twenty years after(二十年后)-第19节

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judgment；　but　to　ask　the　opinion　of　others；　I　have　inquired
　Eh！　　my　friend　　〃
Aramis　paused。
〃Well？　what？〃　asked　his　friend。
〃Well；　I　must　mortify　myself。　I　must　confess　that　I　was
mistaken。　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　is　not　a　man　of　genius；　as　I
thought；　he　is　a　man　of　no　origin　　once　a　servant　of
Cardinal　Bentivoglio；　and　he　got　on　by　intrigue。　He　is　an
upstart；　a　man　of　no　name；　who　will　only　be　the　tool　of　a
party　in　France。　He　will　amass　wealth；　he　will　injure　the
king's　revenue　and　pay　to　himself　the　pensions　which
Richelieu　paid　to　others。　He　is　neither　a　gentleman　in
manner　nor　in　feeling；　but　a　sort　of　buffoon；　a　punchinello；
a　pantaloon。　Do　you　know　him？　I　do　not。〃
〃Hem！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃there　is　some　truth　in　what　you
say。〃
〃Ah！　it　fills　me　with　pride　to　find　that；　thanks　to　a　common
sort　of　penetration　with　which　I　am　endowed；　I　am　approved
by　a　man　like　you；　fresh　from　the　court。〃
〃But　you　speak　of　him；　not　of　his　party；　his　resources。〃
〃It　is　true　　the　queen　is　for　him。〃
〃Something　in　his　favor。〃
〃But　he　will　never　have　the　king。〃
〃A　mere　child。〃
〃A　child　who　will　be　of　age　in　four　years。　Then　he　has
neither　the　parliament　nor　the　people　with　him　　they
represent　the　wealth　of　the　country；　nor　the　nobles　nor　the
princes；　who　are　the　military　power　of　France。〃
D'Artagnan　scratched　his　ear。　He　was　forced　to　confess　to
himself　that　this　reasoning　was　not　only　comprehensive；　but
just。
〃You　see；　my　poor　friend；　that　I　am　sometimes　bereft　of　my
ordinary　thoughtfulness；　perhaps　I　am　wrong　in　speaking　thus
to　you；　who　have　evidently　a　leaning　to　Mazarin。〃
〃I！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃not　in　the　least。〃
〃You　spoke　of　a　mission。〃
〃Did　I？　I　was　wrong　then；　no；　I　said　what　you　say　　there
is　a　crisis　at　hand。　Well！　let's　fly　the　feather　before　the
wind；　let　us　join　with　that　side　to　which　the　wind　will
carry　it　and　resume　our　adventurous　life。　We　were　once　four
valiant　knights　　four　hearts　fondly　united；　let　us　unite
again；　not　our　hearts；　which　have　never　been　severed；　but
our　courage　and　our　fortunes。　Here's　a　good　opportunity　for
getting　something　better　than　a　diamond。〃
〃You　are　right；　D'Artagnan；　I　held　a　similar　project；　but　as
I　had　not　nor　ever　shall　have　your　fruitful；　vigorous
imagination；　the　idea　was　suggested　to　me。　Every　one
nowadays　wants　auxiliaries；　propositions　have　been　made　to
me　and　I　confess　to　you　frankly　that　the　coadjutor　has　made
me　speak　out。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Gondy！　the　cardinal's　enemy？〃
〃No；　the　king's　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃the　king's　friend；
you　understand。　Well；　it　is　a　question　of　serving　the　king；
the　gentleman's　duty。〃
〃But　the　king　is　with　Mazarin。〃
〃He　is；　but　not　willingly；　in　appearance；　not　heart；　and
that　is　exactly　the　snare　the　king's　enemies　are　preparing
for　the　poor　child。〃
〃Ah！　but　this　is；　indeed；　civil　war　which　you　propose　to　me；
dear　Aramis。〃
〃War　for　the　king。〃
〃Yet　the　king　will　be　at　the　head　of　the　army　on　Mazarin's
side。〃
〃But　his　heart　will　be　in　the　army　commanded　by　the　Duc　de
Beaufort。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Beaufort？　He　is　at　Vincennes。〃
