  Speaker 1: the diamond studs were kept. Patrick brought the object desired,
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: which Laporte recognized as having belonged to the Queen, now
• 50:43
  Speaker 1: the scent bag of white satin on which her cipher
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: is embroidered in pearls. Patrick again obeyed. Here, Laporte said, Buckingham,
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: these are the only tokens I ever received from her,
• 50:55
  Speaker 1: This silver casket and these two letters. You will restore
• 50:59
  Speaker 1: them to her majesty, and as a last memorial. He
• 51:02
  Speaker 1: looked round for some valuable object you will add. He
• 51:06
  Speaker 1: still sought, but his eyes, darkened by death, encountered only
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: the knife, which had fallen from the hand of Felton,
• 51:12
  Speaker 1: still smoking, with the blood spread over its blade. And
• 51:16
  Speaker 1: you will add to them this knife, said the Duke,
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: pressing the hand of Laporte. He had just strength enough
• 51:22
  Speaker 1: to place the scent bag at the bottom of the
• 51:24
  Speaker 1: silver casket and to let the knife fall into it,
• 51:27
  Speaker 1: making a sign to Laporte that he was no longer
• 51:29
  Speaker 1: able to speak. Then, in a last convulsion which this
• 51:33
  Speaker 1: time he had not the power to combat. He slipped
• 51:36
  Speaker 1: from the sofa to the floor. Patrick uttered a loud cry.
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: Buckingham tried to smile a last time, but death checked
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: his thought, which remained engraved on his brow like a
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: last kiss of love. At this moment, the Duke's surgeon arrived,
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: quite terrified. He was already on board the Admiral's ship,
• 51:55
  Speaker 1: where they had been obliged to seek him. He approached
• 51:58
  Speaker 1: the Duke, took his hand and held it for an
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: instant in his own, and letting it fall. All is useless,
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: said he. He is dead, dead, dead, cried Patrick. At
• 52:10
  Speaker 1: this cry, all the crowd re entered the apartment, and
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: throughout the palace and town there was nothing but consternation
• 52:16
  Speaker 1: and tumult. As soon as Lord de Winter saw Buckingham
• 52:19
  Speaker 1: was dead, he ran to Felton, whom the soldier still
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: guarded on the terrace of the palace. Wretch, said he
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: to the young man, who, since the death of Buckingham,
• 52:29
  Speaker 1: had regained the coolness and self possession which never after
• 52:32
  Speaker 1: abandoned him. Wretch, what have you done? I have avenged myself,
• 52:37
  Speaker 1: said he avenge yourself, said the baron. Rather say that
• 52:42
  Speaker 1: you have served as an instrument to that accursed woman.
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: But I swear to you that this crime shall be
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: her last. I don't know what you mean, replied Felton quietly,
• 52:52
  Speaker 1: And I am ignorant of whom you are speaking, my Lord,
• 52:56
  Speaker 1: I killed the Duke of Buckingham because he twice refused
• 52:59
  Speaker 1: you yourself to point me, Captain. I have punished him
• 53:01
  Speaker 1: for his injustice. That is all. De Winter, stupefied, looked
• 53:06
  Speaker 1: on while the soldiers bound Felton, and could not tell
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: what to think of such insensibility. One thing alone, however,
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: threw a shade over the pallid brow of Felton. At
• 53:17
  Speaker 1: every noise he heard, the simple puritan fancied. He recognized
• 53:21
  Speaker 1: the step and voice of milady coming to throw herself
• 53:23
  Speaker 1: into his arms, to accuse herself and die with him.
• 53:27
  Speaker 1: All at once he started. His eyes became fixed upon
• 53:31
  Speaker 1: a point of the sea commanded by the terrace, where
• 53:34
  Speaker 1: he was with the eagle glance of a sailor he
• 53:37
  Speaker 1: had recognized there where another would have seen only a
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: gull hovering over the waves, the sail of a sloop
• 53:42
  Speaker 1: which was directed toward the coast of France. He grew
• 53:46
  Speaker 1: deadly pale, placed his hand upon his heart, which was breaking,
• 53:50
  Speaker 1: and at once perceived all the treachery. One last favor,
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: my lord, said he to the baron, what asked his lordship,
• 54:00
  Speaker 1: what o'clock is it? The baron drew out his watch.
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: It wants ten minutes to nine, said he. Milady had
• 54:08
  Speaker 1: hastened her departure by an hour and a half. As
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: soon as she heard the cannon which announced the fatal event.
• 54:15
  Speaker 1: She had ordered the anchor to be weighed. The vessel
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: was making way under a blue sky, at great distance
• 54:21
  Speaker 1: from the coast. God has so willed it, said he,
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: with the resignation of a fanatic, but without however, being
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: able to take his eyes from that ship, on board
• 54:32
  Speaker 1: of which he doubtless fancied he could distinguish the white
• 54:34
  Speaker 1: outline of her to whom he had sacrificed his life.
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: De Winter followed his look, observed his feelings, and guessed
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: all be punished alone for the first miserable man, said
• 54:46
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter to Felton, who was being dragged away
• 54:49
  Speaker 1: with his eyes turned toward the sea. But I swear
• 54:51
  Speaker 1: to you, by the memory of my brother, whom I
• 54:53
  Speaker 1: have loved so much, that your accomplice is not saved
• 54:57
  Speaker 1: Felton lowered his head without pronouncing a syllable. As to
• 55:01
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter, he descended the stairs rapidly and went
• 55:04
  Speaker 1: straight to the port. Chapter sixty in France. The first
• 55:09
  Speaker 1: fear of the King of England, Charles the First, on
• 55:13
  Speaker 1: learning of the death of the Duke, was that such
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: terrible news might discourage the Rochellees. He tried, says Richelieu
• 55:20
  Speaker 1: in his memoirs, to conceal it from them as long
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: as possible, closing all the ports of his kingdom, and
• 55:25
  Speaker 1: carefully keeping watch that no vessel should sail until the
• 55:28
  Speaker 1: army which Buckingham was getting together had gone. Taking upon
• 55:32
  Speaker 1: himself in default of Buckingham, to superintend the departure, he
• 55:37
  Speaker 1: carried the strictness of this order so far as to
• 55:40
  Speaker 1: detain in England the ambassadors of Denmark who had taken
• 55:43
  Speaker 1: their leave, and the regular Ambassador of Holland, who was
• 55:46
  Speaker 1: to take back to the port of Flushing the Indian
• 55:48
  Speaker 1: merchantmen of which Charles the First had made restitution to
• 55:52
  Speaker 1: the United Provinces. But as he did not think of
• 55:55
  Speaker 1: giving this order till five hours after the event, that
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: is to say, till two two o'clock in the afternoon,
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: two vessels had already left the port, the one bearing
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: as we know, Milady, who already anticipating the event, was
• 56:09
  Speaker 1: further confirmed in that belief by seeing the black flag
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: flying at the masthead of the admiral's ship. As to
• 56:15
  Speaker 1: the second vessel, we will tell hereafter whom it carried
• 56:19
  Speaker 1: and how it set sail. During this time, nothing new
• 56:22
  Speaker 1: occurred in the camp at La Rochelle. Only the King,
• 56:25
  Speaker 1: who was bored as always, but perhaps a little more
• 56:28
  Speaker 1: so encamped than elsewhere, resolved to go incognito and spend
• 56:32
  Speaker 1: the festival of Saint Louis at Saint Germain, and asked
• 56:35
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal to order him an escort of only twenty musketeers.
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: The Cardinal, who sometimes became weary of the king, granted
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: this leave of absence with great pleasure to his royal lieutenant,
• 56:46
  Speaker 1: who promised to return about the fifteenth of September. M
• 56:51
  Speaker 1: The Treville, being informed of this by his eminence, packed
• 56:54
  Speaker 1: his portmanteau, and, as without knowing the cause, he knew
• 56:57
  Speaker 1: the great desire and even imperative need, which is free
• 57:00
  Speaker 1: friends had of returning to Paris, it goes without saying
• 57:02
  Speaker 1: that he fixed upon them to form part of the escort.
• 57:06
  Speaker 1: The four young men heard the news a quarter of
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: an hour after m the Treville, for they were the
• 57:11
  Speaker 1: first to whom he communicated it. It was then that
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan appreciated the favor of the cardinal had conferred upon
• 57:18
  Speaker 1: him in making him at last end of the musketeers,
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: for without that circumstance he would have been forced to
• 57:23
  Speaker 1: remain in the camp while his companions left it. It
• 57:26
  Speaker 1: goes without saying that this impatience to return toward Paris
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: had for a cause the danger which Madame Bonacoux would
• 57:32
  Speaker 1: run of meeting at the Convent of Bethune with Milady
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: her mortal enemy. Aramis therefore had written immediately to Marie Mitchen,
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: the seastress at Tours, who had such fine acquaintances, to
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: obtain from the Queen authority for Madame Bonacieux to leave
• 57:46
  Speaker 1: the convent and to retire either into Lorraine or Belgium.
• 57:50
  Speaker 1: They had not long to wait for an answer. Eight
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: or ten days afterward, Aramis received the following letter, My
• 57:57
  Speaker 1: dear cousin, here is the authorization for Mysis to withdraw
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: our little servant from the Convent of Bethune, the air
• 58:03
  Speaker 1: of which you think is bad for her. My sister
• 58:06
  Speaker 1: sends you this authorization with great pleasure, for she is
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: very partial to the little girl to whom she intends
• 58:12
  Speaker 1: to be more serviceable. Hereafter, I salute you, Marie Mitchen.
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: To this letter was added an order conceived in these
• 58:19
  Speaker 1: terms at the Louver August tenth, sixteen twenty eight. The
• 58:23
  Speaker 1: Superior of the Convent of Bethune will place in the
• 58:26
  Speaker 1: hands of the person who shall present this note to her,
• 58:28
  Speaker 1: the novice who entered the convent upon my recommendation and
• 58:31
  Speaker 1: under my patronage. And it may be easily imagined how
• 58:35
  Speaker 1: the relationship between Aramis and a seamstress who called the
• 58:38
  Speaker 1: Queen her sister amused the young men. But Aramis, after
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: having blushed two or three times up to the whites
• 58:44
  Speaker 1: of his eyes at the gross pleasantry of Porthos, begged
• 58:47
  Speaker 1: his friends not to revert to the subject, again, declaring
• 58:51
  Speaker 1: that if a single word more was said to him
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: about it, he would never again implore his cousins to
• 58:56
  Speaker 1: interfere in such affairs. There was no further question therefore,
• 59:00
  Speaker 1: about Marie Mitchen among the four musketeers, who, besides had
• 59:04
  Speaker 1: what they wanted, that was the order to withdraw Madame
• 59:07
  Speaker 1: Bonacieux from the convent of the Carmelites of Bethune. It
• 59:11
  Speaker 1: was true that this order would not be of great
• 59:13
  Speaker 1: use to them while they were in camp at La Rochelle,
• 59:15
  Speaker 1: that is to say, at the other end of France. Therefore,
• 59:19
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan was going to ask leave of absence of m.
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: De Treville, confiding to him candidly the importance of his departure.
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: When the news was transmitted to him, as well as
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: to his three friends, that the king was about to
• 59:31
  Speaker 1: set out for Paris with an escort of twenty musketeers,
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: and that they formed part of the escort, their joy
• 59:38
  Speaker 1: was great. The lackeys were sent on before with the baggage,
• 59:42
  Speaker 1: and they set out on the morning of the sixteenth.
• 59:45
  Speaker 1: The Cardinal accompanied his majesty from Sergers to Moses, and
• 59:48
  Speaker 1: there the King and his minister took leave of each
• 59:51
  Speaker 1: other with great demonstrations of friendship. The King, however, who
• 59:55
  Speaker 1: sought distraction while traveling as fast as possible, for he
• 59:59
  Speaker 1: was anxious to be in Paris by the twenty third,
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 1: stopped from time to time to fly the magpie a
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: pastime for which the taste had been formerly inspired in
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: him by the Lownes, and for which he had always
• 1:00:09
  Speaker 1: preserved a great predilection. Out of the twenty musketeers, sixteen
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: when this took place, rejoiced greatly at this relaxation, but
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 1: the other four cursed it heartily. d'Artagnan in particular had
• 1:00:22
  Speaker 1: a perpetual buzzing in his ears, which Porthos explained, thus,
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 1: a very great lady has told me that this means
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: that somebody is talking of you somewhere. At length. The
• 1:00:32
  Speaker 1: escort passed through Paris on the twenty third in the night.
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: The King thanked them the Treville and permitted him to
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: distribute furloughs for four days, on condition that the favored
• 1:00:42
  Speaker 1: party should not appear in any public place under penalty
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 1: of the Bastille. The first four furloughs granted, as may
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 1: be imagined, were to our four friends. Still, further Athos
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: obtained of M. The Treville six days instead of four,
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 1: and introduced into these six days tis two more nights.
• 1:01:01
  Speaker 1: For they set out on the twenty fourth at five
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: o'clock in the evening, and as a further kindness, M.
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: De Treville post dated the leave to the morning of
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 1: the twenty fifth. Good Lord, said d'Artagnan, who, as we
• 1:01:13
  Speaker 1: have often said, never stumbled at anything. It appears to
• 1:01:17
  Speaker 1: me that we are making a great trouble of a
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: very simple thing in two days, and by using up
• 1:01:23
  Speaker 1: two or three horses, that's nothing. I have plenty of money.
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: I am at Bethune, I present my letter from the
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: Queen to the Superior, and I bring back the dear treasure.
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: I go to seek not into Lorraine, not into Belgium,
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: but to Paris, where she will be much better concealed,
• 1:01:39
  Speaker 1: particularly while the Cardinal is at La Rochelle. Well once
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: returned from the country, half by the protection of her cousin,
• 1:01:47
  Speaker 1: half through what we have personally done for her, we
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 1: shall obtain from the Queen what we desire. Remain then
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: where you are, and do not exhaust yourselves with useless fatigue.
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: Myself and Planchet are all that such a simple expedition requires.
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 1: To this, Athos replied quietly, we also have money left,
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 1: for I have not yet drunk all my share of
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: the diamond, and Porthos and Aramis have not eaten all theirs.
• 1:02:13
  Speaker 1: We can therefore use up four horses as well as one.
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 1: But consider, d'Artagnan added he in a tone so solemn
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 1: that it made the young man shudder. Consider that Bethune
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 1: is a city where the cardinal has given rendezvous to
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 1: a woman, who, wherever she goes, brings misery with her.
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 1: If you had only to deal with four men, d'Artagnan
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: would allow you to go alone. You have to do
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: with that woman. We four will go, and I hope
• 1:02:40
  Speaker 1: to God that with our four lackeys we may be
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 1: in sufficient number. You terrify me, Athos, cried d'Artagnan. My God,
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 1: what do you fear? Everything, replied Athos. d'Artagnan examined the
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: countenances of his companions, which, like that of Athos, were
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: an impression of deep anxiety, and they continued their route
• 1:03:03
  Speaker 1: as fast as their horses could carry them, but without
• 1:03:05
  Speaker 1: adding another word. On the evening of the twenty fifth,
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 1: as they were entering Heiras, and as d'Artagnan was dismounting
• 1:03:12
  Speaker 1: at the inn of the Golden Harrow to drink a
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 1: glass of wine, a horseman came out of the post
• 1:03:17
  Speaker 1: yard where he had just had a relay, started off
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 1: at a gallop, and with a fresh horse, took the
• 1:03:22
  Speaker 1: road to Paris. At the moment he passed through the
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 1: gateway into the street, the wind blew open the cloak
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 1: in which he was wrapped, although it was in the
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: month of August, and lifted his hat, which the traveler
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: seized with his hand the moment it had left his head,
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 1: pulling it eagerly over his eyes. d'Artagnan, who had his
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 1: eyes fixed upon this man, became very pale and let
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: his glass fall. What is the matter, monsieur, said Planchett. Oh, come, gentlemen,
• 1:03:50
  Speaker 1: my master is ill. The three friends hastened toward d'Artagnan, who,
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: instead of being ill, ran toward his horse. They stopped
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 1: him at the door. Well, where the devil are you going? Now,
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: cried Athos? It is he cried d'Artagnan, pale with anger,
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: and with the sweat on his brow. It is he
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 1: let me overtake him? He what he asked Athos? He
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: that man? What man? That cursed man? My evil genius,
• 1:04:24
  Speaker 1: whom I have always met with when threatened by some misfortune.
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: He who accompanied that horrible woman when I met her
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 1: for the first time, He whom I was seeking when
• 1:04:32
  Speaker 1: I offended our Athos, he whom I saw on the
• 1:04:34
  Speaker 1: very morning Madame Bonacieux was abducted. I have seen him,
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 1: that is he, I recognized him when the wind blew
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 1: upon his cloak. The devil said Athos, musingly to saddle, gentleman,
• 1:04:49
  Speaker 1: to saddle. Let us pursue him, and we shall overtake him.
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 1: My dear friend said aramis. Remember that he goes in
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 1: an opposite direction from that in which we are going.
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: That he has a fresh horse, and ours are fatigued,
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: so that we shall disable our own horses without even
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 1: a chance of overtaking him. Let the man go, d'Artagnan,
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 1: let us save the woman, monsieur, monsieur, cried the hostler,
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 1: running out and looking after the stranger. Monsieur, here is
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: a paper which dropped out of your hat, Eh monsieur,
• 1:05:23
  Speaker 1: eh friend, said d'Artagnan. A half bestole for that paper,
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 1: my faith, monsieur, with great pleasure. Here it is the hostler,
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 1: enchanted with the good day's work he had done, returned
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: to the yard. d'Artagnan unfolded the paper well eagerly demanded
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 1: all his three friends. Nothing but one word, said d'Artagnan, Yes,
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 1: said Aramis, But that one word is the name of
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 1: some town or village. Armentieres read Porthos. Armentier's I don't
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 1: know such a place, And that name of a town
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: or village is written in her hand, cried Athos. Come on,
• 1:06:06
  Speaker 1: come on, said d'Artagnan. Let us keep that paper carefully.
• 1:06:10
  Speaker 1: Perhaps I have not thrown away my half. Bestole to horse,
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 1: my friends to horse, And the four friends flew at
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 1: a gallop along the road to Bethune, Chapter sixty one.
• 1:06:23
  Speaker 1: The Carmelite convent at Thun. Great criminals bear about them
• 1:06:26
  Speaker 1: a kind of predestination which makes them surmount all obstacles,
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: which makes them escape all dangers up to the moment
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 1: which a wearied providence has marked as the rock of
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: their impious fortunes. It was thus with Milady she escaped
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 1: the cruisers of both nations and arrived at Boulogne without accident.
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 1: When landing at Portsmouth, Milady was an englishwoman whom the
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 1: persecutions of the French drove from La Rochelle. When landing
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 1: at Boulogne after a two days passage, she passed for
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: a frenchwoman, whom the English persecuted at Portsmouth out of
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: their hatred for France. Milady had likewise the best of passports,
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 1: her beauty, her noble appearance, and the liberality with which
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 1: she distributed her pistoles, freed from the usual formalities by
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: the affable smile and gallant manners of an old governor
• 1:07:15
  Speaker 1: of the port who kissed her hand. She only remained
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 1: long enough at Boulogne to put into the post a
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: letter conceived in the following terms to His Eminence, Monseigneur,
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal Richelieu in his camp before La Rochelle, Monseigneur,
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 1: let your Eminence be reassured his grace, the Duke of
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 1: Buckingham will not set out for France. Milady d e Boulogne,
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: evening of the twenty fifth p s. According to the
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 1: desire of your Eminence, I report to the convent of
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 1: the Carmelites at Bethune, where I will await your orders accordingly.
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 1: That same evening Milady commenced her journey. Night overtook her.
• 1:07:53
  Speaker 1: She stopped and slept at an inn. At five o'clock
• 1:07:56
  Speaker 1: the next morning she again proceeded, and in three hours
• 1:07:59
  Speaker 1: after entered Bethune. She inquired for the convent of the Carmelites,
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 1: and went thither. Immediately the Superior met her. Milady showed
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 1: her the cardinal's order. The Abbess assigned her a chamber
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 1: and had breakfast served. All the past was effaced from
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 1: the eyes of this woman, and her looks fixed on
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 1: the future, beheld nothing but the high fortunes reserved for
• 1:08:22
  Speaker 1: her by the Cardinal whom she had so successfully served,
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: without his name being in any way mixed up with
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: the sanguinary affair. The ever new passions which consumed her
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: gave to her life the appearance of those clouds which
• 1:08:34
  Speaker 1: flowed in the heavens, reflecting sometimes azure, sometimes fire, sometimes
• 1:08:39
  Speaker 1: the opaque blackness of the tempest, and which leave no
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 1: traces upon the earth behind them, but devastation and death.
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 1: After breakfast, the Abbess came to pay her a visit.
• 1:08:50
  Speaker 1: There is very little amusement in the cloister, and the
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 1: good Superior was eager to make the acquaintance of her
• 1:08:55
  Speaker 1: new border. Milady wished to please the Abbess this. It
• 1:09:00
  Speaker 1: was a very easy matter for a woman so really
• 1:09:02
  Speaker 1: superior as she was. She tried to be agreeable, and
• 1:09:06
  Speaker 1: she was charming, winning the Good Superior by her varied
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 1: conversation and by the graces of her whole personality. The Abbess,
• 1:09:14
  Speaker 1: who was the daughter of a noble house, took particular
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: delight in stories of the court, which so seldom traveled
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 1: to the extremities of the Kingdom, and which above all
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 1: have so much difficulty in penetrating the walls of convents,
• 1:09:26
  Speaker 1: at whose threshold the noise of the world dies away. Milady,
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 1: on the contrary, was quite conversant with all aristocratic intrigues
• 1:09:35
  Speaker 1: amid which she had constantly lived for five or six years.
