twenty years after(二十年后)-第41节

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may　be　driven　back　and　you　will　be　trampled　to　death　by　the
horses。　At　all　events；　should　you　be　wounded；　write　to　me
that　very　instant；　or　get　some　one　at　once　to　write　to　me。
We　are　judges　of　wounds；　we　old　soldiers；〃　Athos　added；
smiling。
〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　answered　the　young　man；　much　moved。
They　arrived　that　very　moment　at　the　gate　of　the　town；
guarded　by　two　sentinels。
〃Here　comes　a　young　gentleman；〃　said　one　of　them；　〃who　seems
as　if　he　were　going　to　join　the　army。〃
〃How　do　you　make　that　out？〃　inquired　Athos。
〃By　his　manner；　sir；　and　his　age；　he's　the　second　to…day。〃
〃Has　a　young　man；　such　as　I　am；　gone　through　this　morning；
then？〃　asked　Raoul。
〃Faith；　yes；　with　a　haughty　presence；　a　fine　equipage；　such
as　the　son　of　a　noble　house　would　have。〃
〃He　will　be　my　companion　on　the　journey；　sir；〃　cried　Raoul。
〃Alas！　he　cannot　make　me　forget　what　I　shall　have　lost！〃
Thus　talking；　they　traversed　the　streets；　full　of　people　on
account　of　the　fete；　and　arrived　opposite　the　old　cathedral；
where　first　mass　was　going　on。
〃Let　us　alight；　Raoul；〃　said　Athos。　〃Olivain；　take　care　of
our　horses　and　give　me　my　sword。〃
The　two　gentlemen　then　went　into　the　church。　Athos　gave
Raoul　some　of　the　holy　water。　A　love　as　tender　as　that　of　a
lover　for　his　mistress　dwells；　undoubtedly；　in　some　paternal
hearts　toward　a　son。
Athos　said　a　word　to　one　of　the　vergers；　who　bowed　and
proceeded　toward　the　basement。
〃Come；　Raoul；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　follow　this　man。〃
The　verger　opened　the　iron　grating　that　guarded　the　royal
tombs　and　stood　on　the　topmost　step；　whilst　Athos　and　Raoul
descended。　The　sepulchral　depths　of　the　descent　were　dimly
lighted　by　a　silver　lamp　on　the　lowest　step；　and　just　below
this　lamp　there　was　laid；　wrapped　in　a　flowing　mantle　of
violet　velvet；　worked　with　fleurs…de…lis　of　gold；　a
catafalque　resting　on　trestles　of　oak。　The　young　man；
prepared　for　this　scene　by　the　state　of　his　own　feelings；
which　were　mournful；　and　by　the　majesty　of　the　cathedral
which　he　had　passed　through；　descended　in　a　slow　and　solemn
manner　and　stood　with　head　uncovered　before　these　mortal
spoils　of　the　last　king；　who　was　not　to　be　placed　by　the
side　of　his　forefathers　until　his　successor　should　take　his
place　there；　and　who　appeared　to　abide　on　that　spot；　that　he
might　thus　address　human　pride；　so　sure　to　be　exalted　by　the
glories　of　a　throne：　〃Dust　of　the　earth！　Here　I　await　thee！〃
There　was　profound　silence。
Then　Athos　raised　his　hand　and　pointing　to　the　coffin：
〃This　temporary　sepulture　is；〃　he　said；　〃that　of　a　man　who
was　of　feeble　mind；　yet　one　whose　reign　was　full　of　great
events；　because　over　this　king　watched　the　spirit　of　another
man；　even　as　this　lamp　keeps　vigil　over　this　coffin　and
illumines　it。　He　whose　intellect　was　thus　supreme；　Raoul；
was　the　actual　sovereign；　the　other；　nothing　but　a　phantom
to　whom　he　lent　a　soul；　and　yet；　so　powerful　is　majesty
amongst　us；　this　man　has　not　even　the　honor　of　a　tomb　at　the
feet　of　him　in　whose　service　his　life　was　worn　away。
