twenty years after(二十年后)-第117节

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〃Let　out　your　prisoner。　All　is　over。〃
〃But；〃　said　Athos；　〃who　is　the　wretch　that　has　dared　to
raise　his　hand　against　his　king？〃
〃An　amateur　headsman；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃who　however；　does
not　handle　the　axe　amiss。〃
〃Did　you　not　see　his　face？〃　asked　Athos。
〃He　wore　a　mask。〃
〃But　you；　Aramis；　who　were　close　to　him？〃
〃I　could　see　nothing　but　a　gray　beard　under　the　fringe　of
the　mask。〃
〃Then　it　must　be　a　man　of　a　certain　age。〃
〃Oh！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　matters　little。　When　one　puts
on　a　mask；　it　is　not　difficult　to　wear　a　beard　under　it。〃
〃I　am　sorry　I　did　not　follow　him；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Well；　my　dear　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that's　the　very
thing　it　came　into　my　head　to　do。〃
Athos　understood　all　now。
〃Pardon　me；　D'Artagnan；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　distrusted　God；　I
could　the　more　easily　distrust　you。　Pardon　me；　my　friend。〃
〃We　will　see　about　that　presently；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　a
slight　smile。
〃Well；　then？〃　said　Aramis。
〃Well；　while　I　was　watching　　not　the　king；　as　monsieur　le
comte　thinks；　for　I　know　what　it　is　to　see　a　man　led　to
death；　and　though　I　ought　to　be　accustomed　to　the　sight　it
always　makes　me　ill　　while　I　was　watching　the　masked
executioner；　the　idea　came　to　me；　as　I　said；　to　find　out　who
he　was。　Now；　as　we　are　wont　to　complete　ourselves　each　by
all　the　rest　and　to　depend　on　one　another　for　assistance；　as
one　calls　his　other　hand　to　aid　the　first；　I　looked　around
instinctively　to　see　if　Porthos　was　there；　for　I　had　seen
you；　Aramis；　with　the　king；　and　you；　count；　I　knew　would　be
under　the　scaffold；　and　for　that　reason　I　forgive　you；〃　he
added；　offering　Athos　his　hand；　〃for　you　must　have　suffered
much。　I　was　looking　around　for　Porthos　when　I　saw　near　me　a
head　which　had　been　broken；　but　which；　for　better　or　worse；
had　been　patched　with　plaster　and　with　black　silk。　‘Humph！'
thought　I；　‘that　looks　like　my　handiwork；　I　fancy　I　must
have　mended　that　skull　somewhere　or　other。'　And；　in　fact；　it
was　that　unfortunate　Scotchman；　Parry's　brother；　you　know；
on　whom　Groslow　amused　himself　by　trying　his　strength。　Well；
this　man　was　making　signs　to　another　at　my　left；　and　turning
around　I　recognized　the　honest　Grimaud。　‘Oh！'　said　I　to　him。
Grimaud　turned　round　with　a　jerk；　recognized　me；　and　pointed
to　the　man　in　the　mask。　‘Eh！'　said　he；　which　meant；　‘Do　you
see　him？'　‘Parbleu！'　I　answered；　and　we　perfectly　understood
one　another。　Well；　everything　was　finished　as　you　know。　The
mob　dispersed。　I　made　a　sign　to　Grimaud　and　the　Scotchman；
and　we　all　three　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　square。　I　saw
the　executioner　return　into　the　king's　room；　change　his
clothes；　put　on　a　black　hat　and　a　large　cloak　and　disappear。
Five　minutes　later　he　came　down　the　grand　staircase。〃
'You　followed　him？〃　cried　Athos。
〃I　should　think　so；　but　not　without　difficulty。　Every　few
minutes　he　turned　around；　and　thus　obliged　us　to　conceal
ourselves。　I　might　have　gone　up　to　him　and　killed　him。　But　I
am　not　selfish；　and　I　thought　it　might　console　you　all　a
little　to　have　a　share　in　the　matter。　So　we　followed　him
