twenty years after(二十年后)-第150节

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〃Well；　go　on。〃
〃Well；　he　received　in　the　scrimmage　a　sword　stroke　on　the
head。　That　great　giant　who　was　there　gave　it　to　him。〃
〃In　that　case；〃　said　Bazin；　〃he　must　be　pretty　sick。〃
〃So　sick　that　he　is　dying；　and　he　wants　to　confess　to　the
coadjutor；　who；　they　say；　has　power　to　remit　great　sins。〃
〃And　does　he　imagine　that　the　coadjutor　will　put　himself　out
for　him？〃
〃To　be　sure；　the　coadjutor　has　promised。〃
〃Who　told　you　that？〃
〃Monsieur　Maillard　himself。〃
〃You　have　seen　him；　then？〃
〃Certainly；　I　was　there　when　he　fell。〃
〃What　were　you　doing　there？〃
〃I　was　shouting；　‘Down　with　Mazarin！'　‘Death　to　the
cardinal！'　‘The　Italian　to　the　gallows！'　Isn't　that　what　you
would　have　me　shout？〃
〃Be　quiet；　you　rascal！〃　said　Bazin；　looking　uneasily　around。
〃So　that　he　told　me；　that　poor　Monsieur　Maillard；　‘Go　find
the　coadjutor；　Friquet；　and　if　you　bring　him　to　me　you　shall
be　my　heir。'　Say；　then；　Father　Bazin　　the　heir　of　Monsieur
Maillard；　the　giver　of　holy　water　at　Saint　Eustache！　Hey！　I
shall　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　fold　my　arms！　All　the　same；
I　should　like　to　do　him　that　service　　what　do　you　say　to
it？〃
〃I　will　tell　the　coadjutor；〃　said　Bazin。
In　fact；　he　slowly　and　respectfully　approached　the　prelate
and　spoke　to　him　privately　a　few　words；　to　which　the　latter
responded　by　an　affirmative　sign。　He　then　returned　with　the
same　slow　step　and　said：
〃Go　and　tell　the　dying　man　that　he　must　be　patient。
Monseigneur　will　be　with　him　in　an　hour。〃
〃Good！〃　said　Friquet；　〃my　fortune　is　made。〃
〃By　the　way；〃　said　Bazin；　〃where　was　he　carried？〃
〃To　the　tower　Saint　Jacques　la　Boucherie；〃　and　delighted
with　the　success　of　his　embassy；　Friquet　started　off　at　the
top　of　his　speed。
When　the　Te　Deum　was　over；　the　coadjutor；　without　stopping
to　change　his　priestly　dress；　took　his　way　toward　that　old
tower　which　he　knew　so　well。　He　arrived　in　time。　Though
sinking　from　moment　to　moment；　the　wounded　man　was　not　yet
dead。　The　door　was　opened　to　the　coadjutor　of　the　room　in
which　the　mendicant　was　suffering。
A　moment　later　Friquet　went　out；　carrying　in　his　hand　a
large　leather　bag；　he　opened　it　as　soon　as　he　was　outside
the　chamber　and　to　his　great　astonishment　found　it　full　of
gold。　The　mendicant　had　kept　his　word　and　made　Friquet　his
heir。
〃Ah！　Mother　Nanette！〃　cried　Friquet；　suffocating；　〃ah！
Mother　Nanette！〃
He　could　say　no　more；　but　though　he　hadn't　strength　to　speak
he　had　enough　for　action。　He　rushed　headlong　to　the　street；
and　like　the　Greek　from　Marathon　who　fell　in　the　square　at
Athens；　with　his　laurel　in　his　hand；　Friquet　reached
Councillor　Broussel's　threshold；　and　then　fell　exhausted；
scattering　on　the　floor　the　louis　disgorged　by　his　leather
bag。
Mother　Nanette　began　by　picking　up　the　louis；　then　she
picked　up　Friquet。
In　the　meantime　the　cortege　returned　to　the　Palais　Royal。
〃That　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　a　very　brave　man；　mother；〃　said
the　young　king。
〃Yes；　my　son；　and　he　rendered　very　important　services　to
your　father。　Treat　him　kindly；　therefore；　in　the　future。〃
〃Captain；〃　said　the　young　king　to　D'Artagnan；　on　descending
from　the　carriage；　〃the　queen　has　charged　me　to　invite　you
to　dinner　to…day　　you　and　your　friend　the　Baron　du
Vallon。〃
That　was　a　great　honor　for　D'Artagnan　and　for　Porthos。
Porthos　was　delighted；　and　yet　during　the　entire　repast　he
seemed　to　be　preoccupied。
〃What　was　the　matter　with　you；　baron？〃　D'Artagnan　said　to
him　as　they　descended　the　staircase　of　the　Palais　Royal。
〃You　seemed　at　dinner　to　be　anxious　about　something。〃
〃I　was　trying；〃　said　Porthos；　〃to　recall　where　I　had　seen
that　mendicant　whom　I　must　have　killed。〃
〃And　you　couldn't　remember？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well；　search；　my　friend；　search；　and　when　you　have　found；
you　will　tell　me；　will　you　not？〃
〃Pardieu！〃　said　Porthos。

