twenty years after(二十年后)-第20节

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settle　on　any　fixed　plan。〃
〃Thou　liest；　subtile　one；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃Thou
alone；　on　the　contrary；　knowest　how　to　choose　thy　object　and
to　gain　it　stealthily。〃
The　friends　embraced。　They　descended　into　the　plain　by　the
ladder。　Planchet　met　them　hard　by　the　shed。　D'Artagnan
jumped　into　the　saddle；　then　the　old　companions　in　arms
again　shook　hands。　D'Artagnan　and　Planchet　spurred　their
steeds　and　took　the　road　to　Paris。
But　after　he　had　gone　about　two　hundred　steps　D'Artagnan
stopped　short；　alighted；　threw　the　bridle　of　his　horse　over
the　arm　of　Planchet　and　took　the　pistols　from　his　saddle…bow
to　fasten　them　to　his　girdle。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Planchet。
〃This　is　the　matter：　be　he　ever　so　cunning　he　shall　never
say　I　was　his　dupe。　Stand　here；　don't　stir；　turn　your　back
to　the　road　and　wait　for　me。〃
Having　thus　spoken；　D'Artagnan　cleared　the　ditch　by　the
roadside　and　crossed　the　plain　so　as　to　wind　around　the
village。　He　had　observed　between　the　house　that　Madame　de
Longueville　inhabited　and　the　convent　of　the　Jesuits；　an
open　space　surrounded　by　a　hedge。
The　moon　had　now　risen　and　he　could　see　well　enough　to
retrace　his　road。
He　reached　the　hedge　and　hid　himself　behind　it；　in　passing
by　the　house　where　the　scene　which　we　have　related　took
place；　he　remarked　that　the　window　was　again　lighted　up　and
he　was　convinced　that　Aramis　had　not　yet　returned　to　his　own
apartment　and　that　when　he　did　it　would　not　be　alone。
In　truth；　in　a　few　minutes　he　heard　steps　approaching　and
low　whispers。
Close　to　the　hedge　the　steps　stopped。
D'Artagnan　knelt　down　near　the　thickest　part　of　the　hedge。
Two　men；　to　the　astonishment　of　D'Artagnan；　appeared
shortly；　soon；　however；　his　surprise　vanished；　for　he　heard
the　murmurs　of　a　soft；　harmonious　voice；　one　of　these　two
men　was　a　woman　disguised　as　a　cavalier。
〃Calm　yourself；　dear　Rene；〃　said　the　soft　voice；　〃the　same
thing　will　never　happen　again。　I　have　discovered　a　sort　of
subterranean　passage　which　runs　beneath　the　street　and　we
shall　only　have　to　raise　one　of　the　marble　slabs　before　the
door　to　open　you　an　entrance　and　an　outlet。〃
〃Oh！〃　answered　another　voice；　which　D'Artagnan　instantly
recognized　as　that　of　Aramis。　〃I　swear　to　you；　princess；
that　if　your　reputation　did　not　depend　on　precautions　and　if
my　life　alone　were　jeopardized　　〃
〃Yes；　yes！　I　know　you　are　as　brave　and　venturesome　as　any
man　in　the　world；　but　you　do　not　belong　to　me　alone；　you
belong　to　all　our　party。　Be　prudent！　sensible！〃
〃I　always　obey；　madame；　when　I　am　commanded　by　so　gentle　a
voice。〃
He　kissed　her　hand　tenderly。
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　cavalier　with　a　soft　voice。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Do　you　not　see　that　the　wind　has　blown　off　my　hat？〃
Aramis　rushed　after　the　fugitive　hat。　D'Artagnan　took
advantage　of　the　circumstance　to　find　a　place　in　the　hedge
not　so　thick；　where　his　glance　could　penetrate　to　the
supposed　cavalier。　At　that　instant；　the　moon；　inquisitive；
perhaps；　like　D'Artagnan；　came　from　behind　a　cloud　and　by
her　light　D'Artagnan　recognized　the　large　blue　eyes；　the
golden　hair　and　the　classic　head　of　the　Duchess　de
Longueville。
Aramis　returned；　laughing；　one　hat　on　his　head　and　the　other
in　his　hand；　and　he　and　his　companion　resumed　their　walk
toward　the　convent。
〃Good！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising　and　brushing　his　knees；　〃now
I　have　thee　　thou　art　a　Frondeur　and　the　lover　of　Madame
de　Longueville。〃


