twenty years after(二十年后)-第107节

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Boulogne。〃
〃What　would　you　have？　I　was　like　you；　and　had　a　king　in
keeping。〃
〃Aha！〃　said　Groslow；　〃what　king？〃
〃Our　own；　to　be　sure；　the　little　one　　Louis　XIV。〃
〃And　how　long　had　you　to　take　care　of　him？〃
〃Three　nights；　and；　by　my　troth；　I　shall　always　remember
those　three　nights　with　a　certain　pleasure。〃
〃How　do　you　mean？〃
〃I　mean　that　my　friends；　officers　in　the　guards　and
mousquetaires；　came　to　keep　me　company　and　we　passed　the
night　in　feasting；　drinking；　dicing。〃
〃Ah　true；〃　said　the　Englishman；　with　a　sigh；　〃you　Frenchmen
are　born　boon　companions。〃
〃And　don't　you　play；　too；　when　you　are　on　guard？〃
〃Never；〃　said　the　Englishman。
〃In　that　case　you　must　be　horribly　bored；　and　have　my
sympathy。〃
〃The　fact　is；　I　look　to　my　turn　for　keeping　guard　with
horror。　It's　tiresome　work　to　keep　awake　a　whole　night。〃
〃Yes；　but　with　a　jovial　partner　and　dice；　and　guineas
clinking　on　the　cloth；　the　night　passes　like　a　dream。　You
don't　like　playing；　then？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　I　do。〃
〃Lansquenet；　for　instance？〃
〃Devoted　to　it。　I　used　to　play　almost　every　night　in
France。〃
〃And　since　your　return　to　England？〃
〃I　have　not　handled　a　card　or　dice…box。〃
〃I　sincerely　pity　you；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　an　air　of
profound　compassion。
〃Look　here；〃　said　the　Englishman。
〃Well？〃
〃To…morrow　I　am　on　guard。〃
〃In　Stuart's　room？〃
〃Yes；　come　and　pass　the　night　with　me。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃Impossible！　why　so？〃
〃I　play　with　Monsieur　du　Vallon　every　night。　Sometimes　we
don't　go　to　bed　at　all！〃
〃Well；　what　of　that？〃
〃Why；　he　would　be　annoyed　if　I　did　not　play　with　him。〃
〃Does　he　play　well？〃
〃I　have　seen　him　lose　as　much　as　two　thousand　pistoles；
laughing　all　the　while　till　the　tears　rolled　down。〃
〃Bring　him　with　you；　then。〃
〃But　how　about　our　prisoners？〃
〃Let　your　servants　guard　them。〃
〃Yes；　and　give　them　a　chance　of　escaping；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Why；　one　of　them　is　a　rich　lord　from　Touraine　and　the　other
a　knight　of　Malta；　of　noble　family。　We　have　arranged　the
ransom　of　each　of　them　　2；000　on　arriving　in　France。　We
are　reluctant　to　leave　for　a　single　moment　men　whom　our
lackeys　know　to　be　millionaires。　It　is　true　we　plundered
them　a　little　when　we　took　them；　and　I　will　even　confess
that　it　is　their　purse　that　Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　I　draw　on
in　our　nightly　play。　Still；　they　may　have　concealed　some
precious　stone；　some　valuable　diamond；　so　that　we　are　like
those　misers　who　are　unable　to　absent　themselves　from　their
treasures。　We　have　made　ourselves　the　constant　guardians　of
our　men；　and　while　I　sleep　Monsieur　du　Vallon　watches。〃
〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　Groslow。
〃You　see；　then；　why　I　must　decline　your　polite　invitation；
which　is　especially　attractive　to　me；　because　nothing　is　so
wearisome　as　to　play　night　after　night　with　the　same　person；
the　chances　always　balance　and　at　the　month's　end　nothing　is
gained　or　lost。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Groslow；　sighing；　〃there　is　something　still　more
wearisome；　and　that　is　not　to　play　at　all。〃
