twenty years after(二十年后)-第110节

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with　my　eyes　shut。〃
〃I　wish　we　were　already　there；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　my
advice　is　that　we　reach　London　before　daybreak；　even　if　we
kill　our　horses。〃
〃Come　on；　then；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　unless　I　am　mistaken　in　my
calculations　we　have　only　eight　or　ten　leagues　to　go。〃
The　friends　urged　on　their　horses　and　arrived；　in　fact；　at
about　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。　They　were　stopped　and
questioned　at　the　gate　by　which　they　sought　to　enter　the
city；　but　Athos　replied；　in　excellent　English；　that　they　had
been　sent　forward　by　Colonel　Harrison　to　announce　to　his
colleague；　Monsieur　Bridge；　the　approach　of　the　king。　That
reply　led　to　several　questions　about　the　king's　capture；　and
Athos　gave　details　so　precise　and　positive　that　if　the
gatekeepers　had　any　suspicions　they　vanished　completely。　The
way　was　therefore　opened　to　the　four　friends　with　all　sorts
of　Puritan　congratulations。
Athos　was　right。　He　went　direct　to　the　Bedford　Tavern；　and
the　host；　who　recognized　him；　was　delighted　to　see　him　again
with　such　a　numerous　and　promising　company。
Though　it　was　scarcely　daylight　our　four　travelers　found　the
town　in　a　great　bustle；　owing　to　the　reported　approach　of
Harrison　and　the　king。
The　plan　of　changing　their　clothes　was　unanimously　adopted。
The　landlord　sent　out　for　every　description　of　garment；　as
if　he　wanted　to　fit　up　his　wardrobe。　Athos　chose　a　black
coat；　which　gave　him　the　appearance　of　a　respectable
citizen。　Aramis；　not　wishing　to　part　with　his　sword；
selected　a　dark…blue　cloak　of　a　military　cut。　Porthos　was
seduced　by　a　wine…colored　doublet　and　sea…green　breeches。
D'Artagnan；　who　had　fixed　on　his　color　beforehand；　had　only
to　select　the　shade；　and　looked　in　his　chestnut　suit　exactly
like　a　retired　sugar　dealer。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃for　the　actual　man。　We　must　cut　off
our　hair；　that　the　populace　may　not　insult　us。　As　we　no
longer　wear　the　sword　of　the　gentleman　we　may　as　well　have
the　head　of　the　Puritan。　This；　as　you　know；　is　the　important
point　of　distinction　between　the　Covenanter　and　the
Cavalier。〃
After　some　discussion　this　was　agreed　to　and　Musqueton
played　the　role　of　barber。
〃We　look　hideous；〃　said　Athos。
〃And　smack　of　the　Puritan　to　a　frightful　extent；〃　said
Aramis。
〃My　head　feels　actually　cold；〃　said　Porthos。
〃As　for　me；　I　feel　anxious　to　preach　a　sermon；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃Now；〃　said　Athos；　〃that　we　cannot　even　recognize　one
another　and　have　therefore　no　fear　of　others　recognizing　us；
let　us　go　and　see　the　king's　entrance。〃
They　had　not　been　long　in　the　crowd　before　loud　cries
announced　the　king's　arrival。　A　carriage　had　been　sent　to
meet　him；　and　the　gigantic　Porthos；　who　stood　a　head　above
the　entire　rabble；　soon　announced　that　he　saw　the　royal
equipage　approaching。　D'Artagnan　raised　himself　on　tiptoe；
and　as　the　carriage　passed；　saw　Harrison　at　one　window　and
Mordaunt　at　the　other。
The　next　day；　Athos；　leaning　out　of　his　window；　which　looked
upon　the　most　populous　part　of　the　city；　heard　the　Act　of
Parliament；　which　summoned　the　ex…king；　Charles　I。；　to　the
