登陆注册
30977200000053

第53章 BEFORE THE MARRIAGE.(3)

The king appeared, the grand almoner announced the names of those who were to receive answers to their petitions--the name of my father was not among them! But we comforted ourselves with the thought, it was not possible to receive answers so quickly, and on the next day we went to the gallery again, and so on for fourteen successive days, but all in vain; the name of my father was never called. Still we went every day to the gallery and took our old place there, only the countenance of my father was daily growing paler, his step weaker, and his poor boy more trustless and weak. We had no longer the means of stilling our hunger, we had consumed every thing, and my father's cross of St. Louis was our last possession. But that we dared not part with, for it was our passport to the palace, it opened to us the doors of the great gallery, and there was still one last hope. 'We go to-morrow for the last time,' said my father to me on the fifteenth day. 'If it should be in vain on the morrow, then I shall sell my cross, that you, Louis, may not need to be hungry any more, and then may God have mercy upon us!' So we went the next day to the gallery again. My father was to-day paler than before, but he held his head erect; he fixed his eye, full of an expression of defiance and scorn, upon the talkative, laughing gentlemen around him, who strutted in their rich clothes, and overlooked the poor chevalier who stood near them, despised and alone. In my poor boy's heart there was a fearful rage against these proud, supercilious men, who thought themselves so grand because they wore better clothes, and because they had distinguished acquaintances and relations, and yet were no more than my father--no more than suppliants and petitioners; tears of anger and of grief filled my eyes, and the depth of our poverty exasperated my soul against the injustice of fate. All at once the whispering and talking ceased,--the king and the queen had entered the gallery. The king advanced to the middle of the hall, the grand almoner called the names, and the favored ones approached the king, to receive from him the fulfilment of their wishes, or at least keep their hope alive. Near him stood the young queen, and while she was converging with some gentlemen of the court, her beautiful eyes glanced over to us, and lingered upon the noble but sad form of my father. I had noticed that on previous days, and every time it seemed to me as if a ray from the sun had warmed my poor trembling heart--as if new blossoms of hope were putting forth in my soul. To-day this sensation, when the queen looked at us, was more intense than before. My father looked at the king and whispered softly, 'I see him to-day for the last time!' But I saw only the queen, and while I pressed the cold, moist hand of my father to my lips, I whispered, 'Courage, dear father, courage! The queen has seen us.' She stopped short in her conversation with the gentleman and advanced through the hall with a quick, light step directly to us; her large gray-blue eyes beamed with kindness, a heavenly smile played around her rosy lips, her cheeks were flushed with feeling; she was simply dressed, and yet there floated around her an atmosphere of grace and nobleness. 'My dear chevalier,' said she, and her voice rang like the sweetest music, 'my dear chevalier, have you given a petition to the king?' 'Yes, madame,' answered my father trembling, 'fourteen days ago I presented a petition to the king.' 'And have you received no answer yet?' she asked quickly. 'I see you every day here with the lad there, and conclude you are still hoping for an answer.' 'So it is, madame,' answered my father, 'I expect an answer, that is I expect a decision involving my life or death.' 'Poor man!' said the queen, with a tone of deep sympathy. 'Fourteen days of such waiting must be dreadful! I pity you sincerely. Have you no one to present your claims?' 'Madame,' answered my father, 'I have no one else to present my claims than this empty sleeve which lacks a right arm--no other protection than the justice of my cause.' 'Poor man!' sighed the queen, 'you must know the world very little if you believe that this is enough. But, if you allow me, I will undertake your protection, and be your intercessor with the king. Tell me your name and address.' My father gave them, the queen listened attentively and smiled in friendly fashion. 'Be here to-morrow at this hour--I myself will bring you the king's answer.' We left the palace with new courage, with new hope. We felt no longer that we were tired and hungry, and heeded not the complaints of our host, who declared that he had no more patience, and that he would no longer give us credit for the miserable chamber which we had. His scolding and threatening troubled us that day no more. We begged him to have patience with us till to-morrow. We told him our hopes for the future, and we rejoiced in our own cheerful expectations. At length the next day arrived, the hour of the audience came, and we repaired to the great gallery. My heart beat so violently that I could feel it upon my lips, and my father's face was lighted up with a glow of hope; his eye had its old fire, his whole being was filled with new life, his carriage erect as in our happy days. At last the doors opened and the royal couple entered. 'Pray for me, my son,' my father whispered--'pray for me that my hopes be not disappointed, else I shall fall dead to the earth.' But I could not pray, I could not think. I could only gaze at the beautiful young queen, who seemed to my eyes as if beaming in a golden cloud surrounded by all the stars of heaven. The eyes of the queen darted inquiringly through the hall; at last she caught mine and smiled. Oh that smile! it shot like a ray of sunlight through my soul, it filled my whole being with rapture. I sank upon my knee, folded my hands, and now I could think, could pray: 'A blessing upon the queen! she comes to save my dear father's life, for she frees us from our sufferings.' The queen approached, so beautiful, so lovely, with such a beaming eye. She held a sealed paper in her hand and gave it to my father with a gentle inclination of her head. 'Here, sir,' she said, 'the king is happy to be able to reward, in the name of France, one of his best officers. The king grants you a yearly pension of three hundred louis-d'or, and I wish for you and your son that you may live yet many years to enjoy happiness and health. Go at once with this paper to the treasury, and you will receive the first quarterly payment.'