Remember；　Raoul；　this！　If　Richelieu　made　the　king；　by
comparison；　seem　small；　he　made　royalty　great。　The　Palace　of
the　Louvre　contains　two　things　　the　king；　who　must　die；
and　royalty；　which　never　dies。　The　minister；　so　feared；　so
hated　by　his　master；　has　descended　into　the　tomb；　drawing
after　him　the　king；　whom　he　would　not　leave　alone　on　earth；
lest　his　work　should　be　destroyed。　So　blind　were　his
contemporaries　that　they　regarded　the　cardinal's　death　as　a
deliverance；　and　I；　even　I；　opposed　the　designs　of　the　great
man　who　held　the　destinies　of　France　within　the　hollow　of
his　hand。　Raoul；　learn　how　to　distinguish　the　king　from
royalty；　the　king　is　but　a　man；　royalty　is　the　gift　of　God。
Whenever　you　hesitate　as　to　whom　you　ought　to　serve；　abandon
the　exterior；　the　material　appearance　for　the　invisible
principle；　for　the　invisible　principle　is　everything。　Raoul；
I　seem　to　read　your　future　destiny　as　through　a　cloud。　It
will　be　happier；　I　think；　than　ours　has　been。　Different　in
your　fate　from　us；　you　will　have　a　king　without　a　minister；
whom　you　may　serve；　love；　respect。　Should　the　king　prove　a
tyrant；　for　power　begets　tyranny；　serve；　love；　respect
royalty；　that　Divine　right；　that　celestial　spark　which　makes
this　dust　still　powerful　and　holy；　so　that　we　　gentlemen；
nevertheless；　of　rank　and　condition　　are　as　nothing　in
comparison　with　the　cold　corpse　there　extended。〃
〃I　shall　adore　God；　sir；〃　said　Raoul；　〃respect　royalty　and
ever　serve　the　king。　And　if　death　be　my　lot；　I　hope　to　die
for　the　king；　for　royalty　and　for　God。　Have　I；　sir；
comprehended　your　instructions？〃
Athos　smiled。
〃Yours　is　a　noble　nature。〃　he　said；　〃here　is　your　sword。〃
Raoul　bent　his　knee　to　the　ground。
〃It　was　worn　by　my　father；　a　loyal　gentleman。　I　have　worn　it
in　my　turn　and　it　has　sometimes　not　been　disgraced　when　the
hilt　was　in　my　hand　and　the　sheath　at　my　side。　Should　your
hand　still　be　too　weak　to　use　this　sword；　Raoul；　so　much　the
better。　You　will　have　the　more　time　to　learn　to　draw　it　only
when　it　ought　to　be　used。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　Raoul；　putting　the　sword　to　his　lips　as　he
received　it　from　the　count；　〃I　owe　you　everything　and　yet
this　sword　is　the　most　precious　gift　you　have　yet　made　me。　I
will　wear　it；　I　swear　to　you；　as　a　grateful　man　should　do。〃
〃'Tis　well；　arise；　vicomte；　embrace　me。〃
Raoul　arose　and　threw　himself　with　emotion　into　the　count's
arms。
〃Adieu；〃　faltered　the　count；　who　felt　his　heart　die　away
within　him；　〃adieu；　and　think　of　me。〃
〃Oh！　for　ever　and　ever！〃　cried　the　youth；　〃oh！　I　swear　to
you；　sir；　should　any　harm　befall　me；　your　name　will　be　the
last　name　that　I　shall　utter；　the　remembrance　of　you　my　last
thought。〃
Athos　hastened　upstairs　to　conceal　his　emotion；　and　regained
with　hurried　steps　the　porch　where　Olivain　was　waiting　with
the　horses。
〃Olivain；〃　said　Athos；　showing　the　servant　Raoul's
shoulder…belt；　〃tighten　the　buckle　of　the　sword；　it　falls
too　low。　You　will　accompany　monsieur　le　vicomte　till　Grimaud
rejoins　you。　You　know；　Raoul；　Grimaud　is　an　old　and　zealous
servant；　he　will　follow　you。〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Raoul。
〃Now　to　horse；　that　I　may　see　you　depart！〃
