"It is but too true," said Athos, replying with his voice to the first part of the king's speech, and with a bow to the second; "it is but too true, indeed, that your majesty has seen many evil days."
"And the worst, alas!" replied Charles, "are perhaps still to come."
"Sire, let us hope."
"Count, count," continued Charles, shaking his head, "I entertained hope till last night, and that of a good Christian, I swear."
Athos looked at the king as if to interrogate him.
"Oh, the history is soon related," said Charles. "Proscribed, despoiled, disdained, I resolved, in spite of all my repugnance, to tempt fortune one last time. Is it not written above, that, for our family, all good fortune and all bad fortune shall eternally come from France? You know something of that, monsieur, - you, who are one of the Frenchmen whom my unfortunate father found at the foot of his scaffold, on the day of his death, after having found them at his right hand on the day of battle."
"Sire," said Athos modestly, "I was not alone. My companions and I did, under the circumstances, our duty as gentlemen, and that was all. Your majesty was about to do me the honor to relate - "
"That is true, I had the protection, - pardon my hesitation, count, but, for a Stuart, you, who understand everything, you will comprehend that the word is hard to pronounce; - I had, I say, the protection of my cousin the stadtholder of Holland; but without the intervention, or at least without the authorization of France, the stadtholder would not take the initiative. I came, then, to ask this authorization of the king of France, who has refused me."
"The king has refused you, sire!"
"Oh, not he; all justice must be rendered to my younger brother Louis; but Monsieur de Mazarin - "
Athos bit his lips.
"You perhaps think I should have expected this refusal?" said the king, who had noticed the movement.
"That was, in truth, my thought, sire," replied Athos, respectfully; "I know that Italian of old."
"Then I determined to come to the test, and know at once the last word of my destiny. I told my brother Louis, that, not to compromise either France or Holland, I would tempt fortune myself in person, as I had already done, with two hundred gentlemen, if he would give them to me; and a million, if he would lend it me."
"Well, sire?"
"Well, monsieur, I am suffering at this moment something strange, and that is, the satisfaction of despair. There is in certain souls, - and I have just discovered that mine is of the number,- a real satisfaction in the assurance that all is lost, and the time is come to yield."
"Oh, I hope," said Athos, "that your majesty is not come to that extremity."
"To say so, my lord count, to endeavor to revive hope in my heart, you must have ill understood what I have just told you. I came to Blois to ask of my brother Louis the alms of a million, with which I had the hopes of re-establishing my affairs; and my brother Louis has refused me. You see, then, plainly, that all is lost."
"Will your majesty permit me to express a contrary opinion?"
"How is that, count? Do you think my heart of so low an order that I do not know how to face my position?"
"Sire, I have always seen that it was in desperate positions that suddenly the great turns of fortune have taken place."
"Thank you, count: it is some comfort to meet with a heart like yours; that is to say, sufficiently trustful in God and in monarchy, never to despair of a royal fortune, however low it may be fallen. Unfortunately, my dear count, your words are like those remedies they call 'sovereign,' and which, though able to cure curable wounds or diseases, fail against death. Thank you for your perseverance in consoling me, count, thanks for your devoted remembrance, but I know in what I must trust - nothing will save me now. And see, my friend, I was so convinced, that I was taking the route of exile, with my old Parry; I was returning to devour my poignant griefs in the little hermitage offered me by Holland. There, believe me, count, all will soon be over, and death will come quickly; it is called so often by this body, eaten up by its soul, and by this soul, which aspires to heaven."
"Your majesty has a mother, a sister, and brothers; your majesty is the head of the family, and ought, therefore, to ask a long life of God, instead of imploring Him for a prompt death. Your majesty is an exile, a fugitive, but you have right on your side; you ought to aspire to combats, dangers, business, and not to rest in heavens."
"Count," said Charles II., with a smile of indescribable sadness, "have you ever heard of a king who reconquered his kingdom with one servant the age of Parry, and with three hundred crowns which that servant carried in his purse?"
"No, sire; but I have heard - and that more than once - that a dethroned king has recovered his kingdom with a firm will, perseverance, some friends, and a million skillfully employed."
"But you cannot have understood me. The million I asked of my brother Louis was refused me."
"Sire," said Athos, "will your majesty grant me a few minutes, and listen attentively to what remains for me to say to you?"
Charles II. looked earnestly at Athos. "Willingly, monsieur," said he.
"Then I will show your majesty the way," resumed the count, directing his steps towards the house. He then conducted the king to his study, and begged him to be seated. "Sire," said he, "your majesty just now told me that, in the present state of England, a million would suffice for the recovery of your kingdom."
"To attempt it at least, monsieur; and to die as a king if I should not succeed."