Vicomte de Bragelonne - Alexandre Dumas

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 Excerpt: ...cried Athos, taking the hand of the duke; "Raoul shall do just as he likes." "Oh, no, Monsieur, just as you like," interrupted the young man. "Par la corbleu!" said the prince, in his turn, " it is neither the count nor the viscount that shall have his way, --it is I. I will take him away. The navy offers a superb future, my friend." Raoul smiled again so sadly that this time Athos was wounded to the heart, and replied to him by a severe look. Raoul comprehended it all; he recovered his calmness, and was so guarded that not another word escaped him. The duke at length rose, on observing the advanced hour, and said with much animation, " I am in great haste, but if I am told I have lost time in talking with a friend, I will reply that I have gained a good recruit." "Pardon me, Monsieur the Duke," interrupted Raoul, "do not tell the king so, for it is not the king I will serve." "Eh, my friend, whom then will you serve? The times are past when you might have said, 'I belong to M. de Beaufort.' No, nowadays, we all belong to the king, great or small. Therefore, if you serve on board my vessels, there can be nothing equivocal in it, my dear viscount; it will be the king you will serve." Athos waited with a kind of impatient joy for the reply about to be made to this embarrassing question by Raoul, the intractable enemy of the king, his rival. The father hoped that the obstacle would overcome the desire. He was thankful to M. de Beaufort, whose lightness or generous reflection had thrown an impediment in the way of the departure of a son now his only joy. Raoul, still firm and trauquil, replied, "Monsieur the Duke, the objection you make I have already considered in my mind. I wi...