CHAPTER 83
Havre
This brilliant and animated company, the members of which
were inspired by various feelings, arrived at Havre four
days after their departure from Paris. It was about five
o'clock in the afternoon, and no intelligence had yet been
received of Madame. They were soon engaged in quest of
apartments; but the greatest confusion immediately ensued
among the masters, and violent quarrels among their
attendants. In the midst of this disorder, the Comte de
Guiche fancied he recognized Manicamp. It was, indeed,
Manicamp himself; but as Malicorne had taken possession of
his very best costume, he had not been able to get any other
than a suit of violet velvet trimmed with silver. Guiche
recognized him as much by his dress as by his features, for
he had very frequently seen Manicamp in his violet suit,
which was his last resource. Manicamp presented himself to
the count under an arch of torches, which set in a blaze,
rather than illuminated, the gate by which Havre is entered,
and which is situated close to the tower of Francis I. The
count, remarking the woe-begone expression of Manicamp's
face, could not resist laughing. "Well, my poor Manicamp,"
he exclaimed, "how violet you look; are you in mourning?"
"Yes," replied Manicamp; "I am in mourning."
"For whom, or for what?"
"For my blue-and-gold suit, which has disappeared, and in
the place of which I could find nothing but this; and I was
even obliged to economize from compulsion, in order to get
possession of it."
"Indeed?"
"It is singular you should be astonished at that, since you
leave me without any money."
"At all events, here you are, and that is the principal
thing."
"By the most horrible roads."
"Where are you lodging?"
"Lodging?"
"Yes!"
"I am not lodging anywhere."
De Guiche began to laugh. "Well," said he, "where do you
intend to lodge?"
"In the same place you do."
"But I don't know, myself."
"What do you mean by saying you don't know?"
"Certainly, how is it likely I should know where I should
stay?"
"Have you not retained an hotel?"
"I?"
"Yes, you or the prince."
"Neither of us has thought of it. Havre is of considerable
size, I suppose; and provided I can get a stable for a dozen
horses, and a suitable house in a good quarter ---- "
"Certainly, there are some very excellent houses."
"Well then ---- "
"But not for us."
"What do you mean by saying not for us? -- for whom, then?"
"For the English, of course."
"For the English?"
"Yes; the houses are all taken."
"By whom?"
"By the Duke of Buckingham."
"I beg your pardon?" said Guiche, whose attention this name
had awakened.
"Yes, by the Duke of Buckingham. His Grace was preceded by a
courier, who arrived here three days ago, and immediately
retained all the houses fit for habitation the town
possesses."
"Come, come, Manicamp, let us understand each other."
"Well, what I have told you is clear enough, it seems to
me."
"But surely Buckingham does not occupy the whole of Havre?"
"He certainly does not occupy it, since he has not yet
arrived; but, once disembarked, he will occupy it."
"Oh! oh!"
"It is quite clear you are not acquainted with the English;
they have a perfect rage for monopolizing everything."
"That may be; but a man who has the whole of one house, is
satisfied with it, and does not require two."
"Yes, but two men?"
"Be it so; for two men, two houses, or four or six, or ten,
if you like; but there are a hundred houses at Havre."
"Yes, and all the hundred are let."
"Impossible!"
"What an obstinate fellow you are. I tell you Buckingham has
hired all the houses surrounding the one which the queen
dowager of England and the princess her daughter will
inhabit."
"He is singular enough, indeed," said De Wardes, caressing
his horse's neck.
"Such is the case, however, monsieur."
"You are quite sure of it, Monsieur de Manicamp?" and as he
put this question, he looked slyly at De Guiche, as though
to interrogate him upon the degree of confidence to be
placed in his friend's state of mind. During this discussion
the night had closed in, and the torches, pages, attendants,
squires, horses, and carriages, blocked up the gate and the
open place; the torches were reflected in the channel, which
the rising tide was gradually filling, while on the other
side of the jetty might be noticed groups of curious
lookers-on, consisting of sailors and townspeople, who
seemed anxious to miss nothing of the spectacle. Amidst all
this hesitation of purpose, Bragelonne, as though a perfect
stranger to the scene, remained on his horse somewhat in the
rear of Guiche, and watched the rays of light reflected on
the water, inhaling with rapture the sea breezes, and
listening to the waves which noisily broke upon the shore
and on the beach, tossing the spray into the air with a
noise that echoed in the distance. "But," exclaimed De
Guiche, "what is Buckingham's motive for providing such a
supply of lodgings?"
"Yes, yes," said De Wardes; "what reason has he?"
