I Am Louis XIV

"Ah," the king couldn't help exclaiming, "do you know that there are many people who always doubt and accuse you for this reason?"

"What do they have to do with me," said the Bishop casually: "People always want dogs to be violent and falcons to be fierce when they are hunting, so why do they ask us when it is our turn to use another kind of falcons?" They have become gentle and kind, Your Majesty, it’s just that they are afraid of being bitten by dogs, and they are afraid of being pecked out by eagles.”

"Actually, as long as they keep themselves safe..."

"It is a pity that they will never rest in their place. Enemies of France, enemies of His Majesty and enemies of mine, they will never escape from the whispers of the devil, they long for a monarch with an olive branch in his hand and honey in his mouth, but this Your puppet can only become a disgrace to any insightful person, Your Majesty, I know that you are a person who hopes to abide by morality and law, but I hope that this can become your weapon rather than a burden. After all, there are many times, as a A king, you have to sacrifice more than your wealth, soldiers, or affections - what a ship France is, for it to sail forever on the vast seas, and anything in its way will be destroyed, Whether it looks small or huge, beautiful or ugly."

"It is said that the prince can do as he pleases and has no scruples," said Louis, with the help of Bontang, and put on a hat decorated with an ostrich feather worth a hundred livres, which almost completely concealed the crimson feather. His face, in a few seconds, no one knew what kind of expression the king had on his face: "But I think, there must be something before the kingdom."

"for example?"

"If a person can sacrifice everything," Louis straightened his hat, revealing his face, "then one day, he will be swallowed by a black hole of nothingness, Mr. Bishop, in order to fill this void, he will seek There are many things to fill, and how can the things he found again be combined with the original flesh and blood, this kind of torture is bound to make people mad—so," he put a sapphire ring on his finger, so as to match His cobalt blue velvet coat to match today: "I can't help but hesitate, Monsieur Bishop."

"Your idea is very good," Mr. Bishop said, "I would also like to see that you are accompanied by some good people with high morals, but Your Majesty, there are some things they never do, or they don't With that kind of thinking, they can't understand the darkness and despicability of the world, and they don't understand how a crazy idiot will dance around. Their indecision will not only delay your affairs, but also hurt them or your life."

"But Mrs. Milady is different. Alas, Your Majesty, I know what you are confused about," said the Bishop. , Remembering that incident, I went to ask her what happened."

"How is she?"

"She still killed those two young men," said the Bishop. "Not only that, but it was like an even worse revenge. After she left the prison, she didn't even go back home, but in that small town. It is absolutely unimaginable, Your Majesty, that a girl who is only eleven or twelve years old can play with men or women who are far superior to her in terms of age and experience. On the palm of the hand, although I can't believe it, it is the truth. She seems to have a strange talent, which can make her win the favor or trust of anyone. Her tongue is as dexterous as a snake, and her mind is also full It is full of venom and has the guts of a tiger and leopard. If we say that when we met for the first time, she yelled at me because she didn’t know my identity, but the next time, she knew who I was, but still Interested in giving it a try..."

"Try it?"

"Yeah, give it a try, Your Majesty, it's like a daughter playing a little joke with her father, and a young man who has completely surrendered to her tries to assassinate me."

"God!"

"Well, but what made me finally decide, Your Majesty, I caught her, the judge sentenced her to death, and when she was dragged to the gallows by the executioner, she shouted that she would marry him."

"Oh, I remember there was a law about unmarried virgins," said Louie, who was being served by Bontang as he put on his boots. "Wait, is the law real?"

"This is not a law." Mr. Bishop said: "It can only be said to be a tradition. Although the Carolinian Code of 1532 tolerantly raised the status of executioners, they have always claimed to wield the sword and tighten the sword for God. Noose, but you know, they are still segregated by the whole society, they live outside the city, isolated from the world, they can't go to church, bathrooms and taverns, they can only associate with prostitutes, lepers and criminals, and their children can't even suffer Baptism, and the old man can't do the sacraments when he's dead...so the poor gentleman couldn't refuse her request."

"so?"

