twenty years after(二十年后)-第36节

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proverbial　for　eccentricity　in　her　family。
She　was　in　a　little　boudoir；　hung　with　blue　damask；　adorned
by　red　flowers；　with　a　foliage　of　gold；　looking　upon　a
garden；　and　reclined　upon　a　sofa；　her　head　supported　on　the
rich　tapestry　which　covered　it。　She　held　a　book　in　her　hand
and　her　arm　was　supported　by　a　cushion。
At　the　footman's　announcement　she　raised　herself　a　little
and　peeped　out；　with　some　curiosity。
Athos　appeared。
He　was　dressed　in　violet…tinted　velvet；　trimmed　with　silk　of
the　same　color。　His　shoulder…knots　were　of　burnished　silver；
his　mantle　had　no　gold　nor　embroidery　on　it；　a　simple　plume
of　violet　feathers　adorned　his　hat；　his　boots　were　of　black
leather；　and　at　his　girdle　hung　that　sword　with　a
magnificent　hilt　that　Porthos　had　so　often　admired　in　the
Rue　Feron。　Splendid　lace　adorned　the　falling　collar　of　his
shirt；　and　lace　fell　also　over　the　top　of　his　boots。
In　his　whole　person　he　bore　such　an　impress　of　high　degree；
that　Madame　de　Chevreuse　half　rose　from　her　seat　when　she
saw　him　and　made　him　a　sign　to　sit　down　near　her。
Athos　bowed　and　obeyed。　The　footman　was　withdrawing；　but
Athos　stopped　him　by　a　sign。
〃Madame；〃　he　said　to　the　duchess；　〃I　have　had　the　boldness
to　present　myself　at　your　hotel　without　being　known　to　you；
it　has　succeeded；　since　you　deign　to　receive　me。　I　have　now
the　boldness　to　ask　you　for　an　interview　of　half　an　hour。〃
〃I　grant　it；　monsieur；〃　replied　Madame　de　Chevreuse　with　her
most　gracious　smile。
〃But　that　is　not　all；　madame。　Oh；　I　am　very　presuming；　I　am
aware。　The　interview　for　which　I　ask　is　of　us　two　alone；　and
I　very　earnestly　wish　that　it　may　not　be　interrupted。〃
〃I　am　not　at　home　to　any　one；〃　said　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse
to　the　footman。　〃You　may　go。〃
The　footman　went　out
There　ensued　a　brief　silence；　during　which　these　two
persons；　who　at　first　sight　recognized　each　other　so　clearly
as　of　noble　race；　examined　each　other　without　embarrassment
on　either　side。
The　duchess　was　the　first　to　speak。
〃Well；　sir；　I　am　waiting　with　impatience　to　hear　what　you
wish　to　say　to　me。〃
〃And　I；　madame；〃　replied　Athos；　〃am　looking　with
admiration。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃you　must　excuse　me；　but　I
long　to　know　to　whom　I　am　talking。　You　belong　to　the　court；
doubtless；　yet　I　have　never　seen　you　at　court。　Have　you；　by
any　chance；　been　in　the　Bastile？〃
〃No；　madame；　I　have　not；　but　very　likely　I　am　on　the　road　to
it。〃
〃Ah！　then　tell　me　who　you　are；　and　get　along　with　you　upon
your　journey；〃　replied　the　duchess；　with　the　gayety　which
made　her　so　charming；　〃for　I　am　sufficiently　in　bad　odor
already；　without　compromising　myself　still　more。〃
〃Who　I　am；　madame？　My　name　has　been　mentioned　to　you　　the
Comte　de　la　Fere；　you　do　not　know　that　name。　I　once　bore
another；　which　you　knew；　but　you　have　certainly　forgotten
it。〃
〃Tell　it　me；　sir。〃
〃Formerly；〃　said　the　count；　〃I　was　Athos。〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　looked　astonished。　The　name　was　not
wholly　forgotten；　but　mixed　up　and　confused　with　ancient
recollections。
〃Athos？〃　said　she；　〃wait　a　moment。〃
