twenty years after(二十年后)-第116节

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following　day。　All　gazed　at　him　searchingly。
But　they　could　discern　nothing　but　a　man　of　middle　height；
dressed　in　black；　apparently　of　a　certain　age；　for　the　end
of　a　gray　beard　peeped　out　from　the　bottom　of　the　mask　that
hid　his　features。
The　king's　request　had　undoubtedly　been　acceded　to　by　an
affirmative　sign；　for　in　firm；　sonorous　accents；　which
vibrated　in　the　depths　of　Athos's　heart；　the　king　began　his
speech；　explaining　his　conduct　and　counseling　the　welfare　of
the　kingdom。
〃Oh！〃　said　Athos　to　himself；　〃is　it　indeed　possible　that　I
hear　what　I　hear　and　that　I　see　what　I　see？　Is　it　possible
that　God　has　abandoned　His　representative　on　earth　and　left
him　to　die　thus　miserably？　And　I　have　not　seen　him！　I　have
not　said　adieu　to　him！〃
A　noise　was　heard　like　that　the　instrument　of　death　would
make　if　moved　upon　the　block。
〃Do　not　touch　the　axe；〃　said　the　king；　and　resumed　his
speech。
At　the　end　of　his　speech　the　king　looked　tenderly　around
upon　the　people。　Then　unfastening　the　diamond　ornament　which
the　queen　had　sent　him；　he　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the
priest　who　accompanied　Juxon。　Then　he　drew　from　his　breast　a
little　cross　set　in　diamonds；　which；　like　the　order；　had
been　the　gift　of　Henrietta　Maria。
〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　priest；　〃I　shall　keep　this　cross　in　my
hand　till　the　last　moment。　Take　it　from　me　when　I　am　
dead。〃
〃Yes；　sire；〃　said　a　voice；　which　Athos　recognized　as　that　of
Aramis。
He　then　took　his　hat　from　his　head　and　threw　it　on　the
ground。　One　by　one　he　undid　the　buttons　of　his　doublet；　took
it　off　and　deposited　it　by　the　side　of　his　hat。　Then；　as　it
was　cold；　he　asked　for　his　gown；　which　was　brought　to　him。
All　the　preparations　were　made　with　a　frightful　calmness。
One　would　have　thought　the　king　was　going　to　bed　and　not　to
his　coffin。
〃Will　these　be　in　your　way？〃　he　said　to　the　executioner；
raising　his　long　locks；　〃if　so；　they　can　be　tied　up。〃
Charles　accompanied　these　words　with　a　look　designed　to
penetrate　the　mask　of　the　unknown　headsman。　His　cake；　noble
gaze　forced　the　man　to　turn　away　his　head。　But　after　the
searching　look　of　the　king　he　encountered　the　burning　eyes
of　Aramis。
The　king；　seeing　that　he　did　not　reply；　repeated　his
question。
〃It　will　do；〃　replied　the　man；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　〃if　you
separate　them　across　the　neck。〃
The　king　parted　his　hair　with　his　hands；　and　looking　at　the
block　he　said：
〃This　block　is　very　low；　is　there　no　other　to　be　had？〃
〃It　is　the　usual　block；〃　answered　the　man　in　the　mask。
〃Do　you　think　you　can　behead　me　with　a　single　blow？〃　asked
the　king。
〃I　hope　so；〃　was　the　reply。　There　was　something　so　strange
in　these　three　words　that　everybody；　except　the　king；
shuddered。
〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　taken　by　surprise；〃　added　the　king。　〃I
shall　kneel　down　to　pray；　do　not　strike　then。〃
〃When　shall　I　strike？〃
〃When　I　shall　lay　my　head　on　the　block　and　say　‘Remember！'
then　strike　boldly。〃
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　king　to　those　around　him；　〃I　leave　you
to　brave　the　tempest；　I　go　before　you　to　a　kingdom　which
