Chapter 12 - Page 2

the steep declivities of the
hills. Madame, whose attention had been aroused by the noise, turned her
head for a moment to observe the cause of it, and then, slightly smiling,
again entered into conversation with her faithful guardians, Raoul and De
Guiche, who were quietly riding at her carriage doors. Buckingham felt
himself a prey to all the tortures of jealousy; an unknown, unheard of
anguish glided through his veins, and laid siege to his heart; and then,
as if to show that he knew the folly of his conduct, and that he wished
to correct, by the humblest submission, his flights of absurdity, he
mastered his horse, and compelled him, reeking with sweat and flecked
with foam, to champ his bit close beside the carriage, amidst the crowd
of courtiers. Occasionally he obtained a word from Madame as a
recompense, and yet her speech seemed almost a reproach.

"That is well, my lord," she said, "now you are reasonable."

Or from Raoul, "Your Grace is killing your horse."

Buckingham listened patiently to Raoul's remarks, for he instinctively
felt, without having had any proof that such was the case, that Raoul
checked the display of De Guiche's feelings, and that, had it not been
for Raoul, some mad act or proceeding, either of the count, or of
Buckingham himself, would have brought about an open rupture, or a
disturbance - perhaps even exile itself. From the moment of that excited
conversation the two young men had held in front of the tents at Le
Havre, when Raoul made the duke perceive the impropriety of his conduct,
Buckingham felt himself attracted towards Raoul almost in spite of
himself. He often entered into conversation with him, and it was nearly
always to talk to him either of his father or of D'Artagnan, their mutual
friend, in whose praise Buckingham was nearly as enthusiastic as Raoul.
Raoul endeavored, as much as possible, to make the conversation turn upon
this subject in De Wardes's presence, who had, during the whole journey,
been exceedingly annoyed at the superior position taken by Bragelonne,
and especially by his influence over De Guiche. De Wardes had that keen
and merciless penetration most evil natures possess; he had immediately
remarked De Guiche's melancholy, and divined the nature of his regard for
the princess. Instead, however, of treating the subject with the same
reserve which Raoul practiced; instead of regarding with that respect,
which was their due, the obligations and duties of society, De Wardes
resolutely attacked in the count the ever-sounding chord of juvenile
audacity and pride. It happened one evening, during a halt at Mantes,
that while De Guiche and De Wardes were leaning against a barrier,
engaged in conversation, Buckingham and Raoul were also talking together