twenty years after(二十年后)-第24节

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〃Something　better　still；　Mouston。〃
〃An　expedition；　sir？〃　asked　the　steward；　whose　roses　began
to　change　into　lilies。
〃We　are　going　to　return　to　the　service；　Mouston；〃　replied
Porthos；　still　trying　to　restore　his　mustache　to　the
military　curl　it　had　long　lost。
〃Into　the　service　　the　king's　service？〃　Musqueton
trembled；　even　his　fat；　smooth　cheeks　shook　as　he　spoke；　and
he　looked　at　D'Artagnan　with　an　air　of　reproach；　he
staggered；　and　his　voice　was　almost　choked。
〃Yes　and　no。　We　shall　serve　in　a　campaign；　seek　out　all
sorts　of　adventures　　return；　in　short；　to　our　former
life。〃
These　last　words　fell　on　Musqueton　like　a　thunderbolt。　It
was　those　very　terrible　old　days　that　made　the　present　so
excessively　delightful；　and　the　blow　was　so　great　he　rushed
out；　overcome；　and　forgot　to　shut　the　door。
The　two　friends　remained　alone　to　speak　of　the　future　and　to
build　castles　in　the　air。　The　good　wine　which　Musqueton　had
placed　before　them　traced　out　in　glowing　drops　to　D'Artagnan
a　fine　perspective；　shining　with　quadruples　and　pistoles；
and　showed　to　Porthos　a　blue　ribbon　and　a　ducal　mantle；　they
were；　in　fact；　asleep　on　the　table　when　the　servants　came　to
light　them　to　their　bed。
Musqueton　was；　however；　somewhat　consoled　by　D'Artagnan；　who
the　next　day　told　him　that　in　all　probability　war　would
always　be　carried　on　in　the　heart　of　Paris　and　within　reach
of　the　Chateau　du　Vallon；　which　was　near　Corbeil；　or
Bracieux；　which　was　near　Melun；　and　of　Pierrefonds；　which
was　between　Compiegne　and　Villars…Cotterets。
〃But　　formerly　　it　appears；〃　began　Musqueton　timidly。
〃Oh！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　don't　now　make　war　as　we　did
formerly。　To…day　it's　a　sort　of　diplomatic　arrangement；　ask
Planchet。〃
Musqueton　inquired；　therefore；　the　state　of　the　case　of　his
old　friend；　who　confirmed　the　statement　of　D'Artagnan。
〃But；〃　he　added；　〃in　this　war　prisoners　stand　a　chance　of
being　hung。〃
〃The　deuce　they　do！〃　said　Musqueton；　〃I　think　I　should　like
the　siege　of　Rochelle　better　than　this　war；　then！〃
Porthos；　meantime；　asked　D'Artagnan　to　give　him　his
instructions　how　to　proceed　on　his　journey。
〃Four　days；〃　replied　his　friend；　〃are　necessary　to　reach
Blois；　one　day　to　rest　there；　three　or　four　days　to　return
to　Paris。　Set　out；　therefore；　in　a　week；　with　your　suite；
and　go　to　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette；　Rue　Tiquetonne；　and
there　await　me。〃
〃That's　agreed；〃　said　Porthos。
〃As　to　myself；　I　shall　go　around　to　see　Athos；　for　though　I
don't　think　his　aid　worth　much；　one　must　with　one's　friends
observe　all　due　politeness；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
The　friends　then　took　leave　of　each　other　on　the　very　border
of　the　estate　of　Pierrefonds；　to　which　Porthos　escorted　his
friend。
〃At　least；〃　D'Artagnan　said　to　himself；　as　he　took　the　road
to　Villars…Cotterets；　〃at　least　I　shall　not　be　alone　in　my
undertaking。　That　devil；　Porthos；　is　a　man　of　prodigious
strength；　still；　if　Athos　joins　us；　well；　we　shall　be　three
of　us　to　laugh　at　Aramis；　that　little　coxcomb　with　his　too
good　luck。〃
At　Villars…Cotterets　he　wrote　to　the　cardinal：