And　she　placed　her　hands　on　her　brow；　as　if　to　force　the
fugitive　ideas　it　contained　to　concentration　in　a　moment。
〃Shall　I　help　you；　madame？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Yes；　do；〃　said　the　duchess。
〃This　Athos　was　connected　with　three　young　musketeers；　named
Porthos；　D'Artagnan；　and　　〃
He　stopped　short。
〃And　Aramis；〃　said　the　duchess；　quickly。
〃And　Aramis；　I　see　you　have　not　forgotten　the　name。〃
〃No；〃　she　said；　〃poor　Aramis；　a　charming　man；　elegant；
discreet；　and　a　writer　of　poetical　verses。　I　am　afraid　he
has　turned　out　ill；〃　she　added。
〃He　has；　he　is　an　abbe。〃
〃Ah；　what　a　misfortune！〃　exclaimed　the　duchess；　playing
carelessly　with　her　fan。　〃Indeed；　sir；　I　thank　you；　you　have
recalled　one　of　the　most　agreeable　recollections　of　my
youth。〃
〃Will　you　permit　me；　then；　to　recall　another　to　you？〃
〃Relating　to　him？〃
〃Yes　and　no。〃
〃Faith！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃say　on。　With　a　man　like
you　I　fear　nothing。〃

Athos　bowed。　〃Aramis；〃　he　continued；　〃was　intimate　with　a
young　needlewoman　from　Tours；　a　cousin　of　his；　named　Marie
Michon。〃
〃Ah；　I　knew　her！〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃It　was　to　her　he　wrote
from　the　siege　of　Rochelle；　to　warn　her　of　a　plot　against
the　Duke　of　Buckingham。〃
〃Exactly　so；　will　you　allow　me　to　speak　to　you　of　her？〃
〃If；〃　replied　the　duchess；　with　a　meaning　look；　〃you　do　not
say　too　much　against　her。〃
〃I　should　be　ungrateful；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　I　regard
ingratitude；　not　as　a　fault　or　a　crime；　but　as　a　vice；　which
is　much　worse。〃
〃You　ungrateful　to　Marie　Michon；　monsieur？〃　said　Madame　de
Chevreuse；　trying　to　read　in　Athos's　eyes。　〃But　how　can　that
be？　You　never　knew　her。〃
〃Eh；　madame；　who　knows？〃　said　Athos。　〃There　is　a　popular
proverb　to　the　effect　that　it　is　only　mountains　that　never
meet；　and　popular　proverbs　contain　sometimes　a　wonderful
amount　of　truth。〃
〃Oh；　go　on；　monsieur；　go　on！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse
eagerly；　〃you　can't　imagine　how　much　this　conversation
interests　me。〃
〃You　encourage　me；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　will　continue；　then。　That
cousin　of　Aramis；　that　Marie　Michon；　that　needlewoman；
notwithstanding　her　low　condition；　had　acquaintances　in　the
highest　rank；　she　called　the　grandest　ladies　of　the　court
her　friend；　and　the　queen　　proud　as　she　is；　in　her　double
character　as　Austrian　and　as　Spaniard　　called　her　her
sister。〃
〃Alas！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　with　a　slight　sigh　and　a
little　movement　of　her　eyebrows　that　was　peculiarly　her　own；
〃since　that　time　everything　has　changed。〃
〃And　the　queen　had　reason　for　her　affection；　for　Marie　was
devoted　to　her　　devoted　to　that　degree　that　she　served　her
as　medium　of　intercourse　with　her　brother；　the　king　of
Spain。〃
〃Which；〃　interrupted　the　duchess；　〃is　now　brought　up　against
her　as　a　great　crime。〃
〃And　therefore；〃　continued　Athos；　〃the　cardinal　　the　true
cardinal；　the　other　one　　determined　one　fine　morning　to
arrest　poor　Marie　Michon　and　send　her　to　the　Chateau　de
Loches。　Fortunately　the　affair　was　not　managed　so　secretly
but　that　it　became　known　to　the　queen。　The　case　had　been
