twenty years after(二十年后)-第112节

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themselves？　You　have　done　well　to　warn　me。　Thank　you；
Parry。〃
When　the　moment　arrived　the　king　followed　his　guards　out　of
the　hall。　As　he　passed　the　table　on　which　the　axe　was　laid；
he　stopped；　and　turning　with　a　smile；　said：
〃Ah！　the　axe；　an　ingenious　device；　and　well　worthy　of　those
who　know　not　what　a　gentleman　is；　you　frighten　me　not；
executioner's　axe；〃　added　he；　touching　it　with　the　cane
which　he　held　in　his　hand；　〃and　I　strike　you　now；　waiting
patiently　and　Christianly　for　you　to　return　the　blow。〃
And　shrugging　his　shoulders　with　unaffected　contempt　he
passed　on。　When　he　reached　the　door　a　stream　of　people；　who
had　been　disappointed　in　not　being　able　to　get　into　the
house　and　to　make　amends　had　collected　to　see　him　come　out；
stood　on　each　side；　as　he　passed；　many　among　them　glaring　on
him　with　threatening　looks。
〃How　many　people；〃　thought　he；　〃and　not　one　true　friend。〃
And　as　he　uttered　these　words　of　doubt　and　depression　within
his　mind；　a　voice　beside　him　said：
〃Respect　to　fallen　majesty。〃
The　king　turned　quickly　around；　with　tears　in　his　eyes　and
heart。　It　was　an　old　soldier　of　the　guards　who　could　not　see
his　king　pass　captive　before　him　without　rendering　him　this
final　homage。　But　the　next　moment　the　unfortunate　man　was
nearly　killed　with　heavy　blows　of　sword…hilts；　and　among
those　who　set　upon　him　the　king　recognized　Captain　Groslow。
〃Alas！〃　said　Charles；　〃that　is　a　severe　chastisement　for　a
very　trifling　fault。〃
He　continued　his　walk；　but　he　had　scarcely　gone　a　hundred
paces；　when　a　furious　fellow；　leaning　between　two　soldiers；
spat　in　the　king's　face；　as　once　an　infamous　and　accursed
Jew　spit　in　the　face　of　Jesus　of　Nazareth。　Loud　roars　of
laughter　and　sullen　murmurs　arose　together。　The　crowd　opened
and　closed　again；　undulating　like　a　stormy　sea；　and　the　king
imagined　that　he　saw　shining　in　the　midst　of　this　living
wave　the　bright　eyes　of　Athos。
Charles　wiped　his　face　and　said　with　a　sad　smile：　〃Poor
wretch；　for　half　a　crown　he　would　do　as　much　to　his　own
father。〃
The　king　was　not　mistaken。　Athos　and　his　friends；　again
mingling　with　the　throng；　were　taking　a　last　look　at　the
martyr　king。
When　the　soldier　saluted　Charles；　Athos's　heart　bounded　for
joy；　and　that　unfortunate；　on　coming　to　himself；　found　ten
guineas　that　the　French　gentleman　had　slipped　into　his
pocket。　But　when　the　cowardly　insulter　spat　in　the　face　of
the　captive　monarch　Athos　grasped　his　dagger。　But　D'Artagnan
stopped　his　hand　and　in　a　hoarse　voice　cried；　〃Wait！〃
Athos　stopped。　D'Artagnan；　leaning　on　Athos；　made　a　sign　to
Porthos　and　Aramis　to　keep　near　them　and　then　placed　himself
behind　the　man　with　the　bare　arms；　who　was　still　laughing　at
his　own　vile　pleasantry　and　receiving　the　congratulations　of
several　others。
The　man　took　his　way　toward　the　city。　The　four　friends
followed　him。　The　man；　who　had　the　appearance　of　being　a
butcher；　descended　a　little　steep　and　isolated　street；
looking　on　to　the　river；　with　two　of　his　friends。　Arrived　at
the　bank　of　the　river　the　three　men　perceived　that　they　were
followed；　turned　around；　and　looking　insolently　at　the
Frenchmen；　passed　some　jests　from　one　to　another。
〃I　don't　know　English；　Athos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　you
know　it　and　will　interpret　for　me。〃
Then　quickening　their　steps　they　passed　the　three　men；　but
turned　back　immediately；　and　D'Artagnan　walked　straight　up
to　the　butcher　and　touching　him　on　the　chest　with　the　tip　of
his　finger；　said　to　Athos：
〃Say　this　to　him　in　English：　‘You　are　a　coward。　You　have
insulted　a　defenseless　man。　You　have　defouled　the　face　of
your　king。　You　must　die。'〃
Athos；　pale　as　a　ghost；　repeated　these　words　to　the　man；
who；　seeing　the　bodeful　preparations　that　were　making；　put
himself　in　an　attitude　of　defense。　Aramis；　at　this　movement；
drew　his　sword。
〃No；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃no　steel。　Steel　is　for　gentlemen。〃
And　seizing　the　butcher　by　the　throat：
〃Porthos；〃　said　he；　〃kill　this　fellow　for　me　with　a　single
blow。〃
Porthos　raised　his　terrible　fist；　which　whistled　through　the
air　like　a　sling；　and　the　portentous　mass　fell　with　a
smothered　crash　on　the　insulter's　skull　and　crushed　it。　The
man　fell　like　an　ox　beneath　the　poleaxe。　His　companions；
horror…struck；　could　neither　move　nor　cry　out。
〃Tell　them　this；　Athos；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；　〃thus　shall　all
die　who　forget　that　a　captive　man　is　sacred　and　that　a
captive　king　doubly　represents　the　Lord。〃
Athos　repeated　D'Artagnan's　words。
The　fellows　looked　at　the　body　of　their　companion；　swimming
in　blood；　and　then　recovering　voice　and　legs　together；　ran
screaming　off。
〃Justice　is　done；〃　said　Porthos；　wiping　his　forehead。
〃And　now；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Athos；　〃entertain　no　further
doubts　about　me；　I　undertake　all　that　concerns　the　king。〃

