twenty years after(二十年后)-第22节

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〃Zounds！　what　a　flavor！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃ah！　they　are　fed
on　thyme　only；　your　hares。〃
〃And　how　do　you　like　my　wine？〃　asked　Porthos；　〃it　is
pleasant；　isn't　it？〃
〃Capital！〃
〃It　is　nothing；　however；　but　a　wine　of　the　country。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Yes；　a　small　declivity　to　the　south；　yonder　on　my　hill；
gives　me　twenty　hogsheads。〃
〃Quite　a　vineyard；　hey？〃
Porthos　sighed　for　the　fifth　time　　D'Artagnan　had　counted
his　sighs。　He　became　curious　to　solve　the　problem。
〃Well　now；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems；　my　dear　friend；　that
something　vexes　you；　you　are　ill；　perhaps？　That　health；
which　　〃
〃Excellent；　my　dear　friend；　better　than　ever。　I　could　kill
an　ox　with　a　blow　of　my　fist。〃
〃Well；　then；　family　affairs；　perhaps？〃
〃Family！　I　have；　happily；　only　myself　in　the　world　to　care
for。〃
〃But　what　makes　you　sigh？〃
〃My　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃to　be　candid　with　you；　I
am　not　happy。〃
〃You　are　not　happy；　Porthos？　You　who　have　chateau；　meadows；
mountains；　woods　　you　who　have　forty　thousand　francs　a
year　　you　　are　　not　　happy？〃
〃My　dear　friend；　all　those　things　I　have；　but　I　am　a　hermit
in　the　midst　of　superfluity。〃
〃Surrounded；　I　suppose；　only　by　clodhoppers；　with　whom　you
could　not　associate。〃
Porthos　turned　rather　pale　and　drank　off　a　large　glass　of
wine。
〃No；　but　just　think；　there　are　paltry　country　squires　who
have　all　some　title　or　another　and　pretend　to　go　back　as　far
as　Charlemagne；　or　at　least　to　Hugh　Capet。　When　I　first　came
here；　being　the　last　comer；　it　was　for　me　to　make　the　first
advances。　I　made　them；　but　you　know；　my　dear　friend；　Madame
du　Vallon　　〃
Porthos；　in　pronouncing　these　words；　seemed　to　gulp　down
something。
〃Madame　du　Vallon　was　of　doubtful　gentility。　She　had；　in　her
first　marriage　　I　don't　think；　D'Artagnan；　I　am　telling
you　anything　new　　married　a　lawyer；　they　thought　that
‘nauseous；'　you　can　understand　that's　a　word　bad　enough　to
make　one　kill　thirty　thousand　men。　I　have　killed　two；　which
has　made　people　hold　their　tongues；　but　has　not　made　me
their　friend。　So　that　I　have　no　society；　I　live　alone；　I　am
sick　of　it　　my　mind　preys　on　itself。〃
D'Artagnan　smiled。　He　now　saw　where　the　breastplate　was
weak；　and　prepared　the　blow。
〃But　now；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　a　widower；　your　wife's
connection　cannot　injure　you。〃
〃Yes；　but　understand　me；　not　being　of　a　race　of　historic
fame；　like　the　De　Courcys；　who　were　content　to　be　plain
sirs；　or　the　Rohans；　who　didn't　wish　to　be　dukes；　all　these
people；　who　are　all　either　vicomtes　or　comtes　go　before　me
at　church　in　all　the　ceremonies；　and　I　can　say　nothing　to
them。　Ah！　If　I　only　were　a　　〃
〃A　baron；　don't　you　mean？〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　finishing　his
friend's　sentence。
〃Ah！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃would　I　were　but　a　baron！〃
〃Well；　my　friend；　I　am　come　to　give　you　this　very　title
which　you　wish　for　so　much。〃
Porthos　gave　a　start　that　shook　the　room；　two　or　three
bottles　fell　and　were　broken。　Musqueton　ran　thither；　hearing
the　noise。
Porthos　waved　his　hand　to　Musqueton　to　pick　up　the　bottles。
