twenty years after(二十年后)-第140节

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〃To　travel　　perhaps。〃
〃But　　〃
〃Sit　down；　dear　friend；　to　table。　When　one　is　eating；　ideas
flow　easily。　After　supper；　when　they　are　perfected；　I　will
communicate　my　plans　to　you。〃
So　Porthos　sat　down　to　table　without　another　word　and　ate
with　an　appetite　that　did　honor　to　the　confidence　that　was
ever　inspired　in　him　by　D'Artagnan's　inventive　imagination。

84
Strength　and　Sagacity　　Continued。

Supper　was　eaten　in　silence；　but　not　in　sadness；　for　from
time　to　time　one　of　those　sweet　smiles　which　were　habitual
to　him　in　moments　of　good…humor　illumined　the　face　of
D'Artagnan。　Not　a　scintilla　of　these　was　lost　on　Porthos；
and　at　every　one　he　uttered　an　exclamation　which　betrayed　to
his　friend　that　he　had　not　lost　sight　of　the　idea　which
possessed　his　brain。
At　dessert　D'Artagnan　reposed　in　his　chair；　crossed　one　leg
over　the　other　and　lounged　about　like　a　man　perfectly　at　his
ease。
Porthos　rested　his　chin　on　his　hands；　placed　his　elbows　on
the　table　and　looked　at　D'Artagnan　with　an　expression　of
confidence　which　imparted　to　that　colossus　an　admirable
appearance　of　good…fellowship。
〃Well？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　at　last。
〃Well！〃　repeated　Porthos。
〃You　were　saying；　my　dear　friend　　〃
〃No；　I　said　nothing。〃
〃Yes；　you　were　saying　you　wished　to　leave　this　place。〃
〃Ah；　indeed！　the　will　was　never　wanting。〃
〃To　get　away　you　would　not　mind；　you　added；　knocking　down　a
door　or　a　wall。〃
〃'Tis　true　　I　said　so；　and　I　say　it　again。〃
〃And　I　answered　you；　Porthos；　that　it　was　not　a　good　plan；
that　we　couldn't　go　a　hundred　steps　without　being
recaptured；　because　we　were　without　clothes　to　disguise
ourselves　and　arms　to　defend　ourselves。〃
〃That　is　true；　we　should　need　clothes　and　arms。〃
〃Well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising；　〃we　have　them；　friend
Porthos；　and　even　something　better。〃
〃Bah！〃　said　Porthos；　looking　around。
〃Useless　to　look；　everything　will　come　to　us　when　wanted。　At
about　what　time　did　we　see　the　two　Swiss　guards　walking
yesterday？〃
〃An　hour　after　sunset。〃
〃If　they　go　out　to…day　as　they　did　yesterday　we　shall　have
the　honor；　then；　of　seeing　them　in　half　an　hour？〃
〃In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　most。〃
〃Your　arm　is　still　strong　enough；　is　it　not；　Porthos？〃
Porthos　unbuttoned　his　sleeve；　raised　his　shirt　and　looked
complacently　on　his　strong　arm；　as　large　as　the　leg　of　any
ordinary　man。
〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　so。〃
〃So　that　you　could　without　trouble　convert　these　tongs　into
a　hoop　and　yonder　shovel　into　a　corkscrew？〃
〃Certainly。〃　And　the　giant　took　up　these　two　articles；　and
without　any　apparent　effort　produced　in　them　the
metamorphoses　suggested　by　his　companion。
〃There！〃　he　cried。
〃Capital！〃　exclaimed　the　Gascon。　〃Really；　Porthos；　you　are　a
gifted　individual！〃
〃I　have　heard　speak；〃　said　Porthos；　〃of　a　certain　Milo　of
Crotona；　who　performed　wonderful　feats；　such　as　binding　his
forehead　with　a　cord　and　bursting　it　　of　killing　an　ox
with　a　blow　of　his　fist　and　carrying　it　home　on　his
shoulders；　et　cetera。　I　used　to　learn　all　these　feat　by
heart　yonder；　down　at　Pierrefonds；　and　I　have　done　all　that
