Louise de la Valliere | Page 6

forgets his affection for
Madame. That same night, Henrietta overhears, at the same oak, De
Guiche confessing his love for her to Raoul. The two embark on their
own affair. A few days later, during a rainstorm, Louis and Louise are
trapped alone together, and the whole court begins to talk of the scandal
while their love affair blossoms. Aware of Louise's attachment, the
king arranges for Raoul to be sent to England for an indefinite period.
Meanwhile, the struggle for power continues between Fouquet and
Colbert. Although the Belle-Isle plot backfired, Colbert prompts the
king to ask Fouquet for more and more money, and without his two
friends to raise it for him, Fouquet is sorely pressed. The situation gets
so bad that his new mistress, Madame de Belliere, must resort to selling
all her jewels and her gold and silver plate. Aramis, while this is going
on, has grown friendly with the governor of the Bastile, M. de
Baisemeaux, a fact that Baisemeaux unwittingly reveals to D'Artagnan
while inquiring of him as to Aramis's whereabouts. This further arouses
the suspicions of the musketeer, who was made to look ridiculous by
Aramis. He had ridden overnight at an insane pace, but arrived a few
minutes after Fouquet had already presented Belle-Isle to the king.
Aramis learns from the governor the location of a mysterious prisoner,
who bears a remarkable resemblance to Louis XIV - in fact, the two are
identical. He uses the existence of this secret to persuade a dying
Franciscan monk, the general of the society of the Jesuits, to name him,
Aramis, the new general of the order. On Aramis's advice, hoping to
use Louise's influence with the king to counteract Colbert's influence,
Fouquet also writes a love letter to La Valliere, unfortunately undated.
It never reaches its destination, however, as the servant ordered to
deliver it turns out to be an agent of Colbert's.
Porthos, in the meantime, has been recovering from his midnight ride
from Belle-Isle at Fouquet's residence at Saint-Mande. Athos has
retired, once again to La Fere. D'Artagnan, little amused by the court's
activities at Fontainebleau, and finding himself with nothing to do, has
returned to Paris, and we find him again in Planchet's grocery shop.
And so, the story continues in this, the third etext of The Vicomte de

Bragelonne. Enjoy!
John Bursey [email protected] July, 2000
Louise de la Valliere by Alexandre Dumas


Chapter I
: Malaga.
During all these long and noisy debates between the opposite ambitions
of politics and love, one of our characters, perhaps the one least
deserving of neglect, was, however, very much neglected, very much
forgotten, and exceedingly unhappy. In fact, D'Artagnan - D'Artagnan,
we say, for we must call him by his name, to remind our readers of his
existence - D'Artagnan, we repeat, had absolutely nothing whatever to
do, amidst these brilliant butterflies of fashion. After following the king
during two whole days at Fontainebleau, and critically observing the
various pastoral fancies and heroi-comic transformations of his
sovereign, the musketeer felt that he needed something more than this
to satisfy the cravings of his nature. At every moment assailed by
people asking him, "How do you think this costume suits me, Monsieur
d'Artagnan?" he would reply to them in quiet, sarcastic tones, "Why, I
think you are quite as well-dressed as the best-dressed monkey to be
found in the fair at Saint- Laurent." It was just such a compliment
D'Artagnan would choose where he did not feel disposed to pay any
other: and, whether agreeable or not, the inquirer was obliged to be
satisfied with it. Whenever any one asked him, "How do you intend to
dress yourself this evening?" he replied, "I shall undress myself;" at
which the ladies all laughed, and a few of them blushed. But after a
couple of days passed in this manner, the musketeer, perceiving that
nothing serious was likely to arise which would concern him, and that
the king had completely, or, at least, appeared to have completely
forgotten Paris, Saint-Mande, and Belle-Isle - that M. Colbert's mind
was occupied with illuminations and fireworks - that for the next month,
at least, the ladies had plenty of glances to bestow, and also to receive
in exchange - D'Artagnan asked the king for leave of absence for a
matter of private business. At the moment D'Artagnan made his request,
his majesty was on the point of going to bed, quite exhausted from

dancing.
"You wish to leave me, Monsieur d'Artagnan?" inquired the king, with
an air of astonishment; for Louis XIV. could never understand why any
one who had the distinguished honor of being near him could wish to
leave him.
"Sire," said D'Artagnan, "I leave you simply because I am not of the
slightest service to you