Ten Years Later

by Alexandre Dumas

  The following day was somewhat calmer, although the gale stillcontinued. The sun had, however, risen through a bank of orange clouds,tingeing with its cheerful rays the crests of the black waves. Watch wasimpatiently kept from the different look-outs. Towards eleven o'clock inthe morning a ship, with sails full set, was signalled as in view; twoothers followed at the distance of about half a knot. They approachedlike arrows shot from the bow of a skillful archer; and yet the sea ranso high that their speed was as nothing compared to the rolling of thebillows in which the vessels were plunging first in one direction andthen in another. The English fleet was soon recognized by the line ofthe ships, and by the color of their pennants; the one which had theprincess on board and carried the admiral's flag preceded the others.

  The rumor now spread that the princess was arriving. The whole Frenchcourt ran to the harbor, while the quays and jetties were soon coveredby crowds of people. Two hours afterwards, the other vessels hadovertaken the flagship, and the three, not venturing perhaps to enterthe narrow entrance of the harbor, cast anchor between Havre and LaHeve. When the maneuver had been completed, the vessel which borethe admiral saluted France by twelve discharges of cannon, which werereturned, discharge for discharge, from Fort Francis I. Immediatelyafterwards a hundred boats were launched; they were covered with therichest stuffs, and destined for the conveyance of the different membersof the French nobility towards the vessels at anchor. But when it wasobserved that even inside the harbor the boats were tossed to and fro,and that beyond the jetty the waves rose mountains high, dashing uponthe shore with a terrible uproar, it will readily be believed that notone of those frail boats would be able with safety to reach a fourthpart of the distance between the shore and the vessels at anchor. Apilot-boat, however, notwithstanding the wind and the sea, was gettingready to leave the harbor, for the purpose of placing itself at theadmiral's disposal.

  De Guiche, who had been looking among the different boats for onestronger than the others, which might offer a chance of reaching theEnglish vessels, perceiving the pilot-boat getting ready to start, saidto Raoul: "Do you not think, Raoul, that intelligent and vigorous men,as we are, ought to be ashamed to retreat before the brute strength ofwind and waves?"

  "That is precisely the very reflection I was silently making to myself,"replied Bragelonne.

  "Shall we get into that boat, then, and push off? Will you come, DeWardes?"

  "Take care, or you will get drowned," said Manicamp.

  "And for no purpose," said De Wardes, "for with the wind in your teeth,as it will be, you will never reach the vessels."

  "You refuse, then?"

  "Assuredly I do; I would willingly risk and lose my life in an encounteragainst men," he said, glancing at Bragelonne, "but as to fighting withoars against waves, I have no taste for that."

  "And for myself," said Manicamp, "even were I to succeed in reaching theships, I should not be indifferent to the loss of the only good dresswhich I have left,--salt water would spoil it."

  "You, then, refuse also?" exclaimed De Guiche.

  "Decidedly I do; I beg you to understand that most distinctly."

  "But," exclaimed De Guiche, "look, De Wardes--look, Manicamp--lookyonder, the princesses are looking at us from the poop of the admiral'svessel."

  "An additional reason, my dear fellow, why we should not make ourselvesridiculous by being drowned while they are looking on."

  "Is that your last word, Manicamp?"

  "Yes."

  "And then yours, De Wardes?"

  "Yes."

  "Then I go alone."

  "Not so," said Raoul, "for I shall accompany you; I thought it wasunderstood I should do so."

  The fact is, that Raoul, uninfluenced by devotion, measuring the riskthey run, saw how imminent the danger was, but he willingly allowedhimself to accept a peril which De Wardes had declined.

  The boat was about to set off when De Guiche called to the pilot."Stay," said he: "we want two places in your boat;" and wrapping five orsix pistoles in paper, he threw them from the quay into the boat.

  "It seems you are not afraid of salt water, young gentlemen."

  "We are afraid of nothing," replied De Guiche.

  "Come along, then."

