twenty years after(二十年后)-第133节

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on　the　other　to　the　personal　rancor　of　the　princes。　Aramis；
on　the　contrary；　struck　right　and　left　and　was　almost
delirious　with　excitement。　His　bright　eyes　kindled；　and　his
mouth；　so　finely　formed；　assumed　a　wicked　smile；　every　blow
he　aimed　was　sure；　and　his　pistol　finished　the　deed　
annihilated　the　wounded　wretch　who　tried　to　rise　again。
On　the　opposite　side　two　cavaliers；　one　covered　with　a　gilt
cuirass；　the　other　wearing　simply　a　buff　doublet；　from　which
fell　the　sleeves　of　a　vest　of　blue　velvet；　charged　in　front。
The　cavalier　in　the　gilt　cuirass　fell　upon　Aramis　and　struck
a　blow　that　Aramis　parried　with　his　wonted　skill。
〃Ah！　'tis　you；　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；〃　cried　the　chevalier；
〃welcome　to　you　　I　expected　you。〃
〃I　hope　I　have　not　made　you　wait　too　long；　sir；〃　said　the
duke；　〃at　all　events；　here　I　am。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Chatillon；〃　cried　Aramis；　taking　from　his
saddle…bags　a　second　pistol；　〃I　think　if　your　pistols　have
been　discharged　you　are　a　dead　man。〃
〃Thank　God；　sir；　they　are　not！〃
And　the　duke；　pointing　his　pistol　at　Aramis；　fired。　But
Aramis　bent　his　head　the　instant　he　saw　the　duke's　finger
press　the　trigger　and　the　ball　passed　without　touching　him。
〃Oh！　you've　missed　me；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃but　I　swear　to
Heaven！　I　will　not　miss　you。〃
〃If　I　give　you　time！〃　cried　the　duke；　spurring　on　his　horse
and　rushing　upon　him　with　his　drawn　sword。
Aramis　awaited　him　with　that　terrible　smile　which　was
peculiar　to　him　on　such　occasions；　and　Athos；　who　saw　the
duke　advancing　toward　Aramis　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；
was　just　going　to　cry　out；　〃Fire！　fire；　then！〃　when　the　shot
was　fired。　De　Chatillon　opened　his　arms　and　fell　back　on　the
crupper　of　his　horse。
The　ball　had　entered　his　breast　through　a　notch　in　the
cuirass。
〃I　am　a　dead　man；〃　he　said；　and　fell　from　his　horse　to　the
ground。
〃I　told　you　this；　I　am　now　grieved　I　have　kept　my　word。　Can
I　be　of　any　use　to　you？〃
Chatillon　made　a　sign　with　his　hand　and　Aramis　was　about　to
dismount　when　he　received　a　violent　shock；　'twas　a　thrust
from　a　sword；　but　his　cuirass　turned　aside　the　blow。
He　turned　around　and　seized　his　new　antagonist　by　the　wrist；
when　he　started　back；　exclaiming；　〃Raoul！〃
〃Raoul？〃　cried　Athos。
The　young　man　recognized　at　the　same　instant　the　voices　of
his　father　and　the　Chevalier　d'Herblay；　two　officers　in　the
Parisian　forces　rushed　at　that　instant　on　Raoul；　but　Aramis
protected　him　with　his　sword。
〃My　prisoner！〃　he　cried。
Athos　took　his　son's　horse　by　the　bridle　and　led　him　forth
out　of　the　melee。
At　this　crisis　of　the　battle；　the　prince；　who　had　been
seconding　De　Chatillon　in　the　second　line；　appeared　in　the
midst　of　the　fight；　his　eagle　eye　made　him　known　and　his
blows　proclaimed　the　hero。
On　seeing　him；　the　regiment　of　Corinth；　which　the　coadjutor
had　not　been　able　to　reorganize　in　spite　of　all　his　efforts；
threw　itself　into　the　midst　of　the　Parisian　forces；　put　them
into　confusion　and　re…entered　Charenton　flying。　The