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: She made it her business therefore, to amuse the Good
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 1: Abbess with the worldly practices of the Court of France,
• 1:09:45
  Speaker 1: mixed with the eccentric pursuits of the king. She made
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: for her the scandalous Chronicle of the Lords and Ladies
• 1:09:51
  Speaker 1: of the Court, whom the Abbess knew perfectly by name,
• 1:09:54
  Speaker 1: touched lightly on the amours of the Queen and the
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: Duke of Buckingham, talking a great deal to induce he
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 1: her auditor, to talk a little, but the Abbess contented
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 1: herself with listening and smiling, without replying a word. Milady, however,
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 1: saw that this sort of narrative amused her very much,
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 1: and kept at it. Only she now let her conversation
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 1: drift toward the Cardinal, But she was greatly embarrassed. She
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 1: did not know whether the abbess was a royalist or
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: a cardinalist. She therefore confined herself to a prudent middle course.
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: But the Abbess, on her part, maintained a reserve still
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 1: more prudent, contenting herself with making a profound inclination of
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 1: the head every time the fair traveler pronounced the name
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 1: of his eminence. Milady began to think she should soon
• 1:10:40
  Speaker 1: grow weary of a convent life. She resolved then to
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 1: risk something in order that she might know how to
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 1: act afterward. Desirous of seeing how far the discretion of
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: the good Abbess would go, she began to tell a
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 1: story obscure at first, but very circumstantial afterward, about the Cardinal,
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: relating the amours of the minister with Madame de Guillon,
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: Maryan delorm and several other gay women. The abbess listened
• 1:11:05
  Speaker 1: more attentively, grew animated by degrees, and smiled. Good thought, Milady,
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: she takes a pleasure in my conversation if she is
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: a cardinalist. She has no fanaticism at least. She then
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 1: went on to describe the persecutions exercised by the Cardinal
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 1: upon his enemies. The Abbess only crossed herself without approving
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 1: or disapproving. This confirmed Milady in her opinion that the
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: Abbess was rather Royalist than cardinalist. Milady therefore continued coloring
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 1: her narrations more and more. I am very ignorant of
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: these matters, said the Abbess at length. But however distant
• 1:11:44
  Speaker 1: from the court we may be, however remote from the
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 1: interests of the world we may be placed. We have
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: very sad examples of what you have related, and one
• 1:11:52
  Speaker 1: of our boarders has suffered much from the vengeance and
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: persecution of the Cardinal one of your boarders, say Milady,
• 1:12:00
  Speaker 1: Oh my god, poor woman. I pity her then, and
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: you have reason, for she is much to be pitied, imprisonment, menaces,
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 1: ill treatment. She has suffered everything, but after all resumed
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: the Abbess Monsieur Cardinal has perhaps plausible motives for acting thus,
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 1: And though she has the look of an angel, we
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 1: must not always judge people by the appearance good, said
• 1:12:27
  Speaker 1: Milady to herself, who knows I am about, perhaps to
• 1:12:32
  Speaker 1: discover something here I am in the vain. She tried
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: to give her countenance an appearance of perfect candor. Alas,
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 1: said Milady, I know it is so. It is said
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 1: that we must not trust to the face. But in
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 1: what then shall we place confidence if not in the
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 1: most beautiful work of the Lord. As for me, I
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 1: shall be deceived all my life, perhaps, but I shall
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: always have faith in a person whose countenance inspires me
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: with sympathy. You would then be tempted to believe, said
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 1: the abbess, that this young person is innocent. The Cardinal
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: pursues not only crimes, said she. There are certain virtues
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 1: which he pursues more severely than certain offenses. Permit me, madam,
• 1:13:16
  Speaker 1: to express my surprise, said the abbess. At what, said Milady,
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 1: with the utmost ingenuousness, At the language you use. What
• 1:13:26
  Speaker 1: do you find so astonishing in that language? Said Milady, smiling.
• 1:13:31
  Speaker 1: You are the friend of the Cardinal, for he sends
• 1:13:33
  Speaker 1: you hither, and yet and yet I speak ill of him,
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 1: replied Milady, finishing the thought of the superior. At least
• 1:13:41
  Speaker 1: you don't speak well of him. That is because I
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: am not his friend, said she, sighing, but his victim.
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 1: But this letter in which he recommends you to me
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: is an order for me to confine myself to a
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 1: sort of prison from which you will release me by
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 1: one of his satellites. But why have you not fled?
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: Whither should I go? Do you believe there is a
• 1:14:03
  Speaker 1: spot on the earth which the cardinal cannot reach if
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: he takes the trouble to stretch forth his hand. If
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: I were a man, that would barely be possible. But
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: what can a woman do this young border of yours?
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 1: Has she tried to fly? No, that is true. But
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: she that is another thing. I believe she is detained
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 1: in France by some love affair, Ah, said Milady, with
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 1: a sigh. If she loves, she is not altogether wretched. Then,
• 1:14:31
  Speaker 1: said the abbess, looking at Milady with increasing interest, I
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: behold another poor victim. Alas, yes, said Milady. The abbess
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: looked at her for an instant with uneasiness, as if
• 1:14:43
  Speaker 1: a fresh thought suggested itself to her mind. You are
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: not an enemy of our holy faith, said she hesitatingly.
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 1: Who I cried Milady, I a Protestant. Oh no, I
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 1: call to witness the God who hear us that on
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 1: the contrary, I am a fervent Catholic. Then, Madam said
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: the abbess, smiling, be reassured. The house in which you
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: shall not be a very hard prison, and we will
• 1:15:11
  Speaker 1: do all in our power to make you cherish your captivity.
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: You will find here moreover the young woman of whom
• 1:15:18
  Speaker 1: I spoke, who is persecuted, no doubt in consequence of
• 1:15:21
  Speaker 1: some court intrigue. She is amiable and well behaved. What
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 1: is her name? She was sent to me by someone
• 1:15:29
  Speaker 1: of high rank, under the name of Kitty. I have
• 1:15:33
  Speaker 1: not tried to discover her other name. Kitty, cried Milady.
• 1:15:38
  Speaker 1: What are you sure that she is called so? Yes, Madam,
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 1: do you know her? Milady smiled to herself at the
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: idea which had occurred to her that this might be
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 1: her old chambermaid. There was connected with the remembrance of
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 1: this girl, A remembrance of anger and a desire of
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 1: vengeance disordered the features of Milady, which, however, immediately recovered
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 1: the calm and benevolent expression which this woman of a
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 1: hundred faces had for a moment allowed them to lose.
• 1:16:08
  Speaker 1: And when can I see this young lady for whom
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 1: I already feel so great a sympathy, asked milady, why
• 1:16:15
  Speaker 1: this evening, said the Abbess to day even but you
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 1: have been traveling these four days, as you told me
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: yourself this morning you rose at five o'clock. You must
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 1: stand in need of repose. Go to bed and sleep.
• 1:16:30
  Speaker 1: At dinner time we will rouse you. Although Milady would
• 1:16:33
  Speaker 1: very willingly have gone without sleep, sustained as she was
• 1:16:37
  Speaker 1: by all the excitements which a new adventure awakened in
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: her heart, ever thirsting for intrigues, she nevertheless accepted the
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: offer of the Superior. During the last fifteen days, she
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: had experienced so many in such various emotions, that if
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 1: her frame of iron was still capable of supporting fatigue,
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: her mind required repose. She therefore took leave of the
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 1: Abbess and went to bed softly by the ideas of vengeance,
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 1: which the name of Kitty had naturally brought to her thoughts.
• 1:17:05
  Speaker 1: She remembered that almost unlimited promise which the Cardinal had
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 1: given her if she succeeded in her enterprise. She had
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 1: succeeded d'Artagnan was then in her power. One thing alone
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: frightened her. That was the remembrance of her husband, the
• 1:17:19
  Speaker 1: Comte de la Fear, whom she had believed dead or
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 1: at least expatriated, and whom she found again in Athos,
• 1:17:26
  Speaker 1: the best friend of d'Artagnan. But alas, if he was
• 1:17:30
  Speaker 1: the friend of d'Artagnan, he must have lent him his
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 1: assistance in all the proceedings by whose aid the Queen
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 1: had defeated the project of his eminence. If he was
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 1: the friend of d'Artagnan, he was the enemy of the cardinal,
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: and she doubtless would succeed in involving him in the
• 1:17:44
  Speaker 1: vengeance by which she hoped to destroy the young musketeer.
• 1:17:47
  Speaker 1: All these hopes were so many sweet thoughts for Milady,
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 1: so rocked by them she soon fell asleep. She was
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 1: awakened by a soft voice which sounded at the foot
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 1: of her bed. She opened her eyes and saw the
• 1:18:01
  Speaker 1: Abbess accompanied by a young woman with light hair and
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 1: delicate complexion, who fixed upon her a look full of
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 1: benevolent curiosity. The face of the young woman was entirely
• 1:18:11
  Speaker 1: unknown to her. Each examined the other with great attention,
• 1:18:15
  Speaker 1: while exchanging the customary compliments. Both were very handsome, but
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 1: of quite different styles of beauty. Milady, however, smiled, and
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 1: observing that she excelled the young woman by far in
• 1:18:26
  Speaker 1: her high air and aristocratic bearing. It is true that
• 1:18:30
  Speaker 1: the habit of a novice, which the young woman wore,
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 1: was not very advantageous in a contest of this kind.
• 1:18:37
  Speaker 1: The abbess introduced them to each other. When this formality
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 1: was ended, as her duties called her to chapel, she
• 1:18:44
  Speaker 1: left the two young women alone. The novice, seeing Milady
• 1:18:48
  Speaker 1: in bed, was about to follow the example of the superior,
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 1: but Milady stopped her. How Madam said she, I have
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: scarcely seen you, and you already wished to deprive me
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 1: of your company, upon which I had counted a little.
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 1: I must confess for the time I have to pass here, No, Madam,
• 1:19:06
  Speaker 1: replied the novice. Only I thought I had chosen my
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 1: time ill you were asleep. You are fatigued, well, said milady.
• 1:19:14
  Speaker 1: What can those who sleep wish for a happy awakening?
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 1: This awakening you have given me, Allow me then to
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 1: enjoy it at my ease. And taking her hand, she
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 1: drew her toward the arm chair by the bedside. The
• 1:19:28
  Speaker 1: novice sat down. How unfortunate I am, said she, I
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 1: have been here six months without the shadow of recreation.
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 1: You arrive, and your presence was likely to afford me
• 1:19:39
  Speaker 1: delightful company. Yet I expect in all probability to quit
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 1: the convent at any moment. How you are going soon,
• 1:19:47
  Speaker 1: asked Milady. At least I hope, so, said the novice,
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 1: with an expression of joy which she made no effort
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 1: to disguise. I think I learned you had suffered persecutions
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 1: from the Cardinal, continued Milady. That would have been another
• 1:20:01
  Speaker 1: motive for sympathy between us. What I have heard then
• 1:20:05
  Speaker 1: from our good mother is true. You have likewise been
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 1: a victim of that wicked priest. Hush, said Milady. Let
• 1:20:13
  Speaker 1: us not even here speak thus of him. All my
• 1:20:16
  Speaker 1: misfortunes arise from my having said nearly what you have
• 1:20:19
  Speaker 1: said before a woman whom I thought my friend and
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: who betrayed me. Are you also the victim of a treachery? No,
• 1:20:27
  Speaker 1: said the novice. But of my devotion, of a devotion
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 1: to a woman I loved, for whom I would have
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 1: laid down my life, for whom I would give it still,
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: and who has abandoned you. Is that it? I have
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: been sufficiently unjust to believe so. But during the last
• 1:20:42
  Speaker 1: two or three days I have obtained proof to the contrary,
• 1:20:45
  Speaker 1: for which I thank God for. It would have cost
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 1: me very dear to think she had forgotten me. But you, madam,
• 1:20:51
  Speaker 1: you appear to be free, continued the novice. And if
• 1:20:54
  Speaker 1: you were inclined to fly, it only rests with yourself
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 1: to do so. Whither would you have me go without friends,
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: without money, in a part of France with which I
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: am unacquainted and where I have never been before, Oh,
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 1: cried the novice. As to friends, you would have them
• 1:21:10
  Speaker 1: wherever you want. You appear so good and are so
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 1: beautiful that does not prevent replied Milady, softening her smile
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 1: so as to give it an angelic expression. My being
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: alone or being persecuted hear me, said the novice. We
• 1:21:26
  Speaker 1: must trust in heaven. There always comes a moment when
• 1:21:29
  Speaker 1: the good you have done, plead your cause before God,
• 1:21:32
  Speaker 1: and see perhaps it is a happiness for you, humble
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 1: and powerless as I am, that you have met with me.
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: For if I leave this place, well, I have powerful friends, who,
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 1: after having exerted themselves on my account, may also exert
• 1:21:45
  Speaker 1: themselves for you. Oh, when I said I was alone,
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 1: said Milady, hoping to make the novice talk by talking
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 1: of herself. It is not for want of friends in
• 1:21:54
  Speaker 1: high places. But these friends themselves tremble before the Cardinal.
• 1:21:59
  Speaker 1: The Queen herself does not dare to oppose the terrible Minister.
• 1:22:03
  Speaker 1: I have proved that her Majesty, notwithstanding her excellent heart,
• 1:22:07
  Speaker 1: has more than once been obliged to abandon to the
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 1: anger of His eminence, persons who had served her. Trust me, Madam.
• 1:22:14
  Speaker 1: The Queen may appear to have abandoned those persons, but
• 1:22:17
  Speaker 1: we must not put faith in appearances. The more they
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 1: are persecuted, the more she thinks of them, And often
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 1: when they least expect it, they have proof of a
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 1: kind remembrance. Alas said Milady, I believe so the Queen
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: is so good. Oh you know her, then, that lovely
• 1:22:36
  Speaker 1: and noble queen that you speak of her, Thus cried
• 1:22:39
  Speaker 1: the novice with enthusiasm, that is to say, replied Milady,
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 1: driven into her entrenchment, that I have not the honor
• 1:22:47
  Speaker 1: of knowing her personally, but I know a great number
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: of her most intimate friends. I am acquainted with Monsieur
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 1: de Putine. I met Monsieur de Jard in England. I
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: know Monsieur de Treville, Monsieur de Treville, exclaimed the novice.
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 1: Do you know Monsieur de Treville, Yes, perfectly well, intimately,
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 1: even the captain of the King's musketeers, the captain of
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 1: the King's musketeers. Why then, only see, cried the novice.
• 1:23:17
  Speaker 1: We shall soon be well acquainted, almost friends. If you
• 1:23:21
  Speaker 1: know Monsieur de Treville, you must have visited him often,
• 1:23:26
  Speaker 1: said Milady, who, having entered this track and perceiving that
• 1:23:30
  Speaker 1: falsehood succeeded, was determined to follow it to the end
• 1:23:34
  Speaker 1: with him. Then you must have seen some of his musketeers,
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 1: all those he is in the habit of receiving, replied m'lady,
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: for whom this conversation began to have a real interest.
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 1: Name a few of those whom you know, and you
• 1:23:47
  Speaker 1: will see if they are my friends. Well, said Milady, embarrassed,
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 1: I know Monsieur de Luovigny, Monsieur de Cordevrn, Monsieur de Faerisac.
• 1:23:57
  Speaker 1: The novice let her speak. Then, seeing that she paused,
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 1: she said, don't you know a gentleman named Athos. Milady
• 1:24:05
  Speaker 1: became as pale as the sheets in which she was lying,
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: and mistress, as she was of herself, could not help
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 1: uttering a cry, seizing the hand of the novice and
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 1: devouring her with looks. What is the matter, good God,
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: ask the poor woman. Have I said anything that has
• 1:24:20
  Speaker 1: wounded you? No? But the name struck me because I
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 1: also have known that gentlemen, and it appeared strange to
• 1:24:27
  Speaker 1: me to meet with a person who appears to know him. Well, oh, yes,
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 1: very well, not only him, but some of his friends,
• 1:24:35
  Speaker 1: Messrs Porthos and Aramis. Indeed you know them? Likewise I
• 1:24:42
  Speaker 1: know them, cried Milady, who began to feel a chill
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 1: penetrate her heart. Well, if you know them, you know
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: that they are good and free companions. Why do you
• 1:24:52
  Speaker 1: not apply to them if you stand in need of help?
• 1:24:55
  Speaker 1: That is to say, stammered Milady. I am not really
• 1:24:58
  Speaker 1: very intimate with any other them. I know them from
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 1: having heard one of their friends, Monsieur d'Artagnan, say a
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: great deal about them, You know, Monsieur d'Artagnan, cried the novice,
• 1:25:10
  Speaker 1: in her turn, seizing the hands of Milady and devouring
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 1: her with her eyes. Then, remarking the strange expression of
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 1: Milady's countenance, she said, pardon me, Madam, you know him
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 1: by what title? Why, replied Milady, embarrassed, Why by the
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: title of friend? You deceive me, Madam said the novice.
• 1:25:31
  Speaker 1: You have been his mistress. It is you who have
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 1: been his mistress, Madam, cried Milady. In her turn, I
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 1: said the novice, Yes you, I know you. Now you
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 1: are Madame Bonacieux. The young woman drew back, filled with
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: surprise and terror. Oh do not deny it, answer, continued Milady.
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 1: Well yes, Madam, said the novice. Are we rivals? The
• 1:26:01
  Speaker 1: countenance of Milady was illumined by so savage a joy
• 1:26:04
  Speaker 1: that under any other circumstances Madame Bonaciux would have fled
• 1:26:07
  Speaker 1: in terror, but she was absorbed by jealousy. Speak Madam
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 1: resumed Madame Bonacieux with an energy of which she might
• 1:26:16
  Speaker 1: not have been believed capable. Have you been or are
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 1: you his mistress? Oh? No, cried Milady, with an accent
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 1: that admitted no doubt of her truth. Never. Never, I
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: believe you, said Madame Bonaciux. But why then did you
• 1:26:33
  Speaker 1: cry out? So? Do you not understand? Said Milady, who
• 1:26:38
  Speaker 1: had already overcome her agitation and recovered all her presence
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 1: of mind. How can I understand I know nothing? Can
• 1:26:47
  Speaker 1: you not understand that Monsieur d'Artagnan, being my friend, might
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 1: take me into his confidence? Truly, do you not perceive
• 1:26:55
  Speaker 1: that I know all your abduction from the little house
• 1:26:58
  Speaker 1: at Saint Germain, his desire, that of his friends, and
• 1:27:01
  Speaker 1: their useless inquiries up to this moment? How could I
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 1: help being astonished when, without having the least expectation of
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 1: such a thing, I meet you face to face, You
• 1:27:11
  Speaker 1: of whom we have so often spoken together, You whom
• 1:27:14
  Speaker 1: he loves with all his soul, You whom he had
• 1:27:17
  Speaker 1: taught me to love before I had seen you. Ah,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 1: dear Constance, I have found you. Then, I see you
• 1:27:23
  Speaker 1: at last. And Milady stretched out her arms to Madame Bonacieux, who,
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 1: convinced by what she had just said, saw nothing in
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 1: this woman, whom, an instant before she had believed her rival,
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: but a sincere and devoted friend. Oh, pardon me, pardon me,
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: cried she, sinking upon the shoulders of Milady. Pardon me,
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: I love him so much. These two women held each
• 1:27:47
  Speaker 1: other for an instant in a close embrace. Certainly, if
• 1:27:51
  Speaker 1: Milady's strength had been equal to her hatred, Madame Bonacieux
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: would never have left that embrace alive. But not being
• 1:27:58
  Speaker 1: able to stifle her, she smiled upon her. Oh you beautiful,
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 1: good little creature, said Milady, How delighted I am to
• 1:28:07
  Speaker 1: have found you. Let me look at you, And while
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 1: saying these words, she absolutely devoured her by her looks, Oh, yes,
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: it is you. Indeed, from what he has told me,
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 1: I know you now, I recognize you perfectly. The poor
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 1: young woman could not possibly suspect what frightful cruelty was
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 1: behind the rampart of that pure brow, behind those brilliant
• 1:28:30
  Speaker 1: eyes in which she read nothing but interest and compassion.
• 1:28:34
  Speaker 1: Then you know what I have suffered, said Madame Bonacieux,
• 1:28:37
  Speaker 1: since he has told you what he has suffered. But
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 1: to suffer for him is happiness. Milady replied mechanically, Yes,
• 1:28:44
  Speaker 1: that is happiness. She was thinking of something else, and
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: then continued, Madame Bonacieux, my punishment is drawing to a
• 1:28:52
  Speaker 1: close tomorrow this evening. Perhaps I shall see him again,
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 1: and then the past will no longer exist this evening,
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 1: asked Milady, roused from her reverie by these words, what
• 1:29:06
  Speaker 1: do you mean? Do you expect news from him? I
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 1: expect himself himself, d'Artagnan here himself. But that's impossible. He
• 1:29:19
  Speaker 1: is at the siege of La Rochelle with the cardinal.
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 1: He will not return till after the taking of the city. Ah,
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 1: you fancy so, But is there anything impossible for my d'Artagnan,
• 1:29:31
  Speaker 1: the noble and loyal gentleman. Oh I cannot believe you.
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 1: Well read, then, said the unhappy young woman, in the
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: excess of her pride and joy, presenting a letter to
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: Milady the writing of Madame de Chevreuse. Said Milady to herself. Ah,
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 1: I always thought there was some secret understanding in that quarter,
• 1:29:53
  Speaker 1: and she greedily read the following few lines. My dear child,
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 1: hold yourself ready. Our friend will see you soon, and
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 1: he will only see you to release you from that
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 1: imprisonment in which your safety required you should be concealed.
