Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/71

Rh TElSr YEARS LATEK. 61 at the sound of which Buckingham seemed ready to spring upon him. The queen-mother rose, and with a tone of authority, said: "Pray set off, sir." The young duke hesitated, looked around him, and with a last effort, half-choked by contending emotions, said: "And you, gentlemen, Monsieur de Guiche and Monsieur de Bragelonne, do not you accompany me?" De Guiche bowed and said: "Both Monsieur de Bragelonne and myself await her majesty's orders; whatever may be the commands she im- poses on us, we shall obey them." Saying this, he looked toward the princess, who cast down her eyes. "Your grace will remember," said the queen, "that Monsieur de Guiche is here to represent Monsieur; it is he who will do the honors of France, as you have done those of England; his presence cannot be dispensed with; besides, we owe him this slight favor for the courage he displayed in venturing to seek us in such terrible weather." Buckingham opened his lips, as if he were about to speak, but, whether thoughts or expressions failed him, not a syl- lable escaped them, and turning away, as though he were out of his mind, he leaped from the vessel into the boat. The sailors were just in time to catch hold of him to steady themselves; for his weight and the rebound had almost upset the boat. "His grace cannot be in his senses," said the admiral, aloud, to Eaoul. "I am uneasy on his grace's account," replied Brage- lonne. AVhile the boat was advancing toward the shore the duke kept his eyes immovably fixed upon the admiral's ship, like a miser torn away from his coffers, or like a mother separated from her child, about to be led away to death. No one, however, acknowledged his signals, his gesticulations, or his pitiful gestures. In very anguish of mind he sank down in the boat, burying his hands in his hair, while the boat, impelled by the exertions of the thoughtless sailors, flew over the waves. On his arrival he was in such a state of apathy that, had he not been received at the harbor by the messenger whom he had directed to precede him, he would hardly have been able to ask his way. Having once, however, reached the house which had been set apart for him, he shut himself up, like Achilles in