同类推荐
  • 异部宗轮论

    异部宗轮论

    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。
  • The Egoist

    The Egoist

    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。
  • 佛说阿弥陀经义疏

    佛说阿弥陀经义疏

    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。
  • 卓异记

    卓异记

    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。
  • Canterbury Pieces

    Canterbury Pieces

    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。
热门推荐
  • 一世琉璃

    一世琉璃

    第一次见到她时,在飘洒的樱花树下,他悄悄印下一吻;接着怕黑的她:“凌哥哥,我怕你怕黑来陪你睡觉。”后来,他送她一个琉璃的翅膀,自己偷偷的留下另一半。问:“凌哥哥,你为什么要留下一个本应该送给我的小翅膀?”答:“因为,你太笨了,我怕你都丢了会哭,所以我替你留下另一半。”最后他在婚礼上许诺:“我会给你一世琉璃繁华。”(这是一个爆笑宠文,喜欢生活中小温暖大感动的你,欢迎你来品味。对不起,前一段时间因为期末考试耽误了更新,以后不会这样了。)
  • 侯爷你又被翻牌了

    侯爷你又被翻牌了

    【新文推荐《影后养了一只仙》——《侯爷》的进阶关联文,强推!】## 【重生女侯刚上腹黑帝君!】“打掉这个孽种,我便留你一命,你还是我的皇后。”“孩子我不要了。命我不要了。你的皇后之位,我更是不要了。”一朝重生,秦羽誓要重写命运,再不与这薄情帝君有丝毫瓜葛。穿嫁衣做什么,将门嫡女不如从戎征战,身披铠甲!太子妃、帝皇后又算什么,封侯挂帅女儿身同样纵横沙场,浴血奋战!庶妹稀罕的凤冠就由她去抢,看她在宫闱之争中能存活几日!可一日,秦羽竟被将士打包送进了宫,狄闫那张该死的俊脸又近在眼前。“秦侯爷离宫征战,”某帝君厚颜无耻,“可知本王寂寞?” 【推荐完结旧文《我家少爷又帅又坏》】
  • 星辰无痕

    星辰无痕

    当流星划过天空的时候,你也许会下意识的许愿,这时,请不要着急,你应该看,看这漫天的星辰,哪一颗才是你的归宿?
  • 那些年我在干嘛

    那些年我在干嘛

    别名:慕南苑沙雕的校园生活慕南苑:……能不能给我一个安静美丽的校园生活。
  • 明朝晋王府

    明朝晋王府

    明朝晋王府,自洪武三年(1370)朱棡始封晋王计起,至崇祯十七年(1644),开府太原长达274年,几与明朝存亡相始终。
  • A Woman of Thirty

    A Woman of Thirty

    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。
  • 同修本源

    同修本源

    据古时传说,在一定情况下,会生出两个不同的人,但却同修一本源,是好是坏?不给予评价,且看故事缓缓道来……
  • 新时代主神

    新时代主神

    要努力做一名“有理想、有道德、有文化、有纪律”的新时代四有好主神(~ ̄▽ ̄)~只不过在这之前,还需要当好一名优秀的轮回者。
  • 你们的女朋友也是打怪爆出来的吗

    你们的女朋友也是打怪爆出来的吗

    身世未知,孤独长大。 为探究真相,痴迷于剑道。 这个副本好特别,怎么会爆出来了一个美少女?! 她还缠着我,说要做我的女朋友?!!
  • 余世清安

    余世清安

    散文随笔、我写我心,记录身边的冷暖情长。