twenty years after(二十年后)-第45节

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eminence　in　secret。　I　am　Monsieur　du　Poins；　an　officer　in
the　guards；　on　duty　at　the　donjon　of　Vincennes。〃
Mazarin；　perceiving　by　the　paleness　and　agitation　of　the
messenger　that　he　had　something　of　importance　to　say；　made　a
sign　that　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　should　give　place。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　withdrew　to　a　corner　of　the　cabinet。
〃Speak；　monsieur；　speak　at　once！〃　said　Mazarin　〃What　is　the
matter？〃
〃The　matter　is；　my　lord；　that　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　has
contrived　to　escape　from　the　Chateau　of　Vincennes。〃
Mazarin　uttered　a　cry　and　became　paler　than　the　man　who　had
brought　the　news。　He　fell　back；　almost　fainting；　in　his
chair。
〃Escaped？　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　escaped？〃
〃My　lord；　I　saw　him　run　off　from　the　top　of　the　terrace。〃
〃And　you　did　not　fire　on　him？〃
〃He　was　out　of　range。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Chavigny　　where　was　he？〃
〃Absent。〃
〃And　La　Ramee？〃
〃Was　found　locked　up　in　the　prisoner's　room；　a　gag　in　his
mouth　and　a　poniard　near　him。〃
〃But　the　man　who　was　under　him？〃
〃Was　an　accomplice　of　the　duke's　and　escaped　along　with
him。〃
Mazarin　groaned。
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　advancing　toward　the　cardinal；
〃it　seems　to　me　that　your　eminence　is　losing　precious　time。
It　may　still　be　possible　to　overtake　the　prisoner。　France　is
large；　the　nearest　frontier　is　sixty　leagues　distant。〃
〃And　who　is　to　pursue　him？〃　cried　Mazarin。
〃I；　pardieu！〃
〃And　you　would　arrest　him？〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃You　would　arrest　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　armed；　in　the　field？〃
〃If　your　eminence　should　order　me　to　arrest　the　devil；　I
would　seize　him　by　the　horns　and　would　bring　him　in。〃
〃So　would　I；〃　said　Porthos。
〃So　would　you！〃　said　Mazarin；　looking　with　astonishment　at
those　two　men。　〃But　the　duke　will　not　yield　himself　without
a　furious　battle。〃
〃Very　well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　his　eyes　aflame；　〃battle！　It
is　a　long　time　since　we　have　had　a　battle；　eh；　Porthos？〃
〃Battle！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃And　you　think　you　can　catch　him？〃
〃Yes；　if　we　are　better　mounted　than　he。〃
〃Go　then；　take　what　guards　you　find　here；　and　pursue　him。〃
〃You　command　us；　my　lord；　to　do　so？〃
〃And　I　sign　my　orders；〃　said　Mazarin；　taking　a　piece　of
paper　and　writing　some　lines；　〃Monsieur　du　Vallon；　your
barony　is　on　the　back　of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort's　horse；　you
have　nothing　to　do　but　to　overtake　it。　As　for　you；　my　dear
lieutenant；　I　promise　you　nothing；　but　if　you　bring　him　back
to　me；　dead　or　alive；　you　may　ask　all　you　wish。〃
〃To　horse；　Porthos！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　taking　his　friend　by
the　hand。
〃Here　I　am；〃　smiled　Porthos；　with　his　sublime　composure。
They　descended　the　great　staircase；　taking　with　them　all　the
guards　they　found　on　their　road；　and　crying　out；　〃To　arms！
To　arms！〃　and　immediately　put　spur　to　horse；　which　set　off
along　the　Rue　Saint　Honore　with　the　speed　of　the　whirlwind。
〃Well；　baron；　I　promise　you　some　good　exercise！〃　said　the
Gascon。
〃Yes；　my　captain。〃
