twenty years after(二十年后)-第48节

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Porthos　ran　to　him。　〃Art　thou　dangerously　wounded；　my　dear
Musqueton？〃　he　said。
〃No；　sir；　but　I　am　severely。〃
〃What　can　we　do？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　must　return　to
Paris。〃
〃I　will　take　care　of　Musqueton；〃　said　Grimaud；　and　he　gave
his　arm　to　his　old　comrade；　whose　eyes　were　full　of　tears；
nor　could　Grimaud　tell　whether　the　tears　were　caused　by
wounds　or　by　the　pleasure　of　seeing　him　again。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　went　on；　meantime；　to　Paris。　They
were　passed　by　a　sort　of　courier；　covered　with　dust；　the
bearer　of　a　letter　from　the　duke　to　the　cardinal；　giving
testimony　to　the　valor　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。
Mazarin　had　passed　a　very　bad　night　when　this　letter　was
brought　to　him；　announcing　that　the　duke　was　free　and　that
he　would　henceforth　raise　up　mortal　strife　against　him。
〃What　consoles　me；〃　said　the　cardinal　after　reading　the
letter；　〃is　that；　at　least；　in　this　chase；　D'Artagnan　has
done　me　one　good　turn　　he　has　destroyed　Broussel。　This
Gascon　is　a　precious　fellow；　even　his　misadventures　are　of
use。〃
The　cardinal　referred　to　that　man　whom　D'Artagnan　upset　at
the　corner　of　the　Cimetiere　Saint　Jean　in　Paris；　and　who　was
no　other　than　the　Councillor　Broussel。

27
The　four　old　Friends　prepare　to　meet　again。

〃Well；〃　said　Porthos；　seated　in　the　courtyard　of　the　Hotel
de　la　Chevrette；　to　D'Artagnan；　who；　with　a　long　and
melancholy　face；　had　returned　from　the　Palais　Royal；　〃did　he
receive　you　ungraciously；　my　dear　friend？〃
〃I'faith；　yes！　a　brute；　that　cardinal。　What　are　you　eating
there；　Porthos？〃
〃I　am　dipping　a　biscuit　in　a　glass　of　Spanish　wine；　do　the
same。〃
〃You　are　right。　Gimblou；　a　glass　of　wine。〃
〃Well；　how　has　all　gone　off？〃
〃Zounds！　you　know　there's　only　one　way　of　saying　things；　so
I　went　in　and　said；　‘My　lord；　we　were　not　the　strongest
party。'
〃‘Yes；　I　know　that；'　he　said；　‘but　give　me　the　particulars。'
〃You　know；　Porthos；　I　could　not　give　him　the　particulars
without　naming　our　friends；　to　name　them　would　be　to　commit
them　to　ruin；　so　I　merely　said　they　were　fifty　and　we　were
two。
〃‘There　was　firing；　nevertheless；　I　heard；'　he　said；　‘and
your　swords　　they　saw　the　light　of　day；　I　presume？'
〃‘That　is；　the　night；　my　lord；'　I　answered。
〃‘Ah！'　cried　the　cardinal；　‘I　thought　you　were　a　Gascon；　my
friend？'
〃‘I　am　a　Gascon；'　said　I；　‘only　when　I　succeed。'　The　answer
pleased　him　and　he　laughed。
〃‘That　will　teach　me；'　he　said；　‘to　have　my　guards　provided
with　better　horses；　for　if　they　had　been　able　to　keep　up
with　you　and　if　each　one　of　them　had　done　as　much　as　you　and
your　friend；　you　would　have　kept　your　word　and　would　have
brought　him　back　to　me　dead　or　alive。'〃
〃Well；　there's　nothing　bad　in　that；　it　seems　to　me；〃　said
Porthos。
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！　no；　nothing　at　all。　It　was　the　way　in　which
he　spoke。　It　is　incredible　how　these　biscuit　soak　up　wine！
They　are　veritable　sponges！　Gimblou；　another　bottle。〃
The　bottle　was　brought　with　a　promptness　which　showed　the
degree　of　consideration　D'Artagnan　enjoyed　in　the
establishment。　He　continued：
〃So　I　was　going　away；　but　he　called　me　back。