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 1: Prepare then for your departure, and never despair of us.
• 1:30:11
  Speaker 1: Our charming gascon has just proved himself as brave and
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 1: faithful as ever. Tell him that certain parties are grateful
• 1:30:18
  Speaker 1: for the warning he has given. Yes, yes, said milady.
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 1: The letter is precise. Do you know what that warning was? No,
• 1:30:28
  Speaker 1: I only suspect he has warned the Queen against some
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 1: fresh machinations of the cardinal. Yes, that's it, no doubt,
• 1:30:35
  Speaker 1: said Milady, returning the letter to Madame Bonaciux and letting
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 1: her head sink pensively upon her bosom. At that moment
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 1: they heard the gallop of a horse. Oh, cried Madame Bonacieux,
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 1: darting to the window. Can it be he? Milady remained
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 1: still in bed, petrified by surprise. So many unexpected things
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 1: happened to her all at once that for the first
• 1:30:57
  Speaker 1: time she was at a loss he he murmured she
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 1: can it be he? And she remained in bed with
• 1:31:04
  Speaker 1: her eyes fixed. Alas, no, said Madame Bonacieux. It is
• 1:31:09
  Speaker 1: a man I don't know, although he seems to be
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: coming here. Yes, he checks his pace, he stops at
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 1: the gate, he rings. Milady sprang out of bed. You
• 1:31:21
  Speaker 1: are sure it is not, he said she, Yes, yes,
• 1:31:25
  Speaker 1: very sure. Perhaps you did not see well, Oh, if
• 1:31:30
  Speaker 1: I were to see the plume of his hat, the
• 1:31:32
  Speaker 1: end of his cloak, I should know him. Milady was
• 1:31:35
  Speaker 1: dressing herself all the time. Yes, he has entered. It
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 1: is for you or me? My God, how agitated you
• 1:31:44
  Speaker 1: seem yes, I admit it. I have not your confidence.
• 1:31:49
  Speaker 1: I fear the Cardinal. Hush, said Madame Bonaciux. Somebody is coming. Immediately,
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 1: the door opened and the Superior entered. Did you come
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 1: from Boulogne, demanded she of Milady, Yes, replied she, trying
• 1:32:05
  Speaker 1: to recover her self possession. Who wants me a man
• 1:32:09
  Speaker 1: who will not tell his name, but who comes from
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal, and who wishes to speak with me, who
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 1: wishes to speak to a lady recently come from Boulogne,
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 1: Then let him come in if you please. Oh my god,
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 1: my god, cried Madame Bonacieux. Can it be bad news?
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 1: I fear it. I will leave you with this stranger.
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 1: But as soon as he is gone, if you will
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 1: permit me, I will return. Permit you, I beseech you.
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: The Superior and Madame Bonacieux retired. Milady remained alone with
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 1: her eyes fixed upon the door. An instant later, the
• 1:32:50
  Speaker 1: jingling of spurs was heard upon the stairs. Steps drew near.
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 1: The door opened, and the man appeared. Milady uttered a
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 1: cry of joy. This man was the ca to Rochefort,
• 1:33:01
  Speaker 1: the demoniacal tool of his eminence. Chapter sixty two two
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 1: varieties of demons, Ah cried m'lady and Rockefort together. It
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 1: is you, Yes, it is I, and you come. Ask
• 1:33:16
  Speaker 1: m'lady from La Rochelle, and you from England Buckingham dead
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 1: or desperately wounded. As I left without having been able
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 1: to hear anything of him, a fanatic has just assassinated him, Ah,
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 1: said Rockefort with a smile. This is a fortunate chance,
• 1:33:36
  Speaker 1: one that will delight his eminence. Have you informed him
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: of it? I wrote to him from Boulogne. But what
• 1:33:43
  Speaker 1: brings you here? His Eminence was uneasy and sent me
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: to find you. I only arrived yesterday. And what have
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 1: you been doing since yesterday? I have not lost my time. Oh,
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: I don't doubt that. Do you know whom I haveving
• 1:34:00
  Speaker 1: encountered here? No guess? How can I that young woman
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 1: whom the Queen took out of prison, the mistress of
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 1: that fellow d'Artagnan, Yes, Madame Bonacieux, with whose retreat the
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 1: Cardinal was unacquainted. Well, well, said Roquefort. Here is a
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: chance which may pair off with the other. Monsieur Cardinal
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 1: is indeed a privileged man. Imagine my astonishment, continued milady,
• 1:34:28
  Speaker 1: when I found myself face to face with this woman?
• 1:34:31
  Speaker 1: Does she know you? No? Then she looks upon you
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 1: as a stranger. Milady smiled. I am her best friend.
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 1: Upon my honor, said Roquefort. It takes you, my dear countess,
• 1:34:45
  Speaker 1: to perform such miracles. And it is well I can Chevalier,
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: said milady, for do you know what is going on here? No?
• 1:34:54
  Speaker 1: They will come for her tomorrow or the day after,
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: with an order from the Queen. Indeed, and who d'Artagnan
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: and his friends? Indeed, they will go so far that
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: we shall be obliged to send them to the Bastille.
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 1: Why is it not done already? What would do? The
• 1:35:13
  Speaker 1: Cardinal has a weakness for these men which I cannot comprehend. Indeed, yes, well,
• 1:35:21
  Speaker 1: then tell him this, Roquefort. Tell him that our conversation
• 1:35:25
  Speaker 1: at the inn of the Red Dovecote was overheard by
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 1: these four men. Tell him that after his departure, one
• 1:35:30
  Speaker 1: of them came up to me and took from me
• 1:35:32
  Speaker 1: by violence the safe conduct which he had given me.
• 1:35:35
  Speaker 1: Tell him they warned Lord de Winter of my journey
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 1: to England, that this time they nearly foiled my mission,
• 1:35:41
  Speaker 1: as they foiled the affair of the Studs. Tell him
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 1: that among these four men, too, only are to be feared.
• 1:35:46
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan and Athos tell him that the third Aramis is
• 1:35:50
  Speaker 1: the lover of Madame de Chevrose. He may be left alone.
• 1:35:53
  Speaker 1: We know his secret, and it may be useful. As
• 1:35:56
  Speaker 1: to the fourth Porthos, he is a fool, a simpleton,
• 1:36:00
  Speaker 1: a blustering booby, not worth troubling himself about. But these
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 1: four men must be now at the siege of La Rochelle.
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 1: I thought so too. But a letter which Madame Bonacieux
• 1:36:12
  Speaker 1: has received from Madame the Constable, and which she has
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: had the imprudence to show me, leads me to believe
• 1:36:17
  Speaker 1: that these four men, on the contrary, are on the
• 1:36:19
  Speaker 1: road hither to take her away the devil. What's to
• 1:36:24
  Speaker 1: be done? What did the Cardinal say about me? I
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 1: was to take your despatches written or verbal, and return
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: by post, and when he shall know what you have done,
• 1:36:34
  Speaker 1: he will advise what you have to do. I must
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: then remain here here or in the neighborhood. You cannot
• 1:36:43
  Speaker 1: take me with you, No, the order is imperative. Near
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 1: the camp, you might be recognized, and your presence, you
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 1: must be aware, would compromise the Cardinal. Then I must
• 1:36:55
  Speaker 1: wait here or in the neighborhood. Only tell me beforehand
• 1:36:58
  Speaker 1: where you will wait for, and tell diligence from the Cardinal.
• 1:37:01
  Speaker 1: Let me know always where to find you. Observe, it
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 1: is probable that I may not be able to remain here.
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 1: Why you forget that my enemies may arrive at any minute?
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: That's true? But is this little woman then to escape
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 1: his eminence? Bah, said milady, with a smile that belonged
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 1: only to herself. You forget that I am her best friend? Ah,
• 1:37:25
  Speaker 1: that's true. I may then tell the Cardinal with respect
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 1: to this little woman that he may be at ease?
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 1: Is that all? He will know? What that means? He
• 1:37:37
  Speaker 1: will guess at least? Now? Then? What had I better do?
• 1:37:42
  Speaker 1: Return instantly? It appears to me that the news you
• 1:37:46
  Speaker 1: bear is worth the trouble of a little diligence. My
• 1:37:49
  Speaker 1: chaise broke down coming into Lilier's capital. What capital? Yes?
• 1:37:56
  Speaker 1: I want your chaise? And how shall I travel? Then?
• 1:38:01
  Speaker 1: On horseback? You talk very comfortably a hundred and eighty leagues?
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 1: What's that? One can do it? Afterward? Afterward, Why, in
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 1: passing through Lilius, you will send me your chaise with
• 1:38:17
  Speaker 1: an order to your servant to place himself at my disposal. Well,
• 1:38:22
  Speaker 1: you have no doubt some order from the Cardinal about you.
• 1:38:26
  Speaker 1: I have my full power. Show it to the abbess
• 1:38:30
  Speaker 1: and tell her that someone will come and fetch me
• 1:38:32
  Speaker 1: either today or tomorrow, and that I am to follow
• 1:38:35
  Speaker 1: the person who presents himself in your name. Very well,
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 1: don't forget to treat me harshly in speaking of me
• 1:38:42
  Speaker 1: to the abbess. To what purpose I am a victim
• 1:38:46
  Speaker 1: of the Cardinal? It is necessary to inspire confidence in
• 1:38:50
  Speaker 1: that poor little Madame Bonacieux. That's true. Now, will you
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 1: make me a report of all that has happened? Why
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 1: I have related these events to you? You have a
• 1:39:02
  Speaker 1: good memory. Repeat what I have told you. A paper
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 1: may be lost, you are right. Only let me know
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 1: where to find you, that I may not run needlessly
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 1: about the neighborhood. That's correct. Wait, do you want a map? Oh?
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: I know this country marvelously. You when were you here?
• 1:39:23
  Speaker 1: I was brought up here. Truly, it is worth something,
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 1: you see, to have been brought up somewhere. You will
• 1:39:31
  Speaker 1: wait for me then let me reflect a little I
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 1: that will do at Armentier's. Where is that Armentieres a
• 1:39:41
  Speaker 1: little town on the list, I shall only have to
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 1: cross the river, and I shall be in a foreign
• 1:39:46
  Speaker 1: country capital. But it is understood you will only cross
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 1: the river in case of danger. That is well understood.
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 1: And in that case, how shall I know where you are?
• 1:39:59
  Speaker 1: You do not want your lackey? Is he a sure man?
• 1:40:03
  Speaker 1: To the proof? Give him to me. Nobody knows him.
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: I will leave him at the place I quit, and
• 1:40:10
  Speaker 1: he will conduct you to me. And you say you
• 1:40:13
  Speaker 1: will wait for me at Armentier's. At Armentier's, write that
• 1:40:18
  Speaker 1: name on a bit of paper lest I should forget it.
• 1:40:21
  Speaker 1: There is nothing compromising in the name of a town,
• 1:40:25
  Speaker 1: is it not? So? Eh? Who knows? Never mind? Said milady,
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 1: writing the name on half a sheet of paper. I
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 1: will compromise myself, well, said Roquefort, taking the paper from Mlady,
• 1:40:39
  Speaker 1: folding it and placing it in the lining of his hat.
• 1:40:42
  Speaker 1: You may be easy. I will do as children do,
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: for fear of losing the paper, repeat the name along
• 1:40:48
  Speaker 1: the route. Now is that all I believe? So let
• 1:40:54
  Speaker 1: us see Buckingham dead or grievously wounded. Your conversation with
• 1:40:58
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal overheard by the foot musketeers. Lord de Winter
• 1:41:02
  Speaker 1: warn of your arrival at Portsmouth. d'Artagnan and Athos to
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 1: the bastille. Aramis the lover of Madame de Chevrose. Porthos
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: in ass Madame Bonacieux found again to send you the
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: chaise as soon as possible, to place my lackey at
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 1: your disposal, to make you out a victim of the Cardinal,
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 1: in order that the Abbess may entertain no suspicion. Armitier's
• 1:41:22
  Speaker 1: on the banks of the lists. Is that all? Then?
• 1:41:26
  Speaker 1: In truth, my dear chevalier, you are a miracle of memory.
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 1: A propos, add one thing, what I saw some very
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: pretty woods which almost touched the convent garden. Say that
• 1:41:39
  Speaker 1: I am permitted to walk in those woods? Who knows?
• 1:41:44
  Speaker 1: Perhaps I shall stand in need of a back door
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: for retreat. You think of everything, and you forget one thing.
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 1: What to ask me if I want money? That's true?
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 1: How much do you want? All you have in gold?
• 1:42:02
  Speaker 1: I have five hundred pistoles, or thereabouts. I have as
• 1:42:06
  Speaker 1: much with a thousand pistoles. One may face everything empty.
• 1:42:11
  Speaker 1: Your pockets there write, and you go in an hour
• 1:42:17
  Speaker 1: time to eat a morsel, during which I shall send
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 1: for a post horse capital. Adieu, chevalier, Adieu, Countess, commend
• 1:42:28
  Speaker 1: me to the Cardinal, commend me to Satan. Milady and
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 1: Rockefort exchanged a smile and separated. An hour afterward, Rockefort
• 1:42:38
  Speaker 1: set out at a grand gallop. Five hours after that
• 1:42:41
  Speaker 1: he passed through Airas our readers already know, how he
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 1: was recognized by d'Artagnan, and how that recognition, by inspiring
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 1: fear in the four Musketeers, had given fresh activity to
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 1: their journey. Chapter sixty three, the drop of water, Rockefort
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 1: had scarcely departed. When Madame Bonacieux re entered. She found
• 1:43:01
  Speaker 1: Milady with a smiling countenance. Well, said the young woman,
• 1:43:05
  Speaker 1: what you dreaded has happened this evening or tomorrow the
• 1:43:09
  Speaker 1: Cardinal will send some one to take you away. Who
• 1:43:13
  Speaker 1: told you that, my dear asked m'lady. I heard it
• 1:43:17
  Speaker 1: from the mouth of the messenger himself. Come and sit
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 1: down close to me, said milady. Here, I am wait
• 1:43:25
  Speaker 1: till I assure myself that nobody hears us. Why all
• 1:43:28
  Speaker 1: these precautions you shall know. Milady arose, went to the door,
• 1:43:34
  Speaker 1: opened it, looked in the corridor, and then returned and
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 1: seated herself close to Madame Bonacieux. Then said she he
• 1:43:42
  Speaker 1: has well played his part. Who has he who just
• 1:43:46
  Speaker 1: now presented himself to the abbess as a messenger from
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal. It was then a part he was playing. Yes,
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 1: my child, that man then? Was not that man? Said
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: the lady, lowering her voice. Is my brother, your brother,
• 1:44:04
  Speaker 1: cried Madame Bonacieux. No one must know this secret, my dear,
• 1:44:09
  Speaker 1: but yourself. If you reveal it to any one in
• 1:44:12
  Speaker 1: the world, I shall be lost, and perhaps yourself likewise.
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 1: Oh my god, listen, this is what has happened. My brother,
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 1: who was coming to my assistance to take me away
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: by force, if it were necessary, met with the emissary
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 1: of the Cardinal, who was coming in search of me.
• 1:44:30
  Speaker 1: He followed him at a solitary and retired part of
• 1:44:34
  Speaker 1: the road. He drew his sword and required the messenger
• 1:44:37
  Speaker 1: to deliver up to him the papers of which he
• 1:44:39
  Speaker 1: was the bearer. The messenger resisted. My brother killed him, oh,
• 1:44:45
  Speaker 1: said Madame Bonacieux, shuddering. Remember that was the only means
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 1: then my brother determined to substitute cunning for force. He
• 1:44:55
  Speaker 1: took the papers and presented himself here as the emissary
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 1: of the Cardinal, and in an hour or to a
• 1:45:00
  Speaker 1: carriage will come to take me away by the orders
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 1: of his Eminence. I understand it is your brother who
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: sends this carriage exactly. But that is not all that
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: letter you have received and which you believe to be
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 1: from Madame de Chevreuse, well, it is a forgery. How
• 1:45:19
  Speaker 1: can that be? Yes, a forgery. It is a snare
• 1:45:23
  Speaker 1: to prevent your making any resistance when they come to
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 1: fetch you. But it is d'Artagnan that will come. Do
• 1:45:30
  Speaker 1: not deceive yourself. d'Artagnan and his friends are detained at
• 1:45:34
  Speaker 1: the siege of La Rochelle. How do you know that
• 1:45:38
  Speaker 1: my brother met some emissaries of the Cardinal in the
• 1:45:41
  Speaker 1: uniform of musketeers. You would have been summoned to the gate,
• 1:45:45
  Speaker 1: You would have believed yourself about to meet friends. You
• 1:45:47
  Speaker 1: would have been abducted and conducted back to Paris. Oh,
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 1: my God, my senses fail me amid such a chaos
• 1:45:55
  Speaker 1: of iniquities. I feel if this continues, said Madame Bonacieux,
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 1: raising her hands to her forehead, I shall go mad.
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 1: Stop what I hear a horse's steps. It is my
• 1:46:08
  Speaker 1: brother setting off again. I should like to offer him
• 1:46:12
  Speaker 1: a last salute. Come. Milady opened the window and made
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 1: a sign to Madame Bonacieux to join her. The young
• 1:46:22
  Speaker 1: woman complied. Roquefort passed at a gallop. Adieu, brother, cried Milady.
• 1:46:29
  Speaker 1: The chevalier raised his head, saw the two young women,
• 1:46:32
  Speaker 1: and without stopping, waved his hand in a friendly way
• 1:46:35
  Speaker 1: to Mlady. The good George said, she closing the window
• 1:46:40
  Speaker 1: with an expression of countenance full of affection and melancholy,
• 1:46:44
  Speaker 1: and she resumed her seat as if plunged in reflections
• 1:46:47
  Speaker 1: entirely personal. Dear lady, said Madame Bonacieux. Pardon me for
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 1: interrupting you, but what do you advise me to do?
• 1:46:55
  Speaker 1: Good Heaven, you have more experience than I have. Speak.
• 1:47:01
  Speaker 1: I will listen. In the first place, said milady. It
• 1:47:05
  Speaker 1: is possible I may be deceived, and that d'Artagnan and
• 1:47:08
  Speaker 1: his friends may really come to your assistance. Oh that
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 1: would be too much, cried Madame Bonacieux. So much happiness
• 1:47:15
  Speaker 1: is not in store for me, then, you comprehend, it
• 1:47:18
  Speaker 1: would be only a question of time, a sort of race,
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 1: which should arrive first. If your friends are the more speedy,
• 1:47:25
  Speaker 1: you are to be saved. If the satellites of the
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 1: Cardinal you are lost, Oh, yes, yes, lost beyond redemption?
• 1:47:34
  Speaker 1: What then to do? What to do? There would be
• 1:47:39
  Speaker 1: a very simple means, very natural. Tell me what to wait,
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: concealed in the neighborhood, and assure yourself who are the
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 1: men who come to ask for you? But where can
• 1:47:49
  Speaker 1: I wait? Oh, there is no difficulty in that. I
• 1:47:54
  Speaker 1: shall stop and conceal myself a few leagues, hence until
• 1:47:57
  Speaker 1: my brother can rejoin me. Well, I take you with me.
• 1:48:01
  Speaker 1: We conceal ourselves and wait together. But I shall not
• 1:48:05
  Speaker 1: be allowed to go. I am almost a prisoner, as
• 1:48:08
  Speaker 1: they believe that I go in consequence of an order
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: from the Cardinal. No one will believe you anxious to
• 1:48:13
  Speaker 1: follow me? Well, Well, the carriage is at the door.
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: You bid me adieu. You mount the step to embrace
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 1: me a last time. My brother's servant, who comes to
• 1:48:24
  Speaker 1: fetch me, is told how to proceed. He makes a
• 1:48:27
  Speaker 1: sign to the postilion, and we set off at a gallop.
• 1:48:31
  Speaker 1: But d'Artagnan d'Artagnan. If he comes, shall we not know it?
• 1:48:38
  Speaker 1: How nothing easier. We will send my brother's servant back
• 1:48:43
  Speaker 1: to Bethune, whom, as I told you, we can trust.
• 1:48:47
  Speaker 1: He shall assume a disguise and place himself in front
• 1:48:50
  Speaker 1: of the convent. If the emissaries of the Cardinal arrive,
• 1:48:54
  Speaker 1: he will take no notice. If it is Monsieur d'Artagnan
• 1:48:57
  Speaker 1: and his friends, he will bring them to us. He
• 1:49:00
  Speaker 1: knows them. Then, doubtless has he not seen Monsieur d'Artagnan
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 1: at my house? Oh? Yes, yes, you are right. Thus
• 1:49:11
  Speaker 1: all may go well, all may be for the best.
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 1: But we do not go far from this place. Seven
• 1:49:17
  Speaker 1: or eight leagues at the most. We will keep on
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 1: the frontiers, for instance. And at the first alarm we
• 1:49:24
  Speaker 1: can leave France. And what can we do there? Wait?
• 1:49:29
  Speaker 1: But if they come, my brother's carriage will be here first.
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: If I should happen to be any distance from you,
• 1:49:36
  Speaker 1: when the carriage comes for you at dinner or supper,
• 1:49:39
  Speaker 1: for instance, do one thing. What is that? Tell your
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 1: good superior that, in order that we may be as
• 1:49:46
  Speaker 1: much together as possible, you ask her permission to share
• 1:49:49
  Speaker 1: my repast. Will she permit it? What inconvenience can it be? Oh? Delightful?
