Ten Years Later

by Alexandre Dumas

  During the progress of these events Buckingham and De Wardes traveledin excellent companionship, and made the journey from Paris to Calais inundisturbed harmony together. Buckingham had hurried his departure, sothat the greater part of his adieux were very hastily made. His visit toMonsieur and Madame, to the young queen, and to the queen-dowager, hadbeen paid collectively--a precaution on the part of the queen-motherwhich saved him the distress of any private conversation with Monsieur,and also the danger of seeing Madame again. The carriages containing theluggage had already been sent on beforehand, and in the evening he setoff in his traveling carriage with his attendants.

  De Wardes, irritated at finding himself dragged away in so abrupt amanner by this Englishman, had sought in his subtle mind for somemeans of escaping from his fetters; but no one having rendered him anyassistance in this respect, he was absolutely obliged, therefore, tosubmit to the burden of his own evil thoughts and caustic spirit.

  Such of his friends in whom he had been able to confide, had, in theircharacter of wits, rallied him upon the duke's superiority. Others,less brilliant, but more sensible, had reminded him of the king's ordersprohibiting dueling. Others, again, and they the larger number, who,in virtue of charity, or national vanity, might have rendered himassistance, did not care to run the risk of incurring disgrace, andwould, at the best, have informed the ministers of a departure whichmight end in a massacre on a small scale. The result was, that, afterhaving fully deliberated upon the matter, De Wardes packed up hisluggage, took a couple of horses, and, followed only by one servant,made his way towards the barrier, where Buckingham's carriage was toawait him.

  The duke received his adversary as he would have done an intimateacquaintance, made room beside him on the same seat with himself,offered him refreshments, and spread over his knees the sable cloak thathad been thrown on the front seat. They then conversed of the court,without alluding to Madame; of Monsieur, without speaking of domesticaffairs; of the king, without speaking of his brother's wife; of thequeen-mother, without alluding to her daughter-in-law; of the king ofEngland, without alluding to his sister-in-law; of the state of theaffections of either of the travelers, without pronouncing any namethat might be dangerous. In this way the journey, which was performedby short stages, was most agreeable, and Buckingham, almost a Frenchmanfrom wit and education, was delighted at having so admirably selectedhis traveling companion. Elegant repasts were served, of which theypartook but lightly; trials of horses made in the beautiful meadowsthat skirted the road; coursing indulged in, for Buckingham had hisgreyhounds with him; and in such ways did they pass away the pleasanttime. The duke somewhat resembled the beautiful river Seine, which foldsFrance a thousand times in its loving embrace, before deciding uponjoining its waters with the ocean. In quitting France, it was herrecently adopted daughter he had brought to Paris whom he chieflyregretted; his every thought was a remembrance of her--his every memorya regret. Therefore, whenever, now and then, despite his command overhimself, he was lost in thought, De Wardes left him entirely to hismusings. This delicacy might have touched Buckingham, and changed hisfeelings towards De Wardes, if the latter, while preserving silence, hadshown a glance less full of malice, and a smile less false. Instinctivedislikes, however, are relentless; nothing appeases them; a few ashesmay sometimes, apparently, extinguish them; but beneath those ashes thesmothered embers rage more furiously. Having exhausted every means ofamusement the route offered, they arrived, as we have said, at Calaistowards the end of the sixth day. The duke's attendants, since theprevious evening, had traveled in advance, and now chartered a boat, forthe purpose of joining the yacht, which had been tacking about in sight,or bore broadside on, whenever it felt its white wings wearied, withincannon-shot of the jetty.

  The boat was destined for the transport of the duke's equipages from theshore to the yacht. The horses had been embarked, having been hoistedfrom the boat upon the deck in baskets expressly made for the purpose,and wadded in such a manner that their limbs, even in the most violentfits of terror or impatience, were always protected by the soft supportwhich the sides afforded, and their coats not even turned. Eight ofthese baskets, placed side by side, filled the ship's hold. It is wellknown that in short voyages horses refuse to eat, but remain tremblingall the while, with the best of food before them, such as they wouldhave greatly coveted on land. By degrees, the duke's entire equipage wastransported on board the yacht; he was then informed that everything wasin readiness, and that they only waited for him, whenever he would bedisposed to embark with the French gentleman; for no one could possiblyimagine that the French gentleman would have any other accounts tosettle with his Grace than those of friendship. Buckingham desired thecaptain to be told to hold himself in readiness, but that, as the seawas beautiful, and as the day promised a splendid sunset, he did notintend to go on board until nightfall, and would avail himself of theevening to enjoy a walk on the strand. He added also, that, findinghimself in such excellent company, he had not the least desire to hastenhis embarkation.