he　did　except　breaking　a　cord　by　the　corrugation　of　my
temples。〃
〃Because　your　strength　is　not　in　your　head；　Porthos；〃　said
his　friend。
〃No；　it　is　in　my　arms　and　shoulders；〃　answered　Porthos　with
gratified　naivete。
〃Well；　my　dear　friend；　let　us　approach　the　window　and　there
you　can　match　your　strength　against　that　of　an　iron　bar。〃
Porthos　went　to　the　window；　took　a　bar　in　his　hands；　clung
to　it　and　bent　it　like　a　bow；　so　that　the　two　ends　came　out
of　the　sockets　of　stone　in　which　for　thirty　years　they　had
been　fixed。
〃Well！　friend；　the　cardinal；　although　such　a　genius；　could
never　have　done　that。〃
〃Shall　I　take　out　any　more　of　them？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃No；　that　is　sufficient；　a　man　can　pass　through　that。〃
Porthos　tried；　and　passed　the　upper　portion　of　his　body
through。
〃Yes；〃　he　said。
〃Now　pass　your　arm　through　this　opening。〃
〃Why？〃
〃You　will　know　presently　　pass　it。〃
Porthos　obeyed　with　military　promptness　and　passed　his　arm
through　the　opening。
〃Admirable！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃The　scheme　goes　forward；　it　seems。〃
〃On　wheels；　dear　friend。〃
〃Good！　What　shall　I　do　now？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃It　is　finished；　then？〃
〃No；　not　yet。〃
〃I　should　like　to　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Listen；　my　dear　friend；　in　two　words　you　will　know　all。　The
door　of　the　guardhouse　opens；　as　you　see。〃
〃Yes；　I　see。〃
〃They　are　about　to　send　into　our　court；　which　Monsieur　de
Mazarin　crosses　on　his　way　to　the　orangery；　the　two　guards
who　attend　him。〃
〃There　they　are；　coming　out。〃
〃If　only　they　close　the　guardhouse　door！　Good！　They　close
it。〃
〃What；　then？〃
〃Silence！　They　may　hear　us。〃
〃I　don't　understand　it　at　all。〃
〃As　you　execute　you　will　understand。〃
〃And　yet　I　should　have　preferred　　〃
〃You　will　have　the　pleasure　of　the　surprise。〃
〃Ah；　that　is　true。〃
〃Hush！〃
Porthos　remained　silent　and　motionless。
In　fact；　the　two　soldiers　advanced　on　the　side　where　the
window　was；　rubbing　their　hands；　for　it　was　cold；　it　being
the　month　of　February。
At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　guardhouse　was　opened　and　one
of　the　soldiers　was　summoned　away。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　going　to　call　this　soldier　and
talk　to　him。　Don't　lose　a　word　of　what　I'm　going　to　say　to
you；　Porthos。　Everything　lies　in　the　execution。〃
〃Good；　the　execution　of　plots　is　my　forte。〃
〃I　know　it　well。　I　depend　on　you。　Look；　I　shall　turn　to　the
left；　so　that　the　soldier　will　be　at　your　right；　as　soon　as
he　mounts　on　the　bench　to　talk　to　us。〃
〃But　supposing　he　doesn't　mount？〃
〃He　will；　rely　upon　it。　As　soon　as　you　see　him　get　up；
stretch　out　your　arm　and　seize　him　by　the　neck。　Then；
raising　him　up　as　Tobit　raised　the　fish　by　the　gills；　you
must　pull　him　into　the　room；　taking　care　to　squeeze　him　so
tight　that　he　can't　cry　out。〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Suppose　I　happen　to　strangle　him？〃
〃To　be　sure　there　would　only　be　a　Swiss　the　less　in　the
world；　but　you　will　not　do　so；　I　hope。　Lay　him　down　here；
we'll　gag　him　and　tie　him　　no　matter　where　　somewhere。
So　we　shall　get　from　him　one　uniform　and　a　sword。〃
〃Marvelous！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　looking　at　the　Gascon　with
