twenty years after(二十年后)-第52节

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tired；　but　he　was　desirous　of　testing　his　strength；　and；
brought　up　in　the　principles　of　Athos　and　certain　of　having
heard　him　speak　a　thousand　times　of　stages　of　twenty…five
leagues；　he　did　not　wish　to　fall　far　short　of　his　model。
D'Artagnan；　that　man　of　iron；　who　seemed　to　be　made　of　nerve
and　muscle　only；　had　struck　him　with　admiration。　Therefore；
in　spite　of　Olivain's　remarks；　he　continued　to　urge　his
steed　more　and　more；　and　following　a　pleasant　little　path；
leading　to　a　ferry；　and　which　he　had　been　assured　shortened
the　journey　by　the　distance　of　one　league；　he　arrived　at　the
summit　of　a　hill　and　perceived　the　river　flowing　before　him。
A　little　troop　of　men　on　horseback　were　waiting　on　the　edge
of　the　stream；　ready　to　embark。　Raoul　did　not　doubt　this　was
the　gentleman　and　his　escort；　he　called　out　to　him；　but　they
were　too　distant　to　be　heard；　then；　in　spite　of　the
weariness　of　his　beast；　he　made　it　gallop　but　the　rising
ground　soon　deprived　him　of　all　sight　of　the　travelers；　and
when　he　had　again　attained　a　new　height；　the　ferryboat　had
left　the　shore　and　was　making　for　the　opposite　bank。　Raoul；
seeing　that　he　could　not　arrive　in　time　to　cross　the　ferry
with　the　travelers；　halted　to　wait　for　Olivain。　At　this
moment　a　shriek　was　heard　that　seemed　to　come　from　the
river。　Raoul　turned　toward　the　side　whence　the　cry　had
sounded；　and　shaded　his　eyes　from　the　glare　of　the　setting
sun　with　his　hand。
〃Olivain！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　do　I　see　below　there？〃
A　second　scream；　more　piercing　than　the　first；　now　sounded。
〃Oh；　sir！〃　cried　Olivain；　〃the　rope　which　holds　the
ferryboat　has　broken　and　the　boat　is　drifting。　But　what　do　I
see　in　the　water　　something　struggling？〃
〃Oh；　yes；〃　exclaimed　Raoul；　fixing　his　glance　on　one　point
in　the　stream；　splendidly　illumined　by　the　setting　sun；　〃a
horse；　a　rider！〃
〃They　are　sinking！〃　cried　Olivain　in　his　turn。
It　was　true；　and　Raoul　was　convinced　that　some　accident　had
happened　and　that　a　man　was　drowning；　he　gave　his　horse　its
head；　struck　his　spurs　into　its　sides；　and　the　animal；　urged
by　pain　and　feeling　that　he　had　space　open　before　him；
bounded　over　a　kind　of　paling　which　inclosed　the　landing
place；　and　fell　into　the　river；　scattering　to　a　distance
waves　of　white　froth。
〃Ah；　sir！〃　cried　Olivain；　〃what　are　you　doing？　Good　God！〃
Raoul　was　directing　his　horse　toward　the　unhappy　man　in
danger。　This　was；　in　fact；　a　custom　familiar　to　him。　Having
been　brought　up　on　the　banks　of　the　Loire；　he　might　have
been　said　to　have　been　cradled　on　its　waves；　a　hundred　times
he　had　crossed　it　on　horseback；　a　thousand　times　had　swum
across。　Athos；　foreseeing　the　period　when　he　should　make　a
soldier　of　the　viscount；　had　inured　him　to　all　kinds　of
arduous　undertakings。
〃Oh；　heavens！〃　continued　Olivain；　in　despair；　〃what　would
the　count　say　if　he　only　saw　you　now！〃
〃The　count　would　do　as　I　do；〃　replied　Raoul；　urging　his
horse　vigorously　forward。
〃But　I　　but　I；〃　cried　Olivain；　pale　and　disconsolate
rushing　about　on　the　shore；　〃how　shall　I　cross？〃