〃I　am　glad　to　see；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　you　have　still
that　honest　lad　with　you。〃
〃He　is　my　steward；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃he　will　never　leave
me。　Go　away　now；　Mouston。〃
〃So　he's　called　Mouston；〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　too　long
a　word　to　pronounce　‘Musqueton。'〃
〃Well；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃let　us　resume　our　conversation
later；　your　people　may　suspect　something；　there　may　be　spies
about。　You　can　suppose；　Porthos；　that　what　I　have　to　say
relates　to　most　important　matters。〃
〃Devil　take　them；　let　us　walk　in　the　park；〃　answered
Porthos；　〃for　the　sake　of　digestion。〃
〃Egad；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　park　is　like　everything　else
and　there　are　as　many　fish　in　your　pond　as　rabbits　in　your
warren；　you　are　a　happy　man；　my　friend　since　you　have　not
only　retained　your　love　of　the　chase；　but　acquired　that　of
fishing。〃
〃My　friend；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃I　leave　fishing　to　Musqueton；
　it　is　a　vulgar　pleasure；　　but　I　shoot　sometimes；　that
is　to　say；　when　I　am　dull；　and　I　sit　on　one　of　those　marble
seats；　have　my　gun　brought　to　me；　my　favorite　dog；　and　I
shoot　rabbits。〃
〃Really；　how　very　amusing！〃
〃Yes；〃　replied　Porthos；　with　a　sigh；　it　is　amusing。〃
D'Artagnan　now　no　longer　counted　the　sighs。　They　were
innumerable。
〃However；　what　had　you　to　say　to　me？〃　he　resumed；　〃let　us
return　to　that　subject。〃
〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　must；　however；　first
frankly　tell　you　that　you　must　change　your　mode　of　life。〃
〃How？〃
〃Go　into　harness　again；　gird　on　your　sword；　run　after
adventures；　and　leave　as　in　old　times　a　little　of　your　fat
on　the　roadside。〃
〃Ah！　hang　it！〃　said　Porthos。
〃I　see　you　are　spoiled；　dear　friend；　you　are　corpulent；　your
arm　has　no　longer　that　movement　of　which　the　late　cardinal's
guards　have　so　many　proofs。〃
〃Ah！　my　fist　is　strong　enough　I　swear；〃　cried　Porthos；
extending　a　hand　like　a　shoulder　of　mutton。
〃So　much　the　better。〃
〃Are　we　then　to　go　to　war？〃
〃By　my　troth；　yes。〃
〃Against　whom？〃
〃Are　you　a　politician；　friend？〃
〃Not　in　the　least。〃
〃Are　you　for　Mazarin　or　for　the　princes？〃
〃I　am　for　no　one。〃
〃That　is　to　say；　you　are　for　us。　Well；　I　tell　you　that　I
come　to　you　from　the　cardinal。〃
This　speech　was　heard　by　Porthos　in　the　same　sense　as　if　it
had　still　been　in　the　year　1640　and　related　to　the　true
cardinal。
〃Ho！　ho！　What　are　the　wishes　of　his　eminence？〃
〃He　wishes　to　have　you　in　his　service。〃
〃And　who　spoke　to　him　of　me？〃
〃Rochefort　　you　remember　him？〃
〃Yes；　pardieu！　It　was　he　who　gave　us　so　much　trouble　and
kept　us　on　the　road　so　much；　you　gave　him　three　sword…wounds
in　three　separate　engagements。〃
〃But　you　know　he　is　now　our　friend？〃
〃No；　I　didn't　know　that。　So　he　cherishes　no　resentment？〃
〃You　are　mistaken；　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃It　is　I　who
cherish　no　resentment。〃
Porthos　didn't　understand　any　too　clearly；　but　then　we　know
that　understanding　was　not　his　strong　point。　〃You　say；
then；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the　Count　de　Rochefort　spoke　of
me　to　the　cardinal？〃
〃Yes；　and　the　queen；　too。〃
〃The　queen；　do　you　say？〃
〃To　inspire　us　with　confidence　she　has　even　placed　in
Mazarin's　hands　that　famous　diamond　　you　remember　all
about　it　　that　I　once　sold　to　Monsieur　des　Essarts　and　of
