twenty years after(二十年后)-第141节

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wear　it；　but　should　it　be　too　tight；　never　mind；　you　can
wear　the　breastplate　and　the　hat　with　the　red　feathers。〃
It　happened；　however；　that　the　second　soldier　was　a　Swiss　of
gigantic　proportions；　so；　save　that　some　few　of　the　seams
split；　his　uniform　fitted　Porthos　perfectly。
They　then　dressed　themselves。
〃'Tis　done！〃　they　both　exclaimed　at　once。　〃As　to　you；
comrades；〃　they　said　to　the　men；　〃nothing　will　happen　to　you
if　you　are　discreet；　but　if　you　stir　you　are　dead　men。〃
The　soldiers　were　complaisant；　they　had　found　the　grasp　of
Porthos　pretty　powerful　and　that　it　was　no　joke　to　fight
against　it。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　wouldn't　be　sorry　to　understand
the　plot；　would　you；　Porthos？〃
〃Well；　no；　not　very。〃
〃Well；　then；　we　shall　go　down　into　the　court。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We　shall　take　the　place　of　those　two　fellows。〃
〃Well？〃
〃We　will　walk　back　and　forth。〃
〃That's　a　good　idea；　for　it　isn't　warm。〃
〃In　a　moment　the　valet…de…chambre　will　call　the　guard；　as　he
did　yesterday　and　the　day　before。〃
〃And　we　shall　answer？〃
〃No；　on　the　contrary；　we　shall　not　answer。〃
〃As　you　please；　I　don't　insist　on　answering。〃
〃We　will　not　answer；　then；　we　will　simply　settle　our　hats　on
our　heads　and　we　will　escort　his　eminence。〃
〃Where　shall　we　escort　him？〃
〃Where　he　is　going　　to　visit　Athos。　Do　you　think　Athos
will　be　sorry　to　see　us？〃
〃Oh！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃oh！　I　understand。〃
〃Wait　a　little；　Porthos；　before　crying　out；　for；　on　my　word；
you　haven't　reached　the　end；〃　said　the　Gascon；　in　a　jesting
tone。
〃What　is　to　happen？〃　said　Porthos。
〃Follow　me；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。　〃The　man　who　lives　to　see
shall　see。〃
And　slipping　through　the　aperture；　he　alighted　in　the　court。
Porthos　followed　him　by　the　same　road；　but　with　more
difficulty　and　less　diligence。　They　could　hear　the　two
soldiers　shivering　with　fear；　as　they　lay　bound　in　the
chamber。
Scarcely　had　the　two　Frenchmen　touched　the　ground　when　a
door　opened　and　the　voice　of　the　valet…de…chambre　called
out：
〃Make　ready！〃
At　the　same　moment　the　guardhouse　was　opened　and　a　voice
called　out：
〃La　Bruyere　and　Du　Barthois！　March！〃
It　seems　that　I　am　named　La　Bruyere；〃　remarked　D'Artagnan。
〃And　I；　Du　Barthois；〃　added　Porthos。
〃Where　are　you？〃　asked　the　valet…de…chambre；　whose　eyes；
dazzled　by　the　light；　could　not　clearly　distinguish　our
heroes　in　the　gloom。
〃Here　we　are；〃　said　the　Gascon。
〃What　say　you　to　that；　Monsieur　du　Vallon？〃　he　added　in　a
low　tone　to　Porthos。
〃If　it　but　lasts；　most　capital；〃　responded　Porthos。
These　two　newly　enlisted　soldiers　marched　gravely　after　the
valet…de…chambre；　who　opened　the　door　of　the　vestibule；　then
another　which　seemed　to　be　that　of　a　waiting…room；　and
showing　them　two　stools：
〃Your　orders　are　very　simple；〃　he　said；　〃don't　allow
anybody；　except　one　person；　to　enter　here。　Do　you　hear　
not　a　single　creature！　Obey　that　person　implicitly。　On　your
return　you　cannot　make　a　mistake。　You　have　only　to　wait　here
till　I　release　you。〃
D'Artagnan　was　known　to　this　valet…de…chambre；　who　was　no