• 1:49:57
  Speaker 1: In this way we shall not be separated for an instant. Well,
• 1:50:01
  Speaker 1: go down to her then, to make your request. I
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 1: feel my head a little confused. I will take a
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 1: turn in the garden. Go and where shall I find you? Here?
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 1: In an hour? Here, in an hour? Oh, you are
• 1:50:17
  Speaker 1: so kind, and I am so grateful. How can I
• 1:50:21
  Speaker 1: avoid interesting myself for one who is so beautiful and
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 1: so amiable? Are you not the beloved of one of
• 1:50:28
  Speaker 1: my best friends, dear d'Artagnan. Oh, how he will thank you?
• 1:50:34
  Speaker 1: I hope. So. Now then all is agreed. Let us
• 1:50:38
  Speaker 1: go down. You are going into the garden. Yes, go
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 1: along this corridor, down a little staircase, and you are
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 1: in it. Excellent, Thank you, and the two women parted,
• 1:50:52
  Speaker 1: exchanging charming smiles. Milady had told the truth. Her head
• 1:50:57
  Speaker 1: was confused, for her ill arranged plans clashed one another
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 1: like chaos. She required to be alone that she might
• 1:51:04
  Speaker 1: put her thoughts a little into order. She saw vaguely
• 1:51:08
  Speaker 1: the future, but she stood in need of a little
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 1: silence and quiet to give all her ideas. As yet confused,
• 1:51:14
  Speaker 1: A distinct form and a regular plan. What was most
• 1:51:17
  Speaker 1: pressing was to get Madame Bonacoux away and convey her
• 1:51:20
  Speaker 1: to a place of safety, and there, if matters required,
• 1:51:24
  Speaker 1: make her a hostage. Milady began to have doubts of
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: the issue of this terrible duel, in which her enemies
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 1: showed as much perseverance as she did animosity. Besides, she felt,
• 1:51:35
  Speaker 1: as we feel when a storm is coming on, that
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 1: this issue was near and could not fail to be terrible.
• 1:51:41
  Speaker 1: The principal thing for her then was, as we have said,
• 1:51:45
  Speaker 1: to keep Madame Bonacieux in her power. Madame Bonacieux was
• 1:51:50
  Speaker 1: the very life of d'Artagnan. This was more than his life,
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 1: the life of the woman he loved. This was, in
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 1: case of ill fortune, a means of temporari and obtaining
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 1: good conditions. Now this point was settled. Madame Bonacieux, without
• 1:52:06
  Speaker 1: any suspicion, accompanied her. Once concealed with her at Armentier's,
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 1: it would be easy to make her believe that d'Artagnan
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 1: had not come to Bethune. In fifteen days at most,
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 1: Roquefort would be back. Besides, during that fifteen days she
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 1: would have time to think how she could best avenge
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 1: herself on the four friends. She would not be weary,
• 1:52:27
  Speaker 1: thank God, for she should enjoy the sweetest pastime such
• 1:52:31
  Speaker 1: events could accord a woman of her character, perfecting a
• 1:52:34
  Speaker 1: beautiful vengeance. Revolving all this in her mind, she cast
• 1:52:38
  Speaker 1: her eyes around her and arranged the topography of the
• 1:52:41
  Speaker 1: garden in her head. Milady was like a good general
• 1:52:45
  Speaker 1: who contemplates at the same time victory and defeat, and
• 1:52:48
  Speaker 1: who is quite prepared, according to the chances of the battle,
• 1:52:51
  Speaker 1: to march forward or to beat a retreat. At the
• 1:52:54
  Speaker 1: end of an hour, she heard a soft voice calling her.
• 1:52:57
  Speaker 1: It was Madame Bonacueus. The good Abbess had naturally consented
• 1:53:01
  Speaker 1: to her request, and as a commencement, they were to
• 1:53:04
  Speaker 1: sup together. On reaching the courtyard, they heard the noise
• 1:53:08
  Speaker 1: of a carriage which stopped at the gate. Milady listened.
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 1: Do you hear anything, said she, yes, the rolling of
• 1:53:17
  Speaker 1: a carriage. It is the one my brother sends for us.
• 1:53:21
  Speaker 1: Oh my God, come, come courage. The bell of the
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 1: convent gate was sounded. Milady was not mistaken. Go to
• 1:53:32
  Speaker 1: your chamber, said she to Madame Bonaciux. You have perhaps
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: some jewels you would like to take. I have his letters,
• 1:53:39
  Speaker 1: said she, Well, go and fetch them and come to
• 1:53:42
  Speaker 1: my apartment. We will snatch some supper. We shall perhaps
• 1:53:46
  Speaker 1: travel part of the night, and must keep our strength up.
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 1: Great God, said Madame Bonacieux, placing her hand upon her bosom.
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 1: My heart beats, so I cannot walk. Courage, courage, Remember
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: that in a quarter of an hour you will be safe.
• 1:54:02
  Speaker 1: And think that what you are about to do is
• 1:54:04
  Speaker 1: for his sake. Yes, yes, everything for him. You have
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 1: restored my courage by a single word. Go, I will
• 1:54:12
  Speaker 1: rejoin you. M'lady ran up to her apartment quickly. She
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: there found Roquefort's lackey and gave him his instructions. He
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: was to wait at the gate. If by chance the
• 1:54:23
  Speaker 1: musketeers should appear. The carriage was to set off as
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: fast as possible, pass around the convent, and go and
• 1:54:29
  Speaker 1: wait for milady at a little village which was situated
• 1:54:32
  Speaker 1: at the other side of the wood. In this case,
• 1:54:35
  Speaker 1: m'lady would cross the garden and gain the village on foot.
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 1: As we have already said, m'lady was admirably acquainted with
• 1:54:42
  Speaker 1: this part of France. If the musketeers did not appear.
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 1: Things were to go on as had been agreed. Madame
• 1:54:48
  Speaker 1: Bonacieux was to get into the carriage as if to
• 1:54:51
  Speaker 1: bid her adieu, and she was to take away Madame Bonacieux.
• 1:54:55
  Speaker 1: Madame Bonacieux came in, and to remove all suspicion, if
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 1: she she had any, m'lady repeated to the lackey before
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 1: her the latter part of her instructions. Milady asked some
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: questions about the carriage. It was a chaise drawn by
• 1:55:10
  Speaker 1: three horses driven by a postilion. Rockefort's lackey would precede
• 1:55:15
  Speaker 1: it as courier. Milady was wrong in fearing that Madame
• 1:55:20
  Speaker 1: Bonacieux would have any suspicion. The poor young woman was
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 1: too pure to suppose that any female could be guilty
• 1:55:27
  Speaker 1: of such perfidy. Besides, the name of the Comtesse de Winter,
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 1: which she had heard the Abbess pronounce, was wholly unknown
• 1:55:33
  Speaker 1: to her, and she was even ignorant that a woman
• 1:55:36
  Speaker 1: had had so great and so fatal a share in
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 1: the misfortune of her life. You see, said she, when
• 1:55:43
  Speaker 1: the lackey had gone out. Everything is ready. The abbess
• 1:55:47
  Speaker 1: suspects nothing, and believes that I am taken by order
• 1:55:50
  Speaker 1: of the cardinal. This man goes to give his last orders.
• 1:55:54
  Speaker 1: Take the least thing, Drink a finger of wine, and
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 1: let us be gone. Yes, said Mattiamem Bonacieux. Mechanically, yes,
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 1: let us be gone. Milady made her a sign to
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: sit down opposite, poured her a small glass of Spanish wine,
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: and helped her to the wing of a chicken. See,
• 1:56:12
  Speaker 1: said she. If everything does not second us, here is
• 1:56:16
  Speaker 1: night coming on. By daybreak we shall have reached our retreat,
• 1:56:20
  Speaker 1: and nobody can guess where we are. Come. Courage, take something.
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 1: Madame Bonacoux ate a few mouthfuls mechanically and just touched
• 1:56:30
  Speaker 1: the glass with her lips. Come, come, said Milady, lifting
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: hers to her mouth. Do as I do. But at
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 1: the moment the glass touched her lips, her hand remained suspended.
• 1:56:41
  Speaker 1: She heard something on the road which sounded like the
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 1: rattling of a distant gallop. Then it grew nearer, and
• 1:56:47
  Speaker 1: it seemed to her almost at the same time that
• 1:56:50
  Speaker 1: she heard the neighing of horses. This noise acted upon
• 1:56:54
  Speaker 1: her joy like the storm which awakens the sleeper in
• 1:56:56
  Speaker 1: the midst of a happy dream. She grew pale and
• 1:56:59
  Speaker 1: ran to the while Madame Bonacieux, rising all in a tremble,
• 1:57:03
  Speaker 1: supported herself upon her chair to avoid falling. Nothing was
• 1:57:07
  Speaker 1: yet to be seen. Only they heard the galloping draw nearer.
• 1:57:11
  Speaker 1: Oh my god, said Madame Bonacieux. What is that noise?
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: That of either our friends or our enemies? Said Milady,
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 1: with her terrible coolness. Stay where you are, I will
• 1:57:24
  Speaker 1: tell you. Madame Bonacieux remained standing, mute, motionless, and pale
• 1:57:30
  Speaker 1: as a statue. The noise became louder. The horses could
• 1:57:34
  Speaker 1: not be more than one hundred and fifty paces distant.
• 1:57:37
  Speaker 1: If they were not yet to be seen, it was
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: because the road made an elbow. The noise became so
• 1:57:43
  Speaker 1: distinct that the horses might be counted by the rattle
• 1:57:46
  Speaker 1: of their hoofs. Milady gazed with all the power of
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 1: her attention. It was just light enough for her to
• 1:57:51
  Speaker 1: see who was coming. All at once at the turning
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 1: of the road, she saw the glitter of laced hats
• 1:57:57
  Speaker 1: and the waving of feathers. She counted two, then five,
• 1:58:01
  Speaker 1: then eight horsemen. One of them preceded the rest by
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 1: double the length of his horse. Milady uttered a stifled
• 1:58:08
  Speaker 1: groan in the first horseman she recognized d'Artagnan. Oh my god,
• 1:58:15
  Speaker 1: my god, cried Madame Bonacieux. What is it. It is
• 1:58:20
  Speaker 1: the uniform of the cardinal's guards. Not an instant to
• 1:58:24
  Speaker 1: be lost. Fly fly, yes, yes, let us fly, repeated
• 1:58:30
  Speaker 1: Madame Bonacieux, but without being able to make a step,
• 1:58:33
  Speaker 1: glued as she was to the spot by terror, they
• 1:58:37
  Speaker 1: heard the horsemen pass under the windows. Come then, come, then,
• 1:58:43
  Speaker 1: cried Milady, trying to drag the young woman along by
• 1:58:46
  Speaker 1: the arm. Thanks to the garden, we yet can flee.
• 1:58:50
  Speaker 1: I have the key, but make haste. In five minutes
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 1: it will be too late. Madame Bonacieux tried to walk,
• 1:58:57
  Speaker 1: made two steps and sank upon her knee. Milady tried
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 1: to raise and carry her, but could not do it.
• 1:59:05
  Speaker 1: At this moment they heard the rolling of the carriage, which,
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 1: at the approach of the musketeers, set off at a gallop.
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 1: Then three or four shots were fired. For the last time.
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 1: Will you come, cried Milady. Oh my god, my god,
• 1:59:21
  Speaker 1: you see my strength fails me. You see plainly I
• 1:59:24
  Speaker 1: cannot walk. Flee alone, flee alone, and leave you here. No, no, never,
• 1:59:33
  Speaker 1: cried Milady. All at once she paused. A livid flash
• 1:59:37
  Speaker 1: darted from her eyes. She ran to the table, emptied
• 1:59:40
  Speaker 1: into Madame Bonacux's glass the contents of a ring, which
• 1:59:43
  Speaker 1: she opened with singular quickness. It was a grain of
• 1:59:46
  Speaker 1: a reddish color, which dissolved immediately. Then, taking the glass
• 1:59:51
  Speaker 1: with a firm hand, she said, drink this wine will
• 1:59:55
  Speaker 1: give you strength. Drink, and she put the glass to
• 1:59:58
  Speaker 1: the lips of the young woman, who drank mechanically. This
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 1: is not the way that I wished to avenge myself,
• 2:00:05
  Speaker 1: said Milady, replacing the glass upon the table with an
• 2:00:08
  Speaker 1: infernal smile. But my faith, we do what we can,
• 2:00:13
  Speaker 1: and she rushed out of the room. Madame Bonacieux saw
• 2:00:18
  Speaker 1: her go without being able to follow her. She was
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 1: like people who dreamed they are pursued, and who in
• 2:00:23
  Speaker 1: vain try to walk. A few moments passed, a great
• 2:00:27
  Speaker 1: noise was heard at the gate. Every instant Madame Bonaciux
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 1: expected to see Milady, but she did not return. Several times,
• 2:00:36
  Speaker 1: with terror, no doubt, the cold sweat burst from her
• 2:00:39
  Speaker 1: burning brow. At length, she heard the grating of the
• 2:00:42
  Speaker 1: hinges of the opening gates. The noise of boots and
• 2:00:45
  Speaker 1: spurs resounded on the stairs. There was a great murmur
• 2:00:49
  Speaker 1: of voices which continued to draw near amid which she
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 1: seemed to hear her own name pronounced all at once.
• 2:00:55
  Speaker 1: She uttered a loud cry of joy, and darted toward
• 2:00:58
  Speaker 1: the door she had reckoned the voice of d'Artagnan d'Artagnan.
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan cried, she is it you? This way, this way, Constance.
• 2:01:12
  Speaker 1: Constance replied the young man, where are you? Where are you?
• 2:01:17
  Speaker 1: My God? At the same moment, the door of the
• 2:01:20
  Speaker 1: cell yielded to a shock rather than opened. Several men
• 2:01:24
  Speaker 1: rushed into the chamber. Madame Bonacieux had sunk into an
• 2:01:28
  Speaker 1: armchair without the power of moving. d'Artagnan threw down a
• 2:01:32
  Speaker 1: yet smoking pistol, which he held in his hand, and
• 2:01:34
  Speaker 1: fell on his knees before his mistress, Athos replaced his
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 1: in his belt. Porthos and Aramis, who held their drawn
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 1: swords in their hands, returned them to their scabbards. Oh, d'Artagnan,
• 2:01:47
  Speaker 1: my beloved d'Artagnan, you have come. Then, at last, you
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 1: have not deceived me. It is indeed thee yes yes,
• 2:01:58
  Speaker 1: Constance reunited. Oh, it was in vain. She told me
• 2:02:03
  Speaker 1: you would not come. I hoped in silence. I was
• 2:02:08
  Speaker 1: not willing to fly. Oh I have done well. How
• 2:02:12
  Speaker 1: happy I am at this word. She Athos, who had
• 2:02:16
  Speaker 1: seated himself, quietly started up. She what She asked d'Artagnan,
• 2:02:24
  Speaker 1: Why my companion, She who, out of friendship for me,
• 2:02:28
  Speaker 1: wished to take me from my persecutors, She who, mistaking
• 2:02:32
  Speaker 1: you for the cardinal's guards, has just fled away. Your companion,
• 2:02:37
  Speaker 1: cried d'Artagnan, becoming more pale than the white veil of
• 2:02:40
  Speaker 1: his mistress. Of what companion are you speaking, dear constance,
• 2:02:46
  Speaker 1: of her whose carriage was at the gate of a
• 2:02:48
  Speaker 1: woman who calls herself your friend, of a woman to
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 1: whom you have told everything. Her name, her name, cried d'Artagnan.
• 2:02:57
  Speaker 1: My god, can you not remember her name? Yes, it
• 2:03:00
  Speaker 1: was pronounced in my hearing once stop. But it is
• 2:03:05
  Speaker 1: very strange. Oh, my God, my head swims. I cannot see. Help,
• 2:03:12
  Speaker 1: help my friends. Her hands are icy cold, cried d'Artagnan.
• 2:03:17
  Speaker 1: She is ill, Great God, she is losing her senses.
• 2:03:23
  Speaker 1: While Porthos was calling for help with all the power
• 2:03:25
  Speaker 1: of his strong voice. Barramis ran to the table to
• 2:03:28
  Speaker 1: get a glass of water, but he stopped at seeing
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 1: the horrible alteration that had taken place in the countenance
• 2:03:33
  Speaker 1: of Athos, standing before the table, his hair rising from
• 2:03:37
  Speaker 1: his head, his eyes fixed and stupor, was looking at
• 2:03:40
  Speaker 1: one of the glasses, and appeared a prey to the
• 2:03:43
  Speaker 1: most horrible doubt. Oh, said Athos, Oh, no, it is impossible.
• 2:03:50
  Speaker 1: God would not permit such a crime. Water, water, cried d'Artagnan. Water. Oh,
• 2:03:58
  Speaker 1: poor woman, poor woman, murmured Athos in a broken voice.
• 2:04:03
  Speaker 1: Madame Bonacieux opened her eyes under the kisses of d'Artagnan.
• 2:04:07
  Speaker 1: She revives, cried the young man. Oh, my God, my God,
• 2:04:12
  Speaker 1: I thank thee Madam, said Athos, Madam, in the name
• 2:04:17
  Speaker 1: of Heaven. Whose empty glass is this mine? Monsieur, said
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 1: the young woman in a dying voice. But who poured
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 1: the wine for you that was in this glass? She?
• 2:04:29
  Speaker 1: But who is she? Oh? I remember, said Madame Bonacieux,
• 2:04:34
  Speaker 1: the Comtesse de Winter. The four friends uttered one and
• 2:04:38
  Speaker 1: the same cry, but that of Athos dominated all the rest.
• 2:04:42
  Speaker 1: At that moment, the countenance of Madame Bonacieux became livid.
• 2:04:45
  Speaker 1: A fearful agony pervaded her frame, and she sank, panting
• 2:04:49
  Speaker 1: into the arms of Porthos and Aramis. d'Artagnan seized the
• 2:04:53
  Speaker 1: hands of Athos with an anguish difficult to be described.
• 2:04:57
  Speaker 1: And what do you believe? His voice was stifled by sobs.
• 2:05:02
  Speaker 1: I believe everything, said Athos, biting his lips till the
• 2:05:05
  Speaker 1: blood sprang to avoid sighing d'Artagnan. d'Artagnan cried, Madame Bonacieux,
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: where art thou do not leave me? You see I
• 2:05:15
  Speaker 1: am dying. d'Artagnan released the hands of Athos, which he
• 2:05:20
  Speaker 1: still held clasped in both his own, and hastened to her.
• 2:05:24
  Speaker 1: Her beautiful face was distorted with agony. Her glassy eyes
• 2:05:27
  Speaker 1: had no longer their sight. A convulsive shuddering shook her
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 1: whole body. The sweat rolled from her brow. In the
• 2:05:34
  Speaker 1: name of Heaven, run, call Aramis, Porthos, call for help. Useless,
• 2:05:43
  Speaker 1: said Athos, Useless for the poison which she pours. There
• 2:05:48
  Speaker 1: is no antidote. Yes, yes, help, help, murmured Madame Bonacieux. Help. Then,
• 2:05:56
  Speaker 1: collecting all her strength, she took the head of the
• 2:05:59
  Speaker 1: young man between her hands, looked at him for an instant,
• 2:06:02
  Speaker 1: as if her whole soul passed into that look, and
• 2:06:04
  Speaker 1: with a sobbing cry, pressed her lips to his constance. Constance,
• 2:06:09
  Speaker 1: cried d'Artagnan. A sigh escaped from the mouth of Madame Bonacieux,
• 2:06:14
  Speaker 1: and dwelt for an instant on the lips of d'Artagnan.
• 2:06:17
  Speaker 1: That sigh was the soul so chaste and so loving,
• 2:06:20
  Speaker 1: which reascended to heaven. d'Artagnan pressed nothing but a corpse
• 2:06:25
  Speaker 1: in his arms. The young man uttered a cry and
• 2:06:28
  Speaker 1: fell by the side of his mistress. As pale and
• 2:06:31
  Speaker 1: as icy as herself. Porthos wept. Aramis pointed toward heaven.
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: Athos made the sign of the cross. At that moment,
• 2:06:39
  Speaker 1: a man appeared in the doorway, almost as pale as
• 2:06:42
  Speaker 1: those in the chamber. He looked around him and saw
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 1: Madame Bonacieux dead and d'Artagnan in a swoon. He appeared
• 2:06:50
  Speaker 1: just at that moment of stupor which follows great catastrophes.
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 1: I was not deceived, said he. Here is Monsieur d'Artagnan,
• 2:06:58
  Speaker 1: and you are his friends. Messr's Athos, Porthos and Aramis.
• 2:07:03
  Speaker 1: The persons whose names were thus pronounced looked at the
• 2:07:05
  Speaker 1: stranger with astonishment. It seemed to all three that they
• 2:07:09
  Speaker 1: knew him. Gentlemen, resumed the newcomer. You are as I
• 2:07:14
  Speaker 1: am in search of a woman, who, added, he with
• 2:07:17
  Speaker 1: a terrible smile, must have passed this way, for I
• 2:07:20
  Speaker 1: see a corpse. The three friends remained mute, for although
• 2:07:24
  Speaker 1: the voice, as well as the countenance reminded them of
• 2:07:26
  Speaker 1: someone they had seen, they could not remember under what circumstances, gentlemen,
• 2:07:32
  Speaker 1: continued the stranger. Since you do not recognize a man
• 2:07:35
  Speaker 1: who probably owes his life to you twice, I must
• 2:07:38
  Speaker 1: name myself. I am Lord de Winter, brother in law
• 2:07:41
  Speaker 1: of that woman. The three friends uttered a cry of surprise.
