twenty years after(二十年后)-第29节

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off。〃
〃Toward　Paris；　sir？〃
〃Toward　Paris。〃
And　they　set　out　at　as　hard　a　canter　as　their　horses　could
maintain。

16
The　Duc　de　Beaufort。

The　circumstances　that　had　hastened　the　return　of　D'Artagnan
to　Paris　were　as　follows：
One　evening；　when　Mazarin；　according　to　custom；　went　to
visit　the　queen；　in　passing　the　guard…chamber　he　heard　loud
voices；　wishing　to　know　on　what　topic　the　soldiers　were
conversing；　he　approached　with　his　wonted　wolf…like　step；
pushed　open　the　door　and　put　his　head　close　to　the　chink。
There　was　a　dispute　among　the　guards。
〃I　tell　you；〃　one　of　them　was　saying；　〃that　if　Coysel
predicted　that；　'tis　as　good　as　true；　I　know　nothing　about
it；　but　I　have　heard　say　that　he's　not　only　an　astrologer；
but　a　magician。〃
〃Deuce　take　it；　friend；　if　he's　one　of　thy　friends　thou　wilt
ruin　him　in　saying　so。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because　he　may　be　tried　for　it。〃
〃Ah！　absurd！　they　don't　burn　sorcerers　nowadays。〃
〃No？　'Tis　not　a　long　time　since　the　late　cardinal　burnt
Urban　Grandier；　though。〃
〃My　friend；　Urban　Grandier　wasn't　a　sorcerer；　he　was　a
learned　man。　He　didn't　predict　the　future；　he　knew　the　past
　often　a　more　dangerous　thing。〃
Mazarin　nodded　an　assent；　but　wishing　to　know　what　this
prediction　was；　about　which　they　disputed；　he　remained　in
the　same　place。
〃I　don't　say；〃　resumed　the　guard；　〃that　Coysel　is　not　a
sorcerer；　but　I　say　that　if　his　prophecy　gets　wind；　it's　a
sure　way　to　prevent　it's　coming　true。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃Why；　in　this　way：　if　Coysel　says　loud　enough　for　the
cardinal　to　hear　him；　on　such　or　such　a　day　such　a　prisoner
will　escape；　'tis　plain　that　the　cardinal　will　take　measures
of　precaution　and　that　the　prisoner　will　not　escape。〃
〃Good　Lord！〃　said　another　guard；　who　might　have　been　thought
asleep　on　a　bench；　but　who　had　lost　not　a　syllable　of　the
conversation；　〃do　you　suppose　that　men　can　escape　their
destiny？　If　it　is　written　yonder；　in　Heaven；　that　the　Duc　de
Beaufort　is　to　escape；　he　will　escape；　and　all　the
precautions　of　the　cardinal　will　not　prevent　it。〃
Mazarin　started。　He　was　an　Italian　and　therefore
superstitious。　He　walked　straight　into　the　midst　of　the
guards；　who　on　seeing　him　were　silent。
〃What　were　you　saying？〃　he　asked　with　his　flattering　manner；
〃that　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　had　escaped；　were　you　not？〃
〃Oh；　no；　my　lord！〃　said　the　incredulous　soldier。　〃He's　well
guarded　now；　we　only　said　he　would　escape。〃
〃Who　said　so？〃
〃Repeat　your　story；　Saint　Laurent；〃　replied　the　man；　turning
to　the　originator　of　the　tale。
〃My　lord；〃　said　the　guard；　〃I　have　simply　mentioned　the
prophecy　I　heard　from　a　man　named　Coysel；　who　believes　that；
be　he　ever　so　closely　watched　and　guarded；　the　Duke　of
Beaufort　will　escape　before　Whitsuntide。〃
〃Coysel　is　a　madman！〃　returned　the　cardinal。
〃No；〃　replied　the　soldier；　tenacious　in　his　credulity；　〃he
has　foretold　many　things　which　have　come　to　pass；　for
instance；　that　the　queen　would　have　a　son；　that　Monsieur
Coligny　would　be　killed　in　a　duel　with　the　Duc　de　Guise；　and
finally；　that　the　coadjutor　would　be　made　cardinal。　Well！