〃Did　I　say　Monsieur　de　Beaufort？　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　or
another。　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　or　Monsieur　le　Prince。〃
〃But　Monsieur　le　Prince　is　to　set　out　for　the　army；　he　is
entirely　devoted　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃Oh　oh！〃　said　Aramis；　〃there　are　questions　between　them　at
this　very　moment。　And　besides；　if　it　is　not　the　prince；　then
Monsieur　de　Gondy　　〃
〃But　Monsieur　de　Gondy　is　to　be　made　a　cardinal；　they　are
soliciting　the　hat　for　him。〃
〃And　are　there　no　cardinals　that　can　fight？　Come　now；　recall
the　four　cardinals　that　at　the　head　of　armies　have　equalled
Monsieur　de　Guebriant　and　Monsieur　de　Gassion。〃
〃But　a　humpbacked　general！
〃Under　the　cuirass　the　hump　will　not　be　seen。　Besides；
remember　that　Alexander　was　lame　and　Hannibal　had　but　one
eye。〃
〃Do　you　see　any　great　advantage　in　adhering　to　this　party？〃
asked　D'Artagnan。
〃I　foresee　in　it　the　aid　of　powerful　princes。〃
〃With　the　enmity　of　the　government。〃
〃Counteracted　by　parliament　and　insurrections。〃
〃That　may　be　done　if　they　can　separate　the　king　from　his
mother。〃
〃That　may　be　done；〃　said　Aramis。
〃Never！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃You；　Aramis；　know　Anne　of
Austria　better　than　I　do。　Do　you　think　she　will　ever　forget
that　her　son　is　her　safeguard；　her　shield；　the　pledge　for
her　dignity；　for　her　fortune　and　her　life？　Should　she
forsake　Mazarin　she　must　join　her　son　and　go　over　to　the
princes'　side；　but　you　know　better　than　I　do　that　there　are
certain　reasons　why　she　can　never　abandon　Mazarin。〃
〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　said　Aramis；　thoughtfully；
〃therefore　I　shall　not　pledge　myself。〃
〃To　them　or　to　us；　do　you　mean；　Aramis？〃
〃To　no　one。　I　am　a　priest；〃　resumed　Aramis。　〃What　have　I　to
do　with　politics？　I　am　not　obliged　to　read　any　breviary。　I
have　a　jolly　little　circle　of　witty　abbes　and　pretty　women；
everything　goes　on　smoothly；　so　certainly；　dear　friend；　I
shall　not　meddle　in　politics。〃
〃Well；　listen；　my　dear　Aramis；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃your
philosophy　convinces　me；　on　my　honor。　I　don't　know　what
devil　of　an　insect　stung　me　and　made　me　ambitious。　I　have　a
post　by　which　I　live；　at　the　death　of　Monsieur　de　Treville；
who　is　old；　I　may　be　a　captain；　which　is　a　very　snug　berth
for　a　once　penniless　Gascon。　Instead　of　running　after
adventures　I　shall　accept　an　invitation　from　Porthos；　I
shall　go　and　shoot　on　his　estate。　You　know　he　has　estates　
Porthos？〃
〃I　should　think　so；　indeed。　Ten　leagues　of　wood；　of　marsh
land　and　valleys；　he　is　lord　of　the　hill　and　the　plain　and
is　now　carrying　on　a　suit　for　his　feudal　rights　against　the
Bishop　of　Noyon！〃
〃Good；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃That's　what　I　wanted　to
know。　Porthos　is　in　Picardy。〃
Then　aloud：
〃And　he　has　taken　his　ancient　name　of　Vallon？〃
〃To　which　he　adds　that　of　Bracieux；　an　estate　which　has　been
a　barony；　by　my　troth。〃
〃So　that　Porthos　will　be　a　baron。〃
〃I　don't　doubt　it。　The　‘Baroness　Porthos'　will　sound
particularly　charming。〃
And　the　two　friends　began　to　laugh。
〃So；〃　D'Artagnan　resumed；　〃you　will　not　become　a　partisan　of
Mazarin's？〃
〃Nor　you　of　the　Prince　de　Conde？〃
〃No；　let　us　belong　to　no　party；　but　remain　friends；　let　us
be　neither　Cardinalists　nor　Frondists。〃
