FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196  
197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   >>   >|  
tection that I refuse!" Henri III. turned on his heel angrily. "Really," said he, "these Joyeuses are more obstinate than a Valois. Here is one who will bring me every day his long face and eyes circled with black; that will be delightful." "Oh! sire, I will smile so, when I am here, that every one shall think me the happiest of men." "Yes, but I shall know the contrary, and that will sadden me." "Does your majesty permit me to retire?" asked Du Bouchage. "Go, my child, and try to be a man." When he was gone the king approached D'Epernon, and said: "Lavalette, have money distributed this evening to the Forty-five, and give them holiday for a night and a day to amuse themselves. By the mass! they saved me like Sylla's white horse." "Saved?" said Catherine. "Yes, mother." "From what?" "Ah! ask D'Epernon." "I ask you, my son." "Well, madame, our dear cousin, the sister of your good friend M. de Guise--oh! do not deny it; you, know he is your good friend--laid an ambush for me." "An ambush!" "Yes, madame, and I narrowly escaped imprisonment or assassination." "By M. de Guise?" "You do not believe it?" "I confess I do not." "D'Epernon, my friend, relate the adventure to my mother. If I go on speaking, and she goes on shrugging her shoulders, I shall get angry, and that does not suit my health. Adieu, madame; cherish M. de Guise as much as you please, but I would advise them not to forget Salcede." CHAPTER LV. RED PLUME AND WHITE PLUME. It was eight in the evening, and the house of Robert Briquet, solitary and sad-looking, formed a worthy companion to that mysterious house of which we have already spoken to our readers. One might have thought that these two houses were yawning in each other's face. Not far from there the noise of brass was heard, mingled with confused voices, vague murmurs, and squeaks. It was probably this noise that attracted a young and handsome cavalier, with a violet cap, red plume, and gray mantle, who, after stopping for some minutes to hear this noise, went on slowly and pensively toward the house of Robert Briquet. Now this noise of brass was that of saucepans; these vague murmurs, those of pots boiling on fires and spits turned by dogs; those cries, those of M. Fournichon, host of the "Brave Chevalier," and of Madame Fournichon, who was preparing her rooms. When the young man with the violet hat had well looked at the fire, inhaled t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196  
197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Epernon

 

friend

 

madame

 
evening
 

violet

 

murmurs

 

ambush

 

mother

 

turned

 

Fournichon


Robert
 

Briquet

 

spoken

 
houses
 

readers

 

thought

 

worthy

 

CHAPTER

 

Salcede

 

forget


advise
 

cherish

 

companion

 

mysterious

 

formed

 
solitary
 
boiling
 

pensively

 

saucepans

 

Chevalier


looked
 

inhaled

 

Madame

 

preparing

 

slowly

 

confused

 
mingled
 

voices

 

squeaks

 
attracted

handsome

 
stopping
 

minutes

 
mantle
 

cavalier

 

yawning

 

sadden

 

majesty

 

permit

 

retire