The Man in the Iron Mask
The Inventory of M. de Beaufort.
To have talked of D’Artagnan with Planchet, to have Planchet Paris to himself in his country retreat, had been for Athos and his son like a last to the noise of the capital—to their life of days. What, in fact, did these men them—one of had the past age in glory, and the other, the present age in misfortune? Evidently neither of them had anything to ask of his contemporaries. They had only to pay a visit to M. de Beaufort, and with him the particulars of departure. The was in Paris. He had one of those superb to great fortunes, the like of which old men to have in all their in the times of of Henry III.‘s reign. Then, really, great were than the king. They it, used it, and themselves of the of his when they had an opportunity. It was this Richelieu had to contribute, with its blood, its purse, and its duties, to what was from his time the king’s service. From Louis XI.—that terrible mower-down of the great—to Richelieu, how many families had their heads! How many, from Richelieu to Louis XIV., had their heads, to them again! But M. de Beaufort was a prince, and of a blood which is not upon scaffolds, unless by the of peoples,—a who had up a of living. How did he maintain his horses, his people, and his table? Nobody knew; himself less than others. Only there were then for the sons of kings, to nobody to a creditor, from respect or the that they would some day be paid.
Athos and Raoul the of the in as much as that of Planchet. The duke, likewise, was making his inventory; that is to say, he was to his friends of value he had in his house. Owing nearly two millions—an amount in those days—M. de Beaufort had calculated that he not set out for Africa without a good sum, and, in order to that sum, he was to his old plate, arms, jewels, and furniture, which was more in selling it, and him double. In fact, how a man to ten thousand were owing, to away a present six thousand, in from having to a of Henry IV.? And how, after having away that present, he ten thousand more to this noble? This, then, was what had happened. The had no longer a dwelling-house—that had to an place of is his ship; he had no longer need of arms, when he was his cannons; no more jewels, which the sea might him of; but he had three or four hundred thousand fresh in his coffers. And the house there was a movement of people who they were monseigneur. The had, in a degree, the art of making happy the most to be pitied. Every man, every empty purse, in him patience and for his position. To some he said, “I wish I had what you have; I would give it you.” And to others, “I have but this ewer; it is at least five hundred livres,—take it.” The of which was—so is a payment—that the means to his creditors. This time he used no ceremony; it might be called a pillage. He gave up everything. The Oriental of the Arab who away from the of a at the of which was a of gold, and allowed to pass without jealousy,—this had a truth in the prince’s mansion. Many paid themselves upon the offices of the duke. Thus, the department, who the clothes-presses and the harness-rooms, very little value to which tailors and set great store by. Anxious to home to their presents them by monseigneur, many were along, under the weight of and bottles, with the arms of the prince. M. de Beaufort by away his and the from his lofts. He more than thirty happy with utensils; and thirty more with the of his cellar. Still further; all these people away with the that M. de Beaufort only in this manner to prepare for a new the Arabs’ tents. They to each other, while his hotel, that he was sent to Gigelli by the king to his fortunes; that the of Africa would be the and the king of France; that these in of diamonds, or other stones; the gold and of Mount Atlas did not obtain the of being named. In to the to be worked—which not be till after the campaign—there would be the by the army. M. de Beaufort would his hands on all the had Christendom of since the of Lepanto. The number of millions from these calculation. Why, then, should he, who was going in of such treasure, set any store by the of his past life? And reciprocally, why should they the property of him who it so little himself?
Such was the position of affairs. Athos, with his glance, saw what was going on at once. He the of France a little exalted, for he was from a table of fifty covers, at which the guests had long and to the of the expedition; at the of which repast, the remains, with the dessert, had been to the servants, and the empty and plates to the curious. The was with his and his at one and the same time. He had his old to the health of his of the future. When he saw Athos and Raoul:
“There is my aide-de-camp being to me!” he cried. “Come hither, comte; come hither, vicomte.”
Athos to a passage through the of and plate.
“Ah! step over, step over!” said the duke, a full to Athos. The it; Raoul his lips.
