twenty years after(二十年后)-第100节

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young　man。
〃They　thought　this　order　did　not　concern　me；　sir；
nevertheless；　if　you　wish　it；　I　am　ready　to　go。〃
〃Ah！　is　it　you；　Mordaunt？〃　said　Cromwell；　the　cloud　passing
away　from　his　face；　〃since　you　are　here；　it　is　well；　you　may
remain。〃
〃I　come　to　congratulate　you。〃
〃To　congratulate　me　　what　for？〃
〃On　the　capture　of　Charles　Stuart。　You　are　now　master　of
England。〃
〃I　was　much　more　really　so　two　hours　ago。〃
〃How　so；　general？〃
〃Because　England　had　need　of　me　to　take　the　tyrant；　and　now
the　tyrant　is　taken。　Have　you　seen　him？〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃What　is　his　bearing？〃
Mordaunt　hesitated；　but　it　seemed　as　though　he　was
constrained　to　tell　the　truth。
〃Calm　and　dignified；〃　said　he。
〃What　did　he　say？〃
〃Some　parting　words　to　his　friends。〃
〃His　friends！〃　murmured　Cromwell。　〃Has　he　any　friends？〃　Then
he　added　aloud；　〃Did　he　make　any　resistance？〃
〃No；　sir；　with　the　exception　of　two　or　three　friends　every
one　deserted　him；　he　had　no　means　of　resistance。〃
〃To　whom　did　he　give　up　his　sword？〃
〃He　did　not　give　it　up；　he　broke　it。〃
〃He　did　well；　but　instead　of　breaking　it；　he　might　have　used
it　to　still　more　advantage。〃
There　was　a　momentary　pause。
〃I　heard　that　the　colonel　of　the　regiment　that　escorted
Charles　was　killed；〃　said　Cromwell；　staring　very　fixedly　at
Mordaunt。
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃By　whom？〃　inquired　Cromwell。
〃By　me。〃
〃What　was　his　name？〃
〃Lord　Winter。〃
〃Your　uncle？〃　exclaimed　Cromwell。
〃My　uncle；〃　answered　Mordaunt；　〃but　traitors　to　England　are
no　longer　members　of　my　family。〃
Cromwell　observed　the　young　man　a　moment　in　silence；　then；
with　that　profound　melancholy　Shakespeare　describes　so　well：
〃Mordaunt；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　terrible　servant。〃
〃When　the　Lord　commands；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃His　commands　are
not　to　be　disputed。　Abraham　raised　the　knife　against　Isaac；
and　Isaac　was　his　son。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃but　the　Lord　did　not　suffer　that
sacrifice　to　be　accomplished。〃
〃I　have　looked　around　me；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃and　I　have　seen
neither　goat　nor　kid　caught　among　the　bushes　of　the　plain。〃
Cromwell　bowed。　〃You　are　strong　among　the　strong；　Mordaunt；〃
he　said；　〃and　the　Frenchmen；　how　did　they　behave？〃
〃Most　fearlessly。〃
〃Yes；　yes；〃　murmured　Cromwell；　〃the　French　fight　well；　and
if　my　glass　was　good　and　I　mistake　not；　they　were　foremost
in　the　fight。〃
〃They　were；〃　replied　Mordaunt。
〃After　you；　however；〃　said　Cromwell。
〃It　was　the　fault　of　their　horses；　not　theirs。〃
Another　pause
〃And　the　Scotch？〃
〃They　kept　their　word　and　never　stirred；〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃Wretched　men！〃
〃Their　officers　wish　to　see　you；　sir。〃
〃I　have　no　time　to　see　them。　Are　they　paid？〃
〃Yes；　to…night。〃
〃Let　them　be　off　and　return　to　their　own　country；　there　to
hide　their　shame；　if　its　hills　are　high　enough；　I　have
nothing　more　to　do　with　them　nor　they　with　me。　And　now　go；
Mordaunt。〃
〃Before　I　go；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃I　have　some　questions　and　a
favor　to　ask　you；　sir。〃
〃A　favor　from　me？〃
Mordaunt　bowed。
〃I　come　to　you；　my　leader；　my　head；　my　father；　and　I　ask