other　than　Bernouin；　and　he　had　during　the　last　six　or　eight
months　introduced　the　Gascon　a　dozen　times　to　the　cardinal。
The　Gascon；　therefore；　instead　of　answering；　growled　out
〃Ja！　Ja！〃　in　the　most　German　and　the　least　Gascon　accent
possible。
As　for　Porthos；　on　whom　D'Artagnan　had　impressed　the
necessity　of　absolute　silence　and　who　did　not　even　now　begin
to　comprehend　the　scheme　of　his　friend；　which　was　to　follow
Mazarin　in　his　visit　to　Athos；　he　was　simply　mute。　All　that
he　was　allowed　to　say；　in　case　of　emergencies；　was　the
proverbial　Der　Teufel！
Bernouin　shut　the　door　and　went　away。　When　Porthos　heard　the
key　turn　in　the　lock　he　began　to　be　alarmed；　lest　they
should　only　have　exchanged　one　prison　for　another。
〃Porthos；　my　friend；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃don't　distrust
Providence！　Let　me　meditate　and　consider。〃
〃Meditate　and　consider　as　much　as　you　like；〃　replied
Porthos；　who　was　now　quite　out　of　humor　at　seeing　things
take　this　turn。
〃We　have　walked　eight　paces；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan；　〃and
gone　up　six　steps；　so　hereabouts　is　the　pavilion　called　the
pavilion　of　the　orangery。　The　Comte　de　la　Fere　cannot　be　far
off；　only　the　doors　are　locked。〃
〃That　is　a　slight　difficulty；〃　said　Porthos；　〃and　a　good
push　with　the　shoulders　　〃
〃For　God's　sake；　Porthos　my　friend；　reserve　your　feats　of
strength；　or　they　will　not　have；　when　needed　the　honor　they
deserve。　Have　you　not　heard　that　some　one　is　coming　here？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；　that　some　one　will　open　the　doors。〃
〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　if　that　some　one　recognizes　us；　if
that　some　one　cries　out；　we　are　lost；　for　you　don't　propose；
I　imagine；　that　I　shall　kill　that　man　of　the　church。　That
might　do　if　we　were　dealing　with　Englishmen　or　Germans。〃
〃Oh；　may　God　keep　me　from　it；　and　you；　too！〃　said
D'Artagnan。　〃The　young　king　would；　perhaps；　show　us　some
gratitude；　but　the　queen　would　never　forgive　us；　and　it　is
she　whom　we　have　to　consider。　And　then；　besides；　the　useless
blood！　never！　no；　never！　I　have　my　plan；　let　me　carry　it　out
and　we　shall　laugh。〃
〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　feel　some　need　of
it。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　some　one　is　coming。〃
The　sound　of　a　light　step　was　heard　in　the　vestibule。　The
hinges　of　the　door　creaked　and　a　man　appeared　in　the　dress
of　a　cavalier；　wrapped　in　a　brown　cloak；　with　a　lantern　in
one　hand　and　a　large　beaver　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes。
Porthos　effaced　himself　against　the　wall；　but　he　could　not
render　himself　invisible；　and　the　man　in　the　cloak　said　to
him；　giving　him　his　lantern：
〃Light　the　lamp　which　hangs　from　the　ceiling。〃
Then　addressing　D'Artagnan：
〃You　know　the　watchword？〃　he　said。
〃Ja！〃　replied　the　Gascon；　determined　to　confine　himself　to
this　specimen　of　the　German　tongue。
〃Tedesco！〃　answered　the　cavalier；　〃va　bene。〃
And　advancing　toward　the　door　opposite　to　that　by　which　he
came　in；　he　opened　it　and　disappeared　behind　it；　shutting　it
as　he　went。
〃Now；〃　asked　Porthos；　〃what　are　we　to　do？〃
〃Now　we　shall　make　use　of　your　shoulder；　friend　Porthos；　if
this　door　proves　to　be　locked。　Everything　in　its　proper