coadjutor；　dragged　along　with　his　fugitive　forces；　passed
near　the　group　formed　by　Athos；　Raoul　and　Aramis。　Aramis
could　not　in　his　jealousy　avoid　being　pleased　at　the
coadjutor's　misfortune；　and　was　about　to　utter　some　bon　mot
more　witty　than　correct；　when　Athos　stopped　him。
〃On；　on！〃　he　cried；　〃this　is　no　moment　for　compliments；　or
rather；　back；　for　the　battle　seems　to　be　lost　by　the
Frondeurs。〃
〃It　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　came
here　only　to　meet　De　Chatillon；　I　have　met　him；　I　am
contented；　'tis　something　to　have　met　De　Chatillon　in　a
duel！〃
〃And　besides；　we　have　a　prisoner；〃　said　Athos；　pointing　to
Raoul。
The　three　cavaliers　continued　their　road　on　full　gallop。
〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　battle；　my　friend？〃　inquired
Athos　of　the　youth；　〃'twas　not　your　right　place；　I　think；　as
you　were　not　equipped　for　an　engagement！〃
〃I　had　no　intention　of　fighting　to…day；　sir；　I　was　charged；
indeed；　with　a　mission　to　the　cardinal　and　had　set　out　for
Rueil；　when；　seeing　Monsieur　de　Chatillon　charge；　an
invincible　desire　possessed　me　to　charge　at　his　side。　It　was
then　that　he　told　me　two　cavaliers　of　the　Parisian　army　were
seeking　me　and　named　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃What！　you　knew　we　were　there　and　yet　wished　to　kill　your
friend　the　chevalier？〃
〃I　did　not　recognize　the　chevalier　in　armor；　sir！〃　said
Raoul；　blushing；　〃though　I　might　have　known　him　by　his　skill
and　coolness　in　danger。〃
〃Thank　you　for　the　compliment；　my　young　friend；〃　replied
Aramis；　〃we　can　see　from　whom　you　learned　courtesy。　Then　you
were　going　to　Rueil？〃
〃Yes！　I　have　a　despatch　from　the　prince　to　his　eminence。〃
〃You　must　still　deliver　it；〃　said　Athos。
〃No　false　generosity；　count！　the　fate　of　our　friends；　to　say
nothing　of　our　own；　is　perhaps　in　that　very　despatch。〃
〃This　young　man　must　not；　however；　fail　in　his　duty；〃　said
Athos。
〃In　the　first　place；　count；　this　youth　is　our　prisoner；　you
seem　to　forget　that。　What　I　propose　to　do　is　fair　in　war；
the　vanquished　must　not　be　dainty　in　the　choice　of　means。
Give　me　the　despatch；　Raoul。〃
The　young　man　hesitated　and　looked　at　Athos　as　if　seeking　to
read　in　his　eyes　a　rule　of　conduct。
〃Give　him　the　despatch；　Raoul！　you　are　the　chevalier's
prisoner。〃
Raoul　gave　it　up　reluctantly；　Aramis　instantly　seized　and
read　it。
〃You；〃　he　said；　〃you；　who　are　so　trusting；　read　and　reflect
that　there　is　something　in　this　letter　important　for　us　to
see。〃
Athos　took　the　letter；　frowning；　but　an　idea　that　he　should
find　something　in　this　letter　about　D'Artagnan　conquered　his
unwillingness　to　read　it。
〃My　lord；　I　shall　send　this　evening　to　your　eminence　in
order　to　reinforce　the　troop　of　Monsieur　de　Comminges；　the
ten　men　you　demand。　They　are　good　soldiers；　fit　to　confront
the　two　violent　adversaries　whose　address　and　resolution
your　eminence　is　fearful　of。〃
〃Oh！〃　cried　Athos。
〃Well；〃　said　Aramis；　〃what　think　you　about　these　two　enemies
whom　it　requires；　besides　Comminges's　troop；　ten　good
soldiers　to　confront；　are　they　not　as　like　as　two　drops　of
water　to　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos？〃
〃We'll　search　Paris　all　day　long；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　if　we