〃I　can　understand　that；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃But；　come；〃　resumed　the　Englishman；　〃are　these　men　of　yours
dangerous？〃
〃In　what　respect？〃
〃Are　they　capable　of　attempting　violence？〃
D'Artagnan　burst　out　laughing　at　the　idea。
〃Jesus　Dieu！〃　he　cried；　〃one　of　them　is　trembling　with
fever；　having　failed　to　adapt　himself　to　this　charming
country　of　yours；　and　the　other　is　a　knight　of　Malta；　as
timid　as　a　young　girl；　and　for　greater　security　we　have
taken　from　them　even　their　penknives　and　pocket　scissors。〃
〃Well；　then；〃　said　Groslow；　〃bring　them　with　you。〃
〃But　really　　〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃I　have　eight　men　on　guard；　you　know。　Four　of　them　can　guard
the　king　and　the　other　four　your　prisoners。　I'll　manage　it
somehow；　you　will　see。〃
〃But；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃now　I　think　of　it　　what　is　to
prevent　our　beginning　to…night？〃
〃Nothing　at　all；〃　said　Groslow。
〃Just　so。　Come　to　us　this　evening　and　to…morrow　we'll　return
your　visit。〃
〃Capital！　This　evening　with　you；　to…morrow　at　Stuart's；　the
next　day　with　me。〃
〃You　see；　that　with　a　little　forethought　one　can　lead　a
merry　life　anywhere　and　everywhere；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　with　Frenchmen；　and　Frenchmen　like　you。〃
〃And　Monsieur　du　Vallon；〃　added　the　other。　〃You　will　see
what　a　fellow　he　is；　a　man　who　nearly　killed　Mazarin　between
two　doors。　They　employ　him　because　they　are　afraid　of　him。
Ah；　there　he　is　calling　me　now。　You'll　excuse　me；　I　know。〃
They　exchanged　bows　and　D'Artagnan　returned　to　his
companions。
〃What　on　earth　can　you　have　been　saying　to　that　bulldog？〃
exclaimed　Porthos。
〃My　dear　fellow；　don't　speak　like　that　of　Monsieur　Groslow。
He's　one　of　my　most　intimate　friends。〃
〃One　of　your　friends！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃this　butcher　of
unarmed　farmers！〃
〃Hush！　my　dear　Porthos。　Monsieur　Groslow　is　perhaps　rather
hasty；　it's　true；　but　at　bottom　I　have　discovered　two　good
qualities　in　him　　he　is　conceited　and　stupid。〃
Porthos　opened　his　eyes　in　amazement；　Athos　and　Aramis
looked　at　one　another　and　smiled；　they　knew　D'Artagnan；　and
knew　that　he　did　nothing　without　a　purpose。
〃But；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃you　shall　judge　of　him　for
yourself。　He　is　coming　to　play　with　us　this　evening。〃
〃Oho！〃　said　Porthos；　his　eyes　glistening　at　the　news。　〃Is　he
rich？〃
〃He's　the　son　of　one　of　the　wealthiest　merchants　in　London。〃
〃And　knows　lansquenet？〃
〃Adores　it。〃
〃Basset？〃
〃His　mania。'
〃Biribi？〃
〃Revels　in　it。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Porthos；　〃we　shall　pass　an　agreeable　evening。〃
〃The　more　so；　as　it　will　be　the　prelude　to　a　better。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃We　invite　him　to　play　to…night；　he　has　invited　us　in　return
to…morrow。　But　wait。　To…night　we　stop　at　Derby；　and　if　there
is　a　bottle　of　wine　in　the　town　let　Musqueton　buy　it。　It
will　be　well　to　prepare　a　light　supper；　of　which　you；　Athos
and　Aramis；　are　not　to　partake　　Athos；　because　I　told　him
you　had　a　fever；　Aramis；　because　you　are　a　knight　of　Malta
and　won't　mix　with　fellows　like　us。　Do　you　understand？〃
〃That's　no　doubt　very　fine；〃　said　Porthos；　〃but　deuce　take
me　if　I　understand　at　all。〃
〃Porthos；　my　friend；　you　know　I　am　descended　on　the　father's
side　from　the　Prophets　and　on　the　mother's　from　the　Sybils；