• 2:07:46
  Speaker 1: Athos rose and offering him his hand. Be welcome, my lord,
• 2:07:51
  Speaker 1: said he, You are one of us. I set out
• 2:07:54
  Speaker 1: five hours after her from Portsmouth, said Lord de Winter.
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: I arrived three hours after after her at Bologne. I
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 1: missed her by twenty minutes at Saint Omer. Finally, at Liliers,
• 2:08:06
  Speaker 1: I lost all trace of her. I was going about
• 2:08:09
  Speaker 1: at random, inquiring of everybody. When I saw you gallop past.
• 2:08:14
  Speaker 1: I recognized monsieur d'Artagnan. I called to you, but you
• 2:08:18
  Speaker 1: did not answer me. I wished to follow you, but
• 2:08:21
  Speaker 1: my horse was too much fatigued to go at the
• 2:08:23
  Speaker 1: same pace with yours. And yet it appears, in spite
• 2:08:27
  Speaker 1: of all your diligence, you have arrived too late. You see,
• 2:08:31
  Speaker 1: said Athos, pointing to Madame Bonacieux, dead and to d'Artagnan,
• 2:08:36
  Speaker 1: whom Porthos and Aramis were trying to recall to life.
• 2:08:40
  Speaker 1: Are they both dead, asked Lord de Winter sternly, no,
• 2:08:44
  Speaker 1: replied Athos. Fortunately, Monsieur d'Artagnan has only fainted. Ah. Indeed,
• 2:08:50
  Speaker 1: so much the better, said Lord de Winter. At that
• 2:08:54
  Speaker 1: moment d'Artagnan opened his eyes. He tore himself from the
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: arms of Porthos and Aaron, and threw himself like a madman,
• 2:09:02
  Speaker 1: on the corpse of his mistress. Athos rose walked toward
• 2:09:06
  Speaker 1: his friend with a slow and solemn step, embraced him tenderly,
• 2:09:10
  Speaker 1: and as he burst into violent sobs, he said to him,
• 2:09:13
  Speaker 1: with his noble and persuasive voice, friend, be a man.
• 2:09:17
  Speaker 1: Women weep for the dead, men avenge them. Oh, yes,
• 2:09:21
  Speaker 1: cried d'Artagnan. Yes, if it be to avenge her. I
• 2:09:26
  Speaker 1: am ready to follow you. Athos, profited by this moment
• 2:09:30
  Speaker 1: of strength which the hope of vengeance restored to his
• 2:09:32
  Speaker 1: unfortunate friend, to make a sign to Porthos, and Aramis
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 1: to go and fetch the superior. The two friends met
• 2:09:38
  Speaker 1: her in the corridor. Greatly troubled and much upset by
• 2:09:41
  Speaker 1: such strange events, she called some of the nuns, who,
• 2:09:45
  Speaker 1: against all monastic custom, found themselves in the presence of
• 2:09:48
  Speaker 1: five men. Madam, said Athos, passing his arm under that
• 2:09:52
  Speaker 1: of d'Artagnan, we abandon to your pious care the body
• 2:09:55
  Speaker 1: of that unfortunate woman. She was an angel on earth
• 2:09:59
  Speaker 1: before being an angel in heaven. Treat her as one
• 2:10:02
  Speaker 1: of your sisters. We will return some day to pray
• 2:10:06
  Speaker 1: over her grave. d'Artagnan concealed his face in the bosom
• 2:10:10
  Speaker 1: of Athos and sobbed aloud. Weep, said Athos, weep, heart
• 2:10:15
  Speaker 1: full of love, youth, and life, alas what I could
• 2:10:19
  Speaker 1: weep like you, And he drew away his friend, as
• 2:10:23
  Speaker 1: affectionate as a father, as consoling as a priest, noble
• 2:10:27
  Speaker 1: as a man who has suffered much. All five followed
• 2:10:31
  Speaker 1: by their lackeys, leading their horses took their way to
• 2:10:33
  Speaker 1: the town of Bethune, whose outskirts they perceived and stopped
• 2:10:37
  Speaker 1: before the first and they came to but said d'Artagnan,
• 2:10:41
  Speaker 1: Shall we not pursue that woman? Later said Athos, I
• 2:10:46
  Speaker 1: have measures to take. She will escape us, replied the
• 2:10:50
  Speaker 1: young man. She will escape us, and it will be
• 2:10:53
  Speaker 1: your fault. Athos, I will be accountable for her, said Athos.
• 2:10:58
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan had so much confidence in the word of his
• 2:11:01
  Speaker 1: friend that he lowered his head and entered thee in
• 2:11:03
  Speaker 1: without reply. Porthos and Aramis regarded each other, not understanding
• 2:11:08
  Speaker 1: this assurance of Athos, Lord de Winter believed he spoke
• 2:11:12
  Speaker 1: in this manner to sooth the grief of d'Artagnan. Now, gentlemen,
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 1: said Athos, when he had ascertained there were five chambers
• 2:11:20
  Speaker 1: free in the hotel. Let everyone retire to his own apartment.
• 2:11:24
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan needs to be alone, to weep and to sleep.
• 2:11:28
  Speaker 1: I take charge of everything. Be easy, it appears, however,
• 2:11:33
  Speaker 1: said Lord de Winter, if there are any measures to
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 1: take against the countess, it concerns me. She is my
• 2:11:39
  Speaker 1: sister in law, and me, said Athos, she is my wife.
• 2:11:44
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan smiled, for he understood that Athos was sure of
• 2:11:48
  Speaker 1: his vengeance. When he revealed such a secret, Porthos and
• 2:11:51
  Speaker 1: Aramis looked at each other and grew pale. Lord de
• 2:11:55
  Speaker 1: Winter thought Athos was mad. Now retire to your chamber,
• 2:12:00
  Speaker 1: said Athos, and leave me to act. You must perceive
• 2:12:04
  Speaker 1: that in my quality of a husband disconcerns me only, d'Artagnan,
• 2:12:09
  Speaker 1: if you have not lost it, give me the paper
• 2:12:11
  Speaker 1: which fell from that man's hat, upon which is written
• 2:12:14
  Speaker 1: the name of the village of Ah, said d'Artagnan. I
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 1: comprehend that name written in her hand. You see, then,
• 2:12:22
  Speaker 1: said Athos, there is a god in heaven still Chapter
• 2:12:26
  Speaker 1: sixty four, The Man in the Red Cloak. The despair
• 2:12:30
  Speaker 1: of Athos had given place to a concentrated grief, which
• 2:12:33
  Speaker 1: only rendered more lucid the brilliant mental faculties of that
• 2:12:36
  Speaker 1: extraordinary man. Possessed by one single thought, that of the
• 2:12:40
  Speaker 1: promise he had made and of the responsibility he had taken.
• 2:12:44
  Speaker 1: He retired last to his chamber, begged the host to
• 2:12:47
  Speaker 1: procure him a map of the province. Bent over it,
• 2:12:49
  Speaker 1: examined every line traced upon it, perceived that there were
• 2:12:52
  Speaker 1: four different roads from Bethune to Armentier's, and summoned the lackeys. Planchet, Grimaud, Basin,
• 2:12:59
  Speaker 1: and Miss Gaden presented themselves and received clear, positive and
• 2:13:04
  Speaker 1: serious orders from Athos. They must set out the next
• 2:13:07
  Speaker 1: morning at daybreak and go to Armentier's, each by a
• 2:13:11
  Speaker 1: different route. Planchett, the most intelligent of the four, was
• 2:13:15
  Speaker 1: to follow that by which the carriage had gone, upon
• 2:13:17
  Speaker 1: which the four friends had fired, and which was accompanied,
• 2:13:20
  Speaker 1: as may be remembered by Rockefort's servant. Athos set the
• 2:13:25
  Speaker 1: lackeys to work first, because since these men had been
• 2:13:28
  Speaker 1: in the service of himself and his friends, he had
• 2:13:30
  Speaker 1: discovered in each of them different and essential qualities. Then, lackeys,
• 2:13:34
  Speaker 1: who asked questions inspire less mistrust than masters, and meet
• 2:13:38
  Speaker 1: with more sympathy among those to whom they addressed themselves. Besides,
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 1: Milady knew the masters and did not know the lackeys.
• 2:13:46
  Speaker 1: On the contrary, the lackeys knew Milady perfectly. All four
• 2:13:51
  Speaker 1: were to meet the next day at eleven o'clock. If
• 2:13:54
  Speaker 1: they had discovered Mlady's retreat. Three were to remain on guard.
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 1: The fourth was to return to Bethune in order to
• 2:14:00
  Speaker 1: inform Athos and serve as a guide to the four friends.
• 2:14:04
  Speaker 1: These arrangements made the lackeys retired. Athos then arose from
• 2:14:09
  Speaker 1: his chair, girded on his sword, enveloped himself in his cloak,
• 2:14:12
  Speaker 1: and left the hotel. It was nearly ten o'clock. At
• 2:14:17
  Speaker 1: ten o'clock in the evening, it is well known the
• 2:14:20
  Speaker 1: streets and provincial towns are very little frequented. Athos, nevertheless,
• 2:14:25
  Speaker 1: was visibly anxious to find someone of whom he could
• 2:14:27
  Speaker 1: ask a question. At length, he met a belated passenger,
• 2:14:31
  Speaker 1: went up to him and spoke a few words to him.
• 2:14:34
  Speaker 1: The man he addressed recoiled with terror and only answered
• 2:14:37
  Speaker 1: the few words of the musketeer by pointing. Athos offered
• 2:14:41
  Speaker 1: the man half a pistole to accompany him, but the
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 1: man refused. Athos then plunged into the street the man
• 2:14:48
  Speaker 1: had indicated with his finger, But arriving at four crossroads,
• 2:14:52
  Speaker 1: he stopped again, visibly embarrassed. Nevertheless, as the crossroads offered
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 1: him a better chance than any other place of meeting somebody,
• 2:15:00
  Speaker 1: he stood still. In a few minutes a night watch passed.
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 1: Athos repeated to him the same question he had asked
• 2:15:08
  Speaker 1: the first person he met. The night watch evinced the
• 2:15:11
  Speaker 1: same terror, refused in his turn to accompany Athos, and
• 2:15:15
  Speaker 1: only pointed with his hand to the road he was
• 2:15:17
  Speaker 1: to take. Athos walked in the direction indicated and reached
• 2:15:22
  Speaker 1: the suburbs, situated at the opposite extremity of the city
• 2:15:25
  Speaker 1: from that by which he and his friends had entered it.
• 2:15:28
  Speaker 1: There he again appeared uneasy and embarrassed, and stopped for
• 2:15:31
  Speaker 1: the third time. Fortunately, a mendicant passed, who, coming up
• 2:15:36
  Speaker 1: to Athos to ask charity. Athos offered him half a
• 2:15:39
  Speaker 1: crown to accompany him where he was going. The mendicant
• 2:15:42
  Speaker 1: hesitated at first, but at the sight of the piece
• 2:15:45
  Speaker 1: of silver, which shone in the darkness, he consented and
• 2:15:48
  Speaker 1: walked on. Before Athos arrived at the angle of a street,
• 2:15:52
  Speaker 1: he pointed to a small house, isolated, solitary, and dismal.
• 2:15:57
  Speaker 1: Athos went toward the house, while the mendicant, who had
• 2:16:00
  Speaker 1: received his reward, left as fast as his legs could
• 2:16:03
  Speaker 1: carry him. Athos went round the house before he could
• 2:16:07
  Speaker 1: distinguish the door. Amid the red color in which the
• 2:16:10
  Speaker 1: house was painted, no light appeared through the chinks of
• 2:16:13
  Speaker 1: the shutters. No noise gave reason to believe that it
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 1: was inhabited. It was dark and silent as the tomb.
• 2:16:21
  Speaker 1: Three times Athos knocked, without receiving an answer. At the
• 2:16:25
  Speaker 1: third knock, however, steps were heard inside. The door at
• 2:16:29
  Speaker 1: length was opened, and a man appeared of high stature,
• 2:16:33
  Speaker 1: pale complexion and black hair and beard Athos, and he
• 2:16:37
  Speaker 1: exchanged some words in a low voice. Then the tall
• 2:16:40
  Speaker 1: man made a sign to the musketeer that he might
• 2:16:42
  Speaker 1: come in. Athos immediately profited by the permission, and the
• 2:16:46
  Speaker 1: door was closed behind him. The man whom Athos had
• 2:16:50
  Speaker 1: come so far to seek, and whom he had found
• 2:16:53
  Speaker 1: with so much trouble, introduced him into his laboratory, where
• 2:16:56
  Speaker 1: he was engaged in fastening together with iron wire, the
• 2:16:59
  Speaker 1: dry bones of a skeleton. All the frame was adjusted,
• 2:17:03
  Speaker 1: except the head, which lay on the table. All the
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 1: rest of the furniture indicated that the dweller in this
• 2:17:09
  Speaker 1: house occupied himself with the study of natural science. There
• 2:17:13
  Speaker 1: were large bottles filled with serpents ticketed according to their species,
• 2:17:17
  Speaker 1: dried lizards shone like emeralds, set in great squares of
• 2:17:20
  Speaker 1: black wood, and bunches of wild odoriferous herbs, doubtless possessed
• 2:17:24
  Speaker 1: of virtues unknown to common men, were fastened to the
• 2:17:27
  Speaker 1: ceiling and hung down in the corners of the apartment.
• 2:17:30
  Speaker 1: There was no family, no servant. The tall Man alone
• 2:17:34
  Speaker 1: inhabited this house. Athos cast a cold and indifferent glance
• 2:17:38
  Speaker 1: upon the objects we have described, and, at the invitation
• 2:17:41
  Speaker 1: of him whom he came to seek, sat down near him.
• 2:17:44
  Speaker 1: Then he explained to him the cause of his visit
• 2:17:46
  Speaker 1: and the service he required of him. But scarcely had
• 2:17:50
  Speaker 1: he expressed his request, when the unknown, who remained standing
• 2:17:53
  Speaker 1: before the musketeer, drew back with signs of terror and refused.
• 2:17:58
  Speaker 1: Then Athos took from his pocket a small paper on
• 2:18:01
  Speaker 1: which two lines were written, accompanied by a signature and
• 2:18:04
  Speaker 1: a seal, and presented them to him, who had made
• 2:18:07
  Speaker 1: too prematurely these signs of repugnance. The tall man had
• 2:18:11
  Speaker 1: scarcely read these lines, seen the signature, and recognized the seal.
• 2:18:15
  Speaker 1: When he bowed to denote that he had no longer
• 2:18:17
  Speaker 1: any objection to make, and that he was ready to obey,
• 2:18:21
  Speaker 1: Athos required no more. He arose, bowed, went out, returned
• 2:18:26
  Speaker 1: by the same way he came re, entered the hotel
• 2:18:29
  Speaker 1: and went to his apartment. At daybreak, d'Artagnan entered the
• 2:18:33
  Speaker 1: chamber and demanded what was to be done to wait,
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: replied Athos. Some minutes after, the superior of the convent
• 2:18:42
  Speaker 1: sent to inform the musketeers that the burial would take
• 2:18:44
  Speaker 1: place at midday. As to the poisoner, they had heard
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 1: no tidings of her whatever, only that she must have
• 2:18:50
  Speaker 1: made her escape through the garden on the sand of
• 2:18:53
  Speaker 1: which her footsteps could be traced, and the door of
• 2:18:55
  Speaker 1: which had been found shut. As to the key, it
• 2:18:59
  Speaker 1: had disappeared. At the hour, appointed Lord de Winter and
• 2:19:03
  Speaker 1: the four friends repaired to the convent. The bells told
• 2:19:06
  Speaker 1: the chapel was open. The grating of the choir was closed.
• 2:19:10
  Speaker 1: In the middle of the choir, the body of the victim,
• 2:19:13
  Speaker 1: clothed in her novitiate dress, was exposed on each side
• 2:19:17
  Speaker 1: of the choir, and behind the gratings opening into the
• 2:19:20
  Speaker 1: convent was assembled the whole community of the Carmelites, who
• 2:19:23
  Speaker 1: listened to the divine service and mingled their chant with
• 2:19:26
  Speaker 1: the chant of the priests, without seeing the profane or
• 2:19:29
  Speaker 1: being seen by them. At the door of the Chapel
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan felt his courage fall anew and returned to look
• 2:19:35
  Speaker 1: for Athos, but Athos had disappeared. Faithful to his mission
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 1: of vengeance, Athos had requested to be conducted to the
• 2:19:43
  Speaker 1: garden and thereupon the sand. Following the light steps of
• 2:19:46
  Speaker 1: this woman, who left sharp tracks wherever she went, he
• 2:19:49
  Speaker 1: advanced toward the gate which led into the wood, and
• 2:19:51
  Speaker 1: causing it to be opened, he went out into the forest.
• 2:19:55
  Speaker 1: Then all his suspicions were confirmed. The road by which
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 1: the carriage had disappeared encircled the forest. Athos followed the
• 2:20:03
  Speaker 1: road for some time, his eyes fixed upon the ground
• 2:20:06
  Speaker 1: slight stains of blood, which came from the wound inflicted
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 1: upon the man who accompanied the carriage as a courier,
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 1: or from one of the horses dotted the road. At
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 1: the end of three quarters of a league, within fifty
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 1: paces of Festibird, a larger blood stain appeared. The ground
• 2:20:22
  Speaker 1: was trampled by horses. Between the forest and this accursed spot,
• 2:20:27
  Speaker 1: a little behind the trampled ground was the same track
• 2:20:29
  Speaker 1: of small feet as in the garden. The carriage had
• 2:20:32
  Speaker 1: stopped here at this spot. Milady had come out of
• 2:20:35
  Speaker 1: the wood and entered the carriage. Satisfied with this discovery,
• 2:20:40
  Speaker 1: which confirmed all his suspicions, Athos returned to the hotel
• 2:20:44
  Speaker 1: and found Planchet impatiently waiting for him. Everything was as
• 2:20:48
  Speaker 1: Athos had foreseen. Planchet had followed the road like Athos.
• 2:20:53
  Speaker 1: He had discovered the stains of blood. Like Athos, he
• 2:20:56
  Speaker 1: had noted the spot where the horses had halted, but
• 2:20:59
  Speaker 1: he had gone farther than Athos, for at the village
• 2:21:02
  Speaker 1: of Festiburg. While drinking at an inn, he had learned,
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 1: without needing to ask a question, that the evening before,
• 2:21:08
  Speaker 1: at half past eight, a wounded man who accompanied a
• 2:21:10
  Speaker 1: lady traveling in a post chaise had been obliged to
• 2:21:13
  Speaker 1: stop unable to go further. The accident was set down
• 2:21:17
  Speaker 1: to the account of robbers who had stopped the chaise
• 2:21:20
  Speaker 1: in the wood. The man remained in a village. The
• 2:21:23
  Speaker 1: woman had had a relay of horses and continued her journey.
• 2:21:27
  Speaker 1: Planchett went in search of the postilion who had driven
• 2:21:30
  Speaker 1: her and found him. He had taken the lady as
• 2:21:33
  Speaker 1: far as Fromel's, and from fromel she had set out
• 2:21:36
  Speaker 1: for Armentier's. Planchett took the cross road, and by seven
• 2:21:40
  Speaker 1: o'clock in the morning he was at Armentier's. There was
• 2:21:44
  Speaker 1: but one tavern the post. Planchet went and presented himself
• 2:21:48
  Speaker 1: as a lackey out of a place who was in
• 2:21:50
  Speaker 1: search of a situation. He had not chatted ten minutes
• 2:21:54
  Speaker 1: with the people of the tavern before he learned that
• 2:21:56
  Speaker 1: a woman had come there alone about eleven o'clock the
• 2:21:58
  Speaker 1: night before, had aged a chamber, had sent for the
• 2:22:01
  Speaker 1: master of the hotel, and told him she desired to
• 2:22:04
  Speaker 1: remain some time in the neighborhood. Planchett had no need
• 2:22:07
  Speaker 1: to learn more. He hastened to the rendezvous, found the
• 2:22:11
  Speaker 1: lackeys at their posts, placed them as sentinels at all
• 2:22:14
  Speaker 1: the outlets of the hotel, and came to find Athos,
• 2:22:17
  Speaker 1: who had just received this information. When his friends returned,
• 2:22:21
  Speaker 1: all their countenances were melancholy and gloomy, even the mild
• 2:22:25
  Speaker 1: countenance of Aramis. What is to be done, asked d'Artagnan
• 2:22:30
  Speaker 1: to wait, replied Athos. Each retired to his own apartment.
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: At eight o'clock in the evening, Athos ordered the horses
• 2:22:38
  Speaker 1: to be saddled, and Lord de Winter and his friends
• 2:22:41
  Speaker 1: notified that they must prepare for the expedition. In an instant,
• 2:22:45
  Speaker 1: all five were ready. Each examined his arms and put
• 2:22:49
  Speaker 1: them in order. Athos came down last and found d'Artagnan
• 2:22:53
  Speaker 1: already on horseback and growing impatient. Patience, cried Athos, one
• 2:22:59
  Speaker 1: of our party is still wanting. The four horsemen looked
• 2:23:03
  Speaker 1: round them with astonishment, for they sought vainly in their
• 2:23:05
  Speaker 1: minds to know who this other person could be. At
• 2:23:09
  Speaker 1: this moment, Planchet brought out Athos's horse. The musketeer leaped
• 2:23:13
  Speaker 1: lightly into the saddle. Wait for me, cried he. I
• 2:23:16
  Speaker 1: will soon be back, and he set off at a gallop.
