Chapter 39 Chapter 37 Milady's Secret

After d'Artagnan left Milady's house, he did not immediately go upstairs to Kitty's room, despite the poor girl's repeated pleas.He did this for two reasons: first, because he saved himself from having to listen to accusations, censures, and entreaties; woman's mind. Nothing was clearer than this, that d'Artagnan fell in love with Milady like a madman, and Milady did not love him at all.D'Artagnan understood in an instant that the best thing he could do was to go home and write a long letter to Milady, confessing to her that up to this point he and Valdes were one and the same, and that he could not promise to go. Kill Walder, or he may die from the world of mortals.However, he was stimulated by a desperate desire for revenge, because he wanted to monopolize this woman in his name; and this revenge seemed to him to have a certain sweetness, which he could not give up.

He walked round the Place Royale five or six times, turning his head every ten paces, to see the light of Milady's room, which was visible through the blackout curtains; it was evident that this time was not like the first time, The young woman was in no hurry to get back to her room. The lights finally went out. With the disappearance of that ray of light, so did the last hesitation in d'Artagnan's mind; he remembered the details of the first night, and his heart beat and his head burned.He went into Milady's mansion and hurried to Katie's bedroom. The poor girl, pale as death, trembling in every limb, tried to stop her lover; but alert Milady had long heard d'Artagnan's voice: she opened the connecting door.

Come on, she said. There was such unbelievable indiscretion, such extreme shame, in the scene before him, that d'Artagnan could hardly believe what he saw, what he heard.He thought he was being led into one of those absurd trysts between men and women that were done in a dream. He ran to Milady as before, subject to the pull of a magnet like iron. The door closed behind them. Katie also ran close to the door. Jealousy, wrath, offended pride, in short, all the passions with which a woman in love is contested for her heart, drive her to utter; She was ruined, and dArtagnan especially because of her.This last thought of love still persuaded her to accept this last sacrifice.

As for d'Artagnan, he had completely fulfilled his wish: it was no longer the rival who was loved in him, but himself, it seemed.A secret voice in his heart told him plainly that he was only an instrument of vengeance, that he was being caressed and waited for to die; but pride, pride, mad love made the voice die, stifled the whisper. up.Then our Gascon compares himself with Wald with the confidence we are familiar with, and asks himself: He could have taken his place, and yet why is he not loved? So he gave himself up to the feeling of the moment.Milady was no longer to him the doomed woman who had once terrified him, but a fiery, emotional mistress, devoted to a love which seemed to be felt by herself.Almost two hours went like this.

The bliss of the two lovers finally subsided; Milady and d'Artagnan's motives were different, and she did not forget that she had other plans, so she first returned to reality and asked the young man what he and Wald would do the next day. In a duel, whether all the moves are well planned. But d'Artagnan, whose thoughts were already elsewhere, and who seemed as carried away as a fool, replied deftly that it was too late to arrange a duel with the sword. To Milady, who was so preoccupied with the duel, this indifference terrified her, and she fired off question after question. D'Artagnan, who had never seriously considered the impossibility of a duel, tried to turn the tables, but he could not.

Milady had been on guard for a long time, and with her irresistible wisdom and iron will, she contained d'Artagnan in the fence she planned. D'Artagnan thinks he is very intelligent, and advises Milady to be forgiving and forgiving, and advises her to give up the vicious plan planned in advance. But as soon as he uttered his first sentence, the young woman left him angrily. Are you afraid, my dear d'Artagnan?The young woman's sharp mocking roar echoed ragingly in the dark space. Don't think so, dear!What if, replied d'Artagnan, that poor Count Valdes is not as guilty as you think?

At any rate, said Milady angrily, he had deceived me, and since he had deceived me he deserved to die. Then he is dead, for you are condemning him to death!D'Artagnan spoke in a firm tone which Milady seemed to perceive as a sign of all-tested loyalty. She immediately moved towards him again. We cannot tell how long the night lasted for Milady; yet, when the light of dawn penetrated the blinds and filled the room at once with a faint ray, d'Artagnan believed that he spent about two hours happily by her side. . Now Milady sees that D'Artagnan is about to leave her, and she reminds him of his promise to Valder to avenge her.

I am ready, said d'Artagnan, but before I do, I want to be sure of one thing. whats the matter?asked Milady. It is you who want to love me. I feel like I've given you proof of my love. Yes, so I belong to you with all my heart. Thanks, my honest lover!But just as I proved my love to you, you should prove your love too, shouldn't you? must.But if you love me as you say to me, went on D'Artagnan, don't you worry a little about me? What can I worry about? Worried that I might be injured or even killed. Impossible, said Milady, for you are valiant and skilled with the sword.

