I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 68 M. D'Artagnan meets the Duchess of Montpensier

D'Artagnan's dress is the most fashionable in Paris, and the Burgundian hillbilly can't compare with it, and he is keenly aware of this, so he is extraordinarily smug, and he and Colbert bring ten Two entourages, now these entourages have been arranged to go to the large pantry, the servants of the Duchess, these people have held the horses of D'Artagnan and others, they will be carefully served like their own masters, and the stables will burn On fire, dry and warm, and brushes were held up, and they were wiped clean, and then wiped with dried straws, and D'Artagnan had specially charged them that his lovely mount was the king, in view of his He was rewarded with oats for his talent and loyalty—he even refused to wait in the waiting room first, taking the view and frescoes in the foyer with poise.

At first, Colbert really didn't understand why D'Artagnan did this, but after only two or three minutes, a maid in a long blue dress with cascading lace sticking out from the neckline and cuffs came to lead them. When walking towards the front hall, the surprised and envious glances from the people around him gave him the answer. And in the passage from the vestibule to the corridor, from the corridor to the hall, from the hall to the library, from the library to a small, secluded private room, D'Artagnan not only acquired a beautiful name, a piece of Silk handkerchief embroidered with initials, many smiles, and a vague agreement, even Colbert, who is not very interested in the so-called love, can't help but be very emotional-their king is really Anyone can use it.

D'Artagnan insisted on kissing her hand in thanks, as the maid was about to leave, which she accepted with reluctance, then tiptoed quickly, and said something in the ear of the lord, Colbert. They were only one step away, but they didn't hear what kind of secret the lady had leaked to D'Artagnan, but D'Artagnan's smile really deepened.

There are only a few very simple pieces of furniture in this room, a small round table, three chairs, and a long low couch. The size and style of the chairs are not consistent with the jacquard velvet patterns covering the backs and seat cushions. You can guess that they are quilts. Moved here in a hurry, but the low couch and the wall coverings and the drapery in front of the window have the same color and pattern. Perhaps this room was originally only used as a dressing room or a lounge, but because the king's envoy The sudden arrival of the Duchess of Montpensier's servants had to make arrangements in haste.

The Duchess of Montpensier sat on the largest chair, with a book on her lap, and a delicate crocheted cloak over her scarlet dress, looking like she was reading - Dada Both Niang and Colbert are used to this kind of trick. When the superiors meet their subordinates or those who ask for them, they will always put on the appearance of doing something, so as not to make them think she/he is eagerly waiting. Waiting, this is a very disgraceful behavior.

She even made them wait a few seconds on purpose, and then looked up in astonishment as if she had just found out that they had arrived, and looked at them with eyes that were familiar to D'Artagnan, who was about to pass It took me a while to realize that this duchess is also the king's cousin. She has many similarities with the king, with a serene face, curly hair, beautiful eyebrows and slender fingers. She wears a full set of pearl jewelry today. The pearl necklaces around his neck were each the size of D'Artagnan's little finger, and they were round, and the drop-shaped pearls on the ears were as long as his thumb. D'Artagnan guessed that this set of pearls alone would be enough Worth a thousand livres.

   "Gentlemen," said the Duchess, "I hear that you are here by order of the King."

   "Exactly," said D'Artagnan. "Your Majesty has heard that you have settled in Saint-Fagor, so let us see if you are well."

"Oh, Louis..." The Duchess sighed in an intimate tone: "I guess that's the case. My King's brother is a very gentle and kind person. When I left Paris, he came to see me off, but I, made a lot of mistakes and broke his heart again."

It's not that, D'Artagnan said in his heart, that you have helped His Majesty a lot, but if you knew it, you would have wanted to kneel down, cry and shout, and ruffle your hair like the women of the barbaric land. , put the knife on his chest, "His Majesty has always been friendly to his relatives," said D'Artagnan, "but he has been troubled recently, and we can only ask him a question or two on his behalf."

   "Thank God," said the Duchess, "I am fine, sir, as you can see."

D'Artagnan bowed and said: "I see that you are healthy, happy, and surrounded by innumerable friends, and I feel that my task has been accomplished, then perhaps I can bid you farewell and return to Go to Paris and tell our king the good news."