  The pilot approached the side of the boat, and the two young men, oneafter the other, with equal vivacity, jumped into the boat. "Courage, mymen," said De Guiche; "I have twenty pistoles left in this purse, and assoon as we reach the admiral's vessel they shall be yours." The sailorsbent themselves to their oars, and the boat bounded over the crestof the waves. The interest taken in this hazardous expedition wasuniversal; the whole population of Havre hurried towards the jetties andevery look was directed towards the little bark; at one moment itflew suspended on the crest of the foaming waves, then suddenly glideddownwards towards the bottom of a raging abyss, where it seemed utterlylost. At the expiration of an hour's struggling with the waves, itreached the spot where the admiral's vessel was anchored, and from theside of which two boats had already been dispatched towards their aid.Upon the quarter-deck of the flagship, sheltered by a canopy of velvetand ermine, which was suspended by stout supports, Henrietta, thequeen dowager, and the young princess--with the admiral, the Duke ofNorfolk--standing beside them--watched with alarm this slender bark, atone moment tossed to the heavens, and the next buried beneath thewaves, and against whose dark sail the noble figures of the two Frenchgentlemen stood forth in relief like two luminous apparitions. The crew,leaning against the bulwarks and clinging to the shrouds, cheered thecourage of the two daring young men, the skill of the pilot, and thestrength of the sailors. They were received at the side of the vesselby a shout of triumph. The Duke of Norfolk, a handsome young man, fromtwenty-six to twenty-eight years of age, advanced to meet them. DeGuiche and Bragelonne lightly mounted the ladder on the starboard side,and conducted by the Duke of Norfolk, who resumed his place near them,they approached to offer their homage to the princesses. Respect, andyet more, a certain apprehension, for which he could not account,had hitherto restrained the Comte de Guiche from looking at Madameattentively, who, however, had observed him immediately, and had askedher mother, "Is not that Monsieur in the boat yonder?" Madame Henriettawho knew Monsieur better than her daughter did, smiled at the mistakeher vanity had led her into, and had answered, "No; it is only M. deGuiche, his favorite." The princess, at this reply, was constrained tocheck an instinctive tenderness of feeling which the courage displayedby the count had awakened. At the very moment the princess had put thisquestion to her mother, De Guiche had, at last, summoned courage toraise his eyes towards her and could compare the original with theportrait he had so lately seen. No sooner had he remarked her paleface, her eyes so full of animation, her beautiful nut-brown hair, herexpressive lips, and her every gesture, which, while betokening royaldescent, seemed to thank and to encourage him at one and the same time,than he was, for a moment, so overcome, that, had it not been for Raoul,on whose arm he leant, he would have fallen. His friend's amazedlook, and the encouraging gesture of the queen, restored Guiche to hisself-possession. In a few words he explained his mission, explained inwhat way he had become the envoy of his royal highness; and saluted,according to their rank and the reception they gave him, the admiral andseveral of the English noblemen who were grouped around the princesses.

  Raoul was then presented, and was most graciously received; the sharethat the Comte de la Fere had had in the restoration of Charles II. wasknown to all; and, more than that, it was the comte who had beencharged with the negotiation of the marriage, by means of which thegranddaughter of Henry IV. was now returning to France. Raoul spokeEnglish perfectly, and constituted himself his friend's interpreter withthe young English noblemen, who were indifferently acquainted with theFrench language. At this moment a young man came forward, of extremelyhandsome features, and whose dress and arms were remarkable for theirextravagance of material. He approached the princesses, who were engagedin conversation with the Duke of Norfolk, and, in a voice whi
ch illconcealed his impatience, said, "It is time now to disembark, your royalhighness." The younger of the princesses rose from her seat at thisremark, and was about to take the hand which the young nobleman extendedto her, with an eagerness which arose from a variety of motives, whenthe admiral intervened between them, observing; "A moment, if youplease, my lord; it is not possible for ladies to disembark just now,the sea is too rough; it is probable the wind may abate before sunset,and the landing will not be effected, therefore, until this evening."

  "Allow me to observe, my lord," said Buckingham, with an irritation ofmanner which he did not seek to disguise, "you detain these ladies,and you have no right to do so. One of them, unhappily, now belongs toFrance, and you perceive that France claims them by the voice of herambassadors;" and at the same moment he indicated Raoul and Guiche, whomhe saluted.

  "I cannot suppose that these gentlemen intend to expose the lives oftheir royal highnesses," replied the admiral.

  "These gentlemen," retorted Buckingham, "arrived here safely,notwithstanding the wind; allow me to believe that the danger will notbe greater for their royal highnesses when the wind will be in theirfavor."