have　no　news　this　evening　we　will　return　to　the　road　to
Picardy；　and　I　feel　no　doubt　that；　thanks　to　D'Artagnan's
ready　invention；　we　shall　then　find　some　clew　which　will
solve　our　doubts。〃
〃Yes；　let　us　search　Paris　and　especially　inquire　of　Planchet
if　he　has　yet　heard　from　his　former　master。〃
〃That　poor　Planchet！　You　speak　of　him　very　much　at　your
ease；　Aramis；　he　has　probably　been　killed。　All　those
fighting　citizens　went　out　to　battle　and　they　have　been
massacred。〃
It　was；　then；　with　a　sentiment　of　uneasiness　whether
Planchet；　who　alone　could　give　them　information；　was　alive
or　dead；　that　the　friends　returned　to　the　Place　Royale；　to
their　great　surprise　they　found　the　citizens　still　encamped
there；　drinking　and　bantering　each　other；　although；
doubtless；　mourned　by　their　families；　who　thought　they　were
at　Charenton　in　the　thickest　of　the　fighting。
Athos　and　Aramis　again　questioned　Planchet；　but　he　had　seen
nothing　of　D'Artagnan；　they　wished　to　take　Planchet　with
them；　but　he　could　not　leave　his　troop；　who　at　five　o'clock
returned　home；　saying　that　they　were　returning　from　the
battle；　whereas　they　had　never　lost　sight　of　the　bronze
equestrian　statue　of　Louis　XIII。

79
The　Road　to　Picardy。

On　leaving　Paris；　Athos　and　Aramis　well　knew　that　they　would
be　encountering　great　danger；　but　we　know　that　for　men　like
these　there　could　be　no　question　of　danger。　Besides；　they
felt　that　the　denouement　of　this　second　Odyssey　was　at　hand
and　that　there　remained　but　a　single　effort　to　make。
Besides；　there　was　no　tranquillity　in　Paris　itself。
Provisions　began　to　fail；　and　whenever　one　of　the　Prince　de
Conti's　generals　wished　to　gain　more　influence　he　got　up　a
little　popular　tumult；　which　he　put　down　again；　and　thus　for
the　moment　gained　a　superiority　over　his　colleagues。
In　one　of　these　risings。　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　pillaged　the
house　and　library　of　Mazarin；　in　order　to　give　the　populace；
as　he　put　it；　something　to　gnaw　at。　Athos　and　Aramis　left
Paris　after　this　coup…d'etat；　which　took　place　on　the　very
evening　of　the　day　in　which　the　Parisians　had　been　beaten　at
Charenton。
They　quitted　Paris；　beholding　it　abandoned　to　extreme　want；
bordering　on　famine；　agitated　by　fear；　torn　by　faction。
Parisians　and　Frondeurs　as　they　were；　the　two　friends
expected　to　find　the　same　misery；　the　same　fears；　the　same
intrigue　in　the　enemy's　camp；　but　what　was　their　surprise；
after　passing　Saint　Denis；　to　hear　that　at　Saint　Germain
people　were　singing　and　laughing；　and　leading　generally
cheerful　lives。　The　two　gentlemen　traveled　by　byways　in
order　not　to　encounter　the　Mazarinists　scattered　about　the
Isle　of　France；　and　also　to　escape　the　Frondeurs；　who　were
in　possession　of　Normandy　and　who　never　failed　to　conduct
captives　to　the　Duc　de　Longueville；　in　order　that　he　might
ascertain　whether　they　were　friends　or　foes。　Having　escaped
these　dangers；　they　returned　by　the　main　road　to　Boulogne；
at　Abbeville；　and　followed　it　step　by　step；　examining　every
track。
Nevertheless；　they　were　still　in　a　state　of　uncertainty。
Several　inns　were　visited　by　them；　several　innkeepers
questioned