bar；　publicly　cried。
〃Parliament　indeed！〃　cried　Athos。　〃Parliament　can　never　have
passed　such　an　act　as　that。〃
At　this　moment　the　landlord　came　in。
〃Did　parliament　pass　this　act？〃　Athos　asked　of　him　in
English。
〃Yes；　my　lord；　the　pure　parliament。〃
〃What　do　you　mean　by　‘the　pure　parliament'？　Are　there；　then；
two　parliaments？〃
〃My　friend；〃　D'Artagnan　interrupted；　〃as　I　don't　understand
English　and　we　all　understand　Spanish；　have　the　kindness　to
speak　to　us　in　that　language；　which；　since　it　is　your　own；
you　must　find　pleasure　in　using　when　you　have　the　chance。〃
〃Ah！　excellent！〃　said　Aramis。
As　to　Porthos；　all　his　attention　was　concentrated　on　the
allurements　of　the　breakfast　table。
〃You　were　asking；　then？〃　said　the　host　in　Spanish。
〃I　asked；〃　said　Athos；　in　the　same　language；　〃if　there　are
two　parliaments；　a　pure　and　an　impure？〃
〃Why；　how　extraordinary！〃　said　Porthos；　slowly　raising　his
head　and　looking　at　his　friends　with　an　air　of　astonishment；
〃I　understand　English；　then！　I　understand　what　you　say！〃
〃That　is　because　we　are　talking　Spanish；　my　dear　friend；〃
said　Athos。
〃Oh；　the　devil！〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　am　sorry　for　that；　it
would　have　been　one　language　more。〃
〃When　I　speak　of　the　pure　parliament；〃　resumed　the　host；　〃I
mean　the　one　which　Colonel　Bridge　has　weeded。〃
〃Ah！　really；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃these　people　are　very
ingenious。　When　I　go　back　to　France　I　must　suggest　some　such
convenient　course　to　Cardinal　Mazarin　and　the　coadjutor。　One
of　them　will　weed　the　parliament　in　the　name　of　the　court；
and　the　other　in　the　name　of　the　people；　and　then　there
won't　be　any　parliament　at　all。〃
〃And　who　is　this　Colonel　Bridge？〃　asked　Aramis；　〃and　how
does　he　go　to　work　to　weed　the　parliament？〃
〃Colonel　Bridge；〃　replied　the　Spaniard；　〃is　a　retired
wagoner；　a　man　of　much　sense；　who　made　one　valuable
observation　whilst　driving　his　team；　namely；　that　where
there　happened　to　be　a　stone　on　the　road；　it　was　much　easier
to　remove　the　stone　than　try　and　make　the　wheel　pass　over
it。　Now；　of　two　hundred　and　fifty…one　members　who　composed
the　parliament；　there　were　one　hundred　and　ninety…one　who
were　in　the　way　and　might　have　upset　his　political　wagon。　He
took　them　up；　just　as　he　formerly　used　to　take　up　the　stones
from　the　road；　and　threw　them　out　of　the　house。〃
〃Neat；〃　remarked　D'Artagnan。　〃Very！〃
〃And　all　these　one　hundred　and　ninety…one　were　Royalists？〃
asked　Athos。
〃Without　doubt；　senor；　and　you　understand　that　they　would
have　saved　the　king。〃
〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Porthos；　with　majestic　common　sense；
〃they　were　in　the　majority。〃
〃And　you　think；〃　said　Aramis；　〃he　will　consent　to　appear
before　such　a　tribunal？〃
〃He　will　be　forced　to　do　so；〃　smiled　the　Spaniard。
〃Now；　Athos！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃do　you　begin　to　believe　that
it's　a　ruined　cause；　and　that　what　with　your　Harrisons；
Joyces；　Bridges　and　Cromwells；　we　shall　never　get　the　upper
hand？〃
〃The　king　will　be　delivered　at　the　tribunal；〃　said　Athos；
〃the　very　silence　of　his　supporters　indicates　that　they　are
at　work。〃
D'Artagnan　shrugged　his　shoulders。
〃But；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　they　dare　to　condemn　their　king；　it