  As he said this he pointed out to those who surrounded him themagnificent spectacle which the sky presented, of deepest azure in thehorizon, the amphitheatre of fleecy clouds ascending from the sun's discto the zenith, assuming the appearance of a range of snowy mountains,whose summits were heaped one upon another. The dome of clouds wastinged at its base with, as it were, the foam of rubies, fading awayinto opal and pearly tints, in proportion as the gaze was carried frombase to summit. The sea was gilded with the same reflection, and uponthe crest of every sparkling wave danced a point of light, like adiamond by lamplight. The mildness of the evening, the sea breezes, sodear to contemplative minds, setting in from the east and blowing indelicious gusts; then, in the distance, the black outline of the yachtwith its rigging traced upon the empurpled background of the sky--while,dotting the horizon, might be seen, here and there, vessels with theirtrimmed sails, like the wings of a seagull about to plunge; such aspectacle indeed well merited admiration. A crowd of curious idlersfollowed the richly dressed attendants, amongst whom they mistookthe steward and the secretary for the master and his friend. As forBuckingham, who was dressed very simply, in a gray satin vest, anddoublet of violet-colored velvet, wearing his hat thrust over his eyes,and without orders or embroidery, he was taken no more notice of than DeWardes, who was in black, like an attorney.

  The duke's attendants had received directions to have a boat inreadiness at the jetty head, and to watch the embarkation of theirmaster, without approaching him until either he or his friend shouldsummon them,--"whatever may happen," he had added, laying a stress uponthese words, so that they might not be misunderstood. Having walked afew paces upon the strand, Buckingham said to De Wardes, "I think it isnow time to take leave of each other. The tide, you perceive, is rising;ten minutes hence it will have soaked the sands where we are now walkingin such a manner that we shall not be able to keep our footing."

  "I await your orders, my lord, but----"

  "But, you mean, we are still upon soil which is part of the king'sterritory."

  "Exactly."

  "Well, do you see yonder a kind of little island surrounded by a circleof water? The pool is increasing every minute, and the isle is graduallydisappearing. This island, indeed, belongs to Heaven, for it is situatedbetween two seas, and is not shown on the king's charts. Do you observeit?"

  "Yes; but we can hardly reach it now, without getting our feet wet."

  "Yes; but observe that it forms an eminence tolerably high, and that thetide rises on every side, leaving the top free. We shall be admirablyplaced upon that little theatre. What do you think of it?"

  "I shall be perfectly happy wherever I may have the honor of crossing mysword with your lordship's."

  "Very well, then, I am distressed to be the cause of your wetting yourfeet, M. de Wardes, but it is most essential you should be able to sayto the king: 'Sire, I did not fight upon your majesty's territory.'Perhaps the distinction is somewhat subtle, but, since Port-Royal, yourn
ation delights in subtleties of expression. Do not let us complainof this, however, for it makes your wit very brilliant, and of a stylepeculiarly your own. If you do not object, we will hurry ourselves, forthe sea, I perceive, is rising fast, and night is setting in."

  "My reason for not walking faster was, that I did not wish to precedeyour Grace. Are you still on dry land, my lord?"

  "Yes, at present I am. Look yonder! My servants are afraid we shall bedrowned, and have converted the boat into a cruiser. Do you remark howcuriously it dances upon the crests of the waves? But, as it makes mefeel sea-sick, would you permit me to turn my back towards them?"

  "You will observe, my lord, that in turning your back to them, you willhave the sun full in your face."

  "Oh, its rays are very feeble at this hour and it will soon disappear;do not be uneasy on that score."

  "As you please, my lord; it was out of consideration for your lordshipthat I made the remark."

  "I am aware of that, M. de Wardes, and I fully appreciate your kindness.Shall we take off our doublets?"

  "As you please, my lord."

  "Do not hesitate to tell me, M. de Wardes, if you do not feelcomfortable upon the wet sand, or if you think yourself a little tooclose to the French territory. We could fight in England, or even uponmy yacht."

  "We are exceedingly well placed here, my lord; only I have the honor toremark that, as the sea is rising fast, we have hardly time----"

  Buckingham made a sign of assent, took off his doublet and threw it onthe ground, a proceeding which De Wardes imitated. Both their bodies,which seemed like phantoms to those who were looking at them from theshore, were thrown strongly into relief by a dark red violet-coloredshadow with which the sky became overspread.

  "Upon my word, your Grace," said De Wardes, "we shall hardly have timeto begin. Do you not perceive how our feet are sinking into the sand?"

  "I have sunk up to the ankles," said Buckingham, "without reckoning thatthe water is even now breaking in upon us."

  "It has already reached me. As soon as you please, therefore, yourGrace," said De Wardes, who drew his sword, a movement imitated by theduke.

  "M. de Wardes," said Buckingham, "one final word. I am about tofight you because I do not like you,--because you have wounded me inridiculing a certain devotional regard I have entertained, and one whichI acknowledge that, at this moment, I still retain, and for which Iwould very willingly die. You are a bad and heartless man, M. de Wardes,and I will do my very utmost to take your life; for I feel assured that,if you survive this engagement, you will, in the future, work greatmischief towards my friends. That is all I have to remark, M. deWardes," concluded Buckingham, as he saluted him.