provided　for：　if　Marie　Michon　should　be　threatened　with　any
danger　the　queen　was　to　send　her　a　prayer…book　bound　in
green　velvet。〃
〃That　is　true；　monsieur；　you　are　well　informed。〃
〃One　morning　the　green　book　was　brought　to　her　by　the　Prince
de　Marsillac。　There　was　no　time　to　lose。　Happily　Marie　and　a
follower　of　hers　named　Kitty　could　disguise　themselves
admirably　in　men's　clothes。　The　prince　procured　for　Marie
Michon　the　dress　of　a　cavalier　and　for　Kitty　that　of　a
lackey；　he　sent　them　two　excellent　horses；　and　the　fugitives
went　out　hastily　from　Tours；　shaping　their　course　toward
Spain；　trembling　at　the　least　noise；　following　unfrequented
roads；　and　asking　for　hospitality　when　they　found　themselves
where　there　was　no　inn。〃
〃Why；　really；　it　was　all　exactly　as　you　say！〃　cried　Madame
de　Chevreuse；　clapping　her　hands。　〃It　would　indeed　be
strange　if　　〃　she　checked　herself。
〃If　I　should　follow　the　two　fugitives　to　the　end　of　their
journey？〃　said　Athos。　〃No；　madame；　I　will　not　thus　waste
your　time。　We　will　accompany　them　only　to　a　little　village
in　Limousin；　lying　between　Tulle　and　Angouleme　　a　little
village　called　Roche…l'Abeille。〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise；　and　looked　at
Athos　with　an　expression　of　astonishment　that　made　the　old
musketeer　smile。
〃Wait；　madame；〃　continued　Athos；　〃what　remains　for　me　to
tell　you　is　even　more　strange　than　what　I　have　narrated。〃
〃Monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃I　believe　you　are　a
sorcerer；　I　am　prepared　for　anything。　But　really　　No
matter；　go　on。〃
〃The　journey　of　that　day　had　been　long　and　wearing；　it　was　a
cold　day；　the　eleventh　of　October；　there　was　no　inn　or
chateau　in　the　village　and　the　homes　of　the　peasants　were
poor　and　unattractive。　Marie　Michon　was　a　very　aristocratic
person；　like　her　sister　the　queen；　she　had　been　accustomed
to　pleasing　perfumes　and　fine　linen；　she　resolved；
therefore；　to　seek　hospitality　of　the　priest。〃
Athos　paused。
〃Oh；　continue！〃　said　the　duchess。　〃I　have　told　you　that　I　am
prepared　for　anything。〃
〃The　two　travelers　knocked　at　the　door。　It　was　late；　the
priest；　who　had　gone　to　bed；　cried　out　to　them　to　come　in。
They　entered；　for　the　door　was　not　locked　　there　is　much
confidence　among　villagers。　A　lamp　burned　in　the　chamber
occupied　by　the　priest。　Marie　Michon；　who　made　the　most
charming　cavalier　in　the　world；　pushed　open　the　door；　put
her　head　in　and　asked　for　hospitality。　‘Willingly；　my　young
cavalier；'　said　the　priest；　‘if　you　will　be　content　with　the
remains　of　my　supper　and　with　half　my　chamber。'
〃The　two　travelers　consulted　for　a　moment。　The　priest　heard
a　burst　of　laughter　and　then　the　master；　or　rather；　the
mistress；　replied：　‘Thank　you；　monsieur　le　cure；　I　accept。'
‘Sup；　then；　and　make　as　little　noise　as　possible；'　said　the
priest；　‘for　I；　too；　have　been　on　the　go　all　day　and　shall
not　be　sorry　to　sleep　to…night。'〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　evidently　went　from　surprise　to
astonishment；　and　from　astonishment　to　stupefaction。　Her
face；　as　she　looked　at　Athos；　had　taken　on　an　expression
that　cannot　be　described。　It　could　be　seen　that　she　had
wished　to　speak；　but　she　had　remained　silent