Raoul　obeyed。
〃Adieu；　Raoul；〃　said　the　count；　〃adieu；　my　dearest　boy！〃
〃Adieu；　sir；　adieu；　my　beloved　protector。〃
Athos　waved　his　hand　　he　dared　not　trust　himself　to　speak：
and　Raoul　went　away；　his　head　uncovered。　Athos　remained
motionless；　looking　after　him　until　he　turned　the　corner　of
the　street。
Then　the　count　threw　the　bridle　of　his　horse　into　the　hands
of　a　peasant；　remounted　the　steps；　went　into　the　cathedral；
there　to　kneel　down　in　the　darkest　corner　and　pray。

23
One　of　the　Forty　Methods　of　Escape　of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort。

Meanwhile　time　was　passing　on　for　the　prisoner；　as　well　as
for　those　who　were　preparing　his　escape；　only　for　him　it
passed　more　slowly。　Unlike　other　men；　who　enter　with　ardor
upon　a　perilous　resolution　and　grow　cold　as　the　moment　of
execution　approaches；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　whose　buoyant
courage　had　become　a　proverb；　seemed　to　push　time　before　him
and　sought　most　eagerly　to　hasten　the　hour　of　action。　In　his
escape　alone；　apart　from　his　plans　for　the　future；　which；　it
must　be　admitted；　were　for　the　present　sufficiently　vague
and　uncertain；　there　was　a　beginning　of　vengeance　which
filled　his　heart。　In　the　first　place　his　escape　would　be　a
serious　misfortune　to　Monsieur　de　Chavigny；　whom　he　hated
for　the　petty　persecutions　he　owed　to　him。　It　would　be　a
still　worse　affair　for　Mazarin；　whom　he　execrated　for　the
greater　offences　he　had　committed。　It　may　be　observed　that
there　was　a　proper　proportion　in　his　sentiments　toward　the
governor　of　the　prison　and　the　minister　　toward　the
subordinate　and　the　master。
Then　Monsieur　de　Beaufort；　who　was　so　familiar　with　the
interior　of　the　Palais　Royal；　though　he　did　not　know　the
relations　existing　between　the　queen　and　the　cardinal；
pictured　to　himself；　in　his　prison；　all　that　dramatic
excitement　which　would　ensue　when　the　rumor　should　run　from
the　minister's　cabinet　to　the　chamber　of　Anne　of　Austria：
〃Monsieur　de　Beaufort　has　escaped！〃　Whilst　saying　that　to
himself；　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　smiled　pleasantly　and　imagined
himself　already　outside；　breathing　the　air　of　the　plains　and
the　forests；　pressing　a　strong　horse　between　his　knees　and
crying　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃I　am　free！〃
It　is　true　that　on　coming　to　himself　he　found　that　he　was
still　within　four　walls；　he　saw　La　Ramee　twirling　his　thumbs
ten　feet　from　him；　and　his　guards　laughing　and　drinking　in
the　ante…chamber。　The　only　thing　that　was　pleasant　to　him　in
that　odious　tableau　　such　is　the　instability　of　the　human
mind　　was　the　sullen　face　of　Grimaud；　for　whom　he　had　at
first　conceived　such　a　hatred　and　who　now　was　all　his　hope。
Grimaud　seemed　to　him　an　Antinous。　It　is　needless　to　say
that　this　transformation　was　visible　only　to　the　prisoner's
feverish　imagination。　Grimaud　was　still　the　same；　and
therefore　he　retained　the　entire　confidence　of　his　superior；
La　Ramee；　who　now　relied　upon　him　more　than　he　did　upon
himself；　for；　as　we　have　said；　La　Ramee　felt　at　the　bottom
of　his　heart　a　certain　weakness　for　Monsieur　de　Beaufort。
And　so　the　good　La　Ramee　made　a　festivi