登陆注册
5287000000205

第205章 66(1)

Remember!

The mob had already assembled when the confession terminated. The king's children next arrived -- the Princess Charlotte, a beautiful, fair-haired child, with tears in her eyes, and the Duke of Gloucester, a boy eight or nine years old, whose tearless eyes and curling lip revealed a growing pride. He had wept all night long, but would not show his grief before the people.

Charles's heart melted within him at the sight of those two children, whom he had not seen for two years and whom he now met at the moment of death. He turned to brush away a tear, and then, summoning up all his firmness, drew his daughter toward him, recommending her to be pious and resigned. Then he took the boy upon his knee.

"My son," he said to him, "you saw a great number of people in the streets as you came here. These men are going to behead your father. Do not forget that. Perhaps some day they will want to make you king, instead of the Prince of Wales, or the Duke of York, your elder brothers. But you are not the king, my son, and can never be so while they are alive. Swear to me, then, never to let them put a crown upon your head unless you have a legal right to the crown. For one day -- listen, my son -- one day, if you do so, they will doom you to destruction, head and crown, too, and then you will not be able to die with a calm conscience, as I die. Swear, my son."

The child stretched out his little hand toward that of his father and said, "I swear to your majesty."

"Henry," said Charles, "call me your father."

"Father," replied the child, "I swear to you that they shall kill me sooner than make me king."

"Good, my child. Now kiss me; and you, too, Charlotte. Never forget me."

"Oh! never, never!" cried both the children, throwing their arms around their father's neck.

"Farewell," said Charles, "farewell, my children. Take them away, Juxon; their tears will deprive me of the courage to die."

Juxon led them away, and this time the doors were left open.

Meanwhile, Athos, in his concealment, waited in vain the signal to recommence his work. Two long hours he waited in terrible inaction. A deathlike silence reigned in the room above. At last he determined to discover the cause of this stillness. He crept from his hole and stood, hidden by the black drapery, beneath the scaffold. Peeping out from the drapery, he could see the rows of halberdiers and musketeers around the scaffold and the first ranks of the populace swaying and groaning like the sea.

"What is the matter, then?" he asked himself, trembling more than the wind-swayed cloth he was holding back. "The people are hurrying on, the soldiers under arms, and among the spectators I see D'Artagnan. What is he waiting for? What is he looking at? Good God! have they allowed the headsman to escape?"

Suddenly the dull beating of muffled drums filled the square. The sound of heavy steps was heard above his head.

The next moment the very planks of the scaffold creaked with the weight of an advancing procession, and the eager faces of the spectators confirmed what a last hope at the bottom of his heart had prevented him till then believing. At the same moment a well-known voice above him pronounced these words:

"Colonel, I want to speak to the people."

Athos shuddered from head to foot. It was the king speaking on the scaffold.

In fact, after taking a few drops of wine and a piece of bread, Charles, weary of waiting for death, had suddenly decided to go to meet it and had given the signal for movement. Then the two wings of the window facing the square had been thrown open, and the people had seen silently advancing from the interior of the vast chamber, first, a masked man, who, carrying an axe in his hand, was recognized as the executioner. He approached the block and laid his axe upon it. Behind him, pale indeed, but marching with a firm step, was Charles Stuart, who advanced between two priests, followed by a few superior officers appointed to preside at the execution and attended by two files of partisans who took their places on opposite sides of the scaffold.

The sight of the masked man gave rise to a prolonged sensation. Every one was full of curiosity as to who that unknown executioner could be who presented himself so opportunely to assure to the people the promised spectacle, when the people believed it had been postponed until the following day. All gazed at him searchingly.

But they could discern nothing but a man of middle height, dressed in black, apparently of a certain age, for the end of a gray beard peeped out from the bottom of the mask that hid his features.

