twenty years after(二十年后)-第109节

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Athos　and　Aramis　started　with　delight　to　find　that　the　king
was　lying　with　his　clothes　on。
The　game　began。　The　luck　had　turned；　and　Groslow；　having　won
some　hundred　pistoles；　was　in　the　merriest　possible　humor。
Porthos；　who　had　lost　the　fifty　pistoles　he　had　won　the
night　before　and　thirty　more　besides；　was　very　cross　and
questioned　D'Artagnan　with　a　nudge　of　the　knee　as　to　whether
it　would　not　soon　be　time　to　change　the　game。　Athos　and
Aramis　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　But　D'Artagnan　remained
impassible。
It　struck　ten。　They　heard　the　guard　going　its　rounds。
〃How　many　rounds　do　they　make　a　night？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；
drawing　more　pistoles　from　his　pocket。
〃Five；〃　answered　Groslow；　〃one　every　two　hours。〃
D'Artagnan　glanced　at　Athos　and　Aramis　and　for　the　first
time　replied　to　Porthos's　nudge　of　the　knee　by　a　nudge
responsive。　Meanwhile；　the　soldiers　whose　duty　it　was　to
remain　in　the　king's　room；　attracted　by　that　love　of　play　so
powerful　in　all　men；　had　stolen　little　by　little　toward　the
table；　and　standing　on　tiptoe；　lounged；　watching　the　game；
over　the　shoulders　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。　Those　on　the
other　side　had　followed　their　example；　thus　favoring　the
views　of　the　four　friends；　who　preferred　having　them　close
at　hand　to　chasing　them　about　the　chamber。　The　two　sentinels
at　the　door　still　had　their　swords　unsheathed；　but　they　were
leaning　on　them　while　they　watched　the　game。
Athos　seemed　to　grow　calm　as　the　critical　moment　approached。
With　his　white；　aristocratic　hands　he　played　with　the　louis；
bending　and　straightening　them　again；　as　if　they　were　made
of　pewter。　Aramis；　less　self…controlled；　fumbled　continually
with　his　hidden　poniard。　Porthos；　impatient　at　his　continued
losses；　kept　up　a　vigorous　play　with　his　knee。
D'Artagnan　turned；　mechanically　looking　behind　him；　and
between　the　figures　of　two　soldiers　he　could　see　Parry
standing　up　and　Charles　leaning　on　his　elbow　with　his　hands
clasped　and　apparently　offering　a　fervent　prayer　to　God。
D'Artagnan　saw　that　the　moment　was　come。　He　darted　a
preparatory　glance　at　Athos　and　Aramis；　who　slyly　pushed
their　chairs　a　little　back　so　as　to　leave　themselves　more
space　for　action。　He　gave　Porthos　a　second　nudge　of　the　knee
and　Porthos　got　up　as　if　to　stretch　his　legs　and　took　care
at　the　same　time　to　ascertain　that　his　sword　could　be　drawn
smoothly　from　the　scabbard。
〃Hang　it！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃another　twenty　pistoles　lost。
Really；　Captain　Groslow；　you　are　too　much　in　fortune's　way。
This　can't　last；〃　and　he　drew　another　twenty　from　his
pocket。　〃One　more　turn；　captain；　twenty　pistoles　on　one
throw　　only　one；　the　last。〃
〃Done　for　twenty；〃　replied　Groslow。
And　he　turned　up　two　cards　as　usual；　a　king　for　D'Artagnan
and　an　ace　for　himself。
〃A　king；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it's　a　good　omen；　Master　Groslow
　look　out　for　the　king。〃
And　in　spite　of　his　extraordinary　self…control　there　was　a
strange　vibration　in　the　Gascon's　voice　which　made　his
partner　start。
Groslow　began　turning　the　cards　one　after　another。　If　he