you；　master；　are　you　contented　with　me？〃
Cromwell　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。　The　young　man
remained　immovable。
〃Yes；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃you　have　done；　since　I　knew　you；　not
only　your　duty；　but　more　than　your　duty；　you　have　been　a
faithful　friend；　a　cautious　negotiator；　a　brave　soldier。〃
〃Do　you　remember；　sir　it　was　my　idea；　the　Scotch　treaty；　for
giving　up　the　king？〃
〃Yes；　the　idea　was　yours。　I　had　no　such　contempt　for　men
before。〃
〃Was　I　not　a　good　ambassador　in　France？〃
〃Yes；　for　Mazarin　has　granted　what　I　desire。〃
〃Have　I　not　always　fought　for　your　glory　and　interests？〃
〃Too　ardently；　perhaps；　it　is　what　I　have　just　reproached
you　for。　But　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　these　questions？〃
〃To　tell　you；　my　lord；　that　the　moment　has　now　arrived　when；
with　a　single　word；　you　may　recompense　all　these　services。〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Oliver；　with　a　slight　curl　of　his　lip；　〃I　forgot
that　every　service　merits　some　reward　and　that　up　to　this
moment　you　have　not　been　paid。〃
〃Sir；　I　can　take　my　pay　at　this　moment；　to　the　full　extent
of　my　wishes。〃
〃How　is　that？〃
〃I　have　the　payment　under　my　hand；　I　almost　possess　it。〃
〃What　is　it？　Have　they　offered　you　money？　Do　you　wish　a
step；　or　some　place　in　the　government？〃
〃Sir；　will　you　grant　me　my　request？〃
〃Let　us　hear　what　it　is；　first。〃
〃Sir；　when　you　have　told　me　to　obey　an　order　did　I　ever
answer；　‘Let　me　see　that　order　'？〃
〃If；　however；　your　wish　should　be　one　impossible　to
fulfill？〃
〃When　you　have　cherished　a　wish　and　have　charged　me　with　its
fulfillment；　have　I　ever　replied；　‘It　is　impossible'？〃
〃But　a　request　preferred　with　so　much　preparation　　〃
〃Ah；　do　not　fear；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　with　apparent
simplicity：　〃it　will　not　ruin　you。〃
〃Well；　then；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃I　promise；　as　far　as　lies　in
my　power；　to　grant　your　request；　proceed。〃
〃Sir；　two　prisoners　were　taken　this　morning；　will　you　let　me
have　them？〃
〃For　their　ransom？　have　they　then　offered　a　large　one？〃
inquired　Cromwell。
〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　they　are　poor；　sir。〃
〃They　are　friends　of　yours；　then？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃they　are　friends；　dear
friends　of　mine；　and　I　would　lay　down　my　life　for　them。〃
〃Very　well；　Mordaunt；〃　exclaimed　Cromwell；　pleased　at　having
his　opinion　of　the　young　man　raised　once　more；　〃I　will　give
them　to　you；　I　will　not　even　ask　who　they　are；　do　as　you
like　with　them。〃
〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃thank　you；　my　life　is
always　at　your　service；　and　should　I　lose　it　I　should　still
owe　you　something；　thank　you；　you　have　indeed　repaid　me
munificently　for　my　services。〃
He　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　Cromwell；　and　in　spite　of
the　efforts　of　the　Puritan　general；　who　did　not　like　this
almost　kingly　homage；　he　took　his　hand　and　kissed　it。
〃What！〃　said　Cromwell；　arresting　him　for　a　moment　as　he
arose；　〃is　there　nothing　more　you　wish？　neither　gold　nor
rank？〃
〃You　have　given　me　all　you　can　give　me；　and　from　to…day　your
debt　is　paid。〃
And　Mordaunt　darted　out　of　the　general's　tent；　his　heart