〃Leap；　coward！〃　cried　Raoul；　swimming　on；　then　addressing
the　traveler；　who　was　struggling　twenty　yards　in　front　of
him：　〃Courage；　sir！〃　said　he；　〃courage！　we　are　coming　to
your　aid。〃
Olivain　advanced；　retired；　then　made　his　horse　rear　
turned　it　and　then；　struck　to　the　core　by　shame；　leaped；　as
Raoul　had　done；　only　repeating：
〃I　am　a　dead　man！　we　are　lost！〃
In　the　meantime；　the　ferryboat　had　floated　away；　carried
down　by　the　stream；　and　the　shrieks　of　those　whom　it
contained　resounded　more　and　more。　A　man　with　gray　hair　had
thrown　himself　from　the　boat　into　the　river　and　was　swimming
vigorously　toward　the　person　who　was　drowning；　but　being
obliged　to　go　against　the　current　he　advanced　but　slowly。
Raoul　continued　his　way　and　was　visibly　gaining　ground；　but
the　horse　and　its　rider；　of　whom　he　did　not　lose　sight；　were
evidently　sinking。　The　nostrils　of　the　horse　were　no　longer
above　water；　and　the　rider；　who　had　lost　the　reins　in
struggling；　fell　with　his　head　back　and　his　arms　extended。
One　moment　longer　and　all　would　disappear。
〃Courage！〃　cried　Raoul；　〃courage！〃
〃Too　late！〃　murmured　the　young　man；　〃too　late！〃
The　water　closed　above　his　head　and　stifled　his　voice。
Raoul　sprang　from　his　horse；　to　which　he　left　the　charge　of
its　own　preservation；　and　in　three　or　four　strokes　was　at
the　gentleman's　side；　he　seized　the　horse　at　once　by　the
curb　and　raised　its　head　above　water；　the　animal　began　to
breathe　again　and；　as　if　he　comprehended　that　they　had　come
to　his　aid；　redoubled　his　efforts。　Raoul　at　the　same　time
seized　one　of　the　young　man's　hands　and　placed　it　on　the
mane；　which　it　grasped　with　the　tenacity　of　a　drowning　man。
Thus；　sure　that　the　rider　would　not　release　his　hold；　Raoul
now　only　directed　his　attention　to　the　horse；　which　he
guided　to　the　opposite　bank；　helping　it　to　cut　through　the
water　and　encouraging　it　with　words。
All　at　once　the　horse　stumbled　against　a　ridge　and　then
placed　its　foot　on　the　sand。
〃Saved！〃　exclaimed　the　man　with　gray　hair；　who　also　touched
bottom。
〃Saved！〃　mechanically　repeated　the　young　gentleman；
releasing　the　mane　and　sliding　from　the　saddle　into　Raoul's
arms；　Raoul　was　but　ten　yards　from　the　shore；　there　he　bore
the　fainting　man；　and　laying　him　down　upon　the　grass；
unfastened　the　buttons　of　his　collar　and　unhooked　his
doublet。　A　moment　later　the　gray…headed　man　was　beside　him。
Olivain　managed　in　his　turn　to　land；　after　crossing　himself
repeatedly；　and　the　people　in　the　ferryboat　guided
themselves　as　well　as　they　were　able　toward　the　bank；　with
the　aid　of　a　pole　which　chanced　to　be　in　the　boat。
Thanks　to　the　attentions　of　Raoul　and　the　man　who
accompanied　the　young　gentleman；　the　color　gradually
returned　to　the　pale　cheeks　of　the　dying　man；　who　opened　his
eyes；　at　first　entirely　bewildered；　but　who　soon　fixed　his
gaze　upon　the　person　who　had　saved　him。
〃Ah；　sir；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　was　you！　Without　you　I　was　a
dead　man　　thrice　dead。〃
〃But　one　recovers；　sir；　as　you　perceive；〃　replied　Raoul；
〃and　we　have　but　had　a　little　bath。〃
〃Oh！　sir；　what　gratitude　I　feel！〃　exclaimed　the　man　with
gray　hair。
〃Ah；　there　you　are；　my　good　D'Arminges；　I　have　given　you　a
