twenty years after(二十年后)-第5节

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Here　they　separated　and　bidding　adieu　to　Guitant　in　the
court　of　the　Palais　Royal；　Mazarin　approached　an　officer　who
was　walking　up　and　down　within　that　inclosure。
It　was　D'Artagnan；　who　was　waiting　for　him。
〃Cane　hither；〃　said　Mazarin　in　his　softest　voice；　〃I　have　an
order　to　give　you。〃
D'Artagnan　bent　low　and　following　the　cardinal　up　the　secret
staircase；　soon　found　himself　in　the　study　whence　they　had
first　set　out。
The　cardinal　seated　himself　before　his　bureau　and　taking　a
sheet　of　paper　wrote　some　lines　upon　it；　whilst　D'Artagnan
stood　imperturbable；　without　showing　either　impatience　or
curiosity。　He　was　like　a　soldierly　automaton；　or　rather；
like　a　magnificent　marionette。
The　cardinal　folded　and　sealed　his　letter。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　to　take　this
dispatch　to　the　Bastile　and　bring　back　here　the　person　it
concerns。　You　must　take　a　carriage　and　an　escort；　and　guard
the　prisoner　with　the　greatest　care。〃
D'Artagnan　took　the　letter；　touched　his　hat　with　his　hand；
turned　round　upon　his　heel　like　a　drill…sergeant；　and　a
moment　afterward　was　heard；　in　his　dry　and　monotonous　tone；
commanding　〃Four　men　and　an　escort；　a　carriage　and　a　horse。〃
Five　minutes　afterward　the　wheels　of　the　carriage　and　the
horses'　shoes　were　heard　resounding　on　the　pavement　of　the
courtyard。

3
Dead　Animosities。

D'Artagnan　arrived　at　the　Bastile　just　as　it　was　striking
half…past　eight。　His　visit　was　announced　to　the　governor；
who；　on　hearing　that　he　came　from　the　cardinal；　went　to　meet
him　and　received　him　at　the　top　of　the　great　flight　of　steps
outside　the　door。　The　governor　of　the　Bastile　was　Monsieur
du　Tremblay；　the　brother　of　the　famous　Capuchin；　Joseph；
that　fearful　favorite　of　Richelieu's；　who　went　by　the　name
of　the　Gray　Cardinal。
During　the　period　that　the　Duc　de　Bassompierre　passed　in　the
Bastile　　where　he　remained　for　twelve　long　years　　when
his　companions；　in　their　dreams　of　liberty；　said　to　each
other：　〃As　for　me；　I　shall　go　out　of　the　prison　at　such　a
time；〃　and　another；　at　such　and　such　a　time；　the　duke　used
to　answer；　〃As　for　me；　gentlemen；　I　shall　leave　only　when
Monsieur　du　Tremblay　leaves；〃　meaning　that　at　the　death　of
the　cardinal　Du　Tremblay　would　certainly　lose　his　place　at
the　Bastile　and　De　Bassompierre　regain　his　at　court。
His　prediction　was　nearly　fulfilled；　but　in　a　very　different
way　from　that　which　De　Bassompierre　supposed；　for　after　the
death　of　Richelieu　everything　went　on；　contrary　to
expectation；　in　the　same　way　as　before；　and　Bassompierre　had
little　chance　of　leaving　his　prison。
Monsieur　du　Tremblay　received　D'Artagnan　with　extreme
politeness　and　invited　him　to　sit　down　with　him　to　supper；
of　which　he　was　himself　about　to　partake。
〃I　should　be　delighted　to　do　so；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　if　I
am　not　mistaken；　the　words　‘In　haste；'　are　written　on　the
envelope　of　the　letter　which　I　brought。〃
〃You　are　right；〃　said　Du　Tremblay。　〃Halloo；　major！　tell　them
to　order　Number　25　to　come　downstairs。〃
The　unhappy　wretch　who　entered　the　Bastile　ceased；　as　he