〃My　Lord；　　I　have　already　one　man　to　offer　to　your
eminence；　and　he　is　well　worth　twenty　men。　I　am　just　setting
out　for　Blois。　The　Comte　de　la　Fere　inhabits　the　Castle　of
Bragelonne；　in　the　environs　of　that　city。〃

13
Two　Angelic　Faces。

The　road　was　long；　but　the　horses　upon　which　D'Artagnan　and
Planchet　rode　had　been　refreshed　in　the　well　supplied
stables　of　the　Lord　of　Bracieux；　the　master　and　servant　rode
side　by　side；　conversing　as　they　went；　for　D'Artagnan　had　by
degrees　thrown　off　the　master　and　Planchet　had　entirely
ceased　to　assume　the　manners　of　a　servant。　He　had　been
raised　by　circumstances　to　the　rank　of　a　confidant　to　his
master。　It　was　many　years　since　D'Artagnan　had　opened　his
heart　to　any　one；　it　happened；　however；　that　these　two　men；
on　meeting　again；　assimilated　perfectly。　Planchet　was　in
truth　no　vulgar　companion　in　these　new　adventures；　he　was　a
man　of　uncommonly　sound　sense。　Without　courting　danger　he
never　shrank　from　an　encounter；　in　short；　he　had　been　a
soldier　and　arms　ennoble　a　man；　it　was；　therefore；　on　the
footing　of　friends　that　D'Artagnan　and　Planchet　arrived　in
the　neighborhood　of　Blois。
Going　along；　D'Artagnan；　shaking　his　head；　said：
〃I　know　that　my　going　to　Athos　is　useless　and　absurd；　but
still　I　owe　this　courtesy　to　my　old　friend；　a　man　who　had　in
him　material　for　the　most　noble　and　generous　of　characters。〃
〃Oh；　Monsieur　Athos　was　a　noble　gentleman；〃　said　Planchet；
〃was　he　not？　Scattering　money　round　about　him　as　Heaven
sprinkles　rain。　Do　you　remember；　sir；　that　duel　with　the
Englishman　in　the　inclosure　des　Carmes？　Ah！　how　lofty；　how
magnificent　Monsieur　Athos　was　that　day；　when　he　said　to　his
adversary：　‘You　have　insisted　on　knowing　my　name；　sir；　so
much　the　worse　for　you；　since　I　shall　be　obliged　to　kill
you。'　I　was　near　him；　those　were　his　exact　words；　when　he
stabbed　his　foe　as　he　said　he　would；　and　his　adversary　fell
without　saying；　‘Oh！'　'Tis　a　noble　gentleman　　Monsieur
Athos。〃
〃Yes；　true　as　Gospel；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　one　single
fault　has　swallowed　up　all　these　fine　qualities。〃
〃I　remember　well；〃　said　Planchet；　〃he　was　fond　of　drinking
　in　truth；　he　drank；　but　not　as　other　men　drink。　One
seemed；　as　he　raised　the　wine　to　his　lips；　to　hear　him　say；
‘Come；　juice　of　the　grape；　and　chase　away　my　sorrows。'　And
how　he　used　to　break　the　stem　of　a　glass　or　the　neck　of　a
bottle！　There　was　no　one　like　him　for　that。〃
〃And　now；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃behold　the　sad　spectacle
that　awaits　us。　This　noble　gentleman　with　his　lofty　glance；
this　handsome　cavalier；　so　brilliant　in　feats　of　arms　that
every　one　was　surprised　that　he　held　in　his　hand　a　sword
only　instead　of　a　baton　of　command！　Alas！　we　shall　find　him
changed　into　a　broken　down　old　man；　with　garnet　nose　and
eyes　that　slobber；　we　shall　find　him　extended　on　some　lawn；
whence　he　will　look　at　us　with　a　languid　eye　and
peradventure　will　not　recognize　us。　God　knows；　Planchet；
that　I　should　fly　from　a　sight　so　sad　if　I　did　not　wish　to
show　my　respect　for　the　illustrious　shadow　of　what　was　once
the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　whom　we　loved　so　much。〃
