twenty years after(二十年后)-第126节

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him　in　the　boat；　where　directly　Athos　was　warmed　and
reanimated；　reviving　with　the　caresses　and　cares　of　his
friends；　who　were　intoxicated　with　joy。
〃You　are　not　hurt？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃and　he　　〃
〃Oh；　he！　now　we　may　say　at　last；　thank　Heaven！　he　is　really
dead。　Look！〃　and　D'Artagnan；　obliging　Athos　to　look　in　the
direction　he　pointed；　showed　him　the　body　of　Mordaunt
floating　on　its　back；　which；　sometimes　submerged；　sometimes
rising；　seemed　still　to　pursue　the　four　friends　with　looks
of　insult　and　mortal　hatred。
At　last　he　sank。　Athos　had　followed　him　with　a　glance　in
which　the　deepest　melancholy　and　pity　were　expressed。
〃Bravo！　Athos！〃　cried　Aramis；　with　an　emotion　very　rare　in
him。
〃A　capital　blow　you　gave！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃I　have　a　son。　I　wished　to　live；〃　said　Athos。
〃In　short；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　has　been　the　will　of
God。〃
〃It　was　not　I　who　killed　him；〃　said　Athos　in　a　soft；　low
tone；　〃'twas　destiny。〃

74
How　Musqueton；　after　being　very　nearly　roasted；　had　a　Narrow
Escape　of　being　eaten。

A　deep　silence　reigned　for　a　long　time　in　the　boat　after　the
fearful　scene　described。
The　moon；　which　had　shone　for　a　short　time；　disappeared
behind　the　clouds；　every　object　was　again　plunged　in　the
obscurity　that　is　so　awful　in　the　deserts　and　still　more　so
in　that　liquid　desert；　the　ocean；　and　nothing　was　heard　save
the　whistling　of　the　west　wind　driving　along　the　tops　of　the
crested　billows。
Porthos　was　the　first　to　speak。
〃I　have　seen；〃　he　said；　〃many　dreadful　things；　but　nothing
that　ever　agitated　me　so　much　as　what　I　have　just　witnessed。
Nevertheless；　even　in　my　present　state　of　perturbation；　I
protest　that　I　feel　happy。　I　have　a　hundred　pounds'　weight
less　upon　my　chest。　I　breathe　more　freely。〃　In　fact；　Porthos
breathed　so　loud　as　to　do　credit　to　the　free　play　of　his
powerful　lungs。
〃For　my　part；〃　observed　Aramis；　〃I　cannot　say　the　same　as
you　do；　Porthos。　I　am　still　terrified　to　such　a　degree　that
I　scarcely　believe　my　eyes。　I　look　around　the　boat；
expecting　every　moment　to　see　that　poor　wretch　holding
between　his　hands　the　poniard　plunged　into　his　heart。〃
〃Oh！　I　feel　easy；〃　replied　Porthos。　〃The　poniard　was　pointed
at　the　sixth　rib　and　buried　up　to　the　hilt　in　his　body。　I　do
not　reproach　you；　Athos；　for　what　you　have　done。　On　the
contrary；　when　one　aims　a　blow　that　is　the　regulation　way　to
strike。　So　now；　I　breathe　again　　I　am　happy！〃
〃Don't　be　in　haste　to　celebrate　a　victory；　Porthos；〃
interposed　D'Artagnan；　〃never　have　we　incurred　a　greater
danger　than　we　are　now　encountering。　Men　may　subdue　men　
they　cannot　overcome　the　elements。　We　are　now　on　the　sea；　at
night；　without　any　pilot；　in　a　frail　bark；　should　a　blast　of
wind　upset　the　boat　we　are　lost。〃
Musqueton　heaved　a　deep　sigh。
〃You　are　ungrateful；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃yes；
ungrateful　to　Providence；　to　whom　we　owe　our　safety　in　the
most　miraculous　manner。　Let　us　sail　before　the　wind；　and
unless　it　changes　we　shall　be　drifted　either　to　Calais　or
Boulogne。　Should　our　bark　be　upset　we　are　five　of　us　good
swimmers；　able　enough　to　turn　it　over　again；　or　if　not；　to
hold　on　by　it。　Now　we　are　on　the　very　road　which　all　the
vessels　between　Dover　and　Calais　take；　'tis　impossible　but
that　we　should　meet　with　a　fisherman　who　will　pick　us　up。〃
〃But　should　we　not　find　any　fisherman　and　should　the　wind
shift　to　the　north？〃
〃That；〃　said　Athos；　〃would　be　quite　another　thing；　and　we
should　nevermore　see　land　until　we　were　upon　the　other　side
of　the　Atlantic。〃
〃Which　implies　that　we　may　die　of　hunger；〃　said　Aramis。
〃'Tis　more　than　possible；〃　answered　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。
Musqueton　sighed　again；　more　deeply　than　before。
〃What　is　the　matter？　what　ails　you？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃I　am　cold；　sir；〃　said　Musqueton。
〃Impossible！　your　body　is　covered　with　a　coating　of　fat
