twenty years after(二十年后)-第139节

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basins　and　plates。
〃What！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　〃mutton　again？〃
〃My　dear　Monsieur　de　Comminges；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　will
find　that　my　friend；　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　will　go　to　the　most
fatal　lengths　if　Cardinal　Mazarin　continues　to　provide　us
with　this　sort　of　meat；　mutton　every　day。〃
〃I　declare；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　shall　eat　nothing　if　they　do
not　take　it　away。〃
〃Remove　the　mutton；〃　cried　Comminges；　〃I　wish　Monsieur　du
Vallon　to　sup　well；　more　especially　as　I　have　news　to　give
him　that　will　improve　his　appetite。〃
〃Is　Mazarin　dead？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃No；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　he　is　perfectly　well。〃
〃So　much　the　worse；〃　said　Porthos。
〃What　is　that　news？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。　〃News　in　prison　is　a
fruit　so　rare　that　I　trust；　Monsieur　de　Comminges；　you　will
excuse　my　impatience　　the　more　eager　since　you　have　given
us　to　understand　that　the　news　is　good。〃
〃Should　you　be　glad　to　hear　that　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　is
well？〃　asked　De　Comminges。
D'Artagnan's　penetrating　gray　eyes　were　opened　to　the
utmost。
〃Glad！〃　he　cried；　〃I　should　be　more　than　glad！　Happy　
beyond　measure！〃
〃Well；　I　am　desired　by　him　to　give　you　his　compliments　and
to　say　that　he　is　in　good　health。〃
D'Artagnan　almost　leaped　with　joy。　A　quick　glance　conveyed
his　thought　to　Porthos：　〃If　Athos　knows　where　we　are；　if　he
opens　communication　with　us；　before　long　Athos　will　act。〃
Porthos　was　not　very　quick　to　understand　the　language　of
glances；　but　now　since　the　name　of　Athos　had　suggested　to
him　the　same　idea；　he　understood。
〃Do　you　say；〃　asked　the　Gascon；　timidly；　〃that　the　Comte　de
la　Fere　has　commissioned　you　to　give　his　compliments　to
Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　myself？〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃Then　you　have　seen　him？〃
〃Certainly　I　have。〃
〃Where？　if　I　may　ask　without　indiscretion。〃
〃Near　here；〃　replied　De　Comminges；　smiling；　〃so　near　that　if
the　windows　which　look　on　the　orangery　were　not　stopped　up
you　could　see　him　from　where　you　are。〃
〃He　is　wandering　about　the　environs　of　the　castle；〃　thought
D'Artagnan。　Then　he　said　aloud：
〃You　met　him；　I　dare　say；　in　the　park　　hunting；　perhaps？〃
〃No；　nearer；　nearer　still。　Look；　behind　this　wall；〃　said　De
Comminges；　knocking　against　the　wall。
〃Behind　this　wall？　What　is　there；　then；　behind　this　wall？　I
was　brought　here　by　night；　so　devil　take　me　if　I　know　where
I　am。〃
〃Well；〃　said　Comminges；　〃suppose　one　thing。〃
〃I　will　suppose　anything　you　please。〃
〃Suppose　there　were　a　window　in　this　wall。〃
〃Well？〃
〃From　that　window　you　would　see　Monsieur　de　la　Fere　at　his。〃
〃The　count；　then；　is　in　the　chateau？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃For　what　reason？〃
〃The　same　as　yourself。〃
〃Athos　　a　prisoner？〃
〃You　know　well；〃　replied　De　Comminges；　〃that　there　are　no
prisoners　at　Rueil；　because　there　is　no　prison。〃
〃Don't　let　us　play　upon　words；　sir。　Athos　has　been
arrested。〃
〃Yesterday；　at　Saint　Germain；　as　he　came　out　from　the
presence　of　the　queen。〃
The　arms　of　D'Artagnan　fell　powerless　by　his　side。　One　might
have　supposed　him　thunderstruck；　a　paleness　ran　like　a　cloud