90
Conclusion。

On　going　home；　the　two　friends　found　a　letter　from　Athos；
who　desired　them　to　meet　him　at　the　Grand　Charlemagne　on　the
following　day。
The　friends　went　to　bed　early；　but　neither　of　them　slept。
When　we　arrive　at　the　summit　of　our　wishes；　success　has
usually　the　power　to　drive　away　sleep　on　the　first　night
after　the　fulfilment　of　long　cherished　hopes。
The　next　day　at　the　appointed　hour　they　went　to　see　Athos
and　found　him　and　Aramis　in　traveling　costume。
〃What！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃are　we　all　going　away；　then？　I；　so；
have　made　my　preparations　this　morning。〃
〃Oh；　heavens！　yes；〃　said　Aramis。　〃There's　nothing　to　do　in
Paris　now　there's　no　Fronde。　The　Duchess　de　Longueville　has
invited　me　to　pass　a　few　days　in　Normandy；　and　has　deputed
me；　while　her　son　is　being　baptized；　to　go　and　prepare　her
residence　at　Rouen；　after　which；　if　nothing　new　occurs；　I
shall　go　and　bury　myself　in　my　convent　at　Noisy…le…Sec。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　Athos；　〃am　returning　to　Bragelonne。　You　know；
dear　D'Artagnan；　I　am　nothing　more　than　a　good　honest
country　gentleman。　Raoul　has　no　fortune　other　than　I
possess；　poor　child！　and　I　must　take　care　of　it　for　him；
since　I　only　lend　him　my　name。〃
〃And　Raoul　　what　shall　you　do　with　him？〃
〃I　leave　him　with　you；　my　friend。　War　has　broken　out　in
Flanders。　You　shall　take　him　with　you　there。　I　am　afraid
that　remaining　at　Blois　would　be　dangerous　to　his　youthful
mind。　Take　him　and　teach　him　to　be　as　brave　and　loyal　as　you
are　yourself。〃
〃Then；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃though　I　shall　not　have　you；
Athos；　at　all　events　I　shall　have　that　dear　fair…haired　head
by　me；　and　though　he's　but　a　boy；　yet；　since　your　soul　lives
again　in　him；　dear　Athos；　I　shall　always　fancy　that　you　are
near　me；　sustaining　and　encouraging　me。〃
The　four　friends　embraced　with　tears　in　their　eyes。
Then　they　departed；　without　knowing　whether　they　would　ever
see　each　other　again。
D'Artagnan　returned　to　the　Rue　Tiquetonne　with　Porthos；
still　possessed　by　the　wish　to　find　out　who　the　man　was　that
he　had　killed。　On　arriving　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette　they
found　the　baron's　equipage　all　really　and　Musqueton　on　his
saddle。
〃Come；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Porthos；　〃bid　adieu　to　your　sword
and　go　with　me　to　Pierrefonds；　to　Bracieux；　or　to　Du　Vallon。
We　will　grow　old　together　and　talk　of　our　companions。〃
〃No！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃deuce　take　it；　the　campaign　is
going　to　begin；　I　wish　to　be　there；　I　expect　to　get
something　by　it。〃
〃What　do　you　expect　to　get？〃
〃Why；　I　expect　to　be　made　Marechal　of　France！〃
〃Ha！　ha！〃　cried　Porthos；　who　was　not　completely　taken　in　by
D'Artagnan's　Gasconades。
〃Come　my　brother；　go　with　me；〃　added　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　will
see　that　you　are　made　a　duke！〃
〃No；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃Mouston　has　no　desire　to　fight；
besides；　they　have　erected　a　triumphal　arch　for　me　to　enter
my　barony；　which　will　kill　my　neighbors　with　envy。〃
〃To　that　I　can　say　nothing；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　who　knew
the　vanity　of　the　new　baron。　〃Then；　here's　to　our　next　merry
meeting！〃
〃Adieu；　dear　captain；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　shall　always　be
happy　to　welcome　you　to　my　barony。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　when　the　campaign　is　over；〃　replied　the　Gascon。
〃His　honor's　equipage　is　waiting；〃　said　Musqueton。
The　two　friends；　after　a　cordial　pressure　of　the　hands；
separated。　D'Artagnan　was　standing　at　the　door　looking　after
Porthos　with　a　mournful　gaze；　when　the　baron；　after　walking
scarcely　more　than　twenty　paces；　returned　　stood　still　
struck　his　forehead　with　his　finger　and　exclaimed：
〃I　recollect！〃
〃What？〃　inquired　D'Artagnan。
〃Who　the　beggar　was　that　I　killed。〃
〃Ah！　indeed！　and　who　was　he？〃
〃'Twas　that　low　fellow；　Bonancieux。〃
And　Porthos；　enchanted　at　having　relieved　his　mind；　rejoined
Musqueton　and　they　disappeared　around　an　angle　of　the
street。　D'Artagnan　stood　for　an　instant；　mute；　pensive　and
motionless；　then；　as　he　went　in；　he　saw　the　fair　Madeleine；
his　hostess；　standing　on　the　threshold。
〃Madeleine；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃give　me　your　apartment　on　the
first　floor；　now　that　I　am　a　captain　in　the　royal　musketeers
I　must　make　an　appearance；　nevertheless；　reserve　my　old　room
on　the　fifth　story　for　me；　one　never　knows　what　may　happen。〃


End　XFIR驗MZ