the　queen　has　not　only　one　son；　but　two；　then；　Monsieur　de
Coligny　was　killed；　and　　〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃but　the　coadjutor　is　not　yet　made
cardinal！〃
〃No；　my　lord；　but　he　will　be；〃　answered　the　guard。
Mazarin　made　a　grimace；　as　if　he　meant　to　say；　〃But　he　does
not　wear　the　cardinal's　cap；〃　then　he　added：
〃So；　my　friend；　it's　your　opinion　that　Monsieur　de　Beaufort
will　escape？〃
〃That's　my　idea；　my　lord；　and　if　your　eminence　were　to　offer
to　make　me　at　this　moment　governor　of　the　castle　of
Vincennes；　I　should　refuse　it。　After　Whitsuntide　it　would　be
another　thing。〃
There　is　nothing　so　convincing　as　a　firm　conviction。　It　has
its　own　effect　upon　the　most　incredulous；　and　far　from　being
incredulous；　Mazarin　was　superstitious。　He　went　away
thoughtful　and　anxious　and　returned　to　his　own　room；　where
he　summoned　Bernouin　and　desired　him　to　fetch　thither　in　the
morning　the　special　guard　he　had　placed　over　Monsieur　de
Beaufort　and　to　awaken　him　whenever　he　should　arrive。
The　guard　had；　in　fact；　touched　the　cardinal　in　the
tenderest　point。　During　the　whole　five　years　in　which　the
Duc　de　Beaufort　had　been　in　prison　not　a　day　had　passed　in
which　the　cardinal　had　not　felt　a　secret　dread　of　his
escape。　It　was　not　possible；　as　he　knew　well；　to　confine　for
the　whole　of　his　life　the　grandson　of　Henry　IV。；　especially
when　this　young　prince　was　scarcely　thirty　years　of　age。　But
however　and　whensoever　he　did　escape；　what　hatred　he　must
cherish　against　him　to　whom　he　owed　his　long　imprisonment；
who　had　taken　him；　rich；　brave；　glorious；　beloved　by　women；
feared　by　men；　to　cut　off　his　life's　best；　happiest　years；
for　it　is　not　life；　it　is　merely　existence；　in　prison！
Meantime；　Mazarin　redoubled　his　surveillance　over　the　duke。
But　like　the　miser　in　the　fable；　he　could　not　sleep　for
thinking　of　his　treasure。　Often　he　awoke　in　the　night；
suddenly；　dreaming　that　he　had　been　robbed　of　Monsieur　de
Beaufort。　Then　he　inquired　about　him　and　had　the　vexation　of
hearing　that　the　prisoner　played；　drank；　sang；　but　that
whilst　playing；　drinking；　singing；　he　often　stopped　short　to
vow　that　Mazarin　should　pay　dear　for　all　the　amusements　he
had　forced　him　to　enter　into　at　Vincennes。
So　much　did　this　one　idea　haunt　the　cardinal　even　in　his
sleep；　that　when　at　seven　in　the　morning　Bernouin　came　to
arouse　him；　his　first　words　were：　〃Well；　what's　the　matter？
Has　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　escaped　from　Vincennes？〃
〃I　do　not　think　so；　my　lord；〃　said　Bernouin；　〃but　you　will
hear　about　him；　for　La　Ramee　is　here　and　awaits　the　commands
of　your　eminence。〃
〃Tell　him　to　come　in；〃　said　Mazarin；　arranging　his　pillows；
so　that　he　might　receive　the　visitor　sitting　up　in　bed。
The　officer　entered；　a　large　fat　man；　with　an　open
physiognomy。　His　air　of　perfect　serenity　made　Mazarin
uneasy。
〃Approach；　sir；〃　said　the　cardinal。
The　officer　obeyed。
〃Do　you　know　what　they　are　saying　here？〃
〃No；　your　eminence。〃
〃Well；　they　say　that　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　is　going　to　escape
from　Vincennes；　if　he　has　not　done　so　already。〃
The　officer's　face　expressed　complete　stupefaction。　He
opened　at　once　his　little　eyes　and　his　great　mouth；　to
