I Am Louis XIV

D'Artagnan's attire was the most fashionable in Paris, and the Burgundy country bumpkins could not compare with it. He was also keenly aware of this, so he was extraordinarily proud and smug. He and Colbert took ten Two attendants, now these attendants are arranged to go to the big dining room, the servants of the duchess took the horses of D'Artagnan and others from these people, they will be served as carefully as their masters, and the fire in the stables Fired, dry and warm, with brushes held up, and brushing them clean, and then wiping their bodies with dried straw, D'Artagnan specially charged them that his lovely steed was the king's What was rewarded to him for his talent and loyalty needs to be fed with oats—he even refused to wait in the waiting room first, and calmly admired the scenery and murals in the foyer.

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 lace protruding from the neckline and cuffs came to lead them. When he walked towards the front hall, the surprised and envious eyes of the people around him gave him the answer. And during the period from the vestibule to the corridor, and from the corridor to the hall, the hall to the library, and the library to a small, hidden private room, d'Artagnan not only got a beautiful name, but also a The silk handkerchief embroidered with initials, many smiles, and a secret promise, even Colbert, who is not very interested in the so-called love, can't help but feel greatly moved—their king still Anyone can use it.

When the maid was about to leave, D'Artagnan insisted on kissing her hand to thank her, she reluctantly accepted, then quickly stood on tiptoe, and said something in the ear of the lord, Colbert He was only one step away from them, but he didn't hear what kind of secret the lady revealed to d'Artagnan, but d'Artagnan's smile did deepen a lot.

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 covering the back of the chair and the cushion. I moved here hastily, but the low couch, the wall coverings, and the curtains in front of the windows have the same color and pattern. Perhaps this room was originally used as a dressing room or a lounge, but because the king's special envoy The sudden arrival of the Duchess of Montpensier had to make arrangements hastily.

The Duchess of Montpensier was sitting on the largest chair, with a book on her knees, and a delicate crocheted cloak over her long scarlet dress, she seemed to be reading——Da Both Dagnan and Colbert are used to this trick. When the superiors receive their subordinates or people who ask for them, they will always pretend to be doing something, so as not to make them think that she/he is in a hurry. Waiting, this is a very demeaning behavior.

She even kept them waiting for a few seconds, before she raised her head in astonishment as if she had just discovered that they had arrived, and looked at them with eyes familiar to d'Artagnan, who was going to live. 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 is wearing a full set of pearl jewelry today. The pearl necklaces on the neck were each as big as d'Artagnan's little finger, and each was round, and the drop-shaped pearls on the ears were as long as his thumb. D'Artagnan guessed that this set of pearls alone Worth a thousand livres.

"Gentlemen," said the Duchess, "I hear that you have come by order of the King."

"Exactly," said d'Artagnan. "Your Majesty has heard that you have settled at Saint-Fargore, 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 man. When I left Paris, he came to see me off. It was me who made a lot of mistakes and broke his heart."

Not that, said d'Artagnan in his heart, you have done His Majesty a great deal, but if you knew it, you would have knelt down and cried like women in barbaric lands, and rumpled your hair. , put a knife on his own chest, "Your Majesty has always been friendly to his relatives," said d'Artagnan, "it's just that he has been involved in many things recently, so we can only ask us to inquire 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 and happy, and that you are surrounded by countless friends. I feel that my task has been completed, so I may bid you farewell and go back to the Go to Paris and tell our king the good news."

Colbert, who had been hiding behind d'Artagnan's back all this time, noticed that the duchess' fingers twitched visibly when d'Artagnan pretended to leave. It is easy to let go of any trace of goodwill cast by the court—she used to be deeply loved and respected, and lived in the Tuileries Palace like a princess. Perhaps it was because of the illusion that this life gave her that she was like Any short-sighted, ignorant child squandered the Queen Mother Anne's tolerance and love for her like that, or she never thought that the Queen Mother's favor could be withdrawn so quickly, so simply, she was once a court noble The second person in the female middle school could even walk in front of the Queen Mother and Princess of England, but she was completely expelled in an instant, and her room, whether it was the Louvre or the Richelieu House , or Versailles, were sorted out, her clothes and jewelry were packed into boxes and piled up in squares, streets and mud. She didn't even have the courage to leave the carriage, so she had to leave Paris crying.

The king's envoy said that she was healthy, happy, and surrounded by countless friends, but she didn't know that when she first came to Burgundy, she almost wanted to commit suicide-the father she had always loved told her to go away, even though he was exiled to Burgundy. Loire, whose family still consisted only of his step-wife, together with him and her four daughters, and even his illegitimate daughter and son were more worthy of his love than she; for which she betrayed the king, The Prince of Condé, who betrayed his father again, ran to the Spaniards, and the Duchess managed to write to him, but those letters, full of tears and love, never received any response.

She rebuilt Saint-Fargot with two hundred thousand livres, invited scholars, hired orchestras, kept literati, hunted, danced, went to theaters, and said mass with people all day long-but only she knew that her heart was empty Yes, she can be knocked out, she may be queen in St. Fargo, but to the court of Paris, she is just a provincial fool.

If she could pretend that she was having a good time in the past, then the arrival of the king's special envoy can be said to have torn away the thin layer of disguise. Standing there, he was the embodiment of the court and the king's favor in reality. Show, he strutted past those Burgundians, dismissive of their peeps and whispers, he was stately, gorgeous, full of pride, who before they could not even touch her skirts, and now she To bow 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 anxiously: " I have another letter for you to deliver to His Majesty the King."

D'Artagnan bowed respectfully to her, "That's great, the king will be very happy." He said: "Please give me this letter."

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

D'Artagnan suddenly showed a look of embarrassment, but the Duchess immediately stretched out her arm. She has an amazing arm, plump and white. "Please take off this bracelet," she said: "This is your reward. If the king scolds you for this short delay, you can show him this, and he will forgive you for the sake of my past relationship with your majesty."

So D'Artagnan stepped forward boldly, took off the pearl-and-diamond bracelet while Colbert was stunned, and kissed her hand under the Duchess' tolerance.

——

D'Artagnan and Colbert had two of the best rooms at the Château Saint-Fargore, and their personal servants had two couches that could be pulled out from under the beds, and the duchess' guests were very polite to them Annoyed, they were able to dine with the Duchess once, and were not alone with her after that, Colbert guessed this was to avoid another farewell from d'Artagnan - the Duchess's letter was written very slowly , it almost makes people think that she still has to learn how to write and read.

But the days at Saint-Fargore Castle were quite pleasant, but when the time progressed to a week, Colbert couldn't help becoming anxious, because they had a mission on their trip.

"Be safe, stay safe," said d'Artagnan, drying a piece of paper, and Colbert's sharp eyes immediately saw that it was a piece of paper for a tryst. Although there was no name written on it, he knew at a glance that it was written by dArtagnan to the maid. They had met many times, but even Colbert didn't know what dArtagnan should do. Speak to the maid about her mistress' property.

But before they left, the king said that dArtagnan was the main envoy for this trip. Colbert did not believe dArtagnan, but he was willing to believe his majesty, but he still stated repeatedly that if dArtagnan continued to delay Going down, he is going to write a letter to the king—maybe there may be other ways to complete the work entrusted by the king.

"If everything goes well, you can see the result tonight." Finally d'Artagnan had to say this.

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, everyone laughed out loud , even Colbert temporarily forgot his worries, but as soon as the curtain fell, he immediately found d'Artagnan.

"How many hours are left tonight," said d'Artagnan.

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