"And I, sire," said Blacas, "will go fetch my ssenger."
"Wait, sir, wait," said Louis XVIII. "Really, Blacas, I should change your family coat of arms. I’ll give you an eagle with outstretched wings, gripping prey that tries in vain to escape, with the motto ’Tenacious.’"
"Sire, I’m listening," said Blacas, biting his nails impatiently.
"I want to consult you about this Latin passage about a stag fleeing from a wolf. You’re a sportsman and expert wolf-hunter, aren’t you? What do you think of this phrase describing the stag’s gentle panting?"
"Admirable, sire, but my ssenger is like that stag you ntion, he’s traveled 660 miles in barely three days."
"Which ans great fatigue and anxiety, my dear duke, when we have a telegraph that transmits ssages in three or four hours without anyone getting breathless."
"Ah, sire, you poorly reward this young man who has co so far with such enthusiasm to bring Your Majesty useful information. If only for the sake of his recomnder, I beg Your Majesty to receive him graciously."
"His recomnder is your brother’s chamberlain?"
"Yes, sire."
"He’s in Marseilles."
"And writes to from there."
"Does he ntion this conspiracy?"
"No, but he strongly recomnds this man and begs to present him to Your Majesty."
"What!" cried the king. "Is the ssenger’s na Villefort?"
"Yes, sire."
"And he cos from Marseilles?"
"In person."
"Why didn’t you ntion his na imdiately?" the king replied, showing sudden concern.
"Sire, I assud his na was unknown to Your Majesty."
"No, no, Blacas. He’s a man of strong intelligence and high ambition, and you know his father’s na!"
"His father?"
"Yes, Noirtier."
"Noirtier the radical? The forr senator who opposed the monarchy?"
"The very sa."
"And Your Majesty has employed such a man’s son?"
"Blacas, my friend, your understanding is limited. I told you Villefort is ambitious. To achieve that ambition, he would sacrifice everything, even his own father."
"Then, sire, may I present him?"
"Imdiately, duke! Where is he?"
"Waiting below in my carriage."
"Bring him at once."
"I’ll hurry." The duke left the royal presence with the energy of a young man, his genuine loyalty to the crown made him feel youthful again. Louis XVIII remained alone, turning his eyes to his half-open book and murmuring, "A man just and firm in his purpose."
Blacas returned as quickly as he had left, but in the antechamber he had to invoke the king’s authority. Villefort’s dusty clothes and travel-worn appearance, definitely not suitable for court, offended the royal protocol officer, who was shocked that this young man had the audacity to appear before the king in such attire.
However, the duke overca all objections with a single phrase: "His Majesty’s orders." Despite the protocol officer’s protests about the honor of his position and principles, Villefort was admitted.
The king remained seated where the duke had left him. Upon opening the door, Villefort found himself face-to-face with the monarch, and the young magistrate’s first instinct was to hesitate.
"Co in, Villefort," said the king. "Co in."
Villefort bowed and, advancing a few steps, waited for the king to question him.
"Villefort," said Louis XVIII, "the Duke of Blacas assures you have important information to share."
"Sire, the duke is correct, and I believe Your Majesty will find it equally urgent."
"First, before anything else, sir, is the news as bad as I’m being asked to believe?"
"Sire, I believe the situation is critical, but I hope my speed in coming here ans it’s not too late to act."
"Speak freely, sir," said the king, beginning to show the sa emotion that had appeared on Blacas’s face and affected Villefort’s voice. "Speak, and please start from the beginning. I like things in proper order."
"Sire," said Villefort, "I will give Your Majesty a complete report, but I must ask your forgiveness if my anxiety makes my account sowhat unclear."
A glance at the king after this careful opening assured Villefort of his royal listener’s patience, and he continued:
"Sire, I ca to Paris as quickly as possible to inform Your Majesty that in carrying out my duties, I’ve discovered not so ordinary, insignificant plot like those that spring up daily among common people and soldiers, but an actual conspiracy, a storm that threatens nothing less than Your Majesty’s throne.
Sire, the usurper is arming three ships. He’s planning so sche that, however insane, might still be terrible. At this mont he will have left Elba. I don’t know where he’s going, but certainly to attempt a landing either in Naples, on the coast of Tuscany, or perhaps on French shores. Your Majesty knows well that the ruler of Elba has maintained his connections with Italy and France?"
"I am aware of this, sir," said the king, clearly agitated. "Recently we’ve had reports that Bonaparte’s supporters have been holding etings in Paris. But continue, please. How did you obtain these details?"
"Sire, they co from questioning a man from Marseilles whom I’ve been watching for so ti and arrested on the day I left. This person, a sailor with a rebellious nature whom I suspected of supporting Bonaparte, secretly visited Elba. There he t with Bonaparte’s marshal, who gave him an oral ssage for a Bonaparte supporter in Paris. I couldn’t get the Paris contact’s na from him, but this mission was to prepare people’s minds for a return, the prisoner’s own words, sire, a return that will happen soon."
"And where is this man now?"
"In prison, sire."
"And the matter seems serious to you?"
"So serious, sire, that when this situation interrupted a family celebration, on the very day of my engagent, I left my bride and friends, postponing everything, so I could rush to lay my fears before Your Majesty and assure you of my complete loyalty."
"True," said Louis XVIII, "wasn’t there a marriage arrangent between you and Mademoiselle de Saint-Méran?"
"Daughter of one of Your Majesty’s most faithful servants."
"Yes, yes. But let’s discuss this plot, Villefort."
"Sire, I fear it’s more than a plot. I fear it’s a full conspiracy."
"A conspiracy in these tis," said Louis XVIII, smiling, "is easy to plan but much harder to execute successfully. Having been restored so recently to our ancestral throne, we keep our eyes open to past, present, and future. For the last ten months, my ministers have doubled their vigilance to watch the diterranean coast.
If Bonaparte lands in Naples, the entire coalition against him would mobilize before he could even reach central Italy. If he lands in Tuscany, he’ll be in hostile territory. If he lands in France, it must be with just a handful of n, and we can easily predict that outco, given how much the population despises him. Take heart, sir, but also count on our royal gratitude."
"Ah, here cos Dandré!" cried Blacas.
At that mont, the police minister appeared at the door, pale, trembling, and looking ready to collapse. Villefort was about to leave, but Blacas grabbed his hand and held him back.
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