turned　up　an　ace　first　he　won；　if　a　king　he　lost。
He　turned　up　a　king。
〃At　last！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
At　this　word　Athos　and　Aramis　jumped　up。　Porthos　drew　back　a
step。　Daggers　and　swords　were　just　about　to　shine；　when
suddenly　the　door　was　thrown　open　and　Harrison　appeared　in
the　doorway；　accompanied　by　a　man　enveloped　in　a　large
cloak。　Behind　this　man　could　be　seen　the　glistening　muskets
of　half　a　dozen　soldiers。
Groslow　jumped　up；　ashamed　at　being　surprised　in　the　midst
of　wine；　cards；　and　dice。　But　Harrison　paid　not　the　least
attention　to　him；　and　entering　the　king's　room；　followed　by
his　companion：
〃Charles　Stuart；〃　said　he；　〃an　order　has　come　to　conduct　you
to　London　without　stopping　day　or　night。　Prepare　yourself；
then；　to　start　at　once。〃
〃And　by　whom　is　this　order　given？〃　asked　the　king。
〃By　General　Oliver　Cromwell。　And　here　is　Mr。　Mordaunt；　who
has　brought　it　and　is　charged　with　its　execution。〃
〃Mordaunt！〃　muttered　the　four　friends；　exchanging　glances。
D'Artagnan　swept　up　the　money　that　he　and　Porthos　had　lost
and　buried　it　in　his　huge　pocket。　Athos　and　Aramis　placed
themselves　behind　him。　At　this　movement　Mordaunt　turned
around；　recognized　them；　and　uttered　an　exclamation　of
savage　delight。
〃I'm　afraid　we　are　prisoners；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan　to　his
friend。
〃Not　yet；〃　replied　Porthos。
〃Colonel；　colonel；〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃you　are　betrayed。　These
four　Frenchmen　have　escaped　from　Newcastle；　and　no　doubt
want　to　carry　off　the　king。　Arrest　them。〃
〃Ah！　my　young　man；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　drawing　his　sword；
〃that　is　an　order　sooner　given　than　executed。　Fly；　friends；
fly！〃　he　added；　whirling　his　sword　around　him。
The　next　moment　he　darted　to　the　door　and　knocked　down　two
of　the　soldiers　who　guarded　it；　before　they　had　time　to　cock
their　muskets。　Athos　and　Aramis　followed　him。　Porthos
brought　up　the　rear；　and　before　soldiers；　officers；　or
colonel　had　time　to　recover　their　surprise　all　four　were　in
the　street。
〃Fire！〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃fire　upon　them！〃
Three　or　four　shots　were　fired；　but　with　no　other　result
than　to　show　the　four　fugitives　turning　the　corner　of　the
street　safe　and　sound。
The　horses　were　at　the　place　fixed　upon；　and　they　leaped
lightly　into　their　saddles。
〃Forward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃and　spur　for　your　dear　lives！〃
They　galloped　away　and　took　the　road　they　had　come　by　in　the
morning；　namely；　in　the　direction　toward　Scotland。　A　few
hundred　yards　beyond　the　town　D'Artagnan　drew　rein。
〃Halt！〃　he　cried；　〃this　time　we　shall　be　pursued。　We　must
let　them　leave　the　village　and　ride　after　us　on　the　northern
road；　and　when　they　have　passed　we　will　take　the　opposite
direction。〃
There　was　a　stream　close　by　and　a　bridge　across　it。
D'Artagnan　led　his　horse　under　the　arch　of　the　bridge。　The
others　followed。　Ten　minutes　later　they　heard　the　rapid
gallop　of　a　troop　of　horsemen。　A　few　minutes　more　and　the
troop　passed　over　their　heads。


62
London。

As　soon　as　the　noise　of　the　hoofs　was　lost　in　the　distance
D'Artagnan　remounted　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　scoured　the
