The Man in the Iron Mask
Another Supper at the Bastile.
Seven o’clock from the great clock of the Bastile, that famous clock, which, like all the of the prison, the very use of which is a torture, to the prisoners’ minds the of every hour of their punishment. The time-piece of the Bastile, with figures, like most of the of the period, St. Peter in bonds. It was the supper hour of the captives. The doors, on their hinges, opened for the passage of the and of provisions, the and the of which, as M. de Baisemeaux has himself us, was by the condition in life of the prisoner. We on this the of M. de Baisemeaux, of delicacies, cook of the fortress, trays, full-laden, were the staircases, some to the in the shape of bottles of good vintages. This same hour was that of M. le gouverneur’s supper also. He had a guest to-day, and the more than usual. Roast partridges, with and a leveret; fowls; hams, and with white wine, of Guipuzcoa and la ecrevisses: these, together with and d’oeuvres, the governor’s bill of fare. Baisemeaux, seated at table, was his hands and looking at the of Vannes, who, like a cavalier, in and at side, talking of his and the impatience. M. de Baisemeaux de Montlezun was not to the movements of his my lord of Vannes, and this Aramis, sprightly, on confidence. The had again a little touch of the about him. The just on the borders only of in his of conversation. As for M. de Baisemeaux, with the of people, he gave himself up upon this point of his guest’s freedom. “Monsieur,” said he, “for to-night I not call you monseigneur.”
“By no means,” said Aramis; “call me monsieur; I am booted.”
“Do you know, monsieur, of you me this evening?”
“No! faith,” said Aramis, taking up his glass; “but I I you of a guest.”
“You me of two, monsieur. Francois, the window; the wind may his greatness.”
“And let him go,” added Aramis. “The supper is served, and we shall eat it very well without waiters. I like to be tete-a-tete when I am with a friend.” Baisemeaux respectfully.
“I like exceedingly,” Aramis, “to help myself.”
“Retire, Francois,” Baisemeaux. “I was saying that your puts me in mind of two persons; one very illustrious, the late cardinal, the great Cardinal de la Rochelle, who like you.”
“Indeed,” said Aramis; “and the other?”
“The other was a musketeer, very handsome, very brave, very adventurous, very fortunate, who, from being abbe, musketeer, and from abbe.” Aramis to smile. “From abbe,” Baisemeaux, by Aramis’s smile—“from abbe, bishop—and from bishop—”
“Ah! there, I beg,” Aramis.
“I have just said, monsieur, that you gave me the idea of a cardinal.”
“Enough, dear M. Baisemeaux. As you said, I have on the of a cavalier, but I do not intend, for all that, to myself with the church this evening.”
“But you have intentions, nevertheless, monseigneur.”
“Oh, yes, wicked, I own, as is.”
“You the town and the in disguise?”
“In disguise, as you say.”
“And you still make use of your sword?”
“Yes, I should think so; but only when I am compelled. Do me the to Francois.”
“Have you no there?”
“‘Tis not for wine, but it is here, and the window is shut.”
“I the at supper-time so as not to the or the of couriers.”
“Ah, yes. You them when the window is open?”
“But too well, and that me. You understand?”
“Nevertheless I am suffocated. Francois.” Francois entered. “Open the windows, I pray you, Master Francois,” said Aramis. “You will allow him, dear M. Baisemeaux?”
“You are at home here,” answered the governor. The window was opened. “Do you not think,” said M. de Baisemeaux, “that you will very lonely, now M. de la Fere has returned to his gods at Blois? He is a very old friend, is he not?”
“You know it as I do, Baisemeaux, that you were in the with us.”
“Bah! with my friends I neither bottles of years.”
“And you are right. But I do more than love M. de la Fere, dear Baisemeaux; I him.”
“Well, for my part, though ‘tis singular,” said the governor, “I M. d’Artagnan to him. There is a man for you, who drinks long and well! That of people allow you at least to their thoughts.”
“Baisemeaux, make me to-night; let us have a time of it as of old, and if I have a trouble at the of my heart, I promise you, you shall see it as you would a diamond at the of your glass.”
“Bravo!” said Baisemeaux, and he out a great of and it off at a draught, with at the idea of being, by or by crook, in the of some high misdemeanor. While he was he did not see with what attention Aramis was the in the great court. A came in about eight o’clock as Francois in the bottle, and, although the a great noise, Baisemeaux nothing.
“The take him,” said Aramis.
“What! who?” asked Baisemeaux. “I ‘tis neither the you he who is the of your it.”
“No; it is a horse, who is making noise in the for a whole squadron.”
“Pooh! some or other,” the governor, his attention to the bottle. “Yes; and may the take him, and so that we shall him speak more. Hurrah! hurrah!”
“You me, Baisemeaux! my is empty,” said Aramis, his Venetian goblet.
“Upon my honor, you me. Francois, wine!” Francois entered. “Wine, fellow! and better.”
“Yes, monsieur, yes; but a has just arrived.”
“Let him go to the devil, I say.”
“Yes, monsieur, but—”
“Let him his news at the office; we will see to it to-morrow. To-morrow, there will be time to-morrow; there will be daylight,” said Baisemeaux, the words.
“Ah, monsieur,” the soldier Francois, in of himself, “monsieur.”
