twenty years after(二十年后)-第124节

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a　sudden　movement：
〃Chevalier；〃　he　said；　〃get　up　and　don't　make　the　least
noise。〃
Aramis　awoke。　D'Artagnan；　pressing　his　hand；　repeated　his
call。　Aramis　obeyed。
〃Athos　is　near　you；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃warn　him　as　I　have
warned　you。〃
Aramis　easily　aroused　Athos；　whose　sleep　was　light；　like
that　of　all　persons　of　a　finely　organized　constitution。　But
there　was　more　difficulty　in　arousing　Porthos。　He　was
beginning　to　ask　full　explanation　of　that　breaking　in　on　his
sleep；　which　was　very　annoying　to　him；　when　D'Artagnan；
instead　of　explaining；　closed　his　mouth　with　his　hand。
Then　our　Gascon；　extending　his　arms；　drew　to　him　the　heads
of　his　three　friends　till　they　almost　touched　one　another。
〃Friends；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　leave　this　craft　at　once　or　we
are　dead　men。〃
〃Bah！〃　said　Athos；　〃are　you　still　afraid？〃
〃Do　you　know　who　is　captain　of　this　vessel？〃
〃No。〃
〃Captain　Groslow。〃
The　shudder　of　the　three　musketeers　showed　to　D'Artagnan
that　his　words　began　to　make　some　impression　on　them。
〃Groslow！〃　said　Aramis；　〃the　devil！
〃Who　is　this　Groslow？〃　asked　Porthos。　〃I　don't　remember
him。〃
〃Groslow　is　the　man　who　broke　Parry's　head　and　is　now
getting　ready　to　break　ours。〃
〃Oh！　oh！〃
〃And　do　you　know　who　is　his　lieutenant？〃
〃His　lieutenant？　There　is　none；〃　said　Athos。　〃They　don't
have　lieutenants　in　a　felucca　manned　by　a　crew　of　four。〃
〃Yes；　but　Monsieur　Groslow　is　not　a　captain　of　the　ordinary
kind；　he　has　a　lieutenant；　and　that　lieutenant　is　Monsieur
Mordaunt。〃
This　time　the　musketeers　did　more　than　shudder　　they
almost　cried　out。　Those　invincible　men　were　subject　to　a
mysterious　and　fatal　influence　which　that　name　had　over
them；　the　mere　sound　of　it　filled　them　with　terror。
〃What　shall　we　do？〃　said　Athos。
〃We　must　seize　the　felucca；〃　said　Aramis。
〃And　kill　him；〃　said　Porthos。
〃The　felucca　is　mined；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Those　casks　which
I　took　for　casks　of　port　wine　are　filled　with　powder。　When
Mordaunt　finds　himself　discovered　he　will　destroy　all；
friends　and　foes；　and　on　my　word　he　would　be　bad　company　in
going　either　to　Heaven　or　to　hell。〃
〃You　have　some　plan；　then？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Yes。〃
〃What　is　it？〃
〃Have　you　confidence　in　me？〃
〃Give　your　orders；〃　said　the　three　musketeers。
〃Wry　well；　come　this　way。〃
D'Artagnan　went　toward　a　very　small；　low　window；　just　large
enough　to　let　a　man　through。　He　turned　it　gently　on　its
hinges。
〃There；〃　he　said；　〃is　our　road。〃
〃The　deuce！　it　is　a　very　cold　one；　my　dear　friend；〃　said
Aramis。
〃Stay　here；　if　you　like；　but　I　warn　you　'twill　be　rather　too
warm　presently。〃
〃But　we　cannot　swim　to　the　shore。〃
〃The　longboat　is　yonder；　lashed　to　the　felucca。　We　will　take
possession　of　it　and　cut　the　cable。　Come；　my　friends。〃
〃A　moment's　delay；〃　said　Athos；　〃our　servants？〃
〃Here　we　are！〃　they　cried。
Meantime　the　three　friends　were　standing　motionless　before
the　awful　sight　which　D'Artagnan；　in　raising　the　shutters；
had　disclosed　to　them　through　the　narrow　opening　of　the
window。
Those　who　have　once　beheld　such　a　spectacle　know　that　there