• 2:23:20
  Speaker 1: In a quarter of an hour he returned, accompanied by
• 2:23:22
  Speaker 1: a tall man masked and wrapped in a large red cloak.
• 2:23:27
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter and the three musketeers looked at one
• 2:23:30
  Speaker 1: another inquiringly. Neither could give the others any information, for
• 2:23:34
  Speaker 1: all were ignorant who this man could be. Nevertheless, they
• 2:23:38
  Speaker 1: felt convinced that all was as it should be, as
• 2:23:40
  Speaker 1: it was done by the order of Athos. At nine o'clock,
• 2:23:45
  Speaker 1: guided by Planchet, the little cavalcade set out, taking the
• 2:23:48
  Speaker 1: route the carriage had taken. It was a melancholy sight,
• 2:23:52
  Speaker 1: that of these six men, traveling in silence, each plunged
• 2:23:56
  Speaker 1: in his own thoughts, sat as despair, gloomy as chastisement,
• 2:24:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter sixty five Trial. It was a stormy and dark night.
• 2:24:05
  Speaker 1: Vast clouds covered the heavens, concealing the stars. The moon
• 2:24:09
  Speaker 1: would not rise till midnight. Occasionally by the light of
• 2:24:13
  Speaker 1: a flash of lightning, which gleamed along the horizon. The
• 2:24:16
  Speaker 1: road stretched itself before them, white and solitary, the flash extinct.
• 2:24:20
  Speaker 1: All remained in darkness. Every minute. Athos was forced to
• 2:24:25
  Speaker 1: restrain d'Artagnan constantly in advance of the little troop, and
• 2:24:28
  Speaker 1: to beg him to keep in the line, which in
• 2:24:30
  Speaker 1: an instant he again departed from. He had but one
• 2:24:34
  Speaker 1: thought to go forward, and he went. They passed in
• 2:24:38
  Speaker 1: silence through the little village of Festiburg, where the wounded
• 2:24:41
  Speaker 1: servant was, and then skirted the wood of Richebourg. At herlier. Planchet,
• 2:24:46
  Speaker 1: who led the column, turned to the left. Several times.
• 2:24:50
  Speaker 1: Lord de Winter, Porthos or Aramis, tried to talk with
• 2:24:53
  Speaker 1: the man in the red cloak, but to every interrogation
• 2:24:56
  Speaker 1: which they put to him, he bowed without response. The
• 2:25:00
  Speaker 1: travelers then comprehended that there must be some reason why
• 2:25:03
  Speaker 1: the unknown preserved such a silence, and ceased to address
• 2:25:06
  Speaker 1: themselves to him. The storm increased, the flashes succeeded one
• 2:25:11
  Speaker 1: another more rapidly. The thunder began to growl, and the wind,
• 2:25:15
  Speaker 1: the precursor of a hurricane, whistled in the plumes and
• 2:25:17
  Speaker 1: the hair of the horsemen. The cavalcade trotted on more sharply.
• 2:25:23
  Speaker 1: A little before they came to Fomel's, the storm burst.
• 2:25:26
  Speaker 1: They spread their cloaks. There remained three leagues to travel,
• 2:25:30
  Speaker 1: and they did it amid torrents of rain. d'Artagnan took
• 2:25:34
  Speaker 1: off his hat and could not be persuaded to make
• 2:25:37
  Speaker 1: use of his cloak. He found pleasure in feeling the
• 2:25:40
  Speaker 1: water trickle over his burning brow and over his body,
• 2:25:43
  Speaker 1: agitated by feverish shutters. The moment the little troop passed
• 2:25:47
  Speaker 1: Goscle and were approaching the post, a man sheltered beneath
• 2:25:51
  Speaker 1: a tree, detached himself from the trunk with which he
• 2:25:53
  Speaker 1: had been confounded in the darkness, and advanced into the
• 2:25:56
  Speaker 1: middle of the road, putting his finger on his lips.
• 2:25:59
  Speaker 1: Athos recognized Grimaud, what's the manner, cried Athos, has she
• 2:26:05
  Speaker 1: left armentiers? Grimaud made a sign in the affirmative. d'Artagnan
• 2:26:11
  Speaker 1: ground his teeth silence. d'Artagnan said, Athos, I have charged
• 2:26:17
  Speaker 1: myself with this affair. It is for me then to
• 2:26:21
  Speaker 1: interrogate Grimaud. Where is she? Asked Athos. Grimaud extended his
• 2:26:27
  Speaker 1: hands in the direction of the lists. Far from here,
• 2:26:30
  Speaker 1: asked Athos. Grimaud showed his master his forefinger bent alone,
• 2:26:36
  Speaker 1: asked Athos. Grimaud made the sign. Yes, gentlemen, said Athos,
• 2:26:42
  Speaker 1: she is alone within half a league of us, in
• 2:26:45
  Speaker 1: the direction of the river. That's well, said d'Artagnan. Lead us, Grimaud.
• 2:26:52
  Speaker 1: Grimaud took his course across the country and acted as
• 2:26:55
  Speaker 1: guide to the cavalcade. At the end of five hundred
• 2:26:58
  Speaker 1: paces more or less, they came to a rivulet, which
• 2:27:02
  Speaker 1: they forded. By the aid of the lightning, they perceived
• 2:27:05
  Speaker 1: the village of Erquinheim. Is she there, Grimaud asked Athos.
• 2:27:11
  Speaker 1: Grimaud shook his head negatively. Silence then cried Athos, and
• 2:27:17
  Speaker 1: the troop continued their route. Another flash illuminated all around them.
• 2:27:23
  Speaker 1: Grimaud extended his arm and by the bluish splendor of
• 2:27:26
  Speaker 1: the fiery serpent. They distinguished a little isolated house on
• 2:27:29
  Speaker 1: the banks of the river, within a hundred paces of
• 2:27:31
  Speaker 1: a ferry. One window was lighted. Here we are, said Athos.
• 2:27:38
  Speaker 1: At this moment a man who had been crouching in
• 2:27:40
  Speaker 1: a ditch jumped up and came towards them. It was
• 2:27:43
  Speaker 1: miss Skaton. He pointed his finger to the lighted window.
• 2:27:48
  Speaker 1: She is there, said he, and Basin asked Athos. While
• 2:27:53
  Speaker 1: I watched the window, he guarded the door. Good, said Athos,
• 2:27:59
  Speaker 1: you are good and faithful servants. Athos sprang from his horse,
• 2:28:04
  Speaker 1: gave the bridle to Grimaud, and advanced toward the window,
• 2:28:07
  Speaker 1: after having made a sign to the rest of the
• 2:28:09
  Speaker 1: troop to go toward the door. The little house was
• 2:28:12
  Speaker 1: surrounded by a low, quickset hedge two or three feet high.
• 2:28:17
  Speaker 1: Athos sprang over the hedge and went up to the window,
• 2:28:20
  Speaker 1: which was without shutters but had the half curtains closely drawn.
• 2:28:24
  Speaker 1: He mounted the skirting stone that his eyes might look
• 2:28:27
  Speaker 1: over the curtain. By the light of a lamp. He
• 2:28:29
  Speaker 1: saw a woman wrapped in a dark mantle, seated upon
• 2:28:33
  Speaker 1: a stool near a dying fire. Her elbows were placed
• 2:28:36
  Speaker 1: upon a mean table, and she leaned her head upon
• 2:28:39
  Speaker 1: her two hands, which were white as ivory. He could
• 2:28:42
  Speaker 1: not distinguish her countenance, but a sinister smile passed over
• 2:28:46
  Speaker 1: the lips of Athos. He was not deceived. It was
• 2:28:50
  Speaker 1: she whom he sought. At this moment, a horse neighed.
• 2:28:54
  Speaker 1: Milady raised her head, saw close to the panes, the
• 2:28:57
  Speaker 1: pale face of Athos, and screamed. Athos, perceiving that she
• 2:29:02
  Speaker 1: knew him, pushed the window with his knee in hand.
• 2:29:05
  Speaker 1: The window yielded, The squares were broken to shivers, and Athos,
• 2:29:10
  Speaker 1: like the specter of vengeance, leaped into the room. Milady
• 2:29:14
  Speaker 1: rushed to the door and opened it, more pale and
• 2:29:18
  Speaker 1: menacing than Athos. d'Artagnan stood on the threshold. Milady recoiled,
• 2:29:23
  Speaker 1: uttering a cry. d'Artagnan, believing she might have means of
• 2:29:27
  Speaker 1: flight and fearing she should escape, drew a pistol from
• 2:29:30
  Speaker 1: his belt, but Athos raised his hand put back that weapon.
• 2:29:35
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan said he this woman must be tried, not assassinated.
• 2:29:40
  Speaker 1: Wait an instant, my friend, and you shall be satisfied.
• 2:29:44
  Speaker 1: Come in, gentlemen. d'Artagnan obeyed, for Athos had the solemn
• 2:29:49
  Speaker 1: voice and the powerful gesture of a judge sent by
• 2:29:52
  Speaker 1: the Lord himself. Behind d'Artagnan entered Porthos, Aramis, Lord de Winter,
• 2:29:58
  Speaker 1: and the man in the red cloak. The four lackeys
• 2:30:01
  Speaker 1: guarded the door and the window. Milady had sunk into
• 2:30:05
  Speaker 1: a chair with her hands extended, as if to conjure
• 2:30:08
  Speaker 1: this terrible apparition. Perceiving her brother in law, she uttered
• 2:30:12
  Speaker 1: a terrible cry. What do you want? Screamed milady. We want,
• 2:30:18
  Speaker 1: said Athos Charlotte Baxan, who first was called Comtesse de
• 2:30:22
  Speaker 1: la Fear, and afterwards Milady de Winter, Baroness of Sheffield.
• 2:30:26
  Speaker 1: That is I, that is I murmured Milady, in extreme terror.
• 2:30:31
  Speaker 1: What do you want? We wish to judge you according
• 2:30:35
  Speaker 1: to your crime, said Athos. You shall be free to
• 2:30:38
  Speaker 1: defend yourself, justify yourself if you can, m d'Artagnan. It
• 2:30:43
  Speaker 1: is for you to accuse her. First. d'Artagnan advanced before
• 2:30:49
  Speaker 1: God and before men, said he, I accuse this woman
• 2:30:52
  Speaker 1: of having poisoned Constance Bonacieux, who died yesterday evening. He
• 2:30:57
  Speaker 1: turned towards Porthos, and Aramis, we bear witness to this,
• 2:31:01
  Speaker 1: said the two musketeers with one voice. d'Artagnan continued, before
• 2:31:07
  Speaker 1: God and before men, I accused this woman of having
• 2:31:09
  Speaker 1: attempted to poison me in wine which she sent me
• 2:31:12
  Speaker 1: from Villeroy with a forged letter. As if that wine
• 2:31:15
  Speaker 1: came from my friends. God preserved me, but a man
• 2:31:19
  Speaker 1: named Breismont died in my place. We bear witness to this,
• 2:31:23
  Speaker 1: said Porthos and aramis in the same manner as before,
• 2:31:28
  Speaker 1: before God and before men, I accuse this woman of
• 2:31:31
  Speaker 1: having urged me to the murder of the Baron de Wards.
• 2:31:33
  Speaker 1: But as no one else can attest the truth of
• 2:31:35
  Speaker 1: this accusation, I attest it myself. I have done. And
• 2:31:40
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan passed to the other side of the room with
• 2:31:43
  Speaker 1: Porthos and aramis your turn, my lord, said Athos. The
• 2:31:49
  Speaker 1: baron came forward before God and before men, said he,
• 2:31:53
  Speaker 1: I accuse this woman of having caused the assassination of
• 2:31:56
  Speaker 1: the Duke of Buckingham. The Duke of Buckingham as sasassinated,
• 2:32:00
  Speaker 1: cried all present with one voice. Yes, said the baron assassinated.
• 2:32:07
  Speaker 1: On receiving the warning letter you wrote to me, I
• 2:32:09
  Speaker 1: had this woman arrested and gave her in charge to
• 2:32:12
  Speaker 1: a loyal servant. She corrupted this man. She placed the
• 2:32:16
  Speaker 1: poniard in his hand. She made him kill the Duke.
• 2:32:20
  Speaker 1: And at this moment, perhaps Felton is paying with his
• 2:32:23
  Speaker 1: head for the crime of this fury. A shudder crept
• 2:32:26
  Speaker 1: through the judges at the revelation of these unknown crimes.
• 2:32:30
  Speaker 1: That is not all, resumed, Lord de Winter, My brother,
• 2:32:35
  Speaker 1: who made you his heir, died in three hours of
• 2:32:37
  Speaker 1: a strange disorder, which left livid traces all over the body.
• 2:32:41
  Speaker 1: My sister, how did your husband die? Horror, cried Porthos,
• 2:32:46
  Speaker 1: and aramis assassin of Buckingham, assassin of Felton, assassin of
• 2:32:51
  Speaker 1: my brother. I demand justice upon you, and I swear
• 2:32:54
  Speaker 1: that if it be not granted to me, I will
• 2:32:57
  Speaker 1: execute it myself. And Lord de Winter arranged himself by
• 2:33:01
  Speaker 1: the side of d'Artagnan, leaving the place free for another accuser.
• 2:33:05
  Speaker 1: Milady let her head sink between her two hands and
• 2:33:08
  Speaker 1: tried to recall her ideas whirling in a mortal vertigo.
• 2:33:12
  Speaker 1: My turn, said Athos, himself, trembling as the lion trembles
• 2:33:16
  Speaker 1: at the sight of the serpent. My turn, I married
• 2:33:20
  Speaker 1: that woman when she was a young girl. I married
• 2:33:22
  Speaker 1: her in opposition to the wishes of all my family.
• 2:33:25
  Speaker 1: I gave her my wealth, I gave her my name.
• 2:33:27
  Speaker 1: And one day I discovered that this woman was branded.
• 2:33:30
  Speaker 1: This woman was marked with a flirtalise on her left shoulder. Oh,
• 2:33:35
  Speaker 1: said Milady, raising herself. I defy you to find any
• 2:33:38
  Speaker 1: tribunal which pronounced that infamous sentence against me. I defy
• 2:33:42
  Speaker 1: you to find him who executed it. Silence, said a
• 2:33:46
  Speaker 1: hollow voice. It is for me to reply to that.
• 2:33:50
  Speaker 1: And the man in the red cloak came forward in
• 2:33:53
  Speaker 1: his turn. What man is that? What man is that?
• 2:33:58
  Speaker 1: Cried Milady, suffocated by terror, her hair loosening itself and
• 2:34:02
  Speaker 1: rising above her livid countenance, as if alive. All eyes
• 2:34:06
  Speaker 1: were turned towards this man, for to all except Athos,
• 2:34:10
  Speaker 1: he was unknown. Even Athos looked at him with as
• 2:34:13
  Speaker 1: much stupefaction as the others, for he knew not how
• 2:34:16
  Speaker 1: he could in any way find himself mixed up with.
• 2:34:18
  Speaker 1: The horrible drama then unfolded. After approaching Milady with a
• 2:34:22
  Speaker 1: slow and solemn step, so that the table alone separated them,
• 2:34:26
  Speaker 1: the unknown took off his mask, milady for some time,
• 2:34:30
  Speaker 1: examined with increasing terror, that pale face framed with black
• 2:34:34
  Speaker 1: hair and whiskers, the only expression of which was icy impassability.
• 2:34:39
  Speaker 1: Then she suddenly cried, oh no, no, rising and retreating
• 2:34:43
  Speaker 1: to the very wall. No, no, it is an infernal apparition.
• 2:34:49
  Speaker 1: It is not he. Help, help, screamed she, turning towards
• 2:34:55
  Speaker 1: the wall as if she would tear an opening with
• 2:34:57
  Speaker 1: her hands. Who are you, then, cried all the witnesses
• 2:35:01
  Speaker 1: of this scene. Ask that woman, said the man in
• 2:35:05
  Speaker 1: the red cloak, for you may plainly see she knows me,
• 2:35:09
  Speaker 1: the executioner of Lele. The executioner of Lele, cried Milady,
• 2:35:14
  Speaker 1: a prey, to insensate terror, and clinging with her hands
• 2:35:17
  Speaker 1: to the wall to avoid falling. Everyone drew back, and
• 2:35:21
  Speaker 1: the man in the red cloak remained standing alone in
• 2:35:23
  Speaker 1: the middle of the room. Oh, grace, grace, pardon, cried
• 2:35:28
  Speaker 1: the wretch, falling on her knees. The unknown waited for silence,
• 2:35:33
  Speaker 1: and then resumed. I told you well that she would
• 2:35:36
  Speaker 1: know me. Yes, I am the executioner of Lele, and
• 2:35:40
  Speaker 1: this is my history. All eyes were fixed upon this man,
• 2:35:44
  Speaker 1: whose words were listened to with anxious attention. That woman
• 2:35:48
  Speaker 1: was once a young girl, as beautiful as she is
• 2:35:50
  Speaker 1: to day. She was a nun in the convent of
• 2:35:53
  Speaker 1: the Benedictines of Templemar. A young priest with a simple
• 2:35:57
  Speaker 1: and trustful heart performed the duties of the church of
• 2:36:00
  Speaker 1: that convent. She undertook his seduction and succeeded. She would
• 2:36:05
  Speaker 1: have seduced a saint. Their vows were sacred and irrevocable.
• 2:36:10
  Speaker 1: Their connection could not last long without ruining both. She
• 2:36:14
  Speaker 1: prevailed upon him to leave the country, but to leave
• 2:36:16
  Speaker 1: the country to fly together to reach another part of France,
• 2:36:20
  Speaker 1: where they might live at ease. Because unknown money was necessary,
• 2:36:25
  Speaker 1: neither had any. The priest stole the sacred vases and
• 2:36:29
  Speaker 1: sold them, but as they were preparing to escape together,
• 2:36:32
  Speaker 1: they were both arrested. Eight days later, she had seduced
• 2:36:36
  Speaker 1: the son of the jailer and escaped. The young priest
• 2:36:39
  Speaker 1: was condemned to ten years of imprisonment and to be branded.
• 2:36:43
  Speaker 1: I was executioner of the city of Lelle, as this
• 2:36:46
  Speaker 1: woman has said, I was obliged to brand the guilty one,
• 2:36:50
  Speaker 1: and he, gentlemen, was my brother. I then swore that
• 2:36:54
  Speaker 1: this woman who had ruined him, who was more than
• 2:36:57
  Speaker 1: his accomplice, since she had urged him to the crime,
• 2:37:00
  Speaker 1: should at least share his punishment. I suspected where she
• 2:37:03
  Speaker 1: was concealed. I followed her, I caught her, I bound her,
• 2:37:08
  Speaker 1: and I imprinted the same disgraceful mark upon her that
• 2:37:10
  Speaker 1: I had imprinted upon my poor brother. The day after
• 2:37:14
  Speaker 1: my return to Lille, my brother, in his turn, succeeded
• 2:37:17
  Speaker 1: in making his escape. I was accused of complicity and
• 2:37:20
  Speaker 1: was condemned to remain in his place till he should
• 2:37:22
  Speaker 1: be again a prisoner. My poor brother was ignorant of
• 2:37:25
  Speaker 1: this sentence. He rejoined this woman. They fled together into Berry,
• 2:37:30
  Speaker 1: and there he obtained a little curacy. This woman passed
• 2:37:34
  Speaker 1: for his sister. The lord of the estate on which
• 2:37:37
  Speaker 1: the chapel of the curacy was situated saw this pretend
• 2:37:40
  Speaker 1: sister and became enamored of her, amorous to such a
• 2:37:43
  Speaker 1: degree that he proposed to marry her. Then she quitted him.
• 2:37:47
  Speaker 1: She had ruined for him. She was destined to ruin
• 2:37:49
  Speaker 1: and became the Comtesse de la Fear. All eyes were
• 2:37:52
  Speaker 1: turned towards Athos, whose real name that was, and who
• 2:37:55
  Speaker 1: made a sign with his head that all was true
• 2:37:57
  Speaker 1: which the executioner had said, then resumed he mad, desperate,
• 2:38:03
  Speaker 1: determined to get rid of an existence from which she
• 2:38:05
  Speaker 1: had stolen everything, honor and happiness. My poor brother returned
• 2:38:09
  Speaker 1: to Leo, and, learning the sentence which had condemned me
• 2:38:12
  Speaker 1: in his place, surrendered himself and hanged himself that same
• 2:38:15
  Speaker 1: night from the iron bar of the loophole of his prison,
• 2:38:19
  Speaker 1: to do justice to them who had condemned me. They
• 2:38:21
  Speaker 1: kept their word. As soon as the identity of my
• 2:38:25
  Speaker 1: brother was proved, I was set at liberty. That is
• 2:38:28
  Speaker 1: the crime of which I accuse her, That is the
• 2:38:30
  Speaker 1: cause for which she was branded. Monsieur d'Artagnan said, Athos,
• 2:38:35
  Speaker 1: what is the penalty you demand against this woman? The
• 2:38:39
  Speaker 1: punishment of death, replied d'Artagnan. My Lord de Winter continued, Athos,
• 2:38:44
  Speaker 1: what is the penalty you demand against this woman? The
• 2:38:48
  Speaker 1: punishment of death, replied Lord de Winter. Messrs. Porthos and
• 2:38:52
  Speaker 1: Aramis repeated Athos, you, who are her judges, what is
• 2:38:56
  Speaker 1: the sentence you pronounce upon this woman? The punishment of death,
• 2:39:00
  Speaker 1: replied the musketeers in a hollow voice. Milady uttered a
• 2:39:05
  Speaker 1: frightful shriek and dragged herself along several paces, upon her
• 2:39:09
  Speaker 1: knees toward her judges. Athos stretched out his hand toward her.
