第31章

“Ah，sir，“saidItohim，“Ihavehadtimetolearnit

fromPharamondtothereigningking。“

Thisallusionwasbitter，anddidnotescapetheduke，whoturned

paleinspiteofhispresenceofmind，onfindingthatIwasaware

ofthemaliciousreparteewhichhehadmadetothekingwhen

talkingofme，andwhichIhavealreadymentionedtoyou。

The

chancellorsaidtome，

“Youhaveproducedagreateffect，butespeciallyhaveyou

triumphedoverthecabalbythenobilityofyourmannersandthe

dignityofyourmien；andthusyouhavedepriveditofoneofits

greatestenginesofmischief，thatofcalumniatingyourperson。“

“Theyimaginedthen，“saidItohim，“thatIcouldneitherspeak

norbesilent，neitherwalknorsitstill。“

“Astheywishedtofindyouignorantandawkwardtheyhaveset

youdownassuch。

Thisishumannature:whenwehateanyone，we

saytheyarecapableofanything；then，thattheyhavebecome

guiltyofeverything；and，towindupall，theyadoptfortruth

to-daywhattheyinventedlastnight。“

“Wereyounotfearful？“

inquiredtheking。

“Forgiveme，sire，“Ianswered，“whenIsaythatIfearedlestI

shouldnotpleaseyourmajesty；andIwasexcessivelydesirousof

convincingmesdamesofmyrespectfulattachment。“

Thisreplywaspronouncedtobefittingandelegant，altho’Ihad

notinanywaypreparedit。

Thefactis，thatIwasingreat

apprehensionlestIshoulddispleasetheking’sdaughters；andI

dreadedlesttheyshouldmanifesttooopenlythelittlefriendship

whichtheyhadtowardsme。

Fortunatelyallpassedofftoamiracle，

andmygoodstardidnotburndimlyinthisdecisivecircumstance。

AmongstthosewhorejoicedatmytriumphIcannotforgettheduc

d’Aiguillon。

Duringthewholeofthedayhewasinthegreatest

agitation。

Hisfuturedestinywas，inameasure，attachedtomy

fortune；heknewthathiswholeexistencedependedonmine；and

heexpectedfrommepowerfulsupporttodefendhimagainstthe

packofhisenemies，whowereyelpingopen-mouthedagainsthim。

Hestoodinneedofallhisstrengthofmindandequanimityto

concealthedisquietudeandperplexitybywhichhewasinternallyagitated。

ThecomteJeanalsoparticipatedinthisgreatjoy。

Hissituation

atcourtwasnotlessdoubtful；hehadnolongerreasontoblush

forhisalliancewithme，andcouldnowform，withoutexcessof

presumption，themostbrillianthopesofthesplendorofhis

house。

Hisson，thevicomteAdolphe，wasdestinedtohighfortune；

andIassureyouthatIdeeplyregrettedwhenaviolentand

prematuredeathtookhimawayfromhisfamily。

Mypresentation

permittedhisfathertorealizethechimerawhichhehadpursued

withsomuchperseverance。

Heflatteredhimselfintakingpart

withme。

Ididnotforgethiminthedistributionofmyrewards；

andtheking’spursewastohimasourceintowhichhefrequently

dippedwithbothhands。

ThenextdayIhadavisitfromthechancellor。

“Now，“saidhe，“youareattheheightofyourwishes，andwe

mustar