knows　no　storms。　Farewell。〃
He　looked　at　Aramis　and　made　a　special　sign　to　him　with　his
head。
〃Now；〃　he　continued；　〃withdraw　a　little　and　let　me　say　my
prayer；　I　beseech　you。　You；　also；　stand　aside；〃　he　said　to
the　masked　man。　〃It　is　only　for　a　moment　and　I　know　that　I
belong　to　you；　but　remember　that　you　are　not　to　strike　till
I　give　the　signal。〃
Then　he　knelt　down；　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and　lowering
his　face　to　the　planks；　as　if　he　would　have　kissed　them；
said　in　a　low　tone；　in　French；　〃Comte　de　la　Fere；　are　you
there？〃
〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　he　answered；　trembling。
〃Faithful　friend；　noble　heart！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　should　not
have　been　rescued。　I　have　addressed　my　people　and　I　have
spoken　to　God；　last　of　all　I　speak　to　you。　To　maintain　a
cause　which　I　believed　sacred　I　have　lost　the　throne　and　my
children　their　inheritance。　A　million　in　gold　remains；　it　is
buried　in　the　cellars　of　Newcastle　Keep。　You　only　know　that
this　money　exists。　Make　use　of　it；　then；　whenever　you　think
it　will　be　most　useful；　for　my　eldest　son's　welfare。　And
now；　farewell。〃
〃Farewell；　saintly；　martyred　majesty；〃　lisped　Athos；　chilled
with　terror。
A　moment's　silence　ensued　and　then；　in　a　full；　sonorous
voice；　the　king　exclaimed：　〃Remember！〃
He　had　scarcely　uttered　the　word　when　a　heavy　blow　shook　the
scaffold　and　where　Athos　stood　immovable　a　warm　drop　fell
upon　his　brow。　He　reeled　back　with　a　shudder　and　the　same
moment　the　drops　became　a　crimson　cataract。
Athos　fell　on　his　knees　and　remained　some　minutes　as　if
bewildered　or　stunned。　At　last　he　rose　and　taking　his
handkerchief　steeped　it　in　the　blood　of　the　martyred　king。
Then　as　the　crowd　gradually　dispersed　he　leaped　down；　crept
from　behind　the　drapery；　glided　between　two　horses；　mingled
with　the　crowd　and　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　inn。
Having　gained　his　room　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　face；　and
observing　that　his　fingers　were　covered　with　the　monarch's
blood；　fell　down　insensible。


67
The　Man　in　the　Mask。

The　snow　was　falling　thick　and　icy。　Aramis　was　the　next　to
come　in　and　to　discover　Athos　almost　insensible。　But　at　the
first　words　he　uttered　the　comte　roused　himself　from　the
kind　of　lethargy　in　which　he　had　sunk。
〃Well；〃　said　Aramis；　〃beaten　by　fate！〃
〃Beaten！〃　said　Athos。　〃Noble　and　unhappy　king！〃
〃Are　you　wounded？〃　cried　Aramis。
〃No；　this　is　his　blood。〃
〃Where　were　you；　then？〃
〃Where　you　left　me　　under　the　scaffold。〃
〃Did　you　see　it　all？〃
〃No；　but　I　heard　all。　God　preserve　me　from　another　such　hour
as　I　have　just　passed。〃
〃Then　you　know　that　I　did　not　leave　him？〃
〃I　heard　your　voice　up　to　the　last　moment。〃
〃Here　is　the　order　he　gave　me　and　the　cross　I　took　from　his
hand；　he　desired　they　should　be　returned　to　the　queen。〃
〃Then　here　is　a　handkerchief　to　wrap　them　in；〃　replied
Athos；　drawing　from　his　pocket　the　one　he　had　steeped　in　the
king's　blood。
〃And　what；〃　he　continued；　〃has　been　done　with　the　poor
body？〃
〃By　order　of　Cromwell　royal　honors　will　be　accorded　to　it。
The　doctors　are　embalming　the　corpse；　and　when　it　is　ready
it　will　be　placed　in　a　lighted　chapel。〃