"A very excellent one," replied Manicamp.
"You know what it is, then?"
"I fancy I do."
"Tell us then."
"Bend your head down towards me."
"What! may it not be spoken except in private?"
"You shall judge of that yourself."
"Very well." De Guiche bent down.
"Love," said Manicamp.
"I do not understand you at all."
"Say rather, you cannot understand me yet."
"Explain yourself."
"Very well; it is quite certain, count, that his royal
highness will be the most unfortunate of husbands."
"What do you mean?"
"The Duke of Buckingham ---- "
"It is a name of ill omen to the princes of the house of
France."
"And so the duke is madly in love with Madame, so the rumor
runs, and will have no one approach her but himself."
De Guiche colored. "Thank you, thank you," said he to
Manicamp, grasping his hand. Then, recovering himself,
added, "Whatever you do, Manicamp, be careful that this
project of Buckingham's is not made known to any Frenchman
here; for, if so, many a sword would be unsheathed in this
country that does not fear English steel."
"But after all," said Manicamp, "I have had no satisfactory
proof given me of the love in question, and it may be no
more than an idle tale."
"No, no," said De Guiche, "it must be the truth;" and
despite his command over himself, he clenched his teeth.
"Well," said Manicamp, "after all, what does it matter to
you? What does it matter to me whether the prince is to be
what the late king was? Buckingham the father for the queen,
Buckingham the son for the princess."
"Manicamp! Manicamp!
"It is a fact, or at least, everybody says so."
"Silence!" cried the count.
"But why, silence?" said De Wardes, "it is a highly
creditable circumstance for the French nation. Are not you
of my opinion, Monsieur de Bragelonne?"
"To what circumstance do you allude?" inquired De Bragelonne
with an abstracted air.
"That the English should render homage to the beauty of our
queens and our princesses."
"Forgive me, but I have not been paying attention to what
has passed; will you oblige me by explaining,
"There is no doubt it was necessary that Buckingham the
father should come to Paris in order that his majesty, King
Louis XIII., should perceive that his wife was one of the
most beautiful women of the French court; and it seems
necessary, at the present time, that Buckingham the son
should consecrate, by the devotion of his worship, the
beauty of a princess who has French blood in her veins. The
fact of having inspired a passion on the other side of the
Channel will henceforth confer a title to beauty on this."
"Sir," replied De Bragelonne, "I do not like to hear such
matters treated so lightly. Gentlemen like ourselves should
be careful guardians of the honor of our queens and our
princesses. If we jest at them, what will our servants do?"
"How am I to understand that?" said De Wardes, whose ears
tingled at the remark.
"In any way you choose, monsieur," replied De Bragelonne,
coldly.
"Bragelonne, Bragelonne," murmured De Guiche.
"M. de Wardes," exclaimed Manicamp, noticing that the young
man had spurred his horse close to the side of Raoul.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said De Guiche, "do not set such an
example in public, in the street too. De Wardes, you are
wrong."
"Wrong; in what way, may I ask?"
"You are wrong, monsieur, because you are always speaking
ill of someone or something," replied Raoul with undisturbed
composure.
"Be indulgent, Raoul," said De Guiche, in an undertone.
"Pray do not think of fighting, gentlemen!" said Manicamp,
"before you have rested yourselves; for in that case you
will not be able to do much."
"Come," said De Guiche, "forward, gentlemen!" and breaking
through the horses and attendants, he cleared the way for
himself towards the center of the square, through the crowd,
followed by the whole cavalcade. A large gateway looking out
upon a courtyard was open; Guiche entered the courtyard, and
Bragelonne, De Wardes, Manicamp, and three or four other
gentlemen, followed him. A sort of council of war was held,
and the means to be employed for saving the dignity of the
embassy were deliberated upon. Bragelonne was of opinion
that the right of priority should be respected, while De
Wardes suggested that the town should be sacked. This latter
proposition appearing to Manicamp rather premature, he
proposed instead that they should first rest themselves.
This was the wisest thing to do, but, unhappily, to follow
his advice, two things were wanting; namely, a house and
beds. De Guiche reflected for awhile, and then said aloud,
"Let him who loves me, follow me!"
"The attendants also?" inquired a page who had approached
the group.
"Every one," exclaimed the impetuous young man. "Manicamp,
show us the way to the house. destined for her Royal
Highness's residence."
Without in any way divining the count's project, his friends
followed him, accompanied by a crowd of people whose
acclamations and delight seemed a happy omen for the success
of that project with which they were yet unacquainted. The
wind was blowing strongly from the harbor, and moaning in
fitful gusts.
