Page:The Vicomte de Bragelonne 2.djvu/250

 "Sire, I thank you."

"But be sure you make your peace with Monk!"

"Oh, sire "

"You know there is one of my vessels at your disposal?"

"Sire, you overpower me. I cannot think of putting your majesty's officers to inconvenience on my account."

The king slapped D'Artagnan upon the shoulder.

"Nobody will be inconvenienced on your account, cheva- lier, but for that of an embassador I am about sending to France, and to whom you will serve willingly as a coinpan ion, I fancy, for you know him."

D'Artagnan appeared astonished.

"He is a certain Comte de la Fere — he you call Athos/ ; added the king, terminating the conversation, as he had begun it, by a joyous burst of laughter. "Adieu, chevalier, adieu. Love me as I love you." And thereupon, making a sign to Parry to ask if there were any one waiting for him in the adjoining closet, the king disappeared into that closet, leaving the place to the chevalier, perfectly aston- ished with this singular audience. The old man took his arm in a friendly way, and led him toward the garden.

CHAPTER XXXV.

UPON THE CANAL.

Upon the canal of waters of an opaque green, bordered with marble, upon which time had already scattered black spots and tufts of mossy grass, there glided majestically a long flat bark, pavoisee with the arms of England, sur- mounted by a dais, and carpeted with long damasked stuffs, which trailed their fringes in the water. Eight rowers, leaning lazily to their oars, made it move upon the canal with the graceful slowness of the swans, which, disturbed in their ancient possessions by the approach of the bark, looked from a distance at this splendid and noisy pageant. We say noisy — for the bark contained four players upon the guitar and the lute, two singers, and several courtiers, all sparkling with gold and precious stones, and showing their white teeth in emulation of each other, to please the lady Henrietta Stuart, granddaughter of Henry IV., daughter of Charles I., and sister of Charles II., who occupied the seat of honor under the dais of the bark. We know this young princess; we have seeen her at the Louvre with her