〃Adieu；　then。〃　And　D'Artagnan　poured　out　a　glass　of　wine。
〃To　old　times；〃　he　said。
〃Yes；〃　returned　Aramis。　〃Unhappily；　those　times　are　past。〃
〃Nonsense！　They　will　return；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃At　all
events；　if　you　want　me；　remember　the　Rue　Tiquetonne；　Hotel
de　la　Chevrette。〃
〃And　I　shall　be　at　the　convent　of　Jesuits；　from　six　in　the
morning　to　eight　at　night　come　by　the　door。　From　eight　in
the　evening　until　six　in　the　morning　come　in　by　the　window。〃
〃Adieu；　dear　friend。〃
〃Oh；　I　can't　let　you　go　so！　I　will　go　with　you。〃　And　he　took
his　sword　and　cloak。
〃He　wants　to　be　sure　that　I　go　away；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to
himself。
Aramis　whistled　for　Bazin；　but　Bazin　was　asleep　in　the
ante…chamber；　and　Aramis　was　obliged　to　shake　him　by　the　ear
to　awake　him。
Bazin　stretched　his　arms；　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　tried　to　go
to　sleep　again。
〃Come；　come；　sleepy　head；　quick；　the　ladder！〃
〃But；〃　said　Bazin；　yawning　portentously；　〃the　ladder　is
still　at　the　window。〃
〃The　other　one；　the　gardener's。　Didn't　you　see　that　Monsieur
d'Artagnan　mounted　with　difficulty？　It　will　be　even　more
difficult　to　descend。〃
D'Artagnan　was　about　to　assure　Aramis　that　he　could　descend
easily；　when　an　idea　came　into　his　head　which　silenced　him。
Bazin　uttered　a　profound　sigh　and　went　out　to　look　for　the
ladder。　Presently　a　good；　solid；　wooden　ladder　was　placed
against　the　window。
〃Now　then；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　is　something　like；　this
is　a　means　of　communication。　A　woman　could　go　up　a　ladder
like　that。〃
Aramis's　searching　look　seemed　to　seek　his　friend's　thought
even　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　but　D'Artagnan　sustained
the　inquisition　with　an　air　of　admirable　simplicity。
Besides；　at　that　moment　he　put　his　foot　on　the　first　step　of
the　ladder　and　began　his　descent。　In　a　moment　he　was　on　the
ground。　Bazin　remained　at　the　window。
〃Stay　there；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　shall　return　immediately。〃
The　two　friends　went　toward　the　shed。　At　their　approach
Planchet　came　out　leading　the　two　horses。
〃That　is　good　to　see；〃　said　Aramis。　〃There　is　a　servant
active　and　vigilant；　not　like　that　lazy　fellow　Bazin；　who　is
no　longer　good　for　anything　since　he　became　connected　with
the　church。　Follow　us；　Planchet；　we　shall　continue　our
conversation　to　the　end　of　the　village。〃
They　traversed　the　width　of　the　village；　talking　of
indifferent　things；　then　as　they　reached　the　last　houses：
〃Go；　then；　dear　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃follow　your　own
career。　Fortune　lavishes　her　smiles　upon　you；　do　not　let　her
flee　from　your　embrace。　As　for　me；　I　remain　in　my　humility
and　indolence。　Adieu！〃
〃Thus　'tis　quite　decided；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　what　I
have　to　offer　to　you　does　not　tempt　you？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　it　would　tempt　me　were　I　any　other　man；〃
rejoined　Aramis；　〃but　I　repeat；　I　am　made　up　of
contradictions。　What　I　hate　to…day　I　adore　to…morrow；　and
vice　versa。　You　see　that　I　cannot；　like　you；　for　instance；
settle　on　any　fixed　plan。〃
〃Thou　liest；　subtile　one；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃Thou
alone；　on　the　contrary；　knowest