• 2:39:14
  Speaker 1: Charlotte back Son, Comtesse de la fear. Milady de Winter,
• 2:39:18
  Speaker 1: said he your crimes have wearied men on earth and
• 2:39:20
  Speaker 1: God in heaven. If you know a prayer, say it,
• 2:39:24
  Speaker 1: for you are condemned and you shall die. At these words,
• 2:39:28
  Speaker 1: which left no hope, Milady raised herself in all her
• 2:39:31
  Speaker 1: pride and wished to speak, but her strength failed her.
• 2:39:36
  Speaker 1: She felt that a powerful and implacable hand seized her
• 2:39:38
  Speaker 1: by the hair and dragged her away, as irrevocably as
• 2:39:41
  Speaker 1: fatality drags humanity. She did not, therefore even attempt the
• 2:39:46
  Speaker 1: least resistance, and went out of the cottage. Lord de
• 2:39:50
  Speaker 1: Winter d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis went out close behind her.
• 2:39:57
  Speaker 1: The lackeys followed their masters, and the chamber was left solitary,
• 2:40:01
  Speaker 1: with its broken window, its open door, and its smoky
• 2:40:04
  Speaker 1: lamp burning sadly on the table. Chapter sixty six execution.
• 2:40:10
  Speaker 1: It was near midnight. The moon, lessened by its decline
• 2:40:13
  Speaker 1: and reddened by the last traces of the storm, arose
• 2:40:16
  Speaker 1: behind the little town of Armentier's, which showed against its
• 2:40:19
  Speaker 1: pale light, the dark outline of its houses and the
• 2:40:22
  Speaker 1: skeleton of its high belfry. In front of them, the
• 2:40:25
  Speaker 1: list rolled its waters like a river of molten tin,
• 2:40:28
  Speaker 1: while on the other side was a black mass of
• 2:40:30
  Speaker 1: trees profiled on a stormy sky, invaded by large coppery clouds,
• 2:40:35
  Speaker 1: which created a sort of twilight amid the night. On
• 2:40:38
  Speaker 1: the left was an old abandoned mill with its motionless wings,
• 2:40:42
  Speaker 1: from the ruins of which an owl threw out its shrill,
• 2:40:44
  Speaker 1: periodical and monotonous cry. On the right, and on the
• 2:40:49
  Speaker 1: left of the road which the dismal procession pursued, appeared
• 2:40:52
  Speaker 1: a few low, stunted trees which looked like deformed dwarfs,
• 2:40:56
  Speaker 1: crouching down to watch men traveling at this sinister hour.
• 2:41:00
  Speaker 1: From time to time, a broad sheet of lightning opened
• 2:41:02
  Speaker 1: the horizon in its whole width, darted like a serpent
• 2:41:05
  Speaker 1: over the black mass of trees, and like a terrible scimitar,
• 2:41:08
  Speaker 1: divided the heavens and the waters into two parts. Not
• 2:41:12
  Speaker 1: a breath of wind now disturbed the heavy atmosphere. A
• 2:41:15
  Speaker 1: deathlike silence oppressed all nature. The soil was humid, and
• 2:41:20
  Speaker 1: glittering with the rain which had recently fallen, and the
• 2:41:23
  Speaker 1: refreshed herbs sent forth their perfume with additional energy. Two
• 2:41:27
  Speaker 1: lackeys dragged Milady, whom each held by one arm. The
• 2:41:31
  Speaker 1: executioner walked behind them, and Lord de Winter d'Artagnan, Porthos
• 2:41:36
  Speaker 1: and Aramis walked behind the executioner. Planchet and Basin came last.
• 2:41:42
  Speaker 1: The two lackeys conducted Milady to the bank of the river.
• 2:41:46
  Speaker 1: Her mouth was mute, but her eyes spoke with their
• 2:41:48
  Speaker 1: inexpressible eloquence, supplicating by turns each of those on whom
• 2:41:52
  Speaker 1: she looked. Being a few paces in advance, she whispered
• 2:41:56
  Speaker 1: to the lackeys, a thousand pistoles to each of you
• 2:41:59
  Speaker 1: if you will as assist my escape. But if you
• 2:42:01
  Speaker 1: deliver me up to your masters, I have near at
• 2:42:04
  Speaker 1: hand avengers who will make you pay dearly for my death.
• 2:42:07
  Speaker 1: Grimaud hesitated, Muskadon trembled in all his members. Athos, who
• 2:42:13
  Speaker 1: heard Milady's voice, came sharply up. Lord de Winter did
• 2:42:18
  Speaker 1: the same change these lackeys, said he. She has spoken
• 2:42:22
  Speaker 1: to them. They are no longer sure. Planchet and Basin
• 2:42:27
  Speaker 1: were called and took the places of Grimaud and Miskaton
• 2:42:30
  Speaker 1: on the bank of the river. The executioner approached Milady
• 2:42:34
  Speaker 1: and bound her hands and feet. Then she broke the
• 2:42:37
  Speaker 1: silence to cry out, you are cowards, miserable assassins, ten
• 2:42:42
  Speaker 1: men combined to murder one woman. Beware, if I am
• 2:42:46
  Speaker 1: not saved, I shall be avenged. You are not a woman,
• 2:42:50
  Speaker 1: said Athos, coldly and sternly. You do not belong to
• 2:42:54
  Speaker 1: the human species. You are a demon escaped from hell.
• 2:42:57
  Speaker 1: Whither we send you back again. Ah, you virtuous men,
• 2:43:03
  Speaker 1: said Milady. Please to remember that he who shall touch
• 2:43:05
  Speaker 1: a hair of my head is himself an assassin. The
• 2:43:09
  Speaker 1: executioner may kill without being, on that account an assassin,
• 2:43:12
  Speaker 1: said the man in the red cloak, wrapping upon his
• 2:43:15
  Speaker 1: immense sword. This is the last judge. That is all necractur,
• 2:43:20
  Speaker 1: as say our neighbors, the Germans. And as he bound her.
• 2:43:24
  Speaker 1: While saying these words, Milady uttered two or three savage cries,
• 2:43:29
  Speaker 1: which produced a strange and melancholy effect in flying away
• 2:43:32
  Speaker 1: into the night and losing themselves in the depths of
• 2:43:34
  Speaker 1: the woods. If I am guilty, if I have committed
• 2:43:38
  Speaker 1: the crimes you accuse me of shriek. Mulady, take me
• 2:43:41
  Speaker 1: before a tribunal. You are not judges. You cannot condemn me.
• 2:43:48
  Speaker 1: I offered you tyburn, said Lord de Winter. Why did
• 2:43:51
  Speaker 1: you not accept it? Because I am not willing to die,
• 2:43:55
  Speaker 1: cried Mlady, struggling, because I am too young to die.
• 2:44:00
  Speaker 1: The woman you poisoned at Bethune was still younger than you, madam,
• 2:44:03
  Speaker 1: and yet she is dead, said d'Artagnan. I will enter
• 2:44:07
  Speaker 1: a cloister, I will become a nun, said Milady. You
• 2:44:11
  Speaker 1: were in a cloister, said the executioner, and you left
• 2:44:14
  Speaker 1: it to ruin my brother. Milady uttered a cry of
• 2:44:18
  Speaker 1: terror and sank upon her knees. The executioner took her
• 2:44:22
  Speaker 1: up in his arms and was carrying her toward the boat.
• 2:44:25
  Speaker 1: Oh my god, cried she, my god, are you going
• 2:44:30
  Speaker 1: to drown me? These cries had something so heart trending
• 2:44:33
  Speaker 1: in him. At him, d'Artagnan, who had been at first
• 2:44:36
  Speaker 1: the most eager in pursuit of Milady, sat down on
• 2:44:39
  Speaker 1: the stump of a tree and hung his head, covering
• 2:44:41
  Speaker 1: his ears with the palms of his hands. And yet,
• 2:44:44
  Speaker 1: notwithstanding he could still hear her cry and threaten d'Artagnan
• 2:44:48
  Speaker 1: was the youngest of all these men. His heart failed him. Oh,
• 2:44:54
  Speaker 1: I cannot behold this frightful spectacle, said he. I cannot
• 2:44:58
  Speaker 1: consent that this woman should die. Th Milady heard these
• 2:45:02
  Speaker 1: few words and caught at a shadow of hope d'Artagnan.
• 2:45:06
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan cried, she remember that I loved you. The young
• 2:45:10
  Speaker 1: man rose and took a step toward her. But Athos
• 2:45:14
  Speaker 1: rose likewise, drew his sword and placed himself in the way.
• 2:45:19
  Speaker 1: If you take one step farther, d'Artagnan said he, we
• 2:45:22
  Speaker 1: shall cross swords together. d'Artagnan sank on his knees and prayed, come,
• 2:45:28
  Speaker 1: continued Athos, executioner, Do your duty willingly, monseigneur, said the executioner,
• 2:45:35
  Speaker 1: For as I am a good Catholic, I firmly believe
• 2:45:38
  Speaker 1: I am acting justly in performing my functions on this woman.
• 2:45:42
  Speaker 1: That's well. Athos made a step toward Milady. I pardon you,
• 2:45:47
  Speaker 1: said he the ill you have done me. I pardon
• 2:45:51
  Speaker 1: you for my blasted future, my lost honor, my defiled love,
• 2:45:55
  Speaker 1: and my salvation forever compromised by the despair into which
• 2:45:58
  Speaker 1: you have cast me. Die in peace, Lord de Winter
• 2:46:02
  Speaker 1: advanced in his turn. I pardon you, said he for
• 2:46:06
  Speaker 1: the poisoning of my brother and the assassination of his grace,
• 2:46:10
  Speaker 1: Lord Buckingham. I pardon you for the death of poor Felton.
• 2:46:14
  Speaker 1: I pardon you for the attempts upon my own person.
• 2:46:18
  Speaker 1: Die in peace, and I said m d'Artagnan. Pardon me, madam,
• 2:46:24
  Speaker 1: for having, by a trick unworthy of a gentleman, provoked
• 2:46:26
  Speaker 1: your anger. And I, in exchange, pardon you the murder
• 2:46:30
  Speaker 1: of my poor love and your cruel vengeance against me.
• 2:46:33
  Speaker 1: I pardon you, and I weep for you. Die in peace.
• 2:46:38
  Speaker 1: I am lost, murmured milady in English. I must die.
• 2:46:43
  Speaker 1: Then she arose of herself and cast around her one
• 2:46:46
  Speaker 1: of those piercing looks which seemed to dart from an
• 2:46:49
  Speaker 1: eye of flame. She saw nothing. She listened, and she
• 2:46:53
  Speaker 1: heard nothing. Where am I to die? Said she on
• 2:46:58
  Speaker 1: the other bank, replied the execution Then he placed her
• 2:47:02
  Speaker 1: in the boat, and as he was going to set
• 2:47:04
  Speaker 1: foot in it himself, Athos handed him a sum of silver.
• 2:47:07
  Speaker 1: Here said he is the price of the execution. That
• 2:47:11
  Speaker 1: it may be plain we act as judges. That is correct,
• 2:47:15
  Speaker 1: said the executioner, and now in her turn, let this
• 2:47:18
  Speaker 1: woman see that I am not fulfilling my trade, but
• 2:47:20
  Speaker 1: my debt. And he threw the money into the river.
• 2:47:25
  Speaker 1: The boat moved off toward the left hand shore of
• 2:47:27
  Speaker 1: the lists, bearing the guilty woman and the executioner. All
• 2:47:30
  Speaker 1: the others remained on the right hand bank, where they
• 2:47:33
  Speaker 1: fell on their knees. The boat glided along the ferry
• 2:47:37
  Speaker 1: rope under the shadow of a pale cloud which hung
• 2:47:39
  Speaker 1: over the water. At that moment the troop of friends
• 2:47:42
  Speaker 1: saw it gain the opposite bank. The figures were defined
• 2:47:45
  Speaker 1: like black shadows on the red tinted horizon. Milady during
• 2:47:49
  Speaker 1: the passage had contrived to untie the cord which fastened
• 2:47:52
  Speaker 1: her feet. On coming near the bank, she jumped lightly
• 2:47:56
  Speaker 1: on shore and took to flight, but the soil was
• 2:47:59
  Speaker 1: more on reaching the top of the bank, she slipped
• 2:48:02
  Speaker 1: and fell upon her knees. She was struck, no doubt
• 2:48:06
  Speaker 1: with a superstitious idea. She conceived that Heaven denied its aid,
• 2:48:11
  Speaker 1: and she remained in the attitude in which she had fallen,
• 2:48:13
  Speaker 1: her head drooping and her hands clasped. Then they saw
• 2:48:17
  Speaker 1: from the other bank the executioner raise both his arms
• 2:48:20
  Speaker 1: slowly a moonbeam fell upon the blade of the large sword.
• 2:48:24
  Speaker 1: The two arms fell with a sudden force. They heard
• 2:48:27
  Speaker 1: the hissing of the scimeter and the cry of the victim.
• 2:48:30
  Speaker 1: Then a truncated mass sank beneath the blow. The executioner
• 2:48:34
  Speaker 1: then took off his red cloak, spread it upon the ground,
• 2:48:37
  Speaker 1: laid the body in it, threw in the head, tied
• 2:48:40
  Speaker 1: all up by the four corners, lifted it on his back,
• 2:48:43
  Speaker 1: and entered the boat again. In the middle of the stream,
• 2:48:46
  Speaker 1: he stopped the boat, and, suspending his burden over the water,
• 2:48:49
  Speaker 1: cried in a loud voice, let the justice of God
• 2:48:52
  Speaker 1: be done. And he let the corpse drop into the
• 2:48:55
  Speaker 1: depths of the waters, which closed over it. Three days afterwards,
• 2:49:00
  Speaker 1: the four musketeers were in Paris. They had not exceeded
• 2:49:03
  Speaker 1: their leave of absence, and that same evening they went
• 2:49:05
  Speaker 1: to pay their customary visit to m. De Treville. Well, gentlemen,
• 2:49:10
  Speaker 1: said the brave captain. I hope you have been well
• 2:49:13
  Speaker 1: amused during your excursion. Prodigiously, replied Athos, in the name
• 2:49:17
  Speaker 1: of himself and his comrades, Chapter sixty seven conclusion. On
• 2:49:23
  Speaker 1: the sixth of the following month, the king, in compliance
• 2:49:26
  Speaker 1: with the promise he had made the Cardinal to return
• 2:49:28
  Speaker 1: to La Rochelle left his capital still in amazement at
• 2:49:31
  Speaker 1: the news which began to spread itself, of Buckingham's assassination.
• 2:49:35
  Speaker 1: Although warned that the man she had loved so much
• 2:49:38
  Speaker 1: was in great danger, the Queen, when his death was
• 2:49:40
  Speaker 1: announced to her, would not believe the fact, and even
• 2:49:43
  Speaker 1: imprudently exclaimed, it is false. He has just written to me.
• 2:49:48
  Speaker 1: But the next day she was obliged to believe this
• 2:49:50
  Speaker 1: fatal intelligence. Laporte detained in England as everyone else had been,
• 2:49:55
  Speaker 1: by the orders of Charles the First arrived and was
• 2:49:58
  Speaker 1: the bearer of the Duke's dying gift the Queen. The
• 2:50:01
  Speaker 1: joy of the King was lively. He did not even
• 2:50:05
  Speaker 1: give himself the trouble to dissemble, and displayed it with
• 2:50:07
  Speaker 1: affectation before the Queen, Louis the thirteenth, like every weak mind,
• 2:50:13
  Speaker 1: was wanting in generosity. But the King soon again became
• 2:50:17
  Speaker 1: dull and indisposed. His brow was not one of those
• 2:50:20
  Speaker 1: that long remained clear. He felt that in returning to
• 2:50:23
  Speaker 1: camp he should re enter slavery. Nevertheless, he did return.
• 2:50:28
  Speaker 1: The Cardinal was for him the fascinating serpent, and himself
• 2:50:31
  Speaker 1: the bird which flies from branch to branch without power
• 2:50:34
  Speaker 1: to escape. The return to La Rochelle therefore was profoundly dull.
• 2:50:40
  Speaker 1: Our four friends, in particular, astonished their comrades. They traveled
• 2:50:45
  Speaker 1: together side by side, with sad eyes and heads lowered.
• 2:50:49
  Speaker 1: Athos alone, from time to time raised his expansive brow,
• 2:50:53
  Speaker 1: a flash kindled in his eyes, and a bitter smile
• 2:50:56
  Speaker 1: passed over his lips. Then, like his comrades, he sank
• 2:50:59
  Speaker 1: again in as soon as the escort arrived in a city.
• 2:51:03
  Speaker 1: When they had conducted the king to his quarters, the
• 2:51:06
  Speaker 1: four friends either retired to their own or to some
• 2:51:08
  Speaker 1: secluded cabaret, where they neither drank nor played. They only
• 2:51:12
  Speaker 1: conversed in a low voice, looking around attentively to see
• 2:51:15
  Speaker 1: that no one overheard them. One day, when the king
• 2:51:18
  Speaker 1: had halted to fly the magpie and the four friends,
• 2:51:21
  Speaker 1: according to their custom, instead of following the sport, had
• 2:51:24
  Speaker 1: stopped at a cabaret on the high road. A man
• 2:51:27
  Speaker 1: coming from La Rochelle on horseback, pulled up at the
• 2:51:29
  Speaker 1: door to drink a glass of wine, and darted a
• 2:51:33
  Speaker 1: searching glance into the room where the four musketeers were
• 2:51:35
  Speaker 1: sitting Holloa, Monsieur d'Artagnan said, he is not that you
• 2:51:40
  Speaker 1: whom I see yonder. d'Artagnan raised his head and uttered
• 2:51:44
  Speaker 1: a cry of joy. It was the man he called
• 2:51:47
  Speaker 1: his phantom. It was his stranger of Mum, of the
• 2:51:50
  Speaker 1: Rue de Fossorurs and of Arras. d'Artagnan drew his sword
• 2:51:55
  Speaker 1: and sprang toward the door. But this time, instead of
• 2:51:58
  Speaker 1: avoiding him, the stranger jumped from his horse and advanced
• 2:52:01
  Speaker 1: to meet d'Artagnan. Ah, Monsieur, said the young man, I
• 2:52:06
  Speaker 1: meet you. Then at last, this time you shall not
• 2:52:10
  Speaker 1: escape me. Neither is it my intention, monsieur, for this
• 2:52:14
  Speaker 1: time I was seeking you in the name of the king.
• 2:52:17
  Speaker 1: I arrest you. How what do you say, cried d'Artagnan.
• 2:52:23
  Speaker 1: I say that you must surrender your sword to me, monsieur,
• 2:52:26
  Speaker 1: and that without resistance this concerns your head. I warn you.
• 2:52:32
  Speaker 1: Who are you, then demanded d'Artagnan, lowering the point of
• 2:52:36
  Speaker 1: his sword, but without yet surrendering it. I am, the
• 2:52:40
  Speaker 1: Chevalier de Roquefort, answered the other, the equerry of Monsieur
• 2:52:43
  Speaker 1: le Cardinal Richelieux, and I have orders to conduct you
• 2:52:46
  Speaker 1: to his eminence. We are returning to his eminence, Monsieur,
• 2:52:50
  Speaker 1: the chevalier, said Athos, advancing, and you will please to
• 2:52:54
  Speaker 1: accept the word of Monsieur d'Artagnan, that he will go
• 2:52:56
  Speaker 1: straight to La Rochelle. I must place him in the
• 2:52:59
  Speaker 1: head hands of guards who will take him into camp.
• 2:53:02
  Speaker 1: We will be his guards, Monsieur, upon our word as gentlemen.
• 2:53:06
  Speaker 1: But likewise, upon our word as gentlemen, added Athos, knitting
• 2:53:10
  Speaker 1: his brow, Monsieur d'Artagnan shall not leave us. The Chevalier
• 2:53:15
  Speaker 1: de Rochefort cast a glance backward and saw that Porthos
• 2:53:18
  Speaker 1: and Aramis had placed themselves between him and the gate.
• 2:53:21
  Speaker 1: He understood that he was completely at the mercy of
• 2:53:24
  Speaker 1: these four men gentlemen, said he. If Monsieur d'Artagnan will
• 2:53:28
  Speaker 1: surrender his sword to me and join his word to yours,
• 2:53:31
  Speaker 1: I shall be satisfied with your promise to convey Monsieur
• 2:53:34
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan to the quarters of Monseigneur the Cardinal. You have
• 2:53:38
  Speaker 1: my word, monsieur, and here is my sword. This suits
• 2:53:42
  Speaker 1: me the better, said Roquefort, as I wish to continue
• 2:53:45
  Speaker 1: my journey if it is for the purpose of rejoining milady,
• 2:53:49
  Speaker 1: said Athos coolly. It is useless. You will not find her.