Planchet　shook　his　head　and　said　nothing。　It　was　evident
that　he　shared　his　master's　apprehensions。
〃And　then；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；　〃to　this　decrepitude　is
probably　added　poverty；　for　he　must　have　neglected　the
little　that　he　had；　and　the　dirty　scoundrel；　Grimaud；　more
taciturn　than　ever　and　still　more　drunken　than　his　master　
stay；　Planchet；　it　breaks　my　heart　to　merely　think　of　it。〃
〃I　fancy　myself　there　and　that　I　see　him　staggering　and　hear
him　stammering；〃　said　Planchet；　in　a　piteous　tone；　〃but　at
all　events　we　shall　soon　know　the　real　state　of　things；　for
I　imagine　that　those　lofty　walls；　now　turning　ruby　in　the
setting　sun；　are　the　walls　of　Blois。〃
〃Probably；　and　those　steeples；　pointed　and　sculptured；　that
we　catch　a　glimpse　of　yonder；　are　similar　to　those　that　I
have　heard　described　at　Chambord。〃
At　this　moment　one　of　those　heavy　wagons；　drawn　by　bullocks；
which　carry　the　wood　cut　in　the　fine　forests　of　the　country
to　the　ports　of　the　Loire；　came　out　of　a　byroad　full　of　ruts
and　turned　on　that　which　the　two　horsemen　were　following。　A
man　carrying　a　long　switch　with　a　nail　at　the　end　of　it；
with　which　he　urged　on　his　slow　team；　was　walking　with　the
cart。
〃Ho！　friend；〃　cried　Planchet。
〃What's　your　pleasure；　gentlemen？〃　replied　the　peasant；　with
a　purity　of　accent　peculiar　to　the　people　of　that　district
and　which　might　have　put　to　shame　the　cultured　denizens　of
the　Sorbonne　and　the　Rue　de　l'Universite。
〃We　are　looking　for　the　house　of　Monsieur　de　la　Fere；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
The　peasant　took　off　his　hat　on　hearing　this　revered　name。
〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃the　wood　that　I　am　carting　is　his；　I
cut　it　in　his　copse　and　I　am　taking　it　to　the　chateau。〃
D'Artagnan　determined　not　to　question　this　man；　he　did　not
wish　to　hear　from　another　what　he　had　himself　said　to
Planchet。
〃The　chateau！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃what　chateau？　Ah；　I
understand！　Athos　is　not　a　man　to　be　thwarted；　he；　like
Porthos；　has　obliged　his　peasantry　to　call　him　‘my　lord；'
and　to　dignify　his　pettifogging　place　by　the　name　of
chateau。　He　had　a　heavy　hand　　dear　old　Athos　　after
drinking。〃
D'Artagnan；　after　asking　the　man　the　right　way；　continued
his　route；　agitated　in　spite　of　himself　at　the　idea　of
seeing　once　more　that　singular　man　whom　he　had　so　truly
loved　and　who　had　contributed　so　much　by　advice　and　example
to　his　education　as　a　gentleman。　He　checked　by　degrees　the
speed　of　his　horse　and　went　on；　his　head　drooping　as　if　in
deep　thought。
Soon；　as　the　road　turned；　the　Chateau　de　la　Valliere
appeared　in　view；　then；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　beyond；　a　white
house；　encircled　in　sycamores；　was　visible　at　the　farther
end　of　a　group　of　trees；　which　spring　had　powdered　with　a
snow　of　flowers。
On　beholding　this　house；　D'Artagnan；　calm　as　he　was　in
general；　felt　an　unusual　disturbance　within　his　heart　　so
powerful　during　the　whole　course　of　life　are　the
recollections　of　youth。　He　proceeded；　nevertheless；　and　came
opposite　to　an　iron　gate；　ornamented　in　the　taste　of　the
period。
Through　the　gate　was　seen　kitchen…gardens；　carefully