inhale　better　the　joke　his　eminence　deigned　to　address　to
him；　and　ended　by　a　burst　of　laughter；　so　violent　that　his
great　limbs　shook　in　hilarity　as　they　would　have　done　in　an
ague。
〃Escape！　my　lord　　escape！　Your　eminence　does　not　then　know
where　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　is？〃
〃Yes；　I　do；　sir；　in　the　donjon　of　Vincennes。〃
〃Yes；　sir；　in　a　room；　the　walls　of　which　are　seven　feet
thick；　with　grated　windows；　each　bar　as　thick　as　my　arm。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃with　perseverance　one　may　penetrate
through　a　wall；　with　a　watch…spring　one　may　saw　through　an
iron　bar。〃
〃Then　my　lord　does　not　know　that　there　are　eight　guards
about　him；　four　in　his　chamber；　four　in　the　antechamber；　and
that　they　never　leave　him。〃
〃But　he　leaves　his　room；　he　plays　at　tennis　at　the　Mall？〃
〃Sir；　those　amusements　are　allowed；　but　if　your　eminence
wishes　it；　we　will　discontinue　the　permission。〃
〃No；　no！〃　cried　Mazarin；　fearing　that　should　his　prisoner
ever　leave　his　prison　he　would　be　the　more　exasperated
against　him　if　he　thus　retrenched　his　amusement。　He　then
asked　with　whom　he　played。
〃My　lord；　either　with　the　officers　of　the　guard；　with　the
other　prisoners；　or　with　me。〃
〃But　does　he　not　approach　the　walls　while　playing？〃
〃Your　eminence　doesn't　know　those　walls；　they　are　sixty　feet
high　and　I　doubt　if　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　is　sufficiently
weary　of　life　to　risk　his　neck　by　jumping　off。〃
〃Hum！〃　said　the　cardinal；　beginning　to　feel　more
comfortable。　〃You　mean　to　say；　then；　my　dear　Monsieur　la
Ramee　　〃
〃That　unless　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　can　contrive　to
metamorphose　himself　into　a　little　bird；　I　will　continue
answerable　for　him。〃
〃Take　care！　you　assert　a　great　deal；〃　said　Mazarin。
〃Monsieur　de　Beaufort　told　the　guards　who　took　him　to
Vincennes　that　he　had　often　thought　what　he　should　do　in
case　he　were　put　into　prison；　and　that　he　had　found　out
forty　ways　of　escaping。〃
〃My　lord；　if　among　these　forty　there　had　been　one　good　way
he　would　have　been　out　long　ago。〃
〃Come；　come；　not　such　a　fool　as　I　fancied！〃　thought　Mazarin。
〃Besides；　my　lord　must　remember　that　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is
governor　of　Vincennes；〃　continued　La　Ramee；　〃and　that
Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is　not　friendly　to　Monsieur　de
Beaufort。〃
〃Yes；　but　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is　sometimes　absent。〃
〃When　he　is　absent　I　am　there。〃
〃But　when　you　leave　him；　for　instance？〃
〃Oh！　when　I　leave　him；　I　place　in　my　stead　a　bold　fellow　who
aspires　to　be　his　majesty's　special　guard。　I　promise　you　he
keeps　a　good　watch　over　the　prisoner。　During　the　three　weeks
that　he　has　been　with　me；　I　have　only　had　to　reproach　him
with　one　thing　　being　too　severe　with　the　prisoners。〃
〃And　who　is　this　Cerberus？〃
〃A　certain　Monsieur　Grimaud；　my　lord。〃
〃And　what　was　he　before　he　went　to　Vincennes？〃
〃He　was　in　the　country；　as　I　was　told　by　the　person　who
recommended　him　to　me。〃
〃And　who　recommended　this　man　to　you？〃
〃The　steward　of　the　Duc　de　Grammont。〃
〃He　is　not　a　gossip；　I　hope？〃
〃Lord　a　mercy；　my　lord！　I　thought　for　a　long　time　that　he
was　dumb；　he　an