同类推荐
  • 南岳单传记

    南岳单传记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诚斋杂记

    诚斋杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 维摩诘所说经

    维摩诘所说经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞玄灵宝五感文

    洞玄灵宝五感文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仁王经疏

    仁王经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 才高九斗

    才高九斗

    给大家讲个笑话。话说,一位性格厚黑的大学生,因为意外而穿越,来到国力强盛文化繁荣的乾朝。机缘巧合下成为一名少爷,天降美丽的未婚妻子,拥有身份牛掰的老爹,显赫的家族身份,开局即巅峰,美好悠闲生活貌似开始了?……可惜啊,老爹虽然牛逼,但是朝堂上树敌无数,家族虽然显赫,但是继承人却是个傻的!未婚妻美若天仙,号称天都三大明月之一,但是却有很多纨绔在觊觎,王朝看似风平浪静,实则暗流涌动……不过好在主角穿越过来了,没办法了,为了美好悠闲生活,拼了!!!!(前期搞怪猥琐发育,后期…嘿嘿嘿)
  • 医界天骄

    医界天骄

    妙手回春,一针万金!达官显贵,富豪明星,成功人士竞折腰!实习医生,身怀医家绝技,善治各种疑难杂症。这里有西医,也有中医,他家世显赫,丰姿盖世,更有惊艳的医术,红颜知己倾国倾城,集百家之大长,济世为怀,成为一代名医。书友交流群:181170762
  • 绀珠集

    绀珠集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 斗罗之冰皇主宰

    斗罗之冰皇主宰

    本书是新书,有什么不好的地方请各位大佬请教.同时本书不是无敌小说.欢迎评论!而且这是一样的斗罗二,却是不一样的剧情。比主角更先来到史莱克到底会发生怎么样剧情。欢迎你们来看
  • 大鳄2:七牌梭哈局

    大鳄2:七牌梭哈局

    一部横跨40年的资本传奇,一个金融天才的复仇传奇,再现资本游戏的罪恶与救赎。4年后,两个与袁得鱼产生朦胧情愫的两个女孩,一同来到最南边寻找失踪的袁得鱼。袁得鱼装疯卖傻,低调复出。在过去4年时间里,唐子风事业如日中天,泰达集团正成为最大的金融帝国。熊市中少有的暴利也让各路大佬的关系更为紧密,同时在酝酿新的利益项目。
  • 风吹过的脚步

    风吹过的脚步

    无论发生了什么,错过了什么,我们都是向前走的,谁也不例外。
  • 表达力练习题

    表达力练习题

    人们通常认为良好的表达力是由于出众的表达,其实卓越表达力的真正来源是之前的内容编排和逻辑思维的训练。如何将思想和内容准确无误的表述出来以取得沟通效果,需要掌握不同背景下的表达技巧。如果你想获得所向披靡的语言表达力,请即刻翻开本书,225道全能自测题覆盖所有口语表达领域,帮助你提高“语商”,变身沟通达人,玩转你的人际交往圈。
  • 神医大小姐:兽王,你悠着点!

    神医大小姐:兽王,你悠着点!

    纵你万般气盛欺人,自有万兽任我驱使。一代神医附身举世闻名的废材身上,可废材读作废材,写作天才!面对欺上门的各路渣渣,一个一巴掌扇飞至天边。炼药师稀少?炼器师难求?她闭着眼直接扔草药便是一炉一品极品!她随手一炼便是一堆神器!左有戏精好友嘤嘤嘤,右有万兽之王保驾护航。断月一箭来一个射一个,来两个射一双!“你以前叫我什么?”“祖宗。”1v1爽文,女主扮猪吃虎,男主双人格。虐的话作者选择死亡。
  • 喜欢就这样赖在你身边

    喜欢就这样赖在你身边

    南有蔚海,北有莹雪,而我,只有你。夏有青木,秋有白露,而你,只有我。愿意为你烧一辈子菜。愿意当你一辈子的钱包。在家捶背,上街拎包。必要时站出来,当你的superman。
  • 瓜田李下女当家

    瓜田李下女当家

    【推荐新文《侍婢倾城:暴君不温柔》】什么?敢往她的南瓜里装石子?好吧,姐姐家粪池里的粪也还剩了不少。什么?敢借钱不还?好吧。不要怪我,姐姐我揭人瓦一揭一个准。什么?迂腐书呆不吃不喝?老姑娘没人要,没关系,女子当自强。