Mr. Bishop spread his hands, "I guess things won't have such an unremarkable ending, so I sent someone to wait around the executioner's house, and sure enough, she escaped that night, although she was in the statue of the Virgin before. I made a vow to be faithful to my husband."

"I asked her," continued the Bishop, "to hang on the gallows, or to go to the side of the furious husband, or to do things for me? You see, her choice is very correct."

"The reason why you chose her..."

"It is precisely because she has neither conscience nor morality, despises the law, insults faith, disregards oaths, and plays with power—a born witch, Your Majesty, you may find it ridiculous, but such a person is simply the same as the real one. The saints are so rare, because what I need to deal with are not all the bad people and mortals as people say. People who have no scruples can't deal with them."

"But if you want to use such a person, aren't you afraid of her sudden retaliation?"

"Because I am willing to use her, Your Majesty, some people will run away when they see filth, but some people will be ecstatic when they see sin. With me, not only her body can enjoy delicious food and fine clothes, but her soul can also enjoy it." To be deeply satisfied that she works for me, half at my behest, and half, or more, at her will."

Perhaps seeing the king's hesitation, the bishop said again: "Let me tell you a little thing, Your Majesty, after she became my spy, the first thing I asked her to do was to carry out my mission." It is the will of the benefactor, Bishop Richelieu, to destroy a priest named Urbain Grandi."

Speaking of this priest, the king was really impressed. French priests are completely inferior to their counterparts in Rome in terms of absurd and unrestrained dealings with ladies. Because of this incident that happened more than 20 years ago, he and the bishop They walked out the door together—Mr. Bishop walked carefully behind the young king, although it was only about a palm's distance away—saying: "That's the thing," he said: "This is in Urban Gor In 1618, the Landy brothers offended the dean of the Qusay Monastery at the time. Speaking of it, it’s nothing, but he insisted on walking in front of the dean of the monastery in the procession with the neighboring diocese. said they were walking in his parish, and that should be granted, but the problem is that the abbot of Qusay, his name is Richelieu."

A well-dressed attendant opened the door of the carriage for them. The king jumped on it first, and then the bishop walked up slowly. After he sat down, he continued: "At that time, many people thought that the expelled Court, Monsieur Bishop, who has lost his patron again, will never be able to regain his favor, but you know that after a year, he returned to Paris and became not only a cardinal, but also your father , Chancellor of Louis XIII."

Louis showed a look of interest. Richelieu passed away earlier than Louis XIII. He almost forgot about him: "Does Mr. Richelieu remember this incident?"

"Your Majesty, so, in this world, apart from humility, there is another important quality called prudence. No, in fact, at that time, the enemies of Bishop Richelieu were half the court and the queen. For the time being, he could not Taking into account a small person far away in Loudun, the problem is that the Grandi brother, when he learned that the dean of the Qusay Monastery he offended has become such a big person, he is not only not afraid, but even very proud —for he had succeeded in humiliating this eminent man."

"Did he spread the word about it?"

"Yes, he has always been an open Pandora's box in front of women. Unfortunately, there is no beneficial thing in it. He released disaster from his mouth, and then it just happened to him." Mr. Bishop said He raised the corner of the car curtain at that time, glanced at the scenery outside the window, and said to the musketeers: "If you want to say what Milady did, it should not be said that there are not many. The Grandy brothers were too romantic at that time, but they still had reason. All he associates with are widows or commoner wives, but the arrival and temptation of Milady showed him another hell that would lead people to degenerate. He first let one of his Latin students, a pure virgin, conceive Conceived, and devirtuous of a lawyer's fiancée, far outweighed all his previous crimes, and after his illegitimate child with a student, his reputation was in jeopardy when it was revealed that he had been with another Intimacy between supposedly chaste ladies, he angered a father who loved his daughter and then a husband who loved his fiancée, and they not only beat him, but charged him in court."

"Then Lady Milady's work is done."