is　nothing　more　solemn；　more　striking；　than　the　raging　sea；
rolling；　with　its　deafening　roar；　its　dark　billows　beneath
the　pale　light　of　a　wintry　moon。
〃Gracious　Heaven；　we　are　hesitating！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃if
we　hesitate　what　will　the　servants　do？〃
〃I　do　not　hesitate；　you　know；〃　said　Grimaud。
〃Sir；〃　interposed　Blaisois；　〃I　warn　you　that　I　can　only　swim
in　rivers。〃
〃And　I　not　at　all；〃　said　Musqueton。
But　D'Artagnan　had　now　slipped　through　the　window。
〃You　have　decided；　friend？〃　said　Athos。
〃Yes；〃　the　Gascon　answered；　〃Athos！　you；　who　are　a　perfect
being；　bid　spirit　triumph　over　body。　Do　you；　Aramis；　order
the　servants。　Porthos；　kill　every　one　who　stands　in　your
way。〃
And　after　pressing　the　hand　of　Athos；　D'Artagnan　chose　a
moment　when　the　ship　rolled　backward；　so　that　he　had　only　to
plunge　into　the　water；　which　was　already　up　to　his　waist。
Athos　followed　him　before　the　felucca　rose　again　on　the
waves；　the　cable　which　tied　the　boat　to　the　vessel　was　then
seen　plainly　rising　out　of　the　sea。
D'Artagnan　swam　to　it　and　held　it；　suspending　himself　by
this　rope；　his　head　alone　out　of　water。
In　one　second　Athos　joined　him。
Then　they　saw；　as　the　felucca　turned；　two　other　heads
peeping；　those　of　Aramis　and　Grimaud。
〃I　am　uneasy　about　Blaisois；〃　said　Athos；　〃he　can；　he　says；
only　swim　in　rivers。〃
〃When　people　can　swim　at　all　they　can　swim　anywhere。　To　the
boat！　to　the　boat！〃
〃But　Porthos；　I　do　not　see　him。〃
〃Porthos　is　coming　　he　swims　like　Leviathan。〃
In　fact；　Porthos　did　not　appear；　for　a　scene；　half　tragedy
and　half　comedy；　had　been　performed　by　him　with　Musqueton
and　Blaisois；　who；　frightened　by　the　noise　of　the　sea；　by
the　whistling　of　the　wind；　by　the　sight　of　that　dark　water
yawning　like　a　gulf　beneath　them；　shrank　back　instead　of
going　forward。
〃Come；　come！〃　said　Porthos；　〃jump　in。〃
〃But；　monsieur；〃　said　Musqueton；　〃I　can't　swim；　let　me　stay
here。〃
〃And　me；　too；　monsieur；〃　said　Blaisois。
〃I　assure　you；　I　shall　be　very　much　in　the　way　in　that
little　boat；〃　said　Musqueton。
〃And　I　know　I　shall　drown　before　reaching　it；〃　continued
Blaisois。
〃Come　along！　I　shall　strangle　you　both　if　you　don't　get
out；〃　said　Porthos　at　last；　seizing　Musqueton　by　the　throat。
〃Forward；　Blaisois！〃
A　groan；　stifled　by　the　grasp　of　Porthos；　was　all　the　reply
of　poor　Blaisois；　for　the　giant；　taking　him　neck　and　heels；
plunged　him　into　the　water　headforemost；　pushing　him　out　of
the　window　as　if　he　had　been　a　plank。
〃Now；　Musqueton；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　you　don't　mean　to　desert
your　master？〃
〃Ah；　sir；〃　replied　Musqueton；　his　eyes　filling　with　tears；
〃why　did　you　re…enter　the　army？　We　were　all　so　happy　in　the
Chateau　de　Pierrefonds！〃
And　without　any　other　complaint；　passive　and　obedient；
either　from　true　devotion　to　his　master　or　from　the　example
set　by　Blaisois；　Musqueton　leaped　into　the　sea　headforemost。
A　sublime　action；　at　all　events；　for　Musqueton　looked　upon
himself　as　dead。　But　Porthos　was　not　a　man　to　abandon　an　old
servant；　and　when　Musqueton　rose　above　the　water；　blind　as　a
new…born　puppy；　he　found　he　was　supported　by　the　large　hand
of　Porthos　and　that　he　was　thus　enabled；　without　having