plain；　followed　by　his　three　friends；　directing　their
course；　as　well　as　they　could　guess；　toward　London。
〃This　time；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　when　they　were　sufficiently
distant　to　proceed　at　a　trot；　〃I　think　all　is　lost　and　we
have　nothing　better　to　do　than　to　reach　France。　What　do　you
say；　Athos；　to　that　proposition？　Isn't　it　reasonable？〃
〃Yes；　dear　friend；〃　Athos　replied；　〃but　you　said　a　word　the
other　day　that　was　more　than　reasonable　　it　was　noble　and
generous。　You　said；　‘Let　us　die　here！'　I　recall　to　you　that
word。〃
〃Oh；〃　said　Porthos；　〃death　is　nothing：　it　isn't　death　that
can　disquiet　us；　since　we　don't　know　what　it　is。　What
troubles　me　is　the　idea　of　defeat。　As　things　are　turning
out；　I　foresee　that　we　must　give　battle　to　London；　to　the
provinces；　to　all　England；　and　certainly　in　the　end　we　can't
fail　to　be　beaten。〃
〃We　ought　to　witness　this　great　tragedy　even　to　its　last
scene；〃　said　Athos。　〃Whatever　happens；　let　us　not　leave
England　before　the　crisis。　Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Aramis？〃
〃Entirely；　my　dear　count。　Then；　too；　I　confess　I　should　not
be　sorry　to　come　across　Mordaunt　again。　It　appears　to　me
that　we　have　an　account　to　settle　with　him；　and　that　it　is
not　our　custom　to　leave　a　place　without　paying　our　debts；　of
this　kind；　at　least。〃
〃Ah！　that's　another　thing；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　should
not　mind　waiting　in　London　a　whole　year　for　a　chance　of
meeting　this　Mordaunt　in　question。　Only　let　us　lodge　with
some　one　on　whom　we　can　count；　for　I　imagine；　just　now；　that
Noll　Cromwell　would　not　be　inclined　to　trifle　with　us。
Athos；　do　you　know　any　inn　in　the　whole　town　where　one　can
find　white　sheets；　roast　beef　reasonably　cooked；　and　wine
which　is　not　made　of　hops　and　gin？〃
〃I　think　I　know　what　you　want；〃　replied　Athos。　〃De　Winter
took　us　to　the　house　of　a　Spaniard；　who；　he　said；　had　become
naturalized　as　an　Englishman　by　the　guineas　of　his　new
compatriots。　What　do　you　say　to　it；　Aramis？〃
〃Why；　the　idea　of　taking　quarters　with　Senor　Perez　seems　to
me　very　reasonable；　and　for　my　part　I　agree　to　it。　We　will
invoke　the　remembrance　of　that　poor　De　Winter；　for　whom　he
seemed　to　have　a　great　regard；　we　will　tell　him　that　we　have
come　as　amateurs　to　see　what　is　going　on；　we　will　spend　with
him　a　guinea　each　per　day；　and　I　think　that　by　taking　all
these　precautions　we　can　be　quite　undisturbed。〃
〃You　forget；　Aramis；　one　precaution　of　considerable
importance。〃
〃What　is　that？〃
〃The　precaution　of　changing　our　clothes。〃
〃Changing　our　clothes！〃　exclaimed　Porthos。　〃I　don't　see　why；
we　are　very　comfortable　in　those　we　wear。〃
〃To　prevent　recognition；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Our　clothes　have
a　cut　which　would　proclaim　the　Frenchman　at　first　sight。
Now；　I　don't　set　sufficient　store　on　the　cut　of　my　jerkin　to
risk　being　hung　at　Tyburn　or　sent　for　change　of　scene　to　the
Indies。　I　shall　buy　a　chestnut…colored　suit。　I've　remarked
that　your　Puritans　revel　in　that　color。〃
〃But　can　you　find　your　man？〃　said　Aramis　to　Athos。
〃Oh！　to　be　sure；　yes。　He　lives　at　the　Bedford　Tavern；
Greenhall　Street。　Besides；　I　can　find　my　way　about　the　city
with　my　eyes　shut。〃
〃I　wish　we　were　already　there；〃　sai