"For the average person, yes, but for Milady it was just a sip of the aperitif," said the Bishop, "because neither the father nor the husband would have his daughter and fiancée in court. Witnessed that Priest Grundy received only a light punishment, and so his enemies sent an abbot to accuse the priest of summoning the devil to seduce her and seventeen nuns of the convent— After Grandi was arrested, she deliberately indulged Priest Grandi to seek all his social resources and connections, and his enemies did the same. An affair snowballed like a snowball. , the cleric began to be brutally tortured after those people brought their complaints to the supreme court and not just to the tribunals, at that time he must have regretted not surrendering immediately for a small punishment like Friday fasting —He was so arrogant that he baptized the first child of his student and her humiliated husband (a villain who was willing to be insulted for power)." He looked at the king, obviously wanting the king's response.

"This matter is probably no longer the cause of Grandi Priest."

"Yes, from here on, it becomes a battle between the Richelieu faction and the anti-bishop faction. The two sides are at a stalemate, but this is the Richelieu faction after all. So, I can only say, Mr. Richelieu Bishop In this turmoil, great rewards have been obtained-it is foregone that two years later, Priest Grandi will be burned at the stake, but before that, he is already bruised and dying."

Even Louis couldn't help sighing deeply when he heard this: "Obviously, she is both enthusiastic and good at acting recklessly," he said, "and knows how to control and tease people's hearts. This is really a powerful weapon. Weapons, Monsieur Bishop."

"If fifty years ago, or fifty years later, neither I nor Monsieur Richelieu would use her, but at this time, Your Majesty," Bishop Mazarin said, "she can do a lot to make people unable to use her." imagine things.

"I understand what you mean." Louis nodded. At this time they heard the monotonous sound of the trombone. The carriage had arrived in front of the opened city gate of Dunkirk. The sound of the trumpet announced to the people of Dunkirk that the king Already here.

On both sides of the city gate they passed, there are circular arrow towers, on which hang the lily blue flag of the French royal family. Erke, as soon as the king's imperial chariot stopped, there were nimble attendants who immediately opened the shimmering golden carpet, extending from the king's feet to the mayor. Louis took the mayor's key and gave the Viscount Turenne, who had promised, showed it with a smile. Even if it was symbolic, the key of Dunkirk was of course bigger and heavier than that of that town.

After receiving the key, the king walked forward. Behind him were Mr. Bishop, Viscount Turenne, and then the officers and soldiers who were awarded special honors for their bravery in the Battle of Dunkirk. They stood proudly. He raised his chest and followed behind the king. In the past, these positions belonged only to princes and ministers. It was obviously against etiquette to let some ordinary soldiers occupy them. However, compared to those mediocre people far away in Paris, Louis would rather take this Kudos to those soldiers who are willing to defend the king with their lives.

They walked all the way to the end of the road, a circular square, and at the other end of the square is St. Martin's Cathedral. Like any city, the church and its ancillary buildings are always the most splendid and tall. There, the bishop here will A great blessing mass is held in honor of the king.

—————

Milady knew that she would have to spend some time with these two guards before she could regain trust, yes, not freedom, but trust, and she liked the feeling of dancing between the blades and nooses, like a trick Yes, she didn't lift the curtain until the last moment, and then she could get faces that were either frustrated or angry, and more likely full of resentment. She never minded being exposed, because no one knew how many cards she had hidden .

"D'Artagnan?" she called softly.

"Don't go," Dalamiz said. "Don't listen to her. We are her guards, not her friends."

"Not only is she not a friend," said d'Artagnan, "she is her enemy, but I want to hear what she has to say; don't worry, my friend, I will not listen to a word, on the contrary, I To taunt her hard and tell me I'm not one of those idiots who would be fooled by her."

Daramiz wanted to say, since that's the case, wouldn't it be good for you to ignore her? But he had worked with d'Artagnan for some time, and he knew that the acting captain was frivolous and arrogant, so he stepped back a little, and in that case, he thought, I'll be a watcher.

D'Artagnan walked over, Milady was locked in a windowless room, and the only way to get out was through the room where D'Artagnan and Thalameise were. There was a door between the two rooms, and D'Artagnan Ang didn't open the door, but leaned against it.

"I have an important business to do," said Milady.

"The only thing you can do is to stay in it," said d'Artagnan.

"It is true that you must abide by your duties," said Milady, "but this matter is equally, or more important than, your duties."

"Unless the king comes and speaks to me," said d'Artagnan, "or has his warrant, you will never go anywhere or see anyone."

