The Three Musketeers (Translated by Richard Pevear) - Alexandre Dumas [186]
“What do you want?” she said. “Why are you putting your hands on me?”
“I thought Madame was unwell, and I wanted to help her,” replied the maid, frightened at the terrible expression that had come over her mistress’s face.
“Unwell? I? I? Do you take me for a weak female? When I am insulted, I do not become unwell, I become vengeful! Do you hear?”
And she made a sign with her hand for Kitty to leave.
XXXVI
THE DREAM OF VENGEANCE
That evening Milady gave orders to admit M. d’Artagnan as soon as he came, as was her custom. But he did not come.
The next day Kitty went to see the young man again and told him all that had happened the evening before. D’Artagnan smiled; this jealous anger of Milady was his vengeance.
That evening Milady was still more impatient than the day before. She repeated her orders concerning the Gascon; but, as the day before, she waited in vain.
The next day Kitty appeared at d’Artagnan’s, no longer joyful and alert as on the two previous days, but desperately sad.
D’Artagnan asked the poor girl what was wrong, but her only reply was to take a letter from her pocket and hand it to him.
This letter was in Milady’s hand, only this time it was actually addressed to d’Artagnan and not to M. de Wardes.
He opened it and read the following:
Dear M. d’Artagnan,
It is wrong to neglect one’s friends like this, above all when one is about to leave them for so long. My brother-in-law and I waited in vain yesterday and the day before. Will it be the same this evening?
Your very grateful,
Lady Clarick
“It’s quite simple,” said d’Artargnan, “and I’ve been expecting this letter. My credit goes up as the comte de Wardes’s goes down.”
“You mean you’ll go?” asked Kitty.
“Listen, my dear child,” said the Gascon, who was seeking to excuse himself in his own eyes for breaking his promise to Athos, “you understand that it would be impolitic not to accept such an outright invitation. Milady, seeing that I do not come back, will be unable to understand the breaking off of my visits. She may suspect something, and who can say how far the vengeance of a woman of such temper will go?”
“Oh, my God!” said Kitty. “You know how to present things so that you’re always right. But you’ll court her again; and if you manage to please her this time, under your own name and your own face, it will be much worse than the first time!”
Instinct made the poor girl guess part of what was going to happen.
D’Artagnan reassured her as best he could and promised her that he would remain insensible to Milady’s seductions.
He sent word to her that he could not be more grateful for her kindness and that he would obey her orders; but he did not dare write to her for fear of being unable to disguise his handwriting sufficiently for eyes as experienced as Milady’s.
At the stroke of nine, d’Artagnan was at the place Royale. It was obvious that the domestics who were waiting in the antechamber had been forewarned, for as soon as d’Artagnan appeared, even before he asked if it was possible to see Milady, one of them ran to announce him.
“Show him in,” said Milady, in a voice so curt but so piercing that d’Artagnan heard it in the antechamber.
He was admitted.
“I am at home to no one,” said Milady, “understand? No one.”
The lackey went out.
D’Artagnan cast a curious glance at Milady: she was pale and her eyes were tired, either from tears or from insomnia. The number of lights had been intentionally diminished, and yet the young woman could not manage to conceal the traces of the fever that had devoured her for two days.
D’Artagnan went up to her with his usual gallantry. She made a supreme effort to receive him, but never had a more distorted physiognomy belied a more amiable smile.
To d’Artagnan’s questions about her health, she replied: “Bad, very bad.”
“But in that case,” said d’Artagnan, “I am being indiscreet, you no doubt have need of rest, and I shall withdraw.”
“Not at all,” said Milady. “On the contrary, stay, M. d’Artagnan, your amiable company will distract me.”
“Oho!” thought