Colbert, who had been hiding behind D'Artagnan, noticed that when D'Artagnan pretended to say goodbye, the Duchess's fingers twitched visibly. She might know that this was just a hard-to-play trick, but she really couldn't anymore. It is easy to let go of any kindness from the court - she was deeply loved and respected, and lived like a princess in the Tuileries Palace, perhaps because of the illusion that this life gave her, she was like any other. A short-sighted and ignorant child has squandered the Queen Mother Anne's tolerance and love for her like this. The second person in the group can even walk in front of the Queen Mother and Princess of England, but in a split second, she was completely expelled from her room, whether it was the Louvre or the Richelieu House, Or Versailles, they were all sorted out. Her clothes and jewelry were packed in boxes and piled up in squares, streets, and mud. She didn't even have the courage to leave the carriage, so she left Paris crying.

The king's messenger said she was healthy and happy, surrounded by countless friends, but did not know that when she first came to Burgundy, she almost wanted to kill herself - the father she had always loved told her to go away, even if he was exiled to Bouroux Wa, his family still consists only of his step-wife, together with him and her four daughters, and even his illegitimate daughter and son are more loved by him than she; and she betrayed the king for it, and Prince Condé, who betrayed his father, went to the Spaniards, and the duchess managed to write him letters, but those letters, full of tears and love, never got any response.

She rebuilt San Fargo with two hundred thousand livres, she invited scholars, hired orchestras, raised literati, hunted, danced, went to theatre, and said mass—but only she knew that her heart was empty , she could beat her voice, she could be queen in Saint-Falgo, but to the court in Paris, she was just a provincial fool.

If in the past she could still pretend that she was having a good time, then the arrival of the special envoy of the king can be said to tear off the thin layer of disguise at once. He stood there, the grace of the court and the king in reality. Show, he strutted past the Burgundians, scornful of their peeping and whispering, he was majestic and gorgeous, full of pride, before these people could not even touch her skirt, now she does To bow down to them.

"Ah, wait." Seeing that D'Artagnan really wanted to leave immediately, the Duchess couldn't help shouting: "Please come back, sir, I still have..." She stroked her arm impatiently: "I There is also a letter for you to pass on to His Majesty the King."

   d'Artagnan bowed respectfully to her. "That is very good, the king will be very pleased." He said: "Please give me this letter."

   "I'd love to," said the Duchess, "but I haven't finished it yet. Can you stay here a few more days while I finish it?"

D'Artagnan suddenly looked embarrassed, but the Duchess immediately stretched out her arm, which was full of admiration, and white and plump. "Please take this bracelet off," she said: "This is your reward. If the king scolds you for this short delay, you can show him this. Based on the past relationship between me and His Majesty, he will definitely forgive you."

   So d'Artagnan boldly stepped forward, took off the bracelet of pearls and diamonds in Colbert's astonishment, and kissed her hand under the grace of the Duchess.

  —

D'Artagnan and Colbert had two best rooms in the castle of Saint-Fagor, and their valet had two couches that could be pulled out from the bottom of the bed, and the guests of the duchess were polite to them. Annoyed, they were able to have a dinner with the Duchess and never saw her alone after that, which Colbert guessed was to avoid D'Artagnan saying goodbye again - the Duchess's letter was written very slowly, It almost makes one think she has to learn how to write and read.

   But the days at St. Fagor Castle were quite pleasant, but when the time advanced to a week, Colbert couldn't help but get anxious, because they had a mission in their trip.

"Don't worry, don't worry," D'Artagnan said, while drying a note, Colbert's eyes were sharp, and he saw that it was a piece of paper for a tryst. Although he didn't write his name, he knew at a glance that D'Artagnan wrote to the maid. They had met many times, but even Colbert didn't know what D'Artagnan should do. Talk to the maid about her mistress's property.

But before they left, the king said that D'Artagnan would be the main ambassador for the trip. Colbert did not believe in D'Artagnan, but was willing to believe his majesty, but he repeatedly stated that if D'Artagnan continued to delay Going down, he was going to write to the king—perhaps there were other ways to do the work the king had entrusted to him.

   "If all goes well, tonight you will see the result," D'Artagnan had to say at last.

Colbert was dubious, he thought D'Artagnan would do something, but they just sat with the Duchess and watched a new play, and I have to say, it was a good show, and everyone laughed , even Colbert temporarily forgot his worries, but as soon as the curtain fell, he immediately found D'Artagnan.

   "A few hours to-night," said D'Artagnan.

   Colbert had to go back to his room first, but just when he was sleeping just fine, there was a knock on his door.

   (end of this chapter)