can　only　be　to　exile　or　imprisonment。〃
D'Artagnan　whistled　a　little　air　of　incredulity。
〃We　shall　see；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　we　shall　go　to　the
sittings；　I　presume。〃
〃You　will　not　have　long　to　wait；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃they
begin　to…morrow。〃
〃So；　then；　they　drew　up　the　indictments　before　the　king　was
taken？〃
〃Of　course；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃they　began　the　day　he　was
sold。〃
〃And　you　know；〃　said　Aramis；　〃that　it　was　our　friend
Mordaunt　who　made；　if　not　the　bargain；　at　least　the
overtures。〃
〃And　you　know；〃　added　D'Artagnan；　〃that　whenever　I　catch　him
I　will　kill　him；　this　Mordaunt。〃
〃And　I；　too；〃　exclaimed　Porthos。
〃And　I；　too；〃　added　Aramis。
〃Touching　unanimity！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃which　well　becomes
good　citizens　like　us。　Let　us　take　a　turn　around　the　town
and　imbibe　a　little　fog。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃'twill　be　at　least　a　little　change
from　beer。〃

63
The　Trial。

The　next　morning　King　Charles　I。　was　haled　by　a　strong　guard
before　the　high　court　which　was　to　judge　him。　All　London　was
crowding　to　the　doors　of　the　house。　The　throng　was　terrific；
and　it　was　not　till　after　much　pushing　and　some　fighting
that　our　friends　reached　their　destination。　When　they　did　so
they　found　the　three　lower　rows　of　benches　already　occupied；
but　being　anxious　not　to　be　too　conspicuous；　all；　with　the
exception　of　Porthos；　who　had　a　fancy　to　display　his　red
doublet；　were　quite　satisfied　with　their　places；　the　more　so
as　chance　had　brought　them　to　the　centre　of　their　row；　so
that　they　were　exactly　opposite　the　arm…chair　prepared　for
the　royal　prisoner。
Toward　eleven　o'clock　the　king　entered　the　hall；　surrounded
by　guards；　but　wearing　his　head　covered；　and　with　a　calm
expression　turned　to　every　side　with　a　look　of　complete
assurance；　as　if　he　were　there　to　preside　at　an　assembly　of
submissive　subjects；　rather　than　to　meet　the　accusations　of
a　rebel　court。
The　judges；　proud　of　having　a　monarch　to　humiliate；
evidently　prepared　to　enjoy　the　right　they　had　arrogated　to
themselves；　and　sent　an　officer　to　inform　the　king　that　it
was　customary　for　the　accused　to　uncover　his　head。
Charles；　without　replying　a　single　word；　turned　his　head　in
another　direction　and　pulled　his　felt　hat　over　it。　Then　when
the　officer　was　gone　he　sat　down　in　the　arm…chair　opposite
the　president　and　struck　his　boots　with　a　little　cane　which
he　carried　in　his　hand。　Parry；　who　accompanied　him；　stood
behind　him。
D'Artagnan　was　looking　at　Athos；　whose　face　betrayed　all
those　emotions　which　the　king；　possessing　more　self…control；
had　banished　from　his　own。　This　agitation　in　one　so　cold　and
calm　as　Athos；　frightened　him。
〃I　hope；〃　he　whispered　to　him；　〃that　you　will　follow　his
majesty's　example　and　not　get　killed　for　your　folly　in　this
den。〃
〃Set　your　mind　at　rest；〃　replied　Athos。
〃Aha！〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃it　is　clear　that　they　are
afraid　of　something　or　other；　for　look；　the　sentinels　are
being　reinforced。　They　had　only　halberds　before；　now　they
have　muskets。　The　halberds　were　for　the　audience　in　the
rear；　the　muskets