time；　and　all　comes　right　to　those　who　know　how　to　wait
patiently。　But　first　barricade　the　first　door　well；　then　we
will　follow　yonder　cavalier。〃
The　two　friends　set　to　work　and　crowded　the　space　before　the
door　with　all　the　furniture　in　the　room；　as　not　only　to　make
the　passage　impassable；　but　so　to　block　the　door　that　by　no
means　could　it　open　inward。
〃There！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　can't　be　overtaken。　Come！
forward！〃

85
The　Oubliettes　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。

At　first；　on　arriving　at　the　door　through　which　Mazarin　had
passed；　D'Artagnan　tried　in　vain　to　open　it；　but　on　the
powerful　shoulder　of　Porthos　being　applied　to　one　of　the
panels；　which　gave　way；　D'Artagnan　introduced　the　point　of
his　sword　between　the　bolt　and　the　staple　of　the　lock。　The
bolt　gave　way　and　the　door　opened。
〃As　I　told　you；　everything　can　be　attained；　Porthos　women
and　doors；　by　proceeding　with　gentleness。〃
〃You're　a　great　moralist；　and　that's　the　fact；〃　said
Porthos。
They　entered；　behind　a　glass　window；　by　the　light　of　the
cardinal's　lantern；　which　had　been　placed　on　the　floor　in
the　midst　of　the　gallery；　they　saw　the　orange　and
pomegranate　trees　of　the　Castle　of　Rueil；　in　long　lines；
forming　one　great　alley　and　two　smaller　side　alleys。
〃No　cardinal！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　only　his　lantern；　where
the　devil；　then；　is　he？〃
Exploring；　however；　one　of　the　side　wings　of　the　gallery；
after　making　a　sign　to　Porthos　to　explore　the　other；　he　saw；
all　at　once；　at　his　left；　a　tub　containing　an　orange　tree；
which　had　been　pushed　out　of　its　place　and　in　its　place　an
open　aperture。
Ten　men　would　have　found　difficulty　in　moving　that　tub；　but
by　some　mechanical　contrivance　it　had　turned　with　the
flagstone　on　which　it　rested。
D'Artagnan；　as　we　have　said；　perceived　a　hole　in　that　place
and　in　this　hole　the　steps　of　a　winding　staircase。
He　called　Porthos　to　look　at　it。
〃Were　our　object　money　only；〃　he　said；　〃we　should　be　rich
directly。〃
〃How's　that？〃
〃Don't　you　understand；　Porthos？　At　the　bottom　of　that
staircase　lies；　probably；　the　cardinal's　treasury　of　which
folk　tell　such　wonders；　and　we　should　only　have　to　descend；
empty　a　chest；　shut　the　cardinal　up　in　it；　double　lock　it；
go　away；　carrying　off　as　much　gold　as　we　could；　put　back
this　orange…tree　over　the　place；　and　no　one　in　the　world
would　ever　ask　us　where　our　fortune　came　from　　not　even
the　cardinal。〃
〃It　would　be　a　happy　hit　for　clowns　to　make；　but　as　it　seems
to　be　unworthy　of　two　gentlemen　　〃　said　Porthos。
〃So　I　think；　and　therefore　I　said；　‘Were　our　object　money
only；'　but　we　want　something　else；〃　replied　the　Gascon。
At　the　same　moment；　whilst　D'Artagnan　was　leaning　over　the
aperture　to　listen；　a　metallic　sound；　as　if　some　one　was
moving　a　bag　of　gold；　struck　on　his　ear；　he　started；
instantly　afterward　a　door　opened　and　a　light　played　upon
the　staircase。
Mazarin　had　left　his　lamp　in　the　gallery　to　make　people
believe　that　he　was　walking　about；　but　he　had　with　him　a
waxlight；　to　help　him　to　explore　his　mysterious　strong　box。
〃Faith；〃　he　said；　in　Italian；　as　he　was　reascending　the
steps　and　looking　at　a　bag　of　reals；　〃faith；　the