twenty years after(二十年后)-第104节

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not　high　in　my　esteem　　but　on　principle。　To…day　I　am
engaged　in　a　different　affair。　I　have　encountered　misfortune
in　a　high　place；　a　royal　misfortune；　a　European　misfortune；
I　attach　myself　to　it。　If　we　can　succeed　in　saving　the　king
it　will　be　good；　if　we　die　for　him　it　will　be　grand。〃
〃So　you　know　beforehand　you　must　perish！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃We　fear　so；　and　our　only　regret　is　to　die　so　far　from　both
of　you。〃
〃What　will　you　do　in　a　foreign　land；　an　enemy's　country？〃
〃I　traveled　in　England　when　I　was　young；　I　speak　English
like　an　Englishman；　and　Aramis；　too；　knows　something　of　the
language。　Ah！　if　we　had　you；　my　friends！　With　you；
D'Artagnan；　with　you；　Porthos　　all　four　reunited　for　the
first　time　for　twenty　years　　we　would　dare　not　only
England；　but　the　three　kingdoms　put　together！〃
〃And　did　you　promise　the　queen；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；
petulantly；　〃to　storm　the　Tower　of　London；　to　kill　a　hundred
thousand　soldiers；　to　fight　victoriously　against　the　wishes
of　the　nation　and　the　ambition　of　a　man；　and　when　that　man
is　Cromwell？　Do　not　exaggerate　your　duty。　In　Heaven's　name；
my　dear　Athos；　do　not　make　a　useless　sacrifice。　When　I　see
you　merely；　you　look　like　a　reasonable　being；　when　you
speak；　I　seem　to　have　to　do　with　a　madman。　Come；　Porthos；
join　me；　say　frankly；　what　do　you　think　of　this　business？〃
〃Nothing　good；〃　replied　Porthos。
〃Come；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　who；　irritated　that　instead　of
listening　to　him　Athos　seemed　to　be　attending　to　his　own
thoughts；　〃you　have　never　found　yourself　the　worse　for　my
advice。　Well；　then；　believe　me；　Athos；　your　mission　is
ended；　and　ended　nobly；　return　to　France　with　us。〃
〃Friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃our　resolution　is　irrevocable。〃
〃Then　you　have　some　other　motive　unknown　to　us？〃
Athos　smiled　and　D'Artagnan　struck　his　hand　together　in
anger　and　muttered　the　most　convincing　reasons　that　he　could
discover；　but　to　all　these　reasons　Athos　contented　himself
by　replying　with　a　calm；　sweet　smile　and　Aramis　by　nodding
his　head。
〃Very　well；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　at　last；　furious；　〃very　well；
since　you　wish　it；　let　us　leave　our　bones　in　this　beggarly
land；　where　it　is　always　cold；　where　fine　weather　is　a　fog；
fog　is　rain；　and　rain　a　deluge；　where　the　sun　represents　the
moon　and　the　moon　a　cream　cheese；　in　truth；　whether　we　die
here　or　elsewhere　matters　little；　since　we　must　die。〃
〃Only　reflect；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Athos；　〃it　is　but　dying
rather　sooner。〃
〃Pooh！　a　little　sooner　or　a　little　later；　it　isn't　worth
quarreling　over。〃
〃If　I　am　astonished　at　anything；〃　remarked　Porthos；
sententiously；　〃it　is　that　it　has　not　already　happened。〃
〃Oh；　it　will　happen；　you　may　be　sure；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃So
it　is　agreed；　and　if　Porthos　makes　no　objection　　〃
〃I；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　will　do　whatever　you　please；　and
besides；　I　think　what　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　said　just　now　is
very　good。〃
〃But　your　future　career；　D'Artagnan　　your　ambition；
Porthos？〃
〃Our　future；　our　ambition！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　with