over　his　dark　skin；　but　disappeared　immediately。
〃A　prisoner？〃　he　reiterated。
〃A　prisoner；〃　repeated　Porthos；　quite　dejected。
Suddenly　D'Artagnan　looked　up　and　in　his　eyes　there　was　a
gleam　which　scarcely　even　Porthos　observed；　but　it　died　away
and　he　appeared　more　sorrowful　than　before。
〃Come；　come；〃　said　Comminges；　who；　since　D'Artagnan；　on　the
day　of　Broussel's　arrest；　had　saved　him　from　the　hands　of
the　Parisians；　had　entertained　a　real　affection　for　him；
〃don't　be　unhappy；　I　never　thought　of　bringing　you　bad　news。
Laugh　at　the　chance　which　has　brought　your　friend　near　to
you　and　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　instead　of　being　in　the　depths
of　despair　about　it。〃
But　D'Artagnan　was　still　in　a　desponding　mood。
〃And　how　did　he　look？〃　asked　Porthos；　who；　perceiving　that
D'Artagnan　had　allowed　the　conversation　to　drop；　profited　by
it　to　put　in　a　word　or　two。
〃Very　well；　indeed；　sir；〃　replied　Comminges；　〃at　first；　like
you；　he　seemed　distressed；　but　when　he　heard　that　the
cardinal　was　going　to　pay　him　a　visit　this　very　evening　
〃
〃Ah！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃the　cardinal　is　about　to　visit　the
Comte　de　la　Fere？〃
〃Yes；　and　the　count　desired　me　to　tell　you　that　he　should
take　advantage　of　this　visit　to　plead　for　you　and　for
himself。〃
〃Ah！　our　dear　count！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃A　fine　thing；　indeed！〃　grunted　Porthos。　〃A　great　favor！
Zounds！　Monsieur　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　whose　family　is
allied　to　the　Montmorency　and　the　Rohan；　is　easily　the　equal
of　Monsieur　de　Mazarin。〃
〃No　matter；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　in　his　most　wheedling　tone。
〃On　reflection；　my　dear　Du　Vallon；　it　is　a　great　honor　for
the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　and　gives　good　reason　to　hope。　In
fact；　it　seems　to　me　so　great　an　honor　for　a　prisoner　that　I
think　Monsieur　de　Comminges　must　be　mistaken。〃
〃What？　I　am　mistaken？〃
〃Monsieur　de　Mazarin　will　not　come　to　visit　the　Comte　de　la
Fere；　but　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　will　be　sent　for　to　visit
him。〃
〃No；　no；　no；〃　said　Comminges；　who　made　a　point　of　having　the
facts　appear　exactly　as　they　were；　〃I　clearly　understood
what　the　cardinal　said　to　me。　He　will　come　and　visit　the
Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
D'Artagnan　tried　to　gather　from　the　expression　of　his　eyes
whether　Porthos　understood　the　importance　of　that　visit；　but
Porthos　did　not　even　look　toward　him。
〃It　is；　then；　the　cardinal's　custom　to　walk　in　his
orangery？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃Every　evening　he　shuts　himself　in　there。　That；　it　seems；　is
where　he　meditates　on　state　affairs。〃
〃In　that　case；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　begin　to　believe　that
Monsieur　de　la　Fere　will　receive　the　visit　of　his　eminence；
he　will；　of　course；　have　an　escort。〃
〃Yes　　two　soldiers。〃
〃And　will　he　talk　thus　of　affairs　in　presence　of　two
strangers？〃
〃The　soldiers　are　Swiss；　who　understand　only　German。
Besides；　according　to　all　probability　they　will　wait　at　the
door。〃
D'Artagnan　made　a　violent　effort　over　himself　to　keep　his
face　from　being　too　expressive。
〃Let　the　cardinal　take　care　of　going　alone　to　visit　the
Comte　de　la　Fere；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃for　the　count　must　be
furious。〃
