twenty years after(二十年后)-第132节

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affair。〃
〃Perhaps　you　speak　the　truth；　Aramis。〃
〃Well；　let　us　go；　then；　where　the　fighting　is；　for　that　is
the　most　likely　place　to　meet　with　D'Artagnan；　Porthos；　and
possibly　even　Raoul。　Stop；　there　are　a　fine　body　of　citizens
passing；　quite　attractive；　by　Jupiter！　and　their　captain　
see！　he　has　the　true　military　style。〃
〃What；　ho！〃　said　Grimaud。
〃What？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Planchet；　sir。〃
〃Lieutenant　yesterday；〃　said　Aramis；　〃captain　to…day；
colonel；　doubtless；　to…morrow；　in　a　fortnight　the　fellow
will　be　marshal　of　France。〃
〃Question　him　about　the　fight；〃　said　Athos。
Planchet；　prouder　than　ever　of　his　new　duties；　deigned　to
explain　to　the　two　gentlemen　that　he　was　ordered　to　take　up
his　position　on　the　Place　Royale　with　two　hundred　men；
forming　the　rear　of　the　army　of　Paris；　and　to　march　on
Charenton　when　necessary。
〃This　day　will　be　a　warm　one；〃　said　Planchet；　in　a　warlike
tone。
〃No　doubt；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　it　is　far　from　here　to　the
enemy。〃
〃Sir；　the　distance　will　be　diminished；〃　said　a　subordinate。
Aramis　saluted；　then　turning　toward　Athos：
〃I　don't　care　to　camp　on　the　Place　Royale　with　all　these
people；〃　he　said。　〃Shall　we　go　forward？　We　shall　see　better
what　is　going　on。〃
〃And　then　Monsieur　de　Chatillon　will　not　come　to　the　Place
Royale　to　look　for　you。　Come；　then；　my　friend；　we　will　go
forward。〃
〃Haven't　you　something　to　say　to　Monsieur　de　Flamarens　on
your　own　account？〃
〃My　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　have　made　a　resolution　never　to
draw　my　sword　save　when　it　is　absolutely　necessary。〃
〃And　how　long　ago　was　that？〃
〃When　I　last　drew　my　poniard。〃
〃Ah！　Good！　another　souvenir　of　Monsieur　Mordaunt。　Well；　my
friend；　nothing　now　is　lacking　except　that　you　should　feel
remorse　for　having　killed　that　fellow。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　Athos；　putting　a　finger　on　his　lips；　with　the
sad　smile　peculiar　to　him；　〃let　us　talk　no　more　of　Mordaunt
　it　will　bring　bad　luck。〃　And　Athos　set　forward　toward
Charenton；　followed　closely　by　Aramis。


78
The　Battle　of　Charenton。

As　Athos　and　Aramis　proceeded；　and　passed　different
companies　on　the　road；　they　became　aware　that　they　were
arriving　near　the　field　of　battle。
〃Ah！　my　friend！〃　cried　Athos；　suddenly；　〃where　have　you
brought　us？　I　fancy　I　perceive　around　us　faces　of　different
officers　in　the　royal　army；　is　not　that　the　Duc　de　Chatillon
himself　coming　toward　us　with　his　brigadiers？〃
〃Good…day；　sirs；〃　said　the　duke；　advancing；　〃you　are　puzzled
by　what　you　see　here；　but　one　word　will　explain　everything。
There　is　now　a　truce　and　a　conference。　The　prince；　Monsieur
de　Retz；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　the　Duc　de　Bouillon；　are
talking　over　public　affairs。　Now　one　of　two　things　must
happen：　either　matters　will　not　be　arranged；　or　they　will　be
arranged；　in　which　last　case　I　shall　be　relieved　of　my
command　and　we　shall　still　meet　again。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Aramis；　〃you　speak　to　the　point。　Allow　me　to　ask
you　a　question：　Where　are　the　plenipotentiaries？〃
〃At　Charenton；　in　the　second　house　on　the　right　on　entering