and　that　I　only　speak　in　parables　and　riddles。　Let　those　who
have　ears　hear　and　those　who　have　eyes　see；　I　can　tell　you
nothing　more　at　present。〃
〃Go　ahead；　my　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　am　sure　that　whatever
you　do　is　well　done。〃
〃And　you；　Aramis；　are　you　of　that　opinion？〃
〃Entirely　so；　my　dear　D'Artagnan。〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃here　indeed　are　true
believers；　it　is　a　pleasure　to　work　miracles　before　them；
they　are　not　like　that　unbelieving　Porthos；　who　must　see　and
touch　before　he　will　believe。〃
〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Porthos；　with　an　air　of　finesse；　〃I　am
rather　incredulous。〃
D'Artagnan　gave　him　playful　buffet　on　the　shoulder；　and　as
they　had　reached　the　station　where　they　were　to　breakfast；
the　conversation　ended　there。
At　five　in　the　evening　they　sent　Musqueton　on　before　as
agreed　upon。　Blaisois　went　with　him。
In　crossing　the　principal　street　in　Derby　the　four　friends
perceived　Blaisois　standing　in　the　doorway　of　a　handsome
house。　It　was　there　a　lodging　was　prepared　for　them。
At　the　hour　agreed　upon　Groslow　came。　D'Artagnan　received
him　as　he　would　have　done　a　friend　of　twenty　years'
standing。　Porthos　scanned　him　from　head　to　foot　and　smiled
when　he　discovered　that　in　spite　of　the　blow　he　had
administered　to　Parry's　brother；　he　was　not　nearly　so　strong
as　himself。　Athos　and　Aramis　suppressed　as　well　as　they
could　the　disgust　they　felt　in　the　presence　of　such
coarseness　and　brutality。
In　short；　Groslow　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　his　reception。
Athos　and　Aramis　kept　themselves　to　their　role。　At　midnight
they　withdrew　to　their　chamber；　the　door　of　which　was　left
open　on　the　pretext　of　kindly　consideration。　Furthermore；
D'Artagnan　went　with　them；　leaving　Porthos　at　play　with
Groslow。
Porthos　gained　fifty　pistoles　from　Groslow；　and　found　him　a
more　agreeable　companion　than　he　had　at　first　believed　him
to　be。
As　to　Groslow；　he　promised　himself　that　on　the　following
evening　he　would　recover　from　D'Artagnan　what　he　had　lost　to
Porthos；　and　on　leaving　reminded　the　Gascon　of　his
appointment。
The　next　day　was　spent　as　usual。　D'Artagnan　went　from
Captain　Groslow　to　Colonel　Harrison　and　from　Colonel
Harrison　to　his　friends。　To　any　one　not　acquainted　with　him
he　seemed　to　be　in　his　normal　condition；　but　to　his　friends
　to　Athos　and　Aramis　　was　apparent　a　certain
feverishness　in　his　gayety。
〃What　is　he　contriving？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Wait；〃　said　Athos。
Porthos　said　nothing；　but　he　handled　in　his　pocket　the　fifty
pistoles　he　had　gained　from　Groslow　with　a　degree　of
satisfaction　which　betrayed　itself　in　his　whole　bearing。
Arrived　at　Ryston；　D'Artagnan　assembled　his　friends。　His
face　had　lost　the　expression　of　careless　gayety　it　had　worn
like　a　mask　the　whole　day。　Athos　pinched　Aramis's　hand。
〃The　moment　is　at　hand；〃　he　said。
〃Yes；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　who　had　overheard　him；
〃to…night；　gentlemen；　we　rescue　the　king。〃
〃D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　is　no　joke；　I　trust？　It
would　quite　cut　me　up。〃
〃You　are　a　very　odd　man；　Athos；〃　he　replied；　〃to　doubt　me
thus。　Where　and　when　have　you　seen　me　trifle　with　a　friend's
heart　and　a　king's　life？　I　have　told　you；　and　I