64
Whitehall。

The　parliament　condemned　Charles　to　death；　as　might　have
been　foreseen。　Political　judgments　are　generally　vain
formalities；　for　the　same　passions　which　give　rise　to　the
accusation　ordain　to　the　condemnation。　Such　is　the　atrocious
logic　of　revolutions。
Although　our　friends　were　expecting　that　condemnation；　it
filled　them　with　grief。　D'Artagnan；　whose　mind　was　never
more　fertile　in　resources　than　in　critical　emergencies；
swore　again　that　he　would　try　all　conceivable　means　to
prevent　the　denouement　of　the　bloody　tragedy。　But　by　what
means？　As　yet　he　could　form　no　definite　plan；　all　must
depend　on　circumstances。　Meanwhile；　it　was　necessary　at　all
hazards；　in　order　to　gain　time；　to　put　some　obstacle　in　the
way　of　the　execution　on　the　following　day　　the　day
appointed　by　the　judges。　The　only　way　of　doing　that　was　to
cause　the　disappearance　of　the　London　executioner。　The
headsman　out　of　the　way；　the　sentence　could　not　be　executed。
True；　they　could　send　for　the　headsman　of　the　nearest　town；
but　at　least　a　day　would　be　gained；　and　a　day　might　be
sufficient　for　the　rescue。　D'Artagnan　took　upon　himself　that
more　than　difficult　task。
Another　thing；　not　less　essential；　was　to　warn　Charles
Stuart　of　the　attempt　to　be　made；　so　that　he　might　assist
his　rescuers　as　much　as　possible；　or　at　least　do　nothing　to
thwart　their　efforts。　Aramis　assumed　that　perilous　charge。
Charles　Stuart　had　asked　that　Bishop　Juxon　might　be
permitted　to　visit　him。　Mordaunt　had　called　on　the　bishop
that　very　evening　to　apprise　him　of　the　religious　desire
expressed　by　the　king　and　also　of　Cromwell's　permission。
Aramis　determined　to　obtain　from　the　bishop；　through　fear　or
by　persuasion；　consent　that　he　should　enter　in　the　bishop's
place；　and　clad　in　his　sacerdotal　robes；　the　prison　at
Whitehall。
Finally；　Athos　undertook　to　provide；　in　any　event；　the　means
of　leaving　England　　in　case　either　of　failure　or　of
success。
The　night　having　come　they　made　an　appointment　to　meet　at
eleven　o'clock　at　the　hotel；　and　each　started　out　to　fulfill
his　dangerous　mission。
The　palace　of　Whitehall　was　guarded　by　three　regiments　of
cavalry　and　by　the　fierce　anxiety　of　Cromwell；　who　came　and
went　or　sent　his　generals　or　his　agents　continually。　Alone
in　his　usual　room；　lighted　by　two　candles；　the　condemned
monarch　gazed　sadly　on　the　luxury　of　his　past　greatness；
just　as　at　the　last　hour　one　sees　the　images　of　life　more
mildly　brilliant　than　of　yore。
Parry　had　not　quitted　his　master；　and　since　his　condemnation
had　not　ceased　to　weep。　Charles；　leaning　on　a　table；　was
gazing　at　a　medallion　of　his　wife　and　daughter；　he　was
waiting　first　for　Juxon；　then　for　martyrdom。
At　times　he　thought　of　those　brave　French　gentlemen　who　had
appeared　to　him　from　a　distance　of　a　hundred　leagues
fabulous　and　unreal；　like　the　forms　that　appear　in　dreams。
In　fact；　he　sometimes　asked　himself　if　all　that　was
happening　to　him　was　not　a　dream；　or　at　least　the　delirium
of　a　fever。　He　rose　and　took　a　few　steps　as　if　to　rouse
himself　from　his　torpor　and　went　as　far　as　the　window；　he
saw　glittering　below　him　the　muskets　of　the　guards。　He　was
thereupon　constrained　to　admit　that　he　was　indeed　awake　and
that　his　bloody　dream　was　real。
Charles　returned　in　silence　to　his　chair；　rested　his　elbow
on　the　table；　bowed　his　head　upon　his　hand　and　reflected。
〃Alas！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃if　I　only　had　for　a　confessor
one　of　those　lights　of　the　church；　whose　soul　has　sounded
all　the　mysteries　of　life；　all　the　littlenesses　of
greatness；　perhaps　his　utterance　would　overawe　the　voice
that　wails　within　my　soul。　But　I　shall　have　a　priest　of
vulgar　mind；　whose　career　and　fortune　I　have　ruined　by　my
misfortune。　He　will　speak　to　me　of　God　and　death；　as　he　has
spoken　to　many　another　dying　man；　not　understanding　that
this　one　leaves　his　throne　to　an　usurper；　his　children　to
the　cold　contempt　of　public　charity。〃
And　he　raised　the　medallion　to　his　lips。
It　was　a　dull；　foggy　night。　A　neighboring　church　clock
slowly　struck　the　hour。　The　flickering　light　of　the　two
candles　showed　fitful　phantom　shadows　in　the　lofty　room。
These　were　the　ancestors　of　Charles；　standing　back　dimly　in
their　tarnished　frames。
An　awful　sadness　enveloped　the　heart　of　Charles。　He　buried
his　brow　in　his　hands　and　thought　of　the　world；　so　beautiful
when　one　is　about　to　leave　it；　of　the　caresses　of　children；
so　pleasing　and　so　sweet；　especially　when　one　is　parting
from　his　child