which　preserves　it　from　the　cold　air。〃
〃Ah！　sir；　'tis　this　very　coating　of　fat　that　makes　me
shiver。〃
〃How　is　that；　Musqueton？
〃Alas！　your　honor；　in　the　library　of　the　Chateau　of　Bracieux
there　are　a　lot　of　books　of　travels。〃
〃What　then？〃
〃Amongst　them　the　voyages　of　Jean　Mocquet　in　the　time　of
Henry　IV。〃
〃Well？〃
〃In　these　books；　your　honor；　'tis　told　how　hungry　voyagers；
drifting　out　to　sea；　have　a　bad　habit　of　eating　each　other
and　beginning　with　　〃
〃The　fattest　among　them！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　unable　in　spite
of　the　gravity　of　the　occasion　to　help　laughing。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Musqueton；　〃but　permit　me　to　say　I　see
nothing　laughable　in　it。　However；〃　he　added；　turning　to
Porthos；　〃I　should　not　regret　dying；　sir；　were　I　sure　that
by　doing　so　I　might　still　be　useful　to　you。〃
〃Mouston；〃　replied　Porthos；　much　affected；　〃should　we　ever
see　my　castle　of　Pierrefonds　again　you　shall　have　as　your
own　and　for　your　descendants　the　vineyard　that　surrounds　the
farm。〃
〃And　you　should　call　it　‘Devotion；'〃　added　Aramis；　〃the
vineyard　of　self…sacrifice；　to　transmit　to　latest　ages　the
recollection　of　your　devotion　to　your　master。〃
〃Chevalier；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　laughing；　〃you　could　eat　a
piece　of　Mouston；　couldn't　you；　especially　after　two　or
three　days　of　fasting？〃
〃Oh；　no；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃I　should　much　prefer　Blaisois；　we
haven't　known　him　so　long。〃
One　may　readily　conceive　that　during　these　jokes　which　were
intended　chiefly　to　divert　Athos　from　the　scene　which　had
just　taken　place；　the　servants；　with　the　exception　of
Grimaud；　were　not　silent。　Suddenly　Musqueton　uttered　a　cry
of　delight；　taking　from　beneath　one　of　the　benches　a　bottle
of　wine；　and　on　looking　more　closely　in　the　same　place　he
discovered　a　dozen　similar　bottles；　bread；　and　a　monster
junk　of　salted　beef。
〃Oh；　sir！〃　he　cried；　passing　the　bottle　to　Porthos；　〃we　are
saved　　the　bark　is　supplied　with　provisions。〃
This　intelligence　restored　every　one　save　Athos　to　gayety。
〃Zounds！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　〃'tis　astonishing　how　empty
violent　agitation　makes　the　stomach。〃
And　he　drank　off　half　a　bottle　at　a　draught　and　bit　great
mouthfuls　of　the　bread　and　meat。
〃Now；〃　said　Athos；　〃sleep；　or　try　to　sleep；　my　friends；　and
I　will　watch。〃
In　a　few　moments；　notwithstanding　their　wet　clothes；　the　icy
blast　that　blew　and　the　previous　scene　of　terror；　these
hardy　adventurers；　with　their　iron　frames；　inured　to　every
hardship；　threw　themselves　down；　intending　to　profit　by　the
advice　of　Athos；　who　sat　at　the　helm；　pensively　wakeful；
guiding　the　little　bark　the　way　it　was　to　go；　his　eyes　fixed
on　the　heavens；　as　if　he　sought　to　verify　not　only　the　road
to　France；　but　the　benign　aspect　of　protecting　Providence。
After　some　hours　of　repose　the　sleepers　were　aroused　by
Athos。
Dawn　was　shedding　its　pallid；　placid　glimmer　on　the　purple
ocean；　when　at　the　distance　of　a　musket　shot　from　them　was
seen　a　dark　gray　mass；　above　which　gleamed　a　triangular
sail；　then　masters　and　servants　joined　in　a　fervent　cry　to
the　crew　of　that　vessel　to　hear　them　and　to　save。
〃A　bark！〃　all　cried　together。
It　was；　in　fact；　a　small　craft　from　Dunkirk　bound　for
Boulogne。
A　quarter　of　an　hour　afterward　the　rowboat　of　this　craft
took　them　all　aboard。　Grimaud　tendered　twenty　guineas　to　the
captain；　and　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；　having　a　fair
wind；　our　Frenchmen　set　foot　on　their　native　land。
〃Egad！　how　strong　one　feels　here！〃　said　Porthos；　almost
burying　his　large　feet　in　the　sands。　〃Zounds！　I　could　defy　a
nation！〃
〃Be　quiet；　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　are　observed。〃
〃We　are　admired；　i'faith；〃　answered　Porthos。
〃These　people　who　are　looking　at　us　are　only　merchants；〃
said　Athos；　〃and　are　looking　more　at　the　cargo　than　at　us。〃
〃I　shall　not　trust　to　that；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　〃and　I
shall　make　for　the　Dunes*　as　soon　as　possible。〃