  "And I, my lord, have only this to reply to you: I have not disliked youhitherto, but, since you give me such a character, I hate you, and willdo all I possibly can to kill you;" and De Wardes saluted Buckingham.

  Their swords crossed at the same moment, like two flashes of lightningon a dark night. The swords seemed to seek each other, guessed theirposition, and met. Both were practiced swordsmen, and the earlier passeswere without any result. The night was fast closing in, and it was sodark that they attacked and defended themselves almost instinctively.Suddenly De Wardes felt his sword arrested,--he had just touchedBuckingham's shoulder. The duke's sword sunk as his arm was lowered.

  "You are wounded, my lord," said De Wardes, drawing back a step or two.

  "Yes, monsieur, but only slightly."

  "Yet you quitted your guard."

  "Only from the first effect of the cold steel, but I have recovered.Let us go on, if you please." And disengaging his sword with a sinisterclashing of the blade, the duke wounded the marquis in the breast.

  "A hit?" he said.

  "No," cried De Wardes, not moving from his place.

  "I beg your pardon, but observing that your shirt was stained----" saidBuckingham.

  "Well," said De Wardes furiously, "it is now your turn."

  And with a terrible lunge, he pierced Buckingham's arm, the swordpassing between the two bones. Buckingham, feeling his right armparalyzed, stretched out his left, seized his sword, which was aboutfalling from his nerveless grasp, and before De Wardes could resume hisguard, he thrust him through the breast. De Wardes tottered, his kneesgave way beneath him, and leaving his sword still fixed in the duke'sarm, he fell into the water, which was soon crimsoned with a moregenuine reflection than that which it had borrowed from the clouds. DeWardes was not dead; he felt the terrible danger that menaced him, forthe sea rose fast. The duke, too, perceived the danger. With an effortand an exclamation of pain he tore out the blade which remained in hisarm, and turning towards De Wardes said, "Are you dead, marquis?"

  "No," replied De Wardes, in a voice choked by the blood which rushedfrom his lungs to his throat, "but very near it."

  "Well, what is to be done; can you walk?" said Buckingham, supportinghim on his knee.

  "Impossible," he replied. Then falling down again, said, "Call to yourpeople, or I shall be drowned."

  "Halloa! boat there! quick, quick!"

  The boat flew over the waves, but the sea rose faster than the boatcould approach. Buckingham saw that De Wardes was on the point of beingagain covered by a wave; he passed his left arm, safe and unwounded,round his body and raised him up. The wave ascended to his waist but didnot move him. The duke immediately began to carry his late antagonisttowards the shore. He had hardly gone ten paces, when a second wave,rushing onwards higher, more furious and menacing than the former,struck him at the height of his chest, threw him over and buried himbeneath the water. At the reflux, however, the duke and De Wardes werediscovered lying on the strand. De Wardes had fainted. At thismoment four of the duke's sailors, who comprehended the danger, threwthemselves into the sea, and in a moment were close beside him. Theirterror was extreme when they observed how their master became coveredwith blood, in proportion as the water with which it was impregnated,flowed towards his knees and feet; they wished to carry him.

  "No, no," exclaimed the duke, "take the marquis on shore first."

  "Death to the Frenchman!" cried the English sullenly.

  "Wretched knaves!" exclaimed the duke, drawing himself up with a haughtygesture, which sprinkled them with blood, "obey directly! M. de Wardeson shore! M. de Wardes's safety to be looked to first, or I will haveyou all hanged!"

  The boat had by this time reached them; the secretary and steward leapedinto the sea, and approached the marquis, who no longer showed any signof life.

  "I commit him to your care, as you value your lives," said the duke."Take M. de Wardes on shore." They took him in their arms, and carriedhim to the dry sand, where the tide never rose so high. A few idlersand five or six fishermen had gathered on the shore, attracted by thestrange spectacle of two men fighting with the water up to their knees.The fishermen, observing a group of men approaching carrying a woundedman, entered the sea until the water was up to their waists. The Englishtransferred the wounded man to them, at the very moment the latter beganto open his eyes again. The salt water and the fine sand had got intohis wounds, and caused him the acutest pain. The duke's secretary drewout a purse filled with gold from his pocket, and handed it to the oneamong those present who appeared of most importance, saying: "From mymaster, his Grace the Duke of Buckingham, in order that every possiblecare may be taken of the Marquis de Wardes."

  Then, followed by those who had accompanied him, he returned to theboat, which Buckingham had been enabled to reach with the greatestdifficulty, but only after he had seen De Wardes out of danger. By thistime it was high tide; embroidered coats and silk sashes were lost; manyhats, too, had been carried away by the waves. The flow of the tide hadborne the duke's and De Wardes's clothes to the shore, and De Wardeswas wrapped in the duke's doublet, under the belief that it was his own,when the fishermen carried him in their arms towards the town.

 

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