As　they　went；　the　citizens；　awakened；　left　their　doors　and
the　street　dogs　followed　the　cavaliers；　barking。　At　the
corner　of　the　Cimetiere　Saint　Jean；　D'Artagnan　upset　a　man；
it　was　too　insignificant　an　occurrence　to　delay　people　so
eager　to　get　on。　The　troop　continued　its　course　as　though
their　steeds　had　wings。
Alas！　there　are　no　unimportant　events　in　this　world　and　we
shall　see　that　this　apparently　slight　incident　came　near
endangering　the　monarchy。

25
An　Adventure　on　the　High　Road。

The　musketeers　rode　the　whole　length　of　the　Faubourg　Saint
Antoine　and　of　the　road　to　Vincennes；　and　soon　found
themselves　out　of　the　town；　then　in　a　forest　and　then　within
sight　of　a　village。
The　horses　seemed　to　become　more　lively　with　each　successive
step；　their　nostrils　reddened　like　glowing　furnaces。
D'Artagnan；　freely　applying　his　spurs；　was　in　advance　of
Porthos　two　feet　at　the　most；　Musqueton　followed　two　lengths
behind；　the　guards　were　scattered　according　to　the　varying
excellence　of　their　respective　mounts。
From　the　top　of　an　eminence　D'Artagnan　perceived　a　group　of
people　collected　on　the　other　side　of　the　moat；　in　front　of
that　part　of　the　donjon　which　looks　toward　Saint　Maur。　He
rode　on；　convinced　that　in　this　direction　he　would　gain
intelligence　of　the　fugitive。　In　five　minutes　he　had　arrived
at　the　place；　where　the　guards　joined　him；　coming　up　one　by
one。
The　several　members　of　that　group　were　much　excited。　They
looked　at　the　cord；　still　hanging　from　the　loophole　and
broken　at　about　twenty　feet　from　the　ground。　Their　eyes
measured　the　height　and　they　exchanged　conjectures。　On　the
top　of　the　wall　sentinels　went　and　came　with　a　frightened
air。
A　few　soldiers；　commanded　by　a　sergeant；　drove　away　idlers
from　the　place　where　the　duke　had　mounted　his　horse。
D'Artagnan　went　straight　to　the　sergeant。
〃My　officer；〃　said　the　sergeant；　〃it　is　not　permitted　to
stop　here。〃
〃That　prohibition　is　not　for　me；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Have　the
fugitives　been　pursued？〃
〃Yes；　my　officer；　unfortunately；　they　are　well　mounted。〃
〃How　many　are　there？〃
〃Four；　and　a　fifth　whom　they　carried　away　wounded。〃
〃Four！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　looking　at　Porthos。　〃Do　you　hear；
baron？　They　are　only　four！〃
A　joyous　smile　lighted　Porthos's　face。
〃How　long　a　start　have　they？〃
〃Two　hours　and　a　quarter；　my　officer。〃
〃Two　hours　and　a　quarter　　that　is　nothing；　we　are　well
mounted；　are　we　not；　Porthos？〃
Porthos　breathed　a　sigh；　he　thought　of　what　was　in　store　for
his　poor　horses。
〃Very　good；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　now　in　what　direction　did
they　set　out？〃
〃That　I　am　forbidden　to　tell。〃
D'Artagnan　drew　from　his　pocket　a　paper。　〃Order　of　the
king；〃　he　said。
〃Speak　to　the　governor；　then。〃
〃And　where　is　the　governor？〃
〃In　the　country。〃
Anger　mounted　to　D'Artagnan's　face；　he　frowned　and　his
cheeks　were　colored。
〃Ah；　you　scoundrel！〃　he　said　to　the　sergeant；　〃I　believe　you
are　impudent　to　me！　Wait！〃
He　unfolded　the　paper；　presented　it　to　the　sergeant　with　one
hand　and　with　the　other　took　a　pistol　from　his　holsters　and
cocked　it。
〃Order　of　the　king；　I　tell　you。　Read　and　answer；　or　I　will
blow　out　your　brains！〃
The　sergeant　saw　that　D'Artagnan　was　in　earnest。　〃The
Vendomois　road；〃　he　replied。
〃And　by　what　gate　did　they　go　out？〃
〃By　the　Saint　Maur　gate。〃