Don't you like another way?This method, says d'Artagnan, will avenge you and keep the duel from happening at the same time. Milady looked at her lover in silence: the faint light of dawn reflected in her bright eyes a peculiar sadness. In truth, she said, I believe now that you did hesitate. No, I did not hesitate; only because I felt sorry for that poor Count Walder since you did not love him, and I feel that a man who loses your love has been cruelly punished and needs no more up. Who can prove that I loved him?asked Milady. I dare not speak out, but at least I now believe that you are in love with someone else, said the young man softly, and I will tell you again that I care for the Count.

you?asked Milady. it's me. Why should you care about him? because only i know what do you know? I know he is far from the man who was guilty of you, or who you think he was at all. Seriously!asked Milady anxiously, please speak clearly, because I really don't know what you want to say. She looked at d'Artagnan with eyes that seemed to be burning with fire, and he held her tightly. Since your love is mine, since I believe I have your love, said d'Artagnan, he made up his mind to end it, I am a man of style, because I have Your love, isn't it? Got it all, please keep going.

I feel like my heart is spinning!But one truth that should be revealed has been pressing on my heart. A truth that should be revealed? If I doubted that you loved me, I would not tell you; but do you love me, my fair lover?You love me, don't you? Of course love. If out of excess love I have been made your sinner, will you forgive me? Maybe! D'Artagnan tried, with the gentlest smile possible, to bring his lips close to Milady's again, but she avoided it. The truth that should be revealed, Milady asked palely, what is the truth? You met Wald in this room last Thursday, didn't you? I!No such thing!The certainty of Milady's tone of voice and the calmness of his countenance made d'Artagnan feel suspicious, and he suspected. Don't lie, my fair angel, said D'Artagnan with a smile, it is of no avail. What does it mean?Please say it!You are so mad at me! oh!Don't worry, you are innocent of me, and I have forgiven you! What happened after that? Walder had nothing to show off. Why?You told me about the ring yourself That ring, my dear, is mine.The count of Valdes on Thursday was the same man as d'Artagnan to-day. The imprudent young man expected a shameful astonishment, a burst of rage that turned into tears; but he was terribly mistaken, and his wrong course was soon seen. Milady was pale and menacing; she straightened up, pushed d'Artagnan from his chest with a violent blow, and jumped out of the bed. By this time it was almost daylight. D'Artagnan clutched at her Indian linen nightgown and begged for mercy; while she fled with vigorous and resolute defiance; and the linen was torn, revealing her shoulders, in that beautiful round and white On one side of the shoulders, d'Artagnan recognized with indescribable shock a lily, that indelible mark branded with the discrediting hand of the Swordsman. Oh, God!dArtagnan let go of his pajamas and cried. He was dumb, and lay motionless on the bed, feeling cold all over his body. From d'Artagnan's horror, Milady felt that she had been exposed.Perhaps he saw it all: the young man knew her secret now, her terrible secret, and no one knew it but him. When she turned around, she was no longer an angry woman, but a wounded lioness. ah!You bastard, she growled, you have treacherously betrayed me, and you have my secret again!You are dead! She ran to a fine wood inlaid jewelry box on the dressing table, opened it with a hand trembling with rage, took out a small dagger with a sharp and thin gold handle, and threw herself towards her half-naked body. D'Artagnan rushed forward. Notwithstanding the well-known bravery of the young man, yet he was terrified at the deformed face, those terribly staring eyes, those pale cheeks, and those bright red lips. ;, like a snake escaping from a crawling snake, he retreated to the passage between the beds against the wall.His sword touched a sweat-stained hand, and he drew it from its sheath. But Milady ignored his sword and tried to get on the bed again and stab him; she stopped only when she felt the sharp edge of the sword against her throat. At this time, she was trying to grab the sword with both hands; dArtagnan always avoided her with a threat, holding the edge of the sword sometimes to her eyes, sometimes to her chest, while letting his body follow the trend. Sliding off the bed, he searched for the door to Katie's room so he could escape. All the while Milady rushed at him with terrible fury, howling loudly. However, it was like a duel after all, so dArtagnan slowly calmed down. Well, pretty lady, well!He said: In the name of God, please be quiet, or I will draw a second lily on your other shoulder. Dirty!Dirty!Milady growled. D'Artagnan kept looking for the door, and at the same time stood ready. Hearing the two of them fighting, Katie opened the door.At this time, Milady is overturning the furniture and attacking d'Artagnan, and D'Artagnan is hiding behind the furniture to guard against the opponent's attack.He had been making roundabouts to get close to that door for a long time, but now there were only three steps away.In a single jump he rushed from Milady's room to the maid's bedroom, and shut the door as fast as lightning, throwing his whole body against it, while Katie pushed the deadbolt. Milady, with more than a woman's strength, tried to overturn the buttresses which shut her in; then, when she felt that this was impossible, she stabbed the door with a dagger, and several of the planks were broken by her. pierced through. Each stab was accompanied by a terrible curse. quick!quick!Katie!Send me out of this house, d'Artagnan murmured, when the bolt was thrown, or she will send a servant to kill me if she has time to recover. But you can't go out like this, said Katie, you're naked. That's true, said d'Artagnan; now he realizes he's only wrapped in a coat, that's true; you can put me on whatever you can, but let's hurry, you know, it's a matter of life and death. Kitty knew it all too well; and in an instant she had put him in a flowered dress, a large hat, a cape, and slippers, and he was naked. feet in; then she led him down the stairs, step by step.Just then Milady rang the bell, waking the whole house.The doorman heard that it was Katie and pulled the door rope.Just then Milady leaned out of the window, half naked, and cried: Don't open the door!