10
Monsieur　Porthos　du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds。

Thanks　to　what　Aramis　had　told　him；　D'Artagnan；　who　knew
already　that　Porthos　called　himself　Du　Vallon；　was　now　aware
that　he　styled　himself；　from　his　estate；　De　Bracieux；　and
that　he　was；　on　account　of　this　estate；　engaged　in　a　lawsuit
with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon。　It　was；　then；　in　the　neighborhood
of　Noyon　that　he　must　seek　that　estate。　His　itinerary　was
promptly　determined：　he　would　go　to　Dammartin；　from　which
place　two　roads　diverge；　one　toward　Soissons；　the　other
toward　Compiegne；　there　he　would　inquire　concerning　the
Bracieux　estate　and　go　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　according
to　the　information　obtained。
Planchet；　who　was　still　a　little　concerned　for　his　safety
after　his　recent　escapade；　declared　that　he　would　follow
D'Artagnan　even　to　the　end　of　the　world；　either　by　the　road
to　the　right　or　by　that　to　the　left；　only　he　begged　his
former　master　to　set　out　in　the　evening；　for　greater
security　to　himself。　D'Artagnan　suggested　that　he　should
send　word　to　his　wife；　so　that　she　might　not　be　anxious
about　him；　but　Planchet　replied　with　much　sagacity　that　he
was　very　sure　his　wife　would　not　die　of　anxiety　through　not
knowing　where　he　was；　while　he；　Planchet；　remembering　her
incontinence　of　tongue；　would　die　of　anxiety　if　she　did
know。
This　reasoning　seemed　to　D'Artagnan　so　satisfactory　that　he
no　further　insisted；　and　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；
the　time　when　the　vapors　of　night　begin　to　thicken　in　the
streets；　he　left　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette；　and　followed　by
Planchet　set　forth　from　the　capital　by　way　of　the　Saint
Denis　gate。
At　midnight　the　two　travelers　were　at　Dammartin；　but　it　was
then　too　late　to　make　inquiries　　the　host　of　the　Cygne　de
la　Croix　had　gone　to　bed。
The　next　morning　D'Artagnan　summoned　the　host；　one　of　those
sly　Normans　who　say　neither　yes　nor　no　and　fear　to　commit
themselves　by　giving　a　direct　answer。　D'Artagnan；　however；
gathered　from　his　equivocal　replies　that　the　road　to　the
right　was　the　one　he　ought　to　take；　and　on　that　uncertain
information　he　resumed　his　journey。　At　nine　in　the　morning
he　reached　Nanteuil　and　stopped　for　breakfast。　His　host　here
was　a　good　fellow　from　Picardy；　who　gave　him　all　the
information　he　needed。　The　Bracieux　estate　was　a　few　leagues
from　Villars…Cotterets。
D'Artagnan　was　acquainted　with　Villars…Cotterets　having　gone
thither　with　the　court　on　several　occasions；　for　at　that
time　Villars…Cotterets　was　a　royal　residence。　He　therefore
shaped　his　course　toward　that　place　and　dismounted　at　the
Dauphin　d'Or。　There　he　ascertained　that　the　Bracieux　estate
was　four　leagues　distant；　but　that　Porthos　was　not　at
Bracieux。　Porthos　had；　in　fact；　been　involved　in　a　dispute
with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon　in　regard　to　the　Pierrefonds
property；　which　adjoined　his　own；　and　weary　at　length　of　a
legal　controversy　which　was　beyond　his　comprehension；　he　put
an　end　to　it　by　purchasing　Pierrefonds　and　added　that　name
to　his　others。　He　now　called　himself　Du　Vallon　de　Bracieux
de　Pierrefonds；　and　resided　on　his　new　estate。
The　travelers　were　therefore　obliged　to　stay　at　the　hotel
until　the　next　day；　the　horses　had　done　ten　leagues　that　day
and　needed　rest。　It　is　true　they　might　have　taken　others；
but　there　was　a　great　forest　to　pass　through　and　Planchet；
as　we　have　seen；　had　no　liking　for　forests　after　dark。
There　was　another　thing　that　Planchet　had　no　liking　for　and
that　was　starting　on　a　journey　with　a　hungry　stomach。
Accordingly；　D'Artagnan；　on　awaking；　found　his　breakfast
waiting　for　him。　It　need　not　be　said　that　Planchet　in
resuming　his　former　functions　resumed　also　his　former
humility　and　was　not　ashamed　to　make　his　breakfast　on　what
was　left　by　D'Artagnan。
It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　they　set　out　again。　Their
course　was　clearly　defined：　they　were　to　follow　the　road
toward　Compiegne　and　on　emerging　from　the　forest　turn　to　the
right。
The　morning　was　beautiful；　and　in　this　early　springtime　the
birds　sang　on　the　trees　and　the　sunbeams　shone　through　the
misty　glades；　like　curtains　of　golden　gauze。
In　other　parts　of　the　forest　the　light　could　scarcely
penetrate　through　the　foliage；　and　the　stems　of　two　old　oak
trees；　the　refuge　of　the　squirrel；　startled　by　the
travelers；　were　in　deep　shadow。
There　came　up　from　all　nature　in　the　dawn　of　day　a　perfume
of　herbs；　flowers　and　leaves；　which　delighted　the　heart。
D'Artagnan；　sick　of　the　closeness　of　Paris；　thought　that
when　a　man　had　three　names　of　his　different　estates　joined
one　to　another；　he　ought　to　be　very　happy　in　such　a
paradise；　then　he　shook　his　head；　saying；　〃If　I　were　Porthos
and　D'Artagnan　came　to　make　me　such　a　proposition　as　I　am
going　to　make　to　him；　I　know　what　I　should　say　to　it。〃
As　to　Planchet；　he　thought　of　little　or　nothing；　but　was
happy　as　a　hunting…hound　in　his　old　master's　company。
At　the　extremity　of　the　wood　D'Artagnan　perceived　the　road
that　had　been　described　to　him；　and　at　the　end　of　the　road
he　saw　the　towers　of　an　immense　feudal　castle。
〃Oh！　oh！〃　he　said；　〃I　fancied　this　castle　belonged　to　the
ancient　branch　of　Orleans。　Can　Porthos　have　negotiated　for
it　with　the　Duc　de　Longueville？〃
〃Faith！〃　exclaimed　Planchet；　〃here's　land　in　good　condition；
if　it　belongs　to　Monsieur　Porthos　I　wish　him　joy。〃
〃Zounds！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃don't　call　him　Porthos；　nor
even　Vallon；　call　him　De　Bracieux　or　De　Pierrefonds；　thou
wilt　knell　out　damnation　to　my　mission　otherwise。〃
As　he　approached　the　castle　which　had　first　attracted　his
eye；　D'Artagnan　was　convinced　that　it　could　not　be　there
that　his　friend　dwelt；　the　towers；　though　solid　and　as　if
built　yesterday；　were　open　and　broken。　One　might　have
fancied　that　some　giant　had　cleaved　them　with　blows　from　a
hatchet。
On　arriving　at　the　extremit