〃If　you　are　deceiving　me；　rascal；　you　will　be　hanged
to…morrow。〃
〃And　if　you　catch　up　with　them　you　won't　come　back　to　hang
me；〃　murmured　the　sergeant。
D'Artagnan　shrugged　his　shoulders；　made　a　sign　to　his　escort
and　started。
〃This　way；　gentlemen；　this　way！〃　he　cried；　directing　his
course　toward　the　gate　that　had　been　pointed　out。
But；　now　that　the　duke　had　escaped；　the　concierge　had　seen
fit　to　fasten　the　gate　with　a　double　lock。　It　was　necessary
to　compel　him　to　open　it；　as　the　sergeant　had　been　compelled
to　speak；　and　this　took　another　ten　minutes。　This　last
obstacle　having　been　overcome；　the　troop　pursued　their
course　with　their　accustomed　ardor；　but　some　of　the　horses
could　no　longer　sustain　this　pace；　three　of　them　stopped
after　an　hour's　gallop；　and　one　fell　down。
D'Artagnan；　who　never　turned　his　head；　did　not　perceive　it。
Porthos　told　him　of　it　in　his　calm　manner。
〃If　only　we　two　arrive；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it　will　be
enough；　since　the　duke's　troop　are　only　four　in　number。〃
〃That　is　true；〃　said　Porthos
And　he　spurred　his　courser　on。
At　the　end　of　another　two　hours　the　horses　had　gone　twelve
leagues　without　stopping；　their　legs　began　to　tremble；　and
the　foam　they　shed　whitened　the　doublets　of　their　masters。
〃Let　us　rest　here　an　instant　to　give　these　poor　creatures
breathing　time；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Let　us　rather　kill　them！　yes；　kill　them！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；
〃I　see　fresh　tracks；　'tis　not　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since
they　passed　this　place。〃
In　fact；　the　road　was　trodden　by　horses'　feet；　visible　even
in　the　approaching　gloom　of　evening。
They　set　out；　after　a　run　of　two　leagues；　Musqueton's　horse
sank。
〃Gracious　me！〃　said　Porthos；　〃there's　Phoebus　ruined。〃
〃The　cardinal　will　pay　you　a　hundred　pistoles。〃
〃I'm　above　that。〃
〃Let　us　set　out　again；　at　full　gallop。〃
〃Yes；　if　we　can。〃
But　at　last　the　lieutenant's　horse　refused　to　go　on；　he
could　not　breathe；　one　last　spur；　instead　of　making　him
advance；　made　him　fall。
〃The　devil！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　〃there's　Vulcan　foundered。〃
〃Zounds！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃then　we　must　stop！　Give　me　your
horse；　Porthos。　What　the　devil　are　you　doing？〃
〃By　Jove；　I　am　falling；　or　rather；　Bayard　is　falling；〃
answered　Porthos。
All　three　then　cried：　〃All's　over。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃What　is　it？〃
〃I　hear　a　horse。〃
〃It　belongs　to　one　of　our　companions；　who　is　overtaking　us。〃
〃No；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it　is　in　advance。〃
〃That　is　another　thing；〃　said　Porthos；　and　he　listened
toward　the　quarter　indicated　by　D'Artagnan。
〃Monsieur；〃　said　Musqueton；　who；　abandoning　his　horse　on　the
high　road；　had　come　on　foot　to　rejoin　his　master；　〃Phoebus
could　no　longer　hold　out　and　　〃
〃Silence！〃　said　Porthos。
In　fact；　at　that　moment　a　second　neighing　was　borne　to　them
on　the　night　wind。
〃It　is　five　hundred　feet　from　here；　in　advance；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃True；　monsieur；〃　said　Musqueton；　〃and　five　hundred　feet
from　here　is　a　small　hunting…house。〃
〃Musqueton；　thy　pistols；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃I　have　them　at　hand；　monsieur。〃
〃Porthos；　take　yours　from　your　holsters。〃
〃I　have　them。〃
〃Good！〃