"Monsieur Bishop has recognized me as his."

"Well, not the king's."

"If you insist, send someone to the place I said."

"So that your rescuer can come?"

"So that you can regain the king's trust."

"Go to hell!"

"Someone will come to my cabin," said Milady flatly, "and give me the latest information, and it will be hidden in a brass letter-box, and one will bake it in moist dough." , make it look like a piece of bread," she paused slightly at this point, and the silence let her know that people outside were listening: "It sometimes carries very important news, gentlemen, you want to Take it and give it to me, since I can't leave, then only you can inform the king—if it is good news, he will be happy, if it is bad news, he will also thank you..."

"Why," said d'Artagnan angrily, "you don't try to trick us out of here."

"Gentlemen," said Milady, "listen, gentlemen, I have no malice, nor shall I. I was the bishop's man at first, and now he will hand me over to the king. Excuse me, as As a woman, I have always been subject to infinite apprehension about my future - I beg your pardon, but for the sake of the Holy Mother, I did not expect it to come to this - like yours Sister, or wife, my eyes may not be able to see so far, gentlemen! I even foolishly allowed myself to be hit by a sharp crossbow bolt and passed out, so that I put myself in such a place. An awkward situation."

"Say what you will, I will not let you go," said d'Artagnan.

"Let your servant go, and tell him to go into that house and get a piece of bread, and he won't know anything." Milady begged, "If there is something useful in it, then you and I, at least, can Gain a little trust from His Majesty again."

"Perhaps there are many enemies in ambush there." D'Artagnan said to Dalamiz, and Daramiz knew that he was moved when he heard it.

Milady's guess is right, they may be able to ignore beauty, gold louis or emotion, but when it comes to what they lost because of Milady - of course they hope to get it back from Milady, if it is true Leddy said that this was their compensation and a remedy for his own recklessness.

And it doesn't take much to send a follower there.

DArtagnan's servant ran away quickly and came back quickly. Although he was puzzled by the master who asked him to run so far just for a piece of bread, he was indeed reliable. After finding the letter box, he opened it and took out the parchment inside, only to find that it was full of messy words.

"Give it to me," said Milady. "I alone can read this."

D'Artagnan and Dalamize hesitated, and Daramitz even shook his head, but they really couldn't understand it—although they guessed that it needed to be rolled on a suitable cylinder to read it. It was a note, but the mailbox was obviously not. They tried many times before they rolled up the parchment and stuffed it through the keyhole under Milady's urging.

Milady took the parchment and rolled it around her wrist. It was just a pastime for her while she was waiting for the king. She didn't think that shy young man could really bring her any important information, but she took the parchment The paper was rolled on my wrist, and after reading a few lines, I couldn't help but exclaimed loudly!

When D'Artagnan and Dalamize heard her shout and the sound of beating the door hurriedly, instead of panicking, they showed their expected eyes.

"Open the door!" cried Milady; "I want to see the Bishop, or the King!"

"Well, that's it, but it's impossible!" laughed d'Artagnan. "I know what you're playing, Madame Milady, but I won't trust you any longer!"

"Someone is going to assassinate the king!"

"Sensation!" said d'Artagnan. "But it's useless, Madame de Milady. Why don't you say that there is a devil coming out of hell?"

He had been with Miledith for so long, just waiting for this moment, he made a good mock of her,

Daramiz only smiled on one side.

Milady was trembling with rage, and her cheeks were numb, and she knew that these two men meant to tease her--she was indeed acting, at least a few minutes before, but she never thought that she would actually get such a thing. big fish! "Then open the door," she said. "You are two strong young men, and I am only a wounded woman. Open the door a crack, and I will hold out my hand, and you will see for yourselves!"

If Milady cried and yelled, or spoke sweet words, the two musketeers might not have believed her yet, but d'Artagnan heard her voice... He glanced uncertainly at Dalamize, Daramiz said: "If you will do something, I will cut off your hands as I did to those false sinners."

As he spoke, D'Artagnan opened a small gap. Milady immediately stretched out her hand, and the note was wrapped around her wrist. Daramis tilted his head to look at it, and his face changed. .