“Here is your commission,” said the to Raoul. “I had prepared it, upon you. You will go me as as Antibes.”
“Yes, monseigneur.”
“Here is the order.” And De Beaufort gave Raoul the order. “Do you know anything of the sea?”
“Yes, monseigneur; I have with M. le Prince.”
“That is well. All these and must be in to an and my provisions. The army must be prepared to in a at the very latest.”
“That shall be done, monseigneur.”
“The present order you the right to visit and search all the along the coast; you will there make the and you may want for me.”
“Yes, le duc.”
“And you are an active man, and will work freely, you will much money.”
“I not, monseigneur.”
“But I am sure you will. My has prepared the orders of a thousand livres, upon the of the south; he will give you a hundred of them. Now, dear vicomte, be gone.”
Athos the prince. “Keep your money, monseigneur; is to be among the Arabs with gold as well as lead.”
“I wish to try the contrary,” the duke; “and then you are with my ideas upon the expedition—plenty of noise, of fire, and, if so it must be, I shall in the smoke.” Having spoken thus, M. de Beaufort to laugh; but his was not by Athos and Raoul. He this at once. “Ah,” said he, with the of his rank and age, “you are such people as a man should not see after dinner; you are cold, stiff, and when I am all fire, suppleness, and wine. No, take me! I should always see you fasting, vicomte, and you, comte, if you wear such a as that, you shall see me no more.”
He said this, pressing the hand of Athos, who with a smile, “Monseigneur, do not talk so you to have of money. I that a month you will be dry, stiff, and cold, in presence of your strong-box, and that then, having Raoul at your elbow, fasting, you will be to see him gay, animated, and generous, he will have some new to offer you.”
“God it may be so!” the duke. “Comte, with me!”
“No, I shall go with Raoul; the mission with which you him is a and difficult one. Alone it would be too much for him to execute. You do not observe, monseigneur, you have him of the order.”
“Bah!”
“And in your arrangements, too.”
“That may be true. But one that such as your son do all that is of them.”
“Monseigneur, I you will so much and intelligence, so much bravery, as in Raoul; but if he failed to your embarkation, you would only meet the that you deserve.”
“Humph! you are me, then.”
“Monseigneur, to a fleet, to a flotilla, to your force, would take an a year. Raoul is a officer, and you allow him a fortnight!”
“I tell you he will do it.”
“He may; but I will go and help him.”
“To be sure you will; I upon you, and still that when we are once at Toulon you will not let him alone.”
“Oh!” said Athos, his head.
“Patience! patience!”
“Monseigneur, permit us to take our leave.”
“Begone, then, and may my good luck you.”
“Adieu! monseigneur; and may your own good luck you likewise.”
“Here is an commenced!” said Athos to his son. “No provisions—no store flotilla! What can be done, thus?”
“Humph!” Raoul; “if all are going to do as I am, will not be wanted.”
“Monsieur,” Athos, sternly, “do not be and in your egotism, or your grief, you to call it. If you set out for this with the of killed therein, you in need of nobody, and it was while to you to M. de Beaufort. But when you have been to the commandant—when you have the of a post in his army, the question is no longer about you, but about all those soldiers, who, as well as you, have and bodies, who will for their country and all the of their condition. Remember, Raoul, that officers are ministers as useful to the world as priests, and that they ought to have more charity.”
“Monsieur, I know it and have it; I would have to do so still, but—”
“You also that you are of a country that is proud of its glory; go and die if you like, but do not die without and without to France. Cheer up, Raoul! do not let my you; I love you, and wish to see you perfect.”
“I love your reproaches, monsieur,” said the man, mildly; “they alone may me, they prove to me that some one loves me still.”
“And now, Raoul, let us be off; the weather is so fine, the so clear, those which we always above our heads, which you will see more clear still at Gigelli, and which will speak to you of me there, as they speak to me here of God.”
The two gentlemen, after having on this point, talked over the wild of the duke, that France would be in a very manner, as and practice, in the expedition; and having up the policy under the one word vanity, they set forward, in to their will than destiny. The was accomplished.