through　the　lowest　streets　in　the　city；　and　in　half　an
hour's　time　he　stopped　before　a　little　isolated　house。
Grimaud　drew　out　a　pistol。　‘Eh？'　said　he；　showing　it。　I　held
back　his　arm。　The　man　in　the　mask　stopped　before　a　low　door
and　drew　out　a　key；　but　before　he　placed　it　in　the　lock　he
turned　around　to　see　if　he　was　being　followed。　Grimaud　and　I
got　behind　a　tree；　and　the　Scotchman　having　nowhere　to　hide
himself；　threw　himself　on　his　face　in　the　road。　Next　moment
the　door　opened　and　the　man　disappeared。〃
〃The　scoundrel！〃　said　Aramis。　〃While　you　have　been　returning
hither　he　will　have　escaped　and　we　shall　never　find　him。〃
〃Come；　now；　Aramis；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　must　be　taking　me
for　some　one　else。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Athos；　〃in　your　absence　　〃
〃Well；　in　my　absence　haven't　I　put　in　my　place　Grimaud　and
the　Scotchman？　Before　he　had　taken　ten　steps　beyond　the　door
I　had　examined　the　house　on　all　sides。　At　one　of　the　doors；
that　by　which　he　had　entered；　I　placed　our　Scotchman；　making
a　sign　to　him　to　follow　the　man　wherever　he　might　go；　if　he
came　out　again。　Then　going　around　the　house　I　placed　Grimaud
at　the　other　exit；　and　here　I　am。　Our　game　is　beaten　up。　Now
for　the　tally…ho。〃
Athos　threw　himself　into　D'Artagnan's　arms。
〃Friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　been　too　good　in　pardoning　me；
I　was　wrong；　a　hundred　times　wrong。　I　ought　to　have　known
you　better　by　this　time；　but　we　are　all　possessed　of　a
malignant　spirit；　which　bids　us　doubt。〃
〃Humph！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Don't　you　think　the　executioner
might　be　Master　Cromwell；　who；　to　make　sure　of　this　affair；
undertook　it　himself？〃
〃Ah！　just　so。　Cromwell　is　stout　and　short；　and　this　man　thin
and　lanky；　rather　tall　than　otherwise。〃
〃Some　condemned　soldier；　perhaps；〃　suggested　Athos；　〃whom
they　have　pardoned　at　the　price　of　regicide。〃
〃No；　no；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃it　was　not　the　measured
step　of　a　foot　soldier；　nor　was　it　the　gait　of　a　horseman。
If　I　am　not　mistaken　we　have　to　do　with　a　gentleman。〃
〃A　gentleman！〃　exclaimed　Athos。　〃Impossible！　It　would　be　a
dishonor　to　all　the　nobility。〃
〃Fine　sport；　by　Jove！〃　cried　Porthos；　with　a　laugh　that
shook　the　windows。　〃Fine　sport！〃
〃Are　you　still　bent　on　departure；　Athos？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃No；　I　remain；〃　replied　Athos；　with　a　threatening　gesture
that　promised　no　good　to　whomsoever　it　was　addressed。
〃Swords；　then！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃swords！　let　us　not　lose　a
moment。〃
The　four　friends　resumed　their　own　clothes；　girded　on　their
swords；　ordered　Musqueton　and　Blaisois　to　pay　the　bill　and
to　arrange　everything　for　immediate　departure；　and　wrapped
in　their　large　cloaks　left　in　search　of　their　game。
The　night　was　dark；　snow　was　falling；　the　streets　were
silent　and　deserted。　D'Artagnan　led　the　way　through　the
intricate　windings　and　narrow　alleys　of　the　city　and　ere
long　they　had　reached　the　house　in　question。　For　a　moment
D'Artagnan　thought　that　Parry's　brother　had　disappeared；　but
he　was　mistaken。　The　robust　Scotchman；　accustomed　to　the
snows　of　his　native　hills；　had　stretched　himself　against　a
post；　and　like　a　fallen　statue；　insensible　to　the　inclemency
of　the　weather；　had　allowed　the　snow　to　cover　him。　He　rose；