from　the　direction　of　Paris。〃
〃And　was　this　conference　arranged　beforehand？〃
〃No；　gentlemen；　it　seems　to　be　the　result　of　certain
propositions　which　Mazarin　made　last　night　to　the
Parisians。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　exchanged　smiles；　for　they　well　knew　what
those　propositions　were；　to　whom　they　had　been　made　and　who
had　made　them。
〃And　that　house　in　which　the　plenipotentiaries　are；〃　asked
Athos；　〃belongs　to　　〃
〃To　Monsieur　de　Chanleu；　who　commands　your　troops　at
Charenton。　I　say　your　troops；　for　I　presume　that　you
gentlemen　are　Frondeurs？〃
〃Yes；　almost；〃　said　Aramis。
〃We　are　for　the　king　and　the　princes；〃　added　Athos。
〃We　must　understand　each　other；〃　said　the　duke。　〃The　king　is
with　us　and　his　generals　are　the　Duke　of　Orleans　and　the
Prince　de　Conde；　although　I　must　add　'tis　almost　impossible
now　to　know　to　which　party　any　one　belongs。〃
〃Yes；〃　answered　Athos；　〃but　his　right　place　is　in　our　ranks；
with　the　Prince　de　Conti；　De　Beaufort；　D'Elbeuf；　and　De
Bouillon；　but；　sir；　supposing　that　the　conference　is　broken
off　　are　you　going　to　try　to　take　Charenton？〃
〃Such　are　my　orders。〃
〃Sir；　since　you　command　the　cavalry　　〃
〃Pardon　me；　I　am　commander…in…chief。〃
〃So　much　the　better。　You　must　know　all　your　officers　　I
mean　those　more　distinguished。〃
〃Why；　yes；　very　nearly。〃
〃Will　you　then　kindly　tell　me　if　you　have　in　your　command
the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan；　lieutenant　in　the　musketeers？〃
〃No；　sir；　he　is　not　with　us；　he　left　Paris　more　than　six
weeks　ago　and　is　believed　to　have　gone　on　a　mission　to
England。〃
〃I　knew　that；　but　I　supposed　he　had　returned。〃
〃No；　sir；　no　one　has　seen　him。　I　can　answer　positively　on
that　point；　for　the　musketeers　belong　to　our　forces　and
Monsieur　de　Cambon；　the　substitute　for　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；
still　holds　his　place。〃
The　two　friends　looked　at　each　other。
〃You　see；〃　said　Athos。
〃It　is　strange；〃　said　Aramis。
〃It　is　absolutely　certain　that　some　misfortune　has　happened
to　them　on　the　way。〃
〃If　we　have　no　news　of　them　this　evening；　to…morrow　we　must
start。〃
Athos　nodded　affirmatively；　then　turning：
〃And　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne；　a　young　man　fifteen　years　of
age；　attached　to　the　Prince　de　Conde　　has　he　the　honor　of
being　known　to　you？〃　diffident　in　allowing　the　sarcastic
Aramis　to　perceive　how　strong　were　his　paternal　feelings。
〃Yes；　surely；　he　came　with　the　prince；　a　charming　young　man；
he　is　one　of　your　friends　then；　monsieur　le　comte？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Athos；　agitated；　〃so　much　so　that　I
wish　to　see　him　if　possible。〃
〃Quite　possible；　sir；　do　me　the　favor　to　accompany　me　and　I
will　conduct　you　to　headquarters。〃
〃Halloo；　there！〃　cried　Aramis；　turning　around；　〃what　a　noise
behind　us！〃
〃A　body　of　cavaliers　is　coming　toward　us；〃　said　Chatillon。
〃I　recognize　the　coadjutor　by　his　Frondist　hat。〃
〃And　I　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　by　his　white　plume　of　ostrich
feathers。〃
〃They　are　coming；　full　gallop；　the　prince　is　with　them　
ah！　he　is　leaving　them！〃
〃They　are　beating　the　rappel！〃　cried　Chatillon；　〃we　must
discover　what　is　going　on。〃
In　fact；　they　saw　the　soldiers　running　to　their　arms；　the