the　most　profound　admiration。
〃Pooh！〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　recollecting　himself；　〃but　one　uniform
and　one　sword　will　not　suffice　for　two。〃
〃Well；　but　there's　his　comrade。〃
〃True；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Therefore；　when　I　cough；　stretch　out　your　arm。〃
〃Good！〃
The　two　friends　then　placed　themselves　as　they　had　agreed；
Porthos　being　completely　hidden　in　an　angle　of　the　window。
〃Good…evening；　comrade；〃　said　D'Artagnan　in　his　most
fascinating　voice　and　manner。
〃Good…evening；　sir；〃　answered　the　soldier；　in　a　strong
provincial　accent。
〃'Tis　not　too　warm　to　walk；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan。
〃No；　sir。〃
〃And　I　think　a　glass　of　wine　will　not　be　disagreeable　to
you？〃
〃A　glass　of　wine　will　be　extremely　welcome。〃
〃The　fish　bites　　the　fish　bites！〃　whispered　the　Gascon　to
Porthos。
〃I　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃A　bottle；　perhaps？〃
〃A　whole　bottle？　Yes；　sir。〃
〃A　whole　bottle；　if　you　will　drink　my　health。〃
〃Willingly；〃　answered　the　soldier。
〃Come；　then；　and　take　it；　friend；〃　said　the　Gascon。
〃With　all　my　heart。　How　convenient　that　there's　a　bench
here。　Egad！　one　would　think　it　had　been　placed　here　on
purpose。〃
〃Get　on　it；　that's　it；　friend。〃
And　D'Artagnan　coughed。
That　instant　the　arm　of　Porthos　fell。　His　hand　of　iron
grasped；　quick　as　lightning；　firm　as　a　pair　of　blacksmith's
pincers；　the　soldier's　throat。　He　raised　him；　almost
stifling　him　as　he　drew　him　through　the　aperture；　at　the
risk　of　flaying　him　in　the　passage。　He　then　laid　him　down　on
the　floor；　where　D'Artagnan；　after　giving　him　just　time
enough　to　draw　his　breath；　gagged　him　with　his　long　scarf；
and　the　moment　he　had　done　so　began　to　undress　him　with　the
promptitude　and　dexterity　of　a　man　who　had　learned　his
business　on　the　field　of　battle。　Then　the　soldier；　gagged
and　bound；　was　placed　upon　the　hearth；　the　fire　of　which　had
been　previously　extinguished　by　the　two　friends。
〃Here's　a　sword　and　a　dress；〃　said　Porthos。
〃I　take　them；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃for　myself。　If　you　want
another　uniform　and　sword　you　must　play　the　same　trick　over
again。　Stop！　I　see　the　other　soldier　issue　from　the
guardroom　and　come　toward　us。〃
〃I　think；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃it　would　be　imprudent　to
attempt　the　same　manoeuvre　again；　it　is　said　that　no　man　can
succeed　twice　in　the　same　way；　and　a　failure　would　be
ruinous。　No；　I　will　go　down；　seize　the　man　unawares　and
bring　him　to　you　ready　gagged。〃
〃That　is　better；〃　said　the　Gascon。
〃Be　ready；〃　said　Porthos；　as　he　slipped　through　the　opening。
He　did　as　he　said。　Porthos　seized　his　opportunity；　caught
the　next　soldier　by　his　neck；　gagged　him　and　pushed　him　like
a　mummy　through　the　bars　into　the　room；　and　entered　after
him。　Then　they　undressed　him　as　they　had　done　the　first；
laid　him　on　their　bed　and　bound　him　with　the　straps　which
composed　the　bed　　the　bedstead　being　of　oak。　This
operation　proved　as　great　a　success　as　the　first。
〃There；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　is　capital！　Now　let　me　try
on　the　dress　of　yonder　chap。　Porthos；　I　doubt　if　you　can
wear　it；　but　should　it　be　too　tight；　never　mind；　you　can
wear　the　breastplate　and　the　hat　with　the　re