*Sandy　hills　about　Dunkirk；　from　which　it　derives　its　name。

The　party　followed　him　and　soon　disappeared　with　him　behind
the　hillocks　of　sand　unobserved。　Here；　after　a　short
conference；　they　proposed　to　separate。
〃And　why　separate？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Because；〃　answered　the　Gascon；　〃we　were　sent；　Porthos　and
I；　by　Cardinal　Mazarin　to　fight　for　Cromwell；　instead　of
fighting　for　Cromwell　we　have　served　Charles　I。　　not　the
same　thing　by　any　means。　In　returning　with　the　Comte　de　la
Fere　and　Monsieur　d'Herblay　our　crime　would　be　confirmed。　We
have　circumvented　Cromwell；　Mordaunt；　and　the　sea；　but　we
shall　find　a　certain　difficulty　in　circumventing　Mazarin。〃
〃You　forget；〃　replied　Athos；　〃that　we　consider　ourselves
your　prisoners　and　not　free　from　the　engagement　we　entered
into。〃
〃Truly；　Athos；〃　interrupted　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　vexed　that
such　a　man　as　you　are　should　talk　nonsense　which　schoolboys
would　be　ashamed　of。　Chevalier；〃　he　continued；　addressing
Aramis；　who；　leaning　proudly　on　his　sword；　seemed　to　agree
with　his　companion；　〃Chevalier；　Porthos　and　I　run　no　risk；
besides；　should　any　ill…luck　happen　to　two　of　us；　will　it
not　be　much　better　that　the　other　two　should　be　spared　to
assist　those　who　may　be　apprehended？　Besides；　who　knows
whether；　divided；　we　may　not　obtain　a　pardon　　you　from　the
queen；　we　from　Mazarin　　which；　were　we　all　four　together；
would　never　be　granted。　Come；　Athos　and　Aramis；　go　to　the
right；　Porthos；　come　with　me　to　the　left；　these　gentlemen
should　file　off　into　Normandy；　whilst　we；　by　the　nearest