however；　as　they　approached。
〃Come；〃　said　Athos；　〃here's　another　good　servant。　Really；
honest　men　are　not　so　scarce　as　I　thought。〃
〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry　to　weave　crowns　for　our　Scotchman。　I
believe　the　fellow　is　here　on　his　own　account；　for　I　have
heard　that　these　gentlemen　born　beyond　the　Tweed　are　very
vindictive。　I　should　not　like　to　be　Groslow；　if　he　meets
him。〃
〃Well？〃　said　Athos；　to　the　man；　in　English。
〃No　one　has　come　out；〃　he　replied。
〃Then；　Porthos　and　Aramis；　will　you　remain　with　this　man
while　we　go　around　to　Grimaud？〃
Grimaud　had　made　himself　a　kind　of　sentry　box　out　of　a
hollow　willow；　and　as　they　drew　near　he　put　his　head　out　and
gave　a　low　whistle。
〃Soho！〃　cried　Athos。
〃Yes；〃　said　Grimaud。
〃Well；　has　anybody　come　out？〃
〃No；　but　somebody　has　gone　in。〃
〃A　man　or　a　woman？〃
〃A　man。〃
〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃there　are　two　of　them；　then！〃
〃I　wish　there　were　four；〃　said　Athos；　〃the　two　parties　would
then　be　equal。〃
〃Perhaps　there　are　four；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
〃Other　men　may　have　entered　before　them　and　waited　for
them。〃
〃We　can　find　out；〃　said　Grimaud。　At　the　same　time　he　pointed
to　a　window；　through　the　shutters　of　which　a　faint　light
streamed。
〃That　is　true；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　call　the　others。〃
They　returned　around　the　house　to　fetch　Porthos　and　Aramis。
〃Have　you　seen　anything？〃　they　asked。
〃No；　but　we　are　going　to；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　pointing　to
Grimaud；　who　had　already　climbed　some　five　or　six　feet　from
the　ground。
All　four　came　up　together。　Grimaud　continued　to　climb　like　a
cat　and　succeeded　at　last　in　catching　hold　of　a　hook；　which
served　to　keep　one　of　the　shutters　back　when　opened。　Then
resting　his　foot　on　a　small　ledge　he　made　a　sign　to　show　all
was　right。
〃Well？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
Grimaud　showed　his　closed　hand；　with　two　fingers　spread　out。
〃Speak；〃　said　Athos；　〃we　cannot　see　your　signs。　How　many　are
there？〃
〃Two。　One　opposite　to　me；　the　other　with　his　back　to　me。〃
〃Good。　And　the　man　opposite　to　you　is　
〃The　man　I　saw　go　in。〃
〃Do　you　know　him？〃
〃I　thought　I　recognized　him；　and　was　not　mistaken。　Short　and
stout。〃
〃Who　is　it？〃　they　all　asked　together　in　a　low　tone。
〃General　Oliver　Cromwell。〃
The　four　friends　looked　at　one　another。
〃And　the　other？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Thin　and　lanky。〃
〃The　executioner；〃　said　D'Artagnan　and　Aramis　at　the　same
time。
〃I　can　see　nothing　but　his　back；〃　resumed　Grimaud。　〃But
wait。　He　is　moving；　and　if　he　has　taken　off　his　mask　I　shall
be　able　to　see。　Ah　　〃
And　as　if　struck　in　the　heart　he　let　go　the　hook　and　dropped
with　a　groan。
〃Did　you　see　him？〃　they　all　asked。
Yes；〃　said　Grimaud；　with　his　hair　standing　on　end。
〃The　thin；　spare　man？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The　executioner；　in　short？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Yes。〃
〃And　who　is　it？〃　said　Porthos。
〃He　　he　　is　　〃　murmured　Grimaud；　pale　as　a　ghost　and
seizing　his　master's　hand。
〃Who？　He？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Mordaunt；〃　replied　Grimaud。
D'Artagnan；　Porthos　and　Aramis　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。
Athos　stepped　back　and　pas