crossed　the　threshold；　to　be　a　man　　he　became　a　number。
D'Artagnan　shuddered　at　the　noise　of　the　keys；　he　remained
on　horseback；　feeling　no　inclination　to　dismount；　and　sat
looking　at　the　bars；　at　the　buttressed　windows　and　the
immense　walls　he　had　hitherto　only　seen　from　the　other　side
of　the　moat；　but　by　which　he　had　for　twenty　years　been
awe…struck。
A　bell　resounded。
〃I　must　leave　you；〃　said　Du　Tremblay；　〃I　am　sent　for　to　sign
the　release　of　a　prisoner。　I　shall　be　happy　to　meet　you
again；　sir。〃
〃May　the　devil　annihilate　me　if　I　return　thy　wish！〃　murmured
D'Artagnan；　smiling　as　he　pronounced　the　imprecation；　〃I
declare　I　feel　quite　ill　after　only　being　five　minutes　in
the　courtyard。　Go　to！　go　to！　I　would　rather　die　on　straw
than　hoard　up　a　thousand　a　year　by　being　governor　of　the
Bastile。〃
He　had　scarcely　finished　this　soliloquy　before　the　prisoner
arrived。　On　seeing　him　D'Artagnan　could　hardly　suppress　an
exclamation　of　surprise。　The　prisoner　got　into　the　carriage
without　seeming　to　recognize　the　musketeer。
〃Gentlemen；〃　thus　D'Artagnan　addressed　the　four　musketeers；
〃I　am　ordered　to　exercise　the　greatest　possible　care　in
guarding　the　prisoner；　and　since　there　are　no　locks　to　the
carriage；　I　shall　sit　beside　him。　Monsieur　de　Lillebonne；
lead　my　horse　by　the　bridle；　if　you　please。〃　As　he　spoke　he
dismounted；　gave　the　bridle　of　his　horse　to　the　musketeer
and　placing　himself　by　the　side　of　the　prisoner　said；　in　a
voice　perfectly　composed；　〃To　the　Palais　Royal；　at　full
trot。〃
The　carriage　drove　on　and　D'Artagnan；　availing　himself　of
the　darkness　in　the　archway　under　which　they　were　passing；
threw　himself　into　the　arms　of　the　prisoner。
〃Rochefort！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you！　is　it　you；　indeed？　I　am　not
mistaken？〃
〃D'Artagnan！〃　cried　Rochefort。
〃Ah！　my　poor　friend！〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；　〃not　having　seen
you　for　four　or　five　years　I　concluded　you　were　dead。〃
〃I'faith；〃　said　Rochefort；　〃there's　no　great　difference；　I
think；　between　a　dead　man　and　one　who　has　been　buried　alive；
now　I　have　been　buried　alive；　or　very　nearly　so。〃
〃And　for　what　crime　are　you　imprisoned　in　the　Bastile。〃
〃Do　you　wish　me　to　speak　the　truth？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；　then；　I　don't　know。〃
〃Have　you　any　suspicion　of　me；　Rochefort？〃
〃No！　on　the　honor　of　a　gentleman；　but　I　cannot　be　imprisoned
for　the　reason　alleged；　it　is　impossible。〃
〃What　reason？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃For　stealing。〃
〃For　stealing！　you；　Rochefort！　you　are　laughing　at　me。〃
〃I　understand。　You　mean　that　this　demands　explanation；　do
you　not？〃
〃I　admit　it。〃
〃Well；　this　is　what　actually　took　place：　One　evening　after
an　orgy　in　Reinard's　apartment　at　the　Tuileries　with　the　Duc
d'Harcourt；　Fontrailles；　De　Rieux　and　others；　the　Duc
d'Harcourt　proposed　that　we　should　go　and　pull　cloaks　on　the
Pont　Neuf；　that　is；　you　know；　a　diversion　which　the　Duc
d'Orleans　made　quite　the　fashion。〃
〃Were　you　crazy；　Rochefort？　at　your　age！〃
〃No；　I　was　drunk。　And　yet；　since　the　amusement　seemed　to　me
rather　tame；　I　proposed　to　Chevalier　de　Rieux　that　we　should
be　spectators　instead　of　actors；　and；　in　order　to　see　to