  "These envoys have shown how great their courage is," said the admiral."You may have observed that there was a great number of persons on shorewho did not venture to accompany them. Moreover, the desire which theyhad to show their respect with the least possible delay to Madame andher illustrious mother induced them to brave the sea, which is verytempestuous to-day, even for sailors. These gentlemen, however, whom Irecommend as an example for my officers to follow, can hardly be so forthese ladies."

  Madame glanced at the Comte de Guiche, and perceived that his face wasburning with confusion. This look had escaped Buckingham, who had eyesfor nothing but Norfolk, of whom he was evidently very jealous; heseemed anxious to remove the princesses from the deck of a vessel wherethe admiral reigned supreme. "In that case," returned Buckingham, "Iappeal to Madame herself."

  "And I, my lord," retorted the admiral, "I appeal to my own conscience,and to my own sense of responsibility. I have undertaken to conveyMadame safe and sound to France, and I shall keep my promise."

  "But sir----" continued Buckingham.

  "My lord, permit me to remind you that I command here."

  "Are you aware what you are saying, my lord?" replied Buckingham,haughtily.

  "Perfectly so; I therefore repeat it: I alone command here, all yieldobedience to me; the sea and the winds, the ships and men too." Thisremark was made in a dignified and authoritative manner. Raoul observedits effect upon Buckingham, who trembled with anger from head to foot,and leaned against one of the poles of the tent to prevent himselffalling; his eyes became suffused with blood, and the hand which he didnot need for his support wandered towards the hilt of his sword.

  "My lord," said the queen, "permit me to observe that I agree in everyparticular with the Duke of Norfolk; if the heavens, instead of beingclouded as they are at the present moment, were perfectly serene andpropitious, we can still afford to bestow a few hours upon the officerwho has conducted us so successfully, and with such extreme attention,to the French coast, where he is to take leave of us."

  Buckingham, instead of replying, seemed to seek counsel from theexpression of Madame's face. She, however, half-concealed beneath thethick curtains of the velvet and gold which sheltered her, had notlistened to the discussion, having been occupied in watching the Comtede Guiche, who was conversing with Raoul. This was a fresh misfortunefor Buckingham, who fancied he perceived in Madame Henrietta's look adeeper feeling than that of curiosity. He withdrew, almost tottering inhis gait, and nearly stumbled against the mainmast of the ship.

  "The duke has not acquired a steady footing yet," said the queen-mother,in French, "and that may possibly be his reason for wishing to findhimself on firm land again."

  The young man overheard this remark, turned suddenly pale, and, lettinghis hands fall in great discouragement by his side, drew aside, minglingin one sigh his old affection and his new hatreds. The admiral, however,without taking any further notice of the duke's ill-humor, led theprincesses into the quarter-deck cabin, where dinner had been servedwith a magnificence worthy in every respect of his guests. The admiralseated himself at the right hand of the princess, and placed the Comtede Guiche on her left. This was the place Buckingham usually occupied;and when he entered the cabin, how profound was his unhappiness to seehimself banished by etiquette from the presence of his sovereign, to aposition inferior to that which, by rank, he was entitled to. De Guiche,on the other hand, paler still perhaps from happiness, than his rivalwas from anger, seated himself tremblingly next the princess, whosesilken robe, as it lightly touched him, caused a tremor of mingledregret and happiness to pass through his whole frame. The repastfinished, Buckingham darted forward to hand Madame Henrietta from thetable; but this time it was De Guiche's turn to give the duke a lesson."Have the goodness, my lord, from this moment," said he, "not tointerpose between her royal highness and myself. From this moment,indeed, her royal highness belongs to France, and when she deigns tohonor me by touching my hand it is the hand of Monsieur, the brother ofthe king of France, she touches."

  And saying this, he presented his hand to Madame Henrietta with suchmarked deference, and at the same time with a nobleness of mien sointrepid, that a murmur of admiration rose from the English, whilsta groan of despair escaped from Buckingham's lips. Raoul, who loved,comprehended it all. He fixed upon his friend one of those profoundlooks which a bosom friend or mother can alone extend, either asprotector or guardian, over the one who is about to stray from the rightpath. Towards two o'clock in the afternoon the sun shone forth anew, thewind subsided, the sea became smooth as a crystal mirror, and the fog,which had shrouded the coast, disappeared like a veil withdrawn frombefore it. The smiling hills of France appeared in full view with theirnumerous white houses rendered more conspicuous by the bright green ofthe trees or the clear blue sky.

  CHAPTER 85. The Tents