Comminges　began　to　laugh。　〃Oh；　oh！　why；　really；　one　would
say　that　you　four　were　anthropaphagi！　The　count　is　an
affable　man；　besides；　be　is　unarmed；　at　the　first　word　from
his　eminence　the　two　soldiers　about　him　would　run　to　his
assistance。〃
〃Two　soldiers；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　seeming　to　remember
something；　〃two　soldiers；　yes；　that；　then；　is　why　I　hear　two
men　called　every　evening　and　see　them　walking　sometimes　for
half　an　hour；　under　my　window。〃
〃That　is　it；　they　are　waiting　for　the　cardinal；　or　rather
for　Bernouin；　who　comes　to　call　them　when　the　cardinal　goes
out。〃
〃Fine…looking　men；　upon　my　word！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃They　belong　to　the　regiment　that　was　at　Lens；　which　the
prince　assigned　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃Ah；　monsieur；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　as　if　to　sum　up　in　a　word
all　that　conversation；　〃if　only　his　eminence　would　relent
and　grant　to　Monsieur　de　la　Fere　our　liberty。〃
〃I　wish　it　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　Comminges。
〃Then；　if　he　should　forget　that　visit；　you　would　find　no
inconvenience　in　reminding　him　of　it？〃
〃Not　at　all。〃
〃Ah；　that　gives　me　more　confidence。〃
This　skillful　turn　of　the　conversation　would　have　seemed　a
sublime　manoeuvre　to　any　one　who　could　have　read　the
Gascon's　soul。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I've　one　last　favor　to　ask　of　you；
Monsieur　de　Comminges。〃
〃At　your　service；　sir。〃
〃You　will　see　the　count　again？〃
〃To…morrow　morning。〃
〃Will　you　remember　us　to　him　and　ask　him　to　solicit　for　me
the　same　favor　that　he　will　have　obtained？〃
〃You　want　the　cardinal　to　come　here？〃
〃No；　I　know　my　place　and　am　not　so　presumptuous。　Let　his
eminence　do　me　the　honor　to　give　me　a　hearing；　that　is　all　I
want。〃
〃Oh！〃　muttered　Porthos；　shaking　his　head；　〃never　should　I
have　thought　this　of　him！　How　misfortune　humbles　a　man！〃
〃I　promise　you　it　shall　be　done；〃　answered　De　Comminges。
〃Tell　the　count　that　I　am　well；　that　you　found　me　sad；　but
resigned。〃
〃I　am　pleased；　sir；　to　hear　that。〃
〃And　the　same；　also；　for　Monsieur　du　Vallon　　〃
〃Not　for　me　；〃　cried　Porthos；　〃I　am　not　by　any　means
resigned。〃
〃But　you　will　be　resigned；　my　friend。〃
〃Never！〃
〃He　will　become　so；　monsieur；　I　know　him　better　than　he
knows　himself。　Be　silent；　dear　Du　Vallon；　and　resign
yourself。〃
〃Adieu；　gentlemen；〃　said　De　Comminges；　〃sleep　well！〃
〃We　will　try。〃
De　Comminges　went　away；　D'Artagnan　remaining　apparently　in
the　same　attitude　of　humble　resignation；　but　scarcely　had　he
departed　when　he　turned　and　clasped　Porthos　in　his　arms　with
an　expression　not　to　be　doubted。
〃Oh！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃what's　the　matter　now？　Have　you　gone
mad；　my　dear　friend？〃
〃What　is　the　matter？〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　〃we　are　saved！〃
〃I　don't　see　that　at　all；〃　answered　Porthos。　〃I　think　we　are
all　taken　prisoners；　except　Aramis；　and　that　our　chances　of
getting　out　are　lessened　since　one　more　of　us　is　caught　in
Mazarin's　mousetrap。〃
〃Which　is　far　too　strong　for　two　of　us；　but　not　strong
enough　for　three　of　us；〃　returned　D'Artagnan。
〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Never　mind；　let's　sit　down　to　table　and　take　something　to
strengthen　us　for　the　night。〃
〃What　are　we　to　do；　then；　to…night？〃
〃To　travel　　perhaps。〃
〃But　　〃
〃Sit　down；　dear　friend；　to　table。　When　one　is　eating；　ide