Ten Years Later (1 of 2)

Madame followed, with an anxiety almost equal to that of the prince, every maneuver of her august husband. Raoul, impassible, and a little disengaged by the attention of his hosts, looked from his place through the open window at the gardens and the statues which peopled them. "Well!" cried Monsieur, all at once, with a cheerful smile; "here is an agreeable surprise, and a charming letter from M. le Prince. Look, Madame!" The table was too large to allow the arm of the prince to reach the hand of Madame; Raoul sprang forward to be their intermediary, and did it with so good a grace as to procure a flattering acknowledgment from the princess. "You know the contents of this letter, no doubt?" said Gaston to Raoul. "Yes, monseigneur; M. le Prince at first gave me the message verbally, but upon reflection his highness took up his pen." "It is beautiful writing," said Madame, "but I cannot read it." "Will you read it to Madame, M. de Bragelonne?" said the duke. "Yes, read it, if you please, monsieur." Raoul began to read, Monsieur giving again all his attention. The letter was conceived in these terms:

Monseigneur — The king is about to set out for the frontiers. You are aware that the marriage of his majesty is concluded upon. The king has done me the honor to appoint me his marechal-des-logis for this journey, and as I knew with what joy his majesty would pass a day at Blois, I venture to ask your royal highness's permission to mark the house you inhabit as our quarters. If, however, the suddenness of this request should create to your royal highness any embarrassment, I entreat you to say so by the messenger I send, a gentleman of my suite, M. le Vicomte de Bragelonne. My itinerary will depend upon your royal highness's determination, and instead of passing through Blois, we shall come through Vendome and Romorantin. I venture to hope that your royal highness will be pleased with my arrangement, it being the expression of my boundless desire to make myself agreeable to you."

"Nothing can be more gracious toward us," said Madame, who had more than once consulted the looks of her husband during the reading of the letter. "The king here!" exclaimed she, in a rather louder tone than would have been necessary to preserve secrecy. "Monsieur," said his royal highness in his turn, "you will offer my thanks to M. de Conde, and express to him my gratitude for the honor he has done me." Raoul bowed. "On what day will his majesty arrive?" continued the prince. "The king, monseigneur, will in all probability arrive this evening." "But how, then, could he have known my reply if it had been in the negative?" "I was desired, monseigneur, to return in all haste to Beaugency, to give counter-orders to the courier, who was himself to go back immediately with counter-orders to M. le Prince." "His majesty is at Orleans, then?" "Much nearer, monseigneur; his majesty must by this time have arrived at Meung.

Источник: The Gutenberg Project

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Тем временем:

... Дом вполне приличный.

Сабина

Мать есть?

Паула,

Ну, если б мать была,
К обедне бы она пришла.

Сабина

Хозяин ничего?

Паула

Отличный.

Сабина

Есть сыновья?

Паула

Сын. Не женат он.
Элисы он живой портрет.

Сабина

Он тоже в церкви был?

Паула

О нет!
Мы не привыкли, хоть и брат он,
Чтоб он ходил с Элисой. Он
В тот монастырь, я замечаю,
Частенько ходит. Уж не знаю,
Ради которой из мадонн.

Сабина

Элиса, судя по всему,
Смиренница.

Паула

Представь себе!

Сабина

А кто-то есть? Как бы тебе
Сказать-то...

Паула

Как не быть ему!
Один... как уж сказать - не знаю.
Смущает нас. Так неспокойно!
Но все тут чисто и достойно, -
Уж ты поверь мне.

Сабина

Понимаю...

Вега Карпио, Лопе Феликс де (Vega Carpio, Lope Felix de)
«Уехавший остался дома»