〃‘You　have　had　three　horses　foundered　or　killed？'　he　asked
me。
〃‘Yes；　my　lord。'
〃‘How　much　were　they　worth？'〃
〃Why；〃　said　Porthos；　〃that　was　very　good　of　him；　it　seems　to
me。〃
〃‘A　thousand　pistoles；'　I　said。〃
〃A　thousand　pistoles！〃　Porthos　exclaimed。　〃Oh！　oh！　that　is　a
large　sum。　If　he　knew　anything　about　horses　he　would　dispute
the　price。〃
〃Faith！　he　was　very　much　inclined　to　do　so；　the　contemptible
fellow。　He　made　a　great　start　and　looked　at　me。　I　also
looked　at　him；　then　he　understood；　and　putting　his　hand　into
a　drawer；　he　took　from　it　a　quantity　of　notes　on　a　bank　in
Lyons。〃
〃For　a　thousand　pistoles？〃
〃For　a　thousand　pistoles　　just　that　amount；　the　beggar；
not　one　too　many。〃
〃And　you　have　them？〃
〃They　are　here。〃
〃Upon　my　word；　I　think　he　acted　very　generously。〃
〃Generously！　to　men　who　had　risked　their　lives　for　him；　and
besides　had　done　him　a　great　service？〃
〃A　great　service　　what　was　that？〃
〃Why；　it　seems　that　I　crushed　for　him　a　parliament
councillor。〃
〃What！　that　little　man　in　black　that　you　upset　at　the　corner
of　Saint　Jean　Cemetery？〃
〃That's　the　man；　my　dear　fellow；　he　was　an　annoyance　to　the
cardinal。　Unfortunately；　I　didn't　crush　him　flat。　It　seems
that　he　came　to　himself　and　that　he　will　continue　to　be　an
annoyance。〃
〃See　that；　now！〃　said　Porthos；　〃and　I　turned　my　horse　aside
from　going　plump　on　to　him！　That　will　be　for　another　time。〃
〃He　owed　me　for　the　councillor；　the　pettifogger！〃
〃But；〃　said　Porthos；　〃if　he　was　not　crushed　completely　
〃
〃Ah！　Monsieur　de　Richelieu　would　have　said；　‘Five　hundred
crowns　for　the　councillor。'　Well；　let's　say　no　more　about
it。　How　much　were　your　animals　worth；　Porthos？〃
〃Ah；　if　poor　Musqueton　were　here　he　could　tell　you　to　a
fraction。〃
〃No　matter；　you　can　tell　within　ten　crowns。〃
〃Why；　Vulcan　and　Bayard　cost　me　each　about　two　hundred
pistoles；　and　putting　Phoebus　at　a　hundred　and　fifty；　we
should　be　pretty　near　the　amount。〃
〃There　will　remain；　then；　four　hundred　and　fifty　pistoles；〃
said　D'Artagnan；　contentedly。
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃but　there　are　the　equipments。〃
〃That　is　very　true。　Well；　how　much　for　the　equipments？〃
〃If　we　say　one　hundred　pistoles　for　the　three　　〃
〃Good　for　the　hundred　pistoles；　there　remains；　then；　three
hundred　and　fifty。〃
Porthos　made　a　sign　of　assent。
〃We　will　give　the　fifty　pistoles　to　the　hostess　for　our
expenses；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　share　the　three　hundred。〃
〃We　will　share；〃　said　Porthos。
〃A　paltry　piece　of　business！〃　murmured　D'Artagnan　crumpling
his　note。
〃Pooh！〃　said　Porthos；　〃it　is　always　that。　But　tell　me　　〃
〃What？〃
〃Didn't　he　speak　of　me　in　any　way？〃
〃Ah！　yes；　indeed！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　who　was　afraid　of
disheartening　his　friend　by　telling　him　that　the　cardinal
had　not　breathed　a　word　about　him；　〃yes；　surely；　he　said
　〃
〃He　said？〃　resumed　Porthos。
〃Stop；　I　want　to　remember　his　exact　words。　He　said；　‘As　to
your　friend；　tell　him　he　may　sleep　in　peace。'〃
〃Good；　very　good；〃　said　Porthos；　〃that　signified　as　clear　as
daylight　that　he　still　intends　to　make　me　a　baron。〃
At　this　moment　nine　o'clock　struck。　D'Artagnan　started。
〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃there　is　nine　o'clock。　We　have　a