which；　I　don't　know　how；　she　has　regained　possession。〃
〃But　it　seems　to　me；〃　said　Porthos；　〃that　she　would　have
done　much　better　if　she　had　given　it　back　to　you。〃
〃So　I　think；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃but　kings　and　queens　are
strange　beings　and　have　odd　fancies；　nevertheless；　since
they　are　the　ones　who　have　riches　and　honors；　we　are　devoted
to　them。〃
〃Yes；　we　are　devoted　to　them；〃　repeated　Porthos；　〃and　you　
to　whom　are　you　devoted　now？〃
〃To　the　king；　the　queen；　and　to　the　cardinal；　moreover；　I
have　answered　for　your　devotion　also。〃
〃And　you　say　that　you　have　made　certain　conditions　on　my
behalf？〃
〃Magnificent；　my　dear　fellow；　magnificent！　In　the　first
place　you　have　plenty　of　money；　haven't　you？　forty　thousand
francs　income；　I　think　you　said。〃
Porthos　began　to　be　suspicious。　〃Eh！　my　friend；〃　said　he；
〃one　never　has　too　much　money。　Madame　du　Vallon　left　things
in　much　disorder；　I　am　not　much　of　a　hand　at　figures；　so
that　I　live　almost　from　hand　to　mouth。〃
〃He　is　afraid　I　have　come　to　borrow　money；〃　thought
D'Artagnan。　〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　all　the　better
if　you　are　in　difficulties。〃
〃How　is　it　all　the　better？〃
〃Yes；　for　his　eminence　will　give　you　all　that　you　want　
land；　money；　and　titles。〃
〃Ah！　ah！　ah！〃　said　Porthos；　opening　his　eyes　at　that　last
word。
〃Under　the　other　cardinal；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃we　didn't
know　enough　to　make　our　profits；　this；　however；　doesn't
concern　you；　with　your　forty　thousand　francs　income；　the
happiest　man　in　the　world；　it　seems　to　me。〃
Porthos　sighed。
〃At　the　same　time；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃notwithstanding
your　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　perhaps　even　for　the
very　reason　that　you　have　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　it
seems　to　me　that　a　little　coronet　would　do　well　on　your
carriage；　hey？〃
〃Yes　indeed；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Well；　my　dear　friend；　win　it　　it　is　at　the　point　of　your
sword。　We　shall　not　interfere　with　each　other　　your　object
is　a　title；　mine；　money。　If　I　can　get　enough　to　rebuild
Artagnan；　which　my　ancestors；　impoverished　by　the　Crusades；
allowed　to　fall　into　ruins；　and　to　buy　thirty　acres　of　land
about　it；　that　is　all　I　wish。　I　shall　retire　and　die
tranquilly　　at　home。〃
〃For　my　part；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　desire　to　be　made　a　baron。〃
〃You　shall　be　one。〃
〃And　have　you　not　seen　any　of　our　other　friends？〃
〃Yes；　I　have　seen　Aramis。〃
〃And　what　does　he　wish？　To　be　a　bishop？〃
〃Aramis；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　who　did　not　wish　to　undeceive
Porthos；　〃Aramis；　fancy；　has　become　a　monk　and　a　Jesuit；　and
lives　like　a　bear。　My　offers　did　not　arouse　him；　　did　not
even　tempt　him。〃
〃So　much　the　worse！　He　was　a　clever　man。　And　Athos？〃
〃I　have　not　yet　seen　him。　Do　you　know　where　I　shall　find
him？〃
〃Near　Blois。　He　is　called　Bragelonne。　Only　imagine；　my　dear
friend。　Athos；　who　was　of　as　high　birth　as　the　emperor　and
who　inherits　one　estate　which　gives　him　the　title　of　comte；
what　is　he　to　do　with　all　those　dignities　　the　Comte　de　la
Fere；　Comte　de　Bragelonne？〃
〃And　he　has　no　children　with　all　these　titles？〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　have　h