advantage；　that　we　should　mount　the　bronze　horse。　No　sooner
said　than　done。　Thanks　to　the　spurs；　which　served　as
stirrups；　in　a　moment　we　were　perched　upon　the　croupe；　we
were　well　placed　and　saw　everything。　Four　or　five　cloaks　had
already　been　lifted；　with　a　dexterity　without　parallel；　and
not　one　of　the　victims　had　dared　to　say　a　word；　when　some
fool　of　a　fellow；　less　patient　than　the　others；　took　it　into
his　head　to　cry　out；　‘Guard！'　and　drew　upon　us　a　patrol　of
archers。　Duc　d'Harcourt；　Fontrailles；　and　the　others
escaped；　De　Rieux　was　inclined　to　do　likewise；　but　I　told
him　they　wouldn't　look　for　us　where　we　were。　He　wouldn't
listen；　put　his　foot　on　the　spur　to　get　down；　the　spur
broke；　he　fell　with　a　broken　leg；　and；　instead　of　keeping
quiet；　took　to　crying　out　like　a　gallows…bird。　I　then　was
ready　to　dismount；　but　it　was　too　late；　I　descended　into　the
arms　of　the　archers。　They　conducted　me　to　the　Chatelet；
where　I　slept　soundly；　being　very　sure　that　on　the　next　day
I　should　go　forth　free。　The　next　day　came　and　passed；　the
day　after；　a　week；　I　then　wrote　to　the　cardinal。　The　same
day　they　came　for　me　and　took　me　to　the　Bastile。　That　was
five　years　ago。　Do　you　believe　it　was　because　I　committed
the　sacrilege　of　mounting　en　croupe　behind　Henry　IV。？〃
〃No；　you　are　right；　my　dear　Rochefort；　it　couldn't　be　for
that；　but　you　will　probably　learn　the　reason　soon。〃
〃Ah；　indeed！　I　forgot　to　ask　you　　where　are　you　taking
me？〃
〃To　the　cardinal。〃
〃What　does　he　want　with　me？〃
〃I　do　not　know。　I　did　not　even　know　that　you　were　the　person
I　was　sent　to　fetch。〃
〃Impossible　　you　　a　favorite　of　the　minister！〃
〃A　favorite！　no；　indeed！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃Ah；　my　poor
friend！　I　am　just　as　poor　a　Gascon　as　when　I　saw　you　at
Meung；　twenty…two　years　ago；　you　know；　alas！〃　and　he
concluded　his　speech　with　a　deep　sigh。
〃Nevertheless；　you　come　as　one　in　authority。〃
〃Because　I　happened　to　be　in　the　ante…chamber　when　the
cardinal　called　me；　by　the　merest　chance。　I　am　still　a
lieutenant　in　the　musketeers　and　have　been　so　these　twenty
years。〃
〃Then　no　misfortune　has　happened　to　you？〃
〃And　what　misfortune　could　happen　to　me？　To　quote　some　Latin
verses　I　have　forgotten；　or　rather；　never　knew　well；　‘the
thunderbolt　never　falls　on　the　valleys；'　and　I　am　a　valley；
dear　Rochefort；　　one　of　the　lowliest　of　the　low。〃
〃Then　Mazarin　is　still　Mazarin？〃
〃The　same　as　ever；　my　friend；　it　is　said　that　he　is　married
to　the　queen。〃
〃Married？〃
〃If　not　her　husband；　he　is　unquestionably　her　lover。〃
〃You　surprise　me。　Rebuff　Buckingham　and　consent　to　Mazarin！〃
〃Just　like　the　women；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　coolly。
〃Like　women；　not　like　queens。〃
〃Egad！　queens　are　the　weakest　of　their　sex；　when　it　comes　to
such　things　as　these。〃
〃And　M。　de　Beaufort　　is　he　still　in　prison？〃
〃Yes。　Why？〃
〃Oh；　nothing；　but　that　he　might　get　me　out　of　this；　if　he
were　favorably　inclined　to　me。〃
〃You　are　probably　nearer　freedom　than　he　is；　so　it　will　be
your　business　to　get　him　out。〃
〃And；〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃what　talk　is　there　of　war　with
Spain？〃
〃With　Spain；　no；〃　answered