rendezvous；　you　remember；　at　the　Place　Royale。〃
〃Ah！　stop！　hold　your　peace；　Porthos；　don't　remind　me　of　it；
'tis　that　which　has　made　me　so　cross　since　yesterday。　I
shall　not　go。〃
〃Why？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Because　it　is　a　grievous　thing　for　me　to　meet　again　those
two　men　who　caused　the　failure　of　our　enterprise。〃
〃And　yet；〃　said　Porthos；　〃neither　of　them　had　any　advantage
over　us。　I　still　had　a　loaded　pistol　and　you　were　in　full
fight；　sword　in　hand。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　what　if　this　rendezvous　had
some　hidden　purpose？〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Porthos；　〃you　can't　think　that；　D'Artagnan！〃
D'Artagnan　did　not　believe　Athos　to　be　capable　of　a
deception；　but　he　sought　an　excuse　for　not　going　to　the
rendezvous。
〃We　must　go；〃　said　the　superb　lord　of　Bracieux；　〃lest　they
should　say　we　were　afraid。　We　who　have　faced　fifty　foes　on
the　high　road　can　well　meet　two　in　the　Place　Royale。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　but　they　took　part　with　the　princes　without
apprising　us　of　it。　Athos　and　Aramis　have　played　a　game　with
me　which　alarms　me。　We　discovered　yesterday　the　truth；　what
is　the　use　of　going　to…day　to　learn　something　else？〃
〃You　really　have　some　distrust；　then？〃　said　Porthos。
〃Of　Aramis；　yes；　since　he　has　become　an　abbe。　You　can't
imagine；　my　dear　fellow；　the　sort　of　man　he　is。　He　sees　us
on　the　road　which　leads　him　to　a　bishopric；　and　perhaps　will
not　be　sorry　to　get　us　out　of　his　way。〃
〃Ah；　as　regards　Aramis；　that　is　another　thing；〃　said
Porthos；　〃and　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　at　all。〃
〃Perhaps　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　will　try；　in　his　turn；　to　lay
hands　on　us。〃
〃Nonsense！　He　had　us　in　his　power　and　he　let　us　go。　Besides
we　can　be　on　our　guard；　let　us　take　arms；　let　Planchet　post
himself　behind　us　with　his　carbine。〃
〃Planchet　is　a　Frondeur；〃　answered　D'Artagnan。
〃Devil　take　these　civil　wars！　one　can　no　more　now　reckon　on
one's　friends　than　on　one's　footmen；〃　said　Porthos。　〃Ah！　if
Musqueton　were　here！　there's　a　fellow　who　will　never　desert
me！〃
〃So　long　as　you　are　rich！　Ah！　my　friend！　'tis　not　civil　war
that　disunites　us。　It　is　that　we　are　each　of　us　twenty　years
older；　it　is　that　the　honest　emotions　of　youth　have　given
place　to　suggestions　of　interest；　whispers　of　ambition；
counsels　of　selfishness。　Yes；　you　are　right；　let　us　go；
Porthos；　but　let　us　go　well　armed；　were　we　not　to　keep　the
rendezvous；　they　would　declare　we　were　afraid。　Halloo！
Planchet！　here！　saddle　our　horses；　take　your　carbine。〃
〃Whom　are　we　going　to　attack；　sir？〃
〃No　one；　a　mere　matter　of　precaution；〃　answered　the　Gascon。
〃You　know；　sir；　that　they　wished　to　murder　that　good
councillor；　Broussel；　the　father　of　the　people？〃
〃Really；　did　they？〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　but　he　has　been　avenged。　He　was　carried　home　in　the
arms　of　the　people。　His　house　has　been　full　ever　since。　He
has　received　visits　from　the　coadjutor；　from　Madame　de
Longueville；　and　the　Prince　de　Conti；　Madame　de　Chevreuse
and　Madame　de　Vendome　have　left　their　names　at　his　door。　And
now；　whenever　he　wishes　　〃
〃Well；　whenever　he　w