• 2:53:54
  Speaker 1: What has become of her, then, asked Rochefort, eagerly return
• 2:53:59
  Speaker 1: to Campagne. We shall know. Roquefort remained for a moment
• 2:54:03
  Speaker 1: in thought. Then, as they were only a day's journey
• 2:54:06
  Speaker 1: from Sergaers, whither the Cardinal was to come to meet
• 2:54:08
  Speaker 1: the king, he resolved to follow the advice of Athos
• 2:54:11
  Speaker 1: and go with them. Besides, this return offered him the
• 2:54:15
  Speaker 1: advantage of watching his prisoner. They resumed their route on
• 2:54:20
  Speaker 1: the morrow. At three o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived
• 2:54:23
  Speaker 1: at Sergeers. The Cardinal there awaited Louis the thirteenth. The
• 2:54:28
  Speaker 1: minister and the king exchanged numerous caresses, felicitating each other
• 2:54:32
  Speaker 1: upon the fortunate chance which had freed France from the
• 2:54:35
  Speaker 1: inveterate enemy who set all Europe against her. After which
• 2:54:39
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal, who had been informed that d'Artagnan was arrested,
• 2:54:42
  Speaker 1: and who was anxious to see him, took leave of
• 2:54:45
  Speaker 1: the King, inviting him to come the next day to
• 2:54:47
  Speaker 1: view the work already done upon the Dike. On returning
• 2:54:51
  Speaker 1: in the evening to his quarters, at the bridge of
• 2:54:53
  Speaker 1: La Pierre, the Cardinal found standing before the house he occupied.
• 2:54:57
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan without his sword and the three musketeers armed. This time,
• 2:55:02
  Speaker 1: as he was well attended. He looked at them sternly
• 2:55:05
  Speaker 1: and made a sign with his eye and hand for
• 2:55:07
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan to follow him. d'Artagnan obeyed. We shall wait for you,
• 2:55:13
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan said Athos, loud enough for the Cardinal to hear him.
• 2:55:18
  Speaker 1: His Eminence bent his brow, stopped for an instant, and
• 2:55:21
  Speaker 1: then kept on his way without uttering a single word.
• 2:55:24
  Speaker 1: d'Artagnan entered after the Cardinal, and behind d'Artagnan the door
• 2:55:28
  Speaker 1: was guarded. His Eminence entered the chamber which served him
• 2:55:32
  Speaker 1: as a study, and made a sign to Rockefort to
• 2:55:34
  Speaker 1: bring in the young musketeer. Rockefort obeyed and retired. d'Artagnan
• 2:55:40
  Speaker 1: remained alone in front of the cardinal. This was his
• 2:55:42
  Speaker 1: second interview with Richelieu, and he afterward confessed that he
• 2:55:45
  Speaker 1: felt well assured it would be his last. Rachelieux remained standing,
• 2:55:50
  Speaker 1: leaning against the mantelpiece. A table was between him and d'Artagnan.
• 2:55:55
  Speaker 1: Monsieur said the Cardinal you have been arrested by my orders,
• 2:55:59
  Speaker 1: so they tell me, monseigneur, do you know why, no, monseigneur,
• 2:56:05
  Speaker 1: for the only thing for which I could be arrested
• 2:56:07
  Speaker 1: is still unknown to your eminence. Richeliu looked steadfastly at
• 2:56:12
  Speaker 1: the young man Holloa, said he what does that mean?
• 2:56:16
  Speaker 1: If Monseigneur will have the goodness to tell me in
• 2:56:19
  Speaker 1: the first place what crimes are imputed to me, I
• 2:56:22
  Speaker 1: will then tell him the deeds I have really done.
• 2:56:25
  Speaker 1: Crimes are imputed to you, which have brought down far
• 2:56:28
  Speaker 1: loftier heads than yours, Monsieur, said the cardinal. What, Monseigneur,
• 2:56:33
  Speaker 1: said d'Artagnan, with a calmness which astonished the cardinal himself.
• 2:56:38
  Speaker 1: You are charged with having corresponded with the enemies of
• 2:56:41
  Speaker 1: the kingdom. You are charged with having surprised state secrets.
• 2:56:44
  Speaker 1: You are charged with having tried to thwart the plans
• 2:56:46
  Speaker 1: of your general. And who charges me with this, monseigneur,
• 2:56:51
  Speaker 1: said d'Artagnan, who had no doubt the accusation came from Milady,
• 2:56:55
  Speaker 1: a woman branded by the justice of the country, a
• 2:56:58
  Speaker 1: woman who has espoused one man in France and another
• 2:57:00
  Speaker 1: in England, a woman who poisoned her second husband, and
• 2:57:03
  Speaker 1: who attempted both to poison and assassinate me. What do
• 2:57:07
  Speaker 1: you say, Monsieur, cried the cardinal, astonished. And of what
• 2:57:12
  Speaker 1: woman are you speaking thus of? Milady de Winter, replied d'Artagnan. Yes,
• 2:57:17
  Speaker 1: of Milady de Winter, of whose crimes your eminence is
• 2:57:20
  Speaker 1: doubtless ignorant, since you have honored her with your confidence,
• 2:57:24
  Speaker 1: Monsieur said the cardinal. If Milady de Winter has committed
• 2:57:28
  Speaker 1: the crimes you lay to her charge, she shall be punished.
• 2:57:31
  Speaker 1: She has been punished, monseigneur, and who has punished her?
• 2:57:37
  Speaker 1: We she is in prison. She is dead, dead, repeated
• 2:57:43
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal, who could not believe what he heard. Dead. Did
• 2:57:47
  Speaker 1: you not say she was dead? Three times? She attempted
• 2:57:50
  Speaker 1: to kill me, and I pardoned her, But she murdered
• 2:57:53
  Speaker 1: the woman I loved. Then my friends and I took her,
• 2:57:57
  Speaker 1: tried her, and condemned her. d'Artagnan then related the poisoning
• 2:58:01
  Speaker 1: of Madame Bonacioux in the convent of the Carmelites at Bethune,
• 2:58:04
  Speaker 1: the trial in the isolated house, and the execution on
• 2:58:07
  Speaker 1: the banks of the lists. A shudder crept through the
• 2:58:11
  Speaker 1: body of the Cardinal, who did not shudder readily, but
• 2:58:14
  Speaker 1: all at once, as if undergoing the influence of an
• 2:58:17
  Speaker 1: unspoken thought. The countenance of the cardinal till then gloomy,
• 2:58:21
  Speaker 1: cleared up by degrees and recovered perfect serenity. So said
• 2:58:26
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal, in a tone that contrasted strongly with the
• 2:58:29
  Speaker 1: severity of his words. You have constituted yourselves judges, without
• 2:58:33
  Speaker 1: remembering that they who punish without license to punish our assassins. Monseigneur,
• 2:58:39
  Speaker 1: I swear to you that I never for an instant
• 2:58:42
  Speaker 1: had the intention of defending my head against you. I
• 2:58:45
  Speaker 1: willingly submit to any punishment your Eminence may please to
• 2:58:48
  Speaker 1: inflict upon me. I do not hold life dear enough
• 2:58:52
  Speaker 1: to be afraid of death. Yes, I know you are
• 2:58:55
  Speaker 1: a man of a stout heart, monsieur, said the Cardinal,
• 2:58:58
  Speaker 1: with a voice almost affection. I can therefore tell you
• 2:59:01
  Speaker 1: beforehand you shall be tried and even condemned. Another might
• 2:59:05
  Speaker 1: reply to your Eminence that he had his pardon in
• 2:59:08
  Speaker 1: his pocket. I content myself with saying, command, Monseigneur, I
• 2:59:13
  Speaker 1: am ready your pardon, said Richelieux, surprised. Yes, Monseigneur, said d'Artagnan,
• 2:59:22
  Speaker 1: and signed by whom by the King, and the Cardinal
• 2:59:26
  Speaker 1: pronounced these words with a singular expression of contempt. No,
• 2:59:30
  Speaker 1: by your Eminence, by me, you are insane, monsieur monseigneur
• 2:59:37
  Speaker 1: will doubtless recognize his own handwriting. And d'Artagnan presented to
• 2:59:41
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal the precious piece of paper which Athos had
• 2:59:44
  Speaker 1: forced for Milady, and which he had given to d'Artagnan
• 2:59:47
  Speaker 1: to serve him as a safeguard. His eminence took the
• 2:59:50
  Speaker 1: paper and read in a slow voice, dwelling upon every syllable,
• 2:59:54
  Speaker 1: December three, sixteen twenty seven. It is by my order
• 2:59:59
  Speaker 1: and for the God of the state, that the bearer
• 3:00:01
  Speaker 1: of this has done what he has done Richelieu. The Cardinal,
• 3:00:05
  Speaker 1: after having read these two lines, sank into a profound revery,
• 3:00:08
  Speaker 1: but he did not return the paper to d'Artagnan. He
• 3:00:12
  Speaker 1: is meditating by what sort of punishment he shall cause
• 3:00:14
  Speaker 1: me to die, said the gascon to himself. Well, my faith,
• 3:00:20
  Speaker 1: he shall see how a gentleman can die. The young
• 3:00:23
  Speaker 1: musketeer was in excellent disposition to die heroically. Richelieu still
• 3:00:28
  Speaker 1: continued thinking, rolling and unrolling the paper in his hands.
• 3:00:33
  Speaker 1: At length, he raised his head fixed his eagle, look
• 3:00:36
  Speaker 1: upon that loyal, open and intelligent countenance, read upon that
• 3:00:39
  Speaker 1: face furrowed with tears, all the sufferings its possessor had
• 3:00:43
  Speaker 1: endured in the course of a month, and reflected for
• 3:00:46
  Speaker 1: the third or fourth time how much there was in
• 3:00:48
  Speaker 1: that youth of twenty one years before him, and what
• 3:00:51
  Speaker 1: resources his activity, his courage, and his shrewdness might offer
• 3:00:55
  Speaker 1: to a good master. On the other side, the crimes,
• 3:00:59
  Speaker 1: the power, and the infernal genius of Milady had more
• 3:01:02
  Speaker 1: than once terrified him. He felt something like a secret
• 3:01:06
  Speaker 1: joy at being forever relieved of this dangerous accomplice. Richelieu
• 3:01:10
  Speaker 1: slowly tore the paper which d'Artagnan had generously relinquished. I
• 3:01:15
  Speaker 1: am lost, said d'Artagnan to himself, and he bowed profoundly
• 3:01:20
  Speaker 1: before the Cardinal, like a man who says, Lord, I
• 3:01:23
  Speaker 1: will be done. The Cardinal approached the table, and without
• 3:01:27
  Speaker 1: sitting down, wrote a few lines upon a parchment of
• 3:01:30
  Speaker 1: which two thirds were already filled, and affixed his seal.
• 3:01:34
  Speaker 1: That is my condemnation, thought d'Artagnan. He will spare me
• 3:01:37
  Speaker 1: the anwy of the bastille, or the tediousness of a trial.
• 3:01:41
  Speaker 1: That's very kind of him. Here, monsieur, said the cardinal
• 3:01:45
  Speaker 1: to the young man, I have taken from you one
• 3:01:48
  Speaker 1: carte blanche to give you another. The name is wanting
• 3:01:52
  Speaker 1: in this commission, you can write it yourself. d'Artagnan took
• 3:01:56
  Speaker 1: the paper hesitatingly and cast his eyes over it. It
• 3:01:59
  Speaker 1: was a lieutenant's commission in the Musketeers. d'Artagnan fell at
• 3:02:03
  Speaker 1: the feet of the cardinal. Monseigneur said he my life
• 3:02:07
  Speaker 1: is yours. Henceforth dispose of it. But this favor which
• 3:02:11
  Speaker 1: you bestow upon me I do not merit. I have
• 3:02:15
  Speaker 1: three friends who are more meritorious and more worthy. You
• 3:02:18
  Speaker 1: are a brave youth, d'Artagnan interrupted the cardinal, tapping him
• 3:02:22
  Speaker 1: familiarly on the shoulder, charmed at having vanquished this rebellious nature.
• 3:02:27
  Speaker 1: Do with this commission what you will only remember, though
• 3:02:30
  Speaker 1: the name be blank, it is to you I give it.
• 3:02:33
  Speaker 1: I shall never forget it, replied d'Artagnan. Your eminence may
• 3:02:38
  Speaker 1: be certain of that. The cardinal turned and said in
• 3:02:41
  Speaker 1: a loud voice. Roquefort. The chevalier, who no doubt was
• 3:02:45
  Speaker 1: near the door, entered immediately. Rockefort said the cardinal. You see,
• 3:02:51
  Speaker 1: Monsieur d'Artagnan, I receive him among the number of my friends.
• 3:02:56
  Speaker 1: Greet each other then, and be wise if you wish
• 3:02:58
  Speaker 1: to preserve your heads. Rockefort and d'Artagnan coolly greeted each
• 3:03:03
  Speaker 1: other with their lips, but the Cardinal was there, observing
• 3:03:06
  Speaker 1: them with his vigilant eye. They left the chamber at
• 3:03:09
  Speaker 1: the same time. We shall meet again, shall we not, Monsieur,
• 3:03:14
  Speaker 1: When you please, said d'Artagnan. An opportunity will come, replied Roquefort. Hay,
• 3:03:21
  Speaker 1: said the cardinal, opening the door. The two men smiled
• 3:03:25
  Speaker 1: at each other, shook hands, and saluted his eminence. We
• 3:03:30
  Speaker 1: were beginning to grow impatient, said Athos. Here I am
• 3:03:34
  Speaker 1: my friends, replied d'Artagnan, not only free, but in favor.
• 3:03:39
  Speaker 1: Tell us about it this evening, but for the moment
• 3:03:43
  Speaker 1: let us separate accordingly. That same evening, d'Artagnan repaired to
• 3:03:48
  Speaker 1: the quarters of Athos, whom he found in a fair
• 3:03:50
  Speaker 1: way to empty a bottle of Spanish wine, an occupation
• 3:03:53
  Speaker 1: which he religiously accomplished every night. d'Artagnan related what had
• 3:03:58
  Speaker 1: taken place between the Cardinal and himsel, and, drawing the
• 3:04:01
  Speaker 1: commission from his pocket, said here, my dear Athos, this
• 3:04:05
  Speaker 1: naturally belongs to you. Athos smiled with one of his
• 3:04:08
  Speaker 1: sweet and expressive smiles. Friend said he for Athos, this
• 3:04:13
  Speaker 1: is too much for the Conte de la fear, it
• 3:04:16
  Speaker 1: is too little. Keep the commission. It is yours, alas
• 3:04:22
  Speaker 1: you have purchased it dearly enough. d'Artagnan left Athos's chamber
• 3:04:26
  Speaker 1: and went to that of Porthos. He found him clothed
• 3:04:30
  Speaker 1: in a magnificent dress, covered with splendid embroidery, admiring himself
• 3:04:34
  Speaker 1: before a glass. Ah ah, is that you, dear friend,
• 3:04:39
  Speaker 1: exclaimed Porthos. How do you think these garments fit me? Wonderfully?
• 3:04:45
  Speaker 1: Said d'Artagnan. But I come to offer you a dress
• 3:04:48
  Speaker 1: which will become you still better? What, asked Porthos, that
• 3:04:53
  Speaker 1: of a lieutenant of musketeers. d'Artagnan related to Porthos the
• 3:04:57
  Speaker 1: substance of his interview with the cardinal, and said, taking
• 3:05:01
  Speaker 1: the commission from his pocket, here, my friend, write your
• 3:05:04
  Speaker 1: name upon it and become my chief. Porthos cast his
• 3:05:07
  Speaker 1: eyes over the commission and returned it to d'Artagnan to
• 3:05:10
  Speaker 1: the great astonishment of the young man. Yes, said he, Yes,
• 3:05:15
  Speaker 1: that would flatter me very much, But I should not
• 3:05:18
  Speaker 1: have time enough to enjoy the distinction. During our expedition
• 3:05:22
  Speaker 1: to Bethune, the husband of my duchess died. So, my dear,
• 3:05:25
  Speaker 1: the coffer of the defunct, holding out its arms to me,
• 3:05:28
  Speaker 1: I shall marry the widow. Look here, I was trying
• 3:05:32
  Speaker 1: on my wedding suit. Keep the lieutenancy, my dear, keep it.
• 3:05:38
  Speaker 1: The young man then entered the apartment of Aramis. He
• 3:05:42
  Speaker 1: found him kneeling before a pridia, with his head leaning
• 3:05:44
  Speaker 1: on an open prayer book. He described to him his
• 3:05:48
  Speaker 1: interview with the cardinal, and said, for the third time,
• 3:05:51
  Speaker 1: drawing his commission from his pocket, You, our friend, our intelligence,
• 3:05:55
  Speaker 1: our invisible protector, accept this commission. You have merited it
• 3:05:59
  Speaker 1: more than than any of us, by your wisdom and
• 3:06:01
  Speaker 1: your counsels always followed by such happy results. Alas dear friend,
• 3:06:08
  Speaker 1: said Aramis, our late adventures have disgusted me with military life.
• 3:06:13
  Speaker 1: This time my determination is irrevocably taken. After the siege,
• 3:06:17
  Speaker 1: I shall enter the house of the Lazarusts. Keep the
• 3:06:20
  Speaker 1: commission d'Artagnan, the profession of arms, suits you, you will
• 3:06:25
  Speaker 1: be a brave and adventurous captain. d'Artagnan, his eye moist
• 3:06:29
  Speaker 1: with gratitude, though beaming with joy, went back to Athos,
• 3:06:33
  Speaker 1: whom he found still at table contemplating the charms of
• 3:06:35
  Speaker 1: his last glass of Malaga by the light of his lamp. Well,
• 3:06:39
  Speaker 1: said he, they likewise have refused me, That dear friend
• 3:06:44
  Speaker 1: is because nobody is more worthy than yourself. He took
• 3:06:48
  Speaker 1: a quill, wrote the name of d'Artagnan in the commission,
• 3:06:51
  Speaker 1: and returned it to him. I shall then have no
• 3:06:54
  Speaker 1: more friends, said the young man alas nothing but bitter
• 3:06:59
  Speaker 1: reckolle elections, and he let his head sink upon his hands,
• 3:07:03
  Speaker 1: while two large tears rolled down his cheeks. You are young,
• 3:07:08
  Speaker 1: replied Athos, and your bitter recollections have time to change
• 3:07:11
  Speaker 1: themselves into sweet remembrances. Epilog var Rochelle, deprived of the
• 3:07:16
  Speaker 1: assistance of the English fleet and of the diversion promised
• 3:07:19
  Speaker 1: by Buckingham, surrendered after a siege of a year on
• 3:07:23
  Speaker 1: the twenty eighth of October sixteen twenty eight. The capitulation
• 3:07:27
  Speaker 1: was signed. The king made his entrance into Paris on
• 3:07:30
  Speaker 1: the twenty third of December of the same year, he
• 3:07:34
  Speaker 1: was received in triumph as if he came from conquering
• 3:07:36
  Speaker 1: an enemy, and not Frenchmen. He entered by the faubour
• 3:07:40
  Speaker 1: Saint Jacques under Verdant Arches. d'Artagnan took possession of his command.
• 3:07:46
  Speaker 1: Porthos left the service and in the course of the
• 3:07:49
  Speaker 1: following year married Madame Coquenard. The coffers, so much coveted,
• 3:07:53
  Speaker 1: contained eight hundred thousand livres. Muscaden had a magnificent livery
• 3:07:58
  Speaker 1: and enjoyed the satisfaction of which he had been ambitious
• 3:08:00
  Speaker 1: all his life, that of standing behind a gilded carriage. Aramis,
• 3:08:05
  Speaker 1: after a journey into Lorraine, disappeared all at once and
• 3:08:09
  Speaker 1: ceased to write to his friends. They learned at a
• 3:08:11
  Speaker 1: later period through Madame de Chevrerose, who told it to
• 3:08:14
  Speaker 1: two or three of her intimates, that yielding to his vocation,
• 3:08:18
  Speaker 1: he had retired into a convent only into which nobody knew.
• 3:08:23
  Speaker 1: Basin became a lay brother. Athos remained a musketeer under
• 3:08:27
  Speaker 1: the command of d'Artagnan till the year sixteen thirty three,
• 3:08:30
  Speaker 1: at which period, after a journey he made to Turennes,
• 3:08:33
  Speaker 1: he also quit the service under the pretext of having
• 3:08:36
  Speaker 1: inherited a small property in Roussillo. Grimaud followed Athos d'Artagnan,
• 3:08:42
  Speaker 1: fought three times with Roquefort and wounded him three times.
• 3:08:47
  Speaker 1: I shall probably kill you the fourth, said he to him,
• 3:08:50
  Speaker 1: holding out his hand to assist him to rise. It
• 3:08:53
  Speaker 1: is much better both for you and for me to
• 3:08:55
  Speaker 1: stop where we are, answered the wounded man, Corblu, I
• 3:09:00
  Speaker 1: am more your friend than you think, For after our
• 3:09:02
  Speaker 1: very first encounter, I could, by saying a word to
• 3:09:05
  Speaker 1: the Cardinal, have had your throat cut. They this time
• 3:09:08
  Speaker 1: embraced heartily and without retaining any malice. Planchet obtained from
• 3:09:13
  Speaker 1: Roquefort the rank of sergeant in the Piedmont Regiment. M
• 3:09:17
  Speaker 1: Bonacieux lived on very quietly, wholly ignorant of what had
• 3:09:20
  Speaker 1: become of his wife and caring very little about it.
• 3:09:24
  Speaker 1: One day he had the imprudence to recall himself to
• 3:09:27
  Speaker 1: the memory of the Cardinal. The Cardinal had him informed
• 3:09:30
  Speaker 1: that he would provide for him so that he should
• 3:09:32
  Speaker 1: never want for anything in future. In fact, m Bonacieux,
• 3:09:38
  Speaker 1: having left his house at seven o'clock in the evening
• 3:09:40
  Speaker 1: to go to the Louver never appeared again in the
• 3:09:43
  Speaker 1: Rue de fossor years. The opinion of those who seemed
• 3:09:46
  Speaker 1: to be best informed was that he was fed and
• 3:09:48
  Speaker 1: lodged in some royal castle at the expense of his
• 3:09:50
  Speaker 1: generous eminence. Thanks for listening. The end