trumpets　sounded；　the　drums　beat；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　drew
his　sword。　On　his　side　the　prince　sounded　a　rappel　and　all
the　officers　of　the　royalist　army；　mingling　momentarily　with
the　Parisian　troops；　ran　to　him。
〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　Chatillon；　〃the　truce　is　broken；　that　is
evident；　they　are　going　to　fight；　go；　then；　into　Charenton；
for　I　shall　begin　in　a　short　time　　there's　a　signal　from
the　prince！〃
The　cornet　of　a　troop　had　in　fact　just　raised　the　standard
of　the　prince。
〃Farewell；　till　the　next　time　we　meet；〃　cried　Chatillon；　and
he　set　off；　full　gallop。
Athos　and　Aramis　turned　also　and　went　to　salute　the
coadjutor　and　the　Duc　de　Beaufort。　As　to　the　Duc　de
Bouillon；　he　had　such　a　fit　of　gout　as　obliged　him　to　return
to　Paris　in　a　litter；　but　his　place　was　well　filled　by　the
Duc　d'Elbeuf　and　his　four　sons；　ranged　around　him　like　a
staff。　Meantime；　between　Charenton　and　the　royal　army　was
left　a　space　which　looked　ready　to　serve　as　a　last　resting
place　for　the　dead。
〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　the　coadjutor；　tightening　his　sash；　which
he　wore；　after　the　fashion　of　the　ancient　military　prelates；
over　his　archiepiscopal　simar；　〃there's　the　enemy
approaching。　Let　us　save　them　half　of　their　journey。〃
And　without　caring　whether　he　were　followed　or　not　he　set
off；　his　regiment；　which　bore　the　name　of　the　regiment　of
Corinth；　from　the　name　of　his　archbishopric；　darted　after
him　and　began　the　fight。　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　sent　his
cavalry；　toward　Etampes　and　Monsieur　de　Chanleu；　who
defended　the　place；　was　ready　to　resist　an　assault；　or　if
the　enemy　were　repulsed；　to　attempt　a　sortie。
The　battle　soon　became　general　and　the　coadjutor　performed
miracles　of　valor。　His　proper　vocation　had　always　been　the
sword　and　he　was　delighted　whenever　he　could　draw　it　from
the　scabbard；　no　matter　for　whom　or　against　whom。
Chanleu；　whose　fire　at　one　time　repulsed　the　royal　regiment；
thought　that　the　moment　was　come　to　pursue　it；　but　it　was
reformed　and　led　again　to　the　charge　by　the　Duc　de　Chatillon
in　person。　This　charge　was　so　fierce；　so　skillfully
conducted；　that　Chanleu　was　almost　surrounded。　He　commanded
a　retreat；　which　began；　step　by　step；　foot　by　foot；
unhappily；　in　an　instant　he　fell；　mortally　wounded。　De
Chatillon　saw　him　fall　and　announced　it　in　a　loud　voice　to
his　men；　which　raised　their　spirits　and　completely
disheartened　their　enemies；　so　that　every　man　thought　only
of　his　own　safety　and　tried　to　gain　the　trenches；　where　the
coadjutor　was　trying　to　reform　his　disorganized　regiment。
Suddenly　a　squadron　of　cavalry　galloped　up　to　encounter　the
royal　troops；　who　were　entering；　pele…mele；　the
intrenchments　with　the　fugitives。　Athos　and　Aramis　charged
at　the　head　of　their　squadrons；　Aramis　with　sword　and　pistol
in　his　hands；　Athos　with　his　sword　in　his　scabbard；　his
pistol　in　his　saddle…bags；　calm　and　cool　as　if　on　the
parade；　except　that　his　noble　and　beautiful　countenance
became　sad　as　he　saw　slaughtered　so　many　men　who　were
sacrificed　on　the　one　side　to　the　obstinacy　of　royalty　and
on　the　other　to　the　personal　rancor　of　the　princes。　Aramis；
on　the　contrary；　struck　right　and　left　and　was　almost