beating　and　his　eyes　sparkling　with　joy。
Cromwell　gazed　a　moment　after　him。
〃He　has　slain　his　uncle！〃　he　murmured。　〃Alas！　what　are　my
servants？　Possibly　this　one；　who　asks　nothing　or　seems　to
ask　nothing；　has　asked　more　in　the　eyes　of　Heaven　than　those
who　tax　the　country　and　steal　the　bread　of　the　poor。　Nobody
serves　me　for　nothing。　Charles；　who　is　my　prisoner；　may
still　have　friends；　but　I　have　none！〃
And　with　a　deep　sigh　he　again　sank　into　the　reverie　that　had
been　interrupted　by　Mordaunt。


58
Jesus　Seigneur。

Whilst　Mordaunt　was　making　his　way　to　Cromwell's　tent；
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　had　brought　their　prisoners　to　the
house　which　had　been　assigned　to　them　as　their　dwelling　at
Newcastle。
The　order　given　by　Mordaunt　to　the　sergeant　had　been　heard
by　D'Artagnan；　who　accordingly；　by　an　expressive　glance；
warned　Athos　and　Aramis　to　exercise　extreme　caution。　The
prisoners；　therefore；　had　remained　silent　as　they　marched
along　in　company　with　their　conquerors　　which　they　could
do　with　the　less　difficulty　since　each　of　them　had
occupation　enough　in　answering　his　own　thoughts。
It　would　be　impossible　to　describe　Musqueton's　astonishment
when　from　the　threshold　of　the　door　he　saw　the　four　friends
approaching；　followed　by　a　sergeant　with　a　dozen　men。　He
rubbed　his　eyes；　doubting　if　he　really　saw　before　him　Athos
and　Aramis；　and　forced　at　last　to　yield　to　evidence；　he　was
on　the　point　of　breaking　forth　in　exclamations　when　he
encountered　a　glance　from　the　eyes　of　Porthos；　the
repressive　force　of　which　he　was　not　inclined　to　dispute。
Musqueton　remained　glued　to　the　door；　awaiting　the
explanation　of　this　strange　occurrence。　What　upset　him
completely　was　that　the　four　friends　seemed　to　have　no
acquaintance　with　one　another。
The　house　to　which　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　conducted　Athos
and　Aramis　was　the　one　assigned　to　them　by　General　Cromwell
and　of　which　they　had　taken　possession　on　the　previous
evening。　It　was　at　the　corner　of　two　streets　and　had　in　the
rear；　bordering　on　the　side　street；　stables　and　a　sort　of
garden。　The　windows　on　the　ground　floor；　according　to　a
custom　in　provincial　villages；　were　barred；　so　that　they
strongly　resembled　the　windows　of　a　prison。
The　two　friends　made　the　prisoners　enter　the　house　first；
whilst　they　stood　at　the　door；　desiring　Musqueton　to　take
the　four　horses　to　the　stable。
〃Why　don't　we　go　in　with　them？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃We　must　first　see　what　the　sergeant　wishes　us　to　do；〃
replied　D'Artagnan。
The　sergeant　and　his　men　took　possession　of　the　little
garden。
D'Artagnan　asked　them　what　they　wished　and　why　they　had
taken　that　position。
〃We　have　had　orders；〃　answered　the　man；　〃to　help　you　in
taking　care　of　your　prisoners。〃
There　could　be　no　fault　to　find　with　this　arrangement；　on
the　contrary；　it　seemed　to　be　a　delicate　attention；　to　be
gratefully　received；　D'Artagnan；　therefore；　thanked　the　man
and　gave　him　a　crown　piece　to　drink　to　General　Cromwell's
health。
The　sergeant　answered　that　Puritans　never　drank；　and　put　the
crown　piece　in　his　pocket。
〃Ah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃what　a　fearful　day；　my　dear
D'Artagnan！〃
〃What！　a　fearful　day；　when　to…day　we　find　our　friends？〃
〃Yes；　but　under　what　circumstances？〃
〃'T