“Take care,” said Aramis, “take care!”
“Of what? dear M. d’Herblay,” said Baisemeaux, intoxicated.
“The which the to the of a is sometimes an order.”
“Nearly always.”
“Do not orders issue from the ministers?”
“Yes, undoubtedly; but—”
“And what to these ministers do but the of the king?”
“Perhaps you are right. Nevertheless, ‘tis very when you are a good table, tete-a-tete with a friend—Ah! I your pardon, monsieur; I it is I who you at supper, and that I speak to a cardinal.”
“Let us pass over that, dear Baisemeaux, and return to our soldier, to Francois.”
“Well, and what has Francois done?”
“He has demurred!”
“He was wrong, then?”
“However, he has demurred, you see; ‘tis there is something in this matter. It is very possible that it was not Francois who was in demurring, but you, who are in the in not to him.”
“Wrong? I to be Francois? that hard.”
“Pardon me, an irregularity. But I it my to make an which I important.”
“Oh! you are right,” Baisemeaux. “The king’s order is sacred; but as to orders that arrive when one is at supper, I repeat that the devil—”
“If you had said as much to the great cardinal—hem! my dear Baisemeaux, and if his order had any importance.”
“I do it that I may not a bishop. Mordioux! am I not, then, excusable?”
“Do not forget, Baisemeaux, that I have the soldier’s coat, and I am to everywhere.”
“You wish, then—”
“I wish that you would do your duty, my friend; yes, at least this soldier.”
“‘Tis true,” Baisemeaux. Francois still waited: “Let them send this order of the king’s up to me,” he repeated, himself. And he added in a low tone, “Do you know what it is? I will tell you something about as as this. ‘Beware of fire near the magazine;’ or, ‘Look close after such and such a one, who is at escaping,’ Ah! if you only knew, monseigneur, how many times I have been from the very sweetest, slumber, by at full to tell me, or rather, me a of paper these words: ‘Monsieur de Baisemeaux, what news?’ ‘Tis clear that those who waste their time such orders have slept in the Bastile. They would know better; they have the of my walls, the of my officers, the number of we go. But, indeed, what can you expect, monseigneur? It is their to and me when I am at rest, and to trouble me when I am happy,” added Baisemeaux, to Aramis. “Then let them do their business.”
“And do you do yours,” added the bishop, smiling.
Francois re-entered; Baisemeaux took from his hands the minister’s order. He slowly it, and as slowly read it. Aramis to be drinking, so as to be able to watch his through the glass. Then, Baisemeaux, having read it: “What was I just saying?” he exclaimed.
“What is it?” asked the bishop.
“An order of release! There, now; excellent news to us!”
“Excellent news for him it concerns, you will at least agree, my dear governor!”
“And at eight o’clock in the evening!”
“It is charitable!”
“Oh! is all very well, but it is for that who says he is so and tired, but not for me who am myself,” said Baisemeaux, exasperated.
“Will you by him, then? And is the who is to be set at a good payer?”
“Oh, yes, indeed! a miserable, five-franc rat!”
“Let me see it,” asked M. d’Herblay. “It is no indiscretion?”
“By no means; read it.”
“There is ‘Urgent,’ on the paper; you have that, I suppose?”
“Oh, admirable! ‘Urgent!’—a man who has been there ten years! It is urgent to set him free to-day, this very evening, at eight o’clock!—urgent!” And Baisemeaux, his with an air of disdain, the order on the table and again.
“They are of these tricks!” he said, with his mouth full; “they a man, some day, keep him under lock and key for ten years, and to you, ‘Watch this well,’ or ‘Keep him very strictly.’ And then, as soon as you are to look upon the as a man, all of a sudden, without or they write—‘Set him at liberty,’ and actually add to their missive—‘urgent.’ You will own, my lord, ‘tis to make a man at dinner his shoulders!”
“What do you expect? It is for them to write,” said Aramis, “for you to the order.”
“Good! good! it! Oh, patience! You must not that I am a slave.”
“Gracious Heaven! my very good M. Baisemeaux, who said so? Your is well known.”
“Thank Heaven!”
“But your of is also known.”
“Ah! don’t speak of it!”
“And your to your superiors. Once a soldier, you see, Baisemeaux, always a soldier.”
“And I shall directly obey; and to-morrow morning, at daybreak, the to shall be set free.”
“To-morrow?”
“At dawn.”
“Why not this evening, that the de bears, on the direction and inside, ‘urgent’?”
“Because this we are at supper, and our are urgent, too!”
“Dear Baisemeaux, though I be, I myself a priest, and has higher upon me than and thirst. This man has long enough, since you have just told me that he has been your these ten years. Abridge his suffering. His good time has come; give him the quickly. God will you in Paradise with years of felicity.”
“You wish it?”
“I you.”
“What! in the very middle of our repast?”
“I you; such an action is ten Benedicites.”
“It shall be as you desire, only our supper will cold.”
“Oh! that.”
Baisemeaux to ring for Francois, and by a very natural motion the door. The order had on the table; Aramis the opportunity when Baisemeaux was not looking to the paper for another, in the same manner, which he from his pocket. “Francois,” said the governor, “let the major come up here with the of the Bertaudiere.” Francois and the room, the two alone.