great　fright；　have　I　not？　but　it　is　your　own　fault。　You　were
my　tutor；　why　did　you　not　teach　me　to　swim？〃
〃Oh；　monsieur　le　comte；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃had　any
misfortune　happened　to　you；　I　should　never　have　dared　to
show　myself　to　the　marshal　again。〃
〃But　how　did　the　accident　happen？〃　asked　Raoul。
〃Oh；　sir；　in　the　most　natural　way　possible；〃　replied　he　to
whom　they　had　given　the　title　of　count。　〃We　were　about　a
third　of　the　way　across　the　river　when　the　cord　of　the
ferryboat　broke。　Alarmed　by　the　cries　and　gestures　of　the
boatmen；　my　horse　sprang　into　the　water。　I　cannot　swim；　and
dared　not　throw　myself　into　the　river。　Instead　of　aiding　the
movements　of　my　horse；　I　paralyzed　them；　and　I　was　just
going　to　drown　myself　with　the　best　grace　in　the　world；　when
you　arrived　just　in　time　to　pull　me　out　of　the　water；
therefore；　sir；　if　you　will　agree；　henceforward　we　are
friends　until　death。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　Raoul；　bowing；　〃I　am　entirely　at　your
service；　I　assure　you。〃
〃I　am　called　the　Count　de　Guiche；〃　continued　the　young　man；
〃my　father　is　the　Marechal　de　Grammont；　and　now　that　you
know　who　I　am；　do　me　the　honor　to　inform　me　who　you　are。〃
〃I　am　the　Viscount　de　Bragelonne；〃　answered　Raoul；　blushing
at　being　unable　to　name　his　father；　as　the　Count　de　Guiche
had　done。
〃Viscount；　your　countenance；　your　goodness　and　your　courage
incline　me　toward　you；　my　gratitude　is　already　due。　Shake
hands　　I　crave　your　friendship。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Raoul；　returning　the　count's　pressure　of　the
hand；　〃I　like　you　already；　from　my　heart；　pray　regard　me　as
a　devoted　friend；　I　beseech　you。〃
And　now；　where　are　you　going；　viscount？〃　inquired　De　Guiche。
〃To　join　the　army；　under　the　prince；　count。〃
〃And　I；　too！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　in　a　transport　of
joy。　〃Oh；　so　much　the　better；　we　will　fire　the　first　shot
together。〃
〃It　is　well；　be　friends；〃　said　the　tutor；　〃young　as　you　both
are；　you　were　perhaps　born　under　the　same　star　and　were
destined　to　meet。　And　now；〃　continued　he；　〃you　must　change
your　clothes；　your　servants；　to　whom　I　gave　directions　the
moment　they　had　left　the　ferryboat；　ought　to　be　already　at
the　inn。　Linen　and　wine　are　both　being　warmed；　come。〃
The　young　men　had　no　objection　to　this　proposition；　on　the
contrary；　they　thought　it　very　timely。
They　mounted　again　at　once；　whilst　looks　of　admiration
passed　between　them。　They　were　indeed　two　elegant　horsemen；
with　figures　slight　and　upright；　noble　faces；　bright　and
proud　looks；　loyal　and　intelligent　smiles。
De　Guiche　might　have　been　about　eighteen　years　of　age；　but
he　was　scarcely　taller　than　Raoul；　who　was　only　fifteen。

30
Skirmishing。

The　halt　at　Noyon　was　but　brief；　every　one　there　being
wrapped　in　profound　sleep。　Raoul　had　desired　to　be　awakened
should　Grimaud　arrive；　but　Grimaud　did　not　arrive。
Doubtless；　too；　the　horses　on　their　part　appreciated　the
eight　hours　of　repose　and　the　abundant　stabling　which　was
granted　them。　The　Count　de　Guiche　was　awakened　at　five
o'clock　in　the　morning　by　Raoul；　who　cam