feverish　volubility。　〃Need　we　think　of　that　since　we　are　to
save　the　king？　The　king　saved　　we　shall　assemble　our
friends　together　　we　will　head　the　Puritans　　reconquer
England；　we　shall　re…enter　London　　place　him　securely　on
his　throne　　〃
〃And　he　will　make　us　dukes　and　peers；〃　said　Porthos；　whose
eyes　sparkled　with　joy　at　this　imaginary　prospect。
〃Or　he　will　forget　us；〃　added　D'Artagnan。
〃Oh！〃　said　Porthos。
〃Well；　that　has　happened；　friend　Porthos。　It　seems　to　me
that　we　once　rendered　Anne　of　Austria　a　service　not　much
less　than　that　which　to…day　we　are　trying　to　perform　for
Charles　I。；　but；　none　the　less；　Anne　of　Austria　has
forgotten　us　for　twenty　years。〃
〃Well；　in　spite　of　that；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃you　are
not　sorry　that　you　were　useful　to　her？〃
〃No；　indeed；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　admit　even　that　in　my
darkest　moments　I　find　consolation　in　that　remembrance。〃
〃You　see；　then；　D'Artagnan；　though　princes　often　are
ungrateful；　God　never　is。〃
〃Athos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　believe　that　were　you　to　fall
in　with　the　devil；　you　would　conduct　yourself　so　well　that
you　would　take　him　with　you　to　Heaven。〃
〃So；　then？〃　said　Athos；　offering　his　hand　to　D'Artagnan。
〃'Tis　settled；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。　〃I　find　England　a
charming　country；　and　I　stay　　but　on　one　condition　only。〃
〃What　is　it？〃
〃That　I　am　not　forced　to　learn　English。〃
〃Well；　now；〃　said　Athos；　triumphantly；　〃I　swear　to　you；　my
friend；　by　the　God　who　hears　us　　I　believe　that　there　is　a
power　watching　over　us；　and　that　we　shall　all　four　see
France　again。〃
〃So　be　it！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　I　　I　confess　I　have　a
contrary　conviction。〃
〃Our　good　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Aramis；　〃represents　among　us　the
opposition　in　parliament；　which　always　says　no；　and　always
does　aye。〃
〃But　in　the　meantime　saves　the　country；〃　added　Athos。
〃Well；　now　that　everything　is　decided；〃　cried　Porthos；
rubbing　his　hands；　〃suppose　we　think　of　dinner！　It　seems　to
me　that　in　the　most　critical　positions　of　our　lives　we　have
always　dined。〃
〃Oh！　yes；　speak　of　dinner　in　a　country　where　for　a　feast
they　eat　boiled　mutton；　and　as　a　treat　drink　beer。　What　the
devil　did　you　come　to　such　a　country　for；　Athos？　But　I
forgot；〃　added　the　Gascon；　smiling；　〃pardon；　I　forgot　you
are　no　longer　Athos；　but　never　mind；　let　us　hear　your　plan
for　dinner；　Porthos。〃
〃My　plan！〃
〃Yes；　have　you　a　plan？〃
〃No！　I　am　hungry；　that　is　all。〃
〃Pardieu；　if　that　is　all；　I　am　hungry；　too；　but　it　is　not
everything　to　be　hungry；　one　must　find　something　to　eat；
unless　we　browse　on　the　grass；　like　our　horses　　〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Aramis；　who　was　not　quite　so　indifferent　to
the　good　things　of　the　earth　as　Athos；　〃do　you　remember；
when　we　were　at　Parpaillot；　the　beautiful　oysters　that　we
ate？〃
〃And　the　legs　of　mutton　of　the　salt　marshes；〃　said　Porthos；
smacking　his　lips。
〃But；〃　suggested　D'Artagnan；　〃have　we　not　our　friend
Musqueton；　who　managed　for　us　so　well　at　Chantilly；
Porthos？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃we　have　Musqueton；　but　since　he　has
been　steward；　he　has　become　very　heavy；　never　mind；　let　us
call　him；　and　to　make　sure　that　he　will　reply　agreeably　
〃Here！　Mouston；〃　cried　Porthos。
Mouston　appeared；　with　a　most　piteous　face。
〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear　M。　Mouston？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃Are　you　ill？〃
〃Sir；　I　am　very　hungry；〃　replied　Mouston。
〃Well；　it　is　just　for　that　reason　that　we　have　called　you；
my　good　M。　Mouston。　Could　you　not　procure　us　a　few　of　those
nice　little　rabbits；　and　some　of　those　delicious　partridges；
of　which　you　used　to　make　fricassees　at　the　hotel　　？
'Faith；　I　do　not　remember　the　name　of　the　hotel。〃
〃At　the　hotel　of　　；〃　said　Porthos；　〃by　my　faith　　nor
do　I　remember　it　either。〃
〃It　does　not　matter；　and　a　few　of　those　bottles　of　old
Burgundy　wine；　which　cured　your　master　so　quickly　of　his
sprain！〃
〃Alas！　sir；〃　said　Musqueton；　〃I　much　fear　that　what　you　ask
for　are　very　rare　things　in　this　detestable　and　barren
country；　and　I　think　we　should　do　better　to　go　and　seek
hospitality　from　the　owner　of　a　little　house　we　see　on　the
fringe　of　the　forest。〃
〃How！　is　there　a　house　in　the　neighborhood？〃　asked
D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Musqueton。
〃Well；　let　us；　as　you　say；　go　and　ask　a　dinner　from　the
master　of　that　house。　What　is　your　opinion；　gentlemen；　and
does　not　M。　Mouston's　suggestion　appear　to　you　full　of
sense？〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Aramis；　〃suppose　the　master　is　a　Puritan？〃
〃So　much　the　better；　mordioux！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃if　he
is　a　Puritan　we　will　inform　him　of　the　capture　of　the　king；
and　in　honor　of　the　news　he　will　kill　for　us　his　fatted
hens。〃
〃But　if　he　should　be　a　cavalier？〃　said　Porthos。
〃In　that　case　we　will　put　on　an　air　of　mourning　and　he　will
pluck　for　us　his　black　fowls。〃
〃You　are　very　happy；〃　exclaimed　Athos；　laughing；　in　spite　of
himself；　at　the　sally　of　the　irresistible　Gascon；　〃for　you
see　the　bright　side　of　everything。〃
〃What　would　you　have？〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃I　come　from　a　land
where　there　is　not　a　cloud　in　the　sky。〃
〃It　is　not　like　this；　then；〃　said　Porthos　stretching　out　his
hand　to　assure　himself　whether　a　chill　sensation　he　felt　on
his　cheek　was　not　really　caused　by　a　drop　of　rain。
〃Come；　come；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃more　reason　why　we　should
start　on　our　journey。　Halloo；　Grimaud！〃
Grimaud　appeared。
〃Well；　Grimaud；　my　friend；　have　you　seen　anything？〃　asked
the　Gascon。
〃Nothing！〃　replied　Grimaud。
〃Those　idiots！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃they　have　not　even　pursued
us。　Oh！　if　we　had　been　in　their　place！〃
〃Yes；　they　are　wrong；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃I　would　willingly
have　said　two　words　to　Mordaunt　in　this　little　desert。　It　is
an　excellent　spot　for　bringing　down　a　man　in　proper　style。〃
〃I　think；　decidedly；〃　observed　Aramis；　〃gentlemen；　that　the
son　hasn't　his　mother's　energy。〃
〃What；　my　good　fellow！〃　replied　Athos；　〃wait　awhile；　we　have
scarcely　left　him　two　hours　ago　　he　does　not　know　yet　in
what　direction　we　came　nor　where　we　are。　We　may　say　that　he
is　not　equal　to　his　mother　when　we　put　foot　in　France；　if　we
are　not　poisoned　or　killed　before　then。〃
〃Meanwhile；　let　us　dine；〃　suggested　Porthos。
〃I'faith；　yes；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　I　am　hungry。〃
〃Look　out　for　the　black　fowls！〃　cried　Aramis。
And　the　four　friends；　guided　by　Musqueton；　took　up　the　way
toward　the　house；　already　almost　r