occasion　even　to　move；　to　advance　toward　the　cable　with　the
dignity　of　a　very　triton。
In　a　few　minutes　Porthos　had　rejoined　his　companions；　who
were　already　in　the　boat；　but　when；　after　they　had　all　got
in；　it　came　to　his　turn；　there　was　great　danger　that　in
putting　his　huge　leg　over　the　edge　of　the　boat　he　would
upset　the　little　vessel。　Athos　was　the　last　to　enter。
〃Are　you　all　here？〃　he　asked。
〃Ah！　have　you　your　sword；　Athos？〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes。〃
〃Cut　the　cable；　then。〃
Athos　drew　a　sharp　poniard　from　his　belt　and　cut　the　cord。
The　felucca　went　on；　the　boat　continued　stationary；　rocked
only　by　the　swashing　waves。
〃Come；　Athos！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　giving　his　hand　to　the
count；　〃you　are　going　to　see　something　curious；〃　added　the
Gascon。


73
Fatality。

Scarcely　had　D'Artagnan　uttered　these　words　when　a　ringing
and　sudden　noise　was　heard　resounding　through　the　felucca；
which　had　now　become　dim　in　the　obscurity　of　the　night。
〃That；　you　may　be　sure；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃means　something。〃
They　then　at　the　same　instant　perceived　a　large　lantern
carried　on　a　pole　appear　on　the　deck；　defining　the　forms　of
shadows　behind　it。
Suddenly　a　terrible　cry；　a　cry　of　despair；　was　wafted
through　space；　and　as　if　the　shrieks　of　anguish　had　driven
away　the　clouds；　the　veil　which　hid　the　moon　was　cleated
away　and　the　gray　sails　and　dark　shrouds　of　the　felucca　were
plainly　visible　beneath　the　silvery　light。
Shadows　ran；　as　if　bewildered；　to　and　fro　on　the　vessel；　and
mournful　cries　accompanied　these　delirious　walkers。　In　the
midst　of　these　screams　they　saw　Mordaunt　upon　the　poop　with
a　torch　in　hand。
The　agitated　figures；　apparently　wild　with　terror；　consisted
of　Groslow；　who　at　the　hour　fixed　by　Mordaunt　had　collected
his　men　and　the　sailors。　Mordaunt；　after　having　listened　at
the　door　of　the　cabin　to　hear　if　the　musketeers　were　still
asleep；　had　gone　down　into　the　cellar；　convinced　by　their
silence　that　they　were　all　in　a　deep　slumber。　Then　he　had
run　to　the　train；　impetuous　as　a　man　who　is　excited　by
revenge；　and　full　of　confidence；　as　are　those　whom　God
blinds；　he　had　set　fire　to　the　wick　of　nitre。
All　this　while　Groslow　and　his　men　were　assembled　on　deck。
〃Haul　up　the　cable　and　draw　the　boat　to　us；〃　said　Groslow。
One　of　the　sailors　got　down　the　side　of　the　ship；　seized　the
cable；　and　drew　it；　it　came　without　the　least　resistance。
〃The　cable　is　cut！〃　he　cried；　〃no　boat！〃
〃How！　no　boat！〃　exclaimed　Groslow；　〃it　is　impossible。〃
〃'Tis　true；　however；〃　answered　the　sailor；　〃there's　nothing
in　the　wake　of　the　ship；　besides；　here's　the　end　of　the
cable。〃
〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　Mordaunt；　who；　coming　up　out　of
the　hatchway；　rushed　to　the　stern；　waving　his　torch。
〃Only　that　our　enemies　have　escaped；　they　have　cut　the　cord
and　gone　off　with　the　boat。〃
Mordaunt　bounded　with　one　step　to　the　cabin　and　kicked　open
the　door。
〃Empty！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　infernal　demons！〃
〃We　must　pursue　them；〃　said　Groslow；　〃they　can't　be　gone
far；　and　we　will　sink　them；　passing　over　them。〃
〃Yes