〃Mockery；〃　muttered　Athos；　savagely；　〃royal　honors　to　one
whom　they　have　murdered！〃
〃Well；　cheer　up！〃　said　a　loud　voice　from　the　staircase；
which　Porthos　had　just　mounted。　〃We　are　all　mortal；　my　poor
friends。〃
〃You　are　late；　my　dear　Porthos。〃
〃Yes；　there　were　some　people　on　the　way　who　delayed　me。　The
wretches　were　dancing。　I　took　one　of　them　by　the　throat　and
three…quarters　throttled　him。　Just　then　a　patrol　rode　up。
Luckily　the　man　I　had　had　most　to　do　with　was　some　minutes
before　he　could　speak；　so　I　took　advantage　of　his　silence　to
walk　off。〃
〃Have　you　seen　D'Artagnan？〃
〃We　got　separated　in　the　crowd　and　I　could　not　find　him
again。〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Athos；　satirically；　〃I　saw　him。　He　was　in　the
front　row　of　the　crowd；　admirably　placed　for　seeing；　and　as
on　the　whole　the　sight　was　curious；　he　probably　wished　to
stay　to　the　end。〃
〃Ah　Comte　de　la　Fere；〃　said　a　calm　voice；　though　hoarse　with
running；　〃is　it　your　habit　to　calumniate　the　absent？〃
This　reproof　stung　Athos　to　the　heart；　but　as　the　impression
produced　by　seeing　D'Artagnan　foremost　in　a　coarse；
ferocious　crowd　had　been　very　strong；　he　contented　himself
with　replying：
〃I　am　not　calumniating　you；　my　friend。　They　were　anxious
about　you　here；　I　simply　told　them　where　you　were。　You
didn't　know　King　Charles；　to　you　he　was　only　a　foreigner　and
you　were　not　obliged　to　love　him。〃
So　saying；　he　stretched　out　his　hand；　but　the　other
pretended　not　to　see　it　and　he　let　it　drop　again　slowly　by
his　side。
〃Ugh！　I　am　tired；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　sitting　down。
〃Drink　a　glass　of　port；〃　said　Aramis；　〃it　will　refresh　you。〃
〃Yes；　let　us　drink；〃　said　Athos；　anxious　to　make　it　up　by
hobnobbing　with　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　drink　and　get　away　from
this　hateful　country。　The　felucca　is　waiting　for　us；　you
know；　let　us　leave　to…night；　we　have　nothing　more　to　do
here。〃
〃You　are　in　a　hurry；　sir　count；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃But　what　would　you　have　us　to　do　here；　now　that　the　king　is
dead？〃
〃Go；　sir　count；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　carelessly；　〃you　see
nothing　to　keep　you　a　little　longer　in　England？　Well；　for　my
part；　I；　a　bloodthirsty　ruffian；　who　can　go　and　stand　close
to　a　scaffold；　in　order　to　have　a　better　view　of　the　king's
execution　　I　remain。〃
Athos　turned　pale。　Every　reproach　his　friend　uttered　struck
deeply　in　his　heart。
〃Ah！　you　remain　in　London？〃　said　Porthos。
〃Yes。　And　you？〃
〃Hang　it！〃　said　Porthos；　a　little　perplexed　between　the　two；
〃I　suppose；　as　I　came　with　you；　I　must　go　away　with　you。　I
can't　leave　you　alone　in　this　abominable　country。〃
〃Thanks；　my　worthy　friend。　So　I　have　a　little　adventure　to
propose　to　you　when　the　count　is　gone。　I　want　to　find　out
who　was　the　man　in　the　mask；　who　so　obligingly　offered　to
cut　the　king's　throat。〃
〃A　man　in　a　mask？〃　cried　Athos。　〃You　did　not　let　the
executioner　escape；　then？〃
〃The　executioner　is　still　in　the　cellar；　where；　I　presume；
he　has　had　an　interview　with　mine　host's　bottles。　But　you
remind　me。　Musqueton！〃
〃Sir；〃　answered　a　voice　from　the　depths　of　the　earth。
〃Let　out　your　prisoner。　All　is　over。〃
〃But；〃　said　Athos；　〃who　is　the　wretch　that