twenty years after(二十年后)-第57节

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door。　The　executioner　thought　that　he　had　abandoned　him　and
fell　back；　groaning；　upon　his　bed。
〃No；　no；　I　am　here；〃　said　the　monk；　quickly　coming　back　to
him。　〃Go　on；　who　were　those　men？〃
〃One　of　them　was　a　foreigner；　English；　I　think。　The　four
others　were　French　and　wore　the　uniform　of　musketeers。〃
〃Their　names？〃　asked　the　monk。
〃I　don't　know　them；　but　the　four　other　noblemen　called　the
Englishman　‘my　lord。'〃
〃Was　the　woman　handsome？〃
〃Young　and　beautiful。　Oh；　yes；　especially　beautiful。　I　see
her　now；　as　on　her　knees　at　my　feet；　with　her　head　thrown
back；　she　begged　for　life。　I　have　never　understood　how　I
could　have　laid　low　a　head　so　beautiful；　with　a　face　so
pale。〃
The　monk　seemed　agitated　by　a　strange　emotion；　he　trembled
all　over；　he　seemed　eager　to　put　a　question　which　yet　he
dared　not　ask。　At　length；　with　a　violent　effort　at
self…control：
〃The　name　of　that　woman？〃　he　said。
〃I　don't　know　what　it　was。　As　I　have　said；　she　was　twice
married；　once　in　France；　the　second　time　in　England。〃
〃She　was　young；　you　say？〃
〃Twenty…five　years　old。〃
〃Beautiful？〃
〃Ravishingly。〃
〃Blond？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Abundance　of　hair　　falling　over　her　shoulders？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Eyes　of　an　admirable　expression？〃
〃When　she　chose。　Oh；　yes；　it　is　she！〃
〃A　voice　of　strange　sweetness？〃
〃How　do　you　know　it？〃
The　executioner　raised　himself　on　his　elbow　and　gazed　with　a
frightened　air　at　the　monk；　who　became　livid。
〃And　you　killed　her？〃　the　monk　exclaimed。　〃You　were　the　tool
of　those　cowards　who　dared　not　kill　her　themselves？　You　had
no　pity　for　that　youthfulness；　that　beauty；　that　weakness？
you　killed　that　woman？〃
〃Alas！　I　have　already　told　you；　father；　that　woman；　under
that　angelic　appearance；　had　an　infernal　soul；　and　when　I
saw　her；　when　I　recalled　all　the　evil　she　had　done　to　me
　〃
〃To　you？　What　could　she　have　done　to　you？　Come；　tell　me！〃
〃She　had　seduced　and　ruined　my　brother；　a　priest。　She　had
fled　with　him　from　her　convent。〃
〃With　your　brother？〃
〃Yes；　my　brother　was　her　first　lover；　and　she　caused　his
death。　Oh；　father；　do　not　look　in　that　way　at　me！　Oh；　I　am
guilty；　then；　you　will　not　pardon　me？〃
The　monk　recovered　his　usual　expression。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　pardon　you　if　you　tell　me　all。〃
〃Oh！〃　cried　the　executioner；　〃all！　all！　all！〃
〃Answer；　then。　If　she　seduced　your　brother　　you　said　she
seduced　him；　did　you　not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃If　she　caused　his　death　　you　said　that　she　caused　his
death？〃
〃Yes；〃　repeated　the　executioner。
〃Then　you　must　know　what　her　name　was　as　a　young　girl。〃
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！〃　cried　the　executioner；　〃I　think　I　am　dying。
Absolution；　father！　absolution。〃
〃Tell　me　her　name　and　I　will　give　it。〃
〃Her　name　was　　My　God；　have　pity　on　me！〃　murmured　the
executioner；　and　he　fell　back　on　the　bed；　pale；　trembling；
and　apparently　about　to　die。
〃Her　name！〃　repeated　the　monk；　bending　over　him　as　if　to
tear　from　him　the　name　if　he　would　not　utter　it；　〃her　name！
Speak；　or　no　absolution！〃
The　dying　man　collected　all　his　forces。
The　monk's　eyes　glittered。
〃Anne　de　Bueil；〃　murmured　the　wounded　man。
〃Anne　de　Bueil！〃　cried　the　monk；　standing　up　and　lifting　his
hands　to　Heaven。　〃Anne　de　Bueil！　You　said　Anne　de　Bueil；　did
you　not？〃
〃Yes；　yes；　that　was　her　name；　and　now　absolve　me；　for　I　am
dying。〃
〃I；　absolve　you！〃　cried　the　priest；　with　a　laugh　which　made
the　dying　man's　hair　stand　on　end；　〃I；　absolve　you？　I　am　not
a　priest。〃
〃You　are　not　a　priest！〃　cried　the　executioner。　〃What；　then；
are　you？〃
〃I　am　about　to　tell　you；　wretched　man。〃
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！〃
〃I　am　John　Francis　de　Winter。〃
〃I　do　not　know　you；〃　said　the　executioner。
〃Wait；　wait；　you　are　going　to　know　me。　I　am　John　Francis　de
Winter；〃　he　repeated；　〃and　that　woman　　〃
〃Well；　that　woman？〃
〃Was　my　mother！〃
The　executioner　uttered　the　first　cry；　that　terrible　cry
which　had　been　first　heard。
〃Oh；　pardon　me；　pardon　me！〃　he　murmured；　〃if　not　in　the　name
of　God；　at　least　in　your　own　name；　if　not　as　priest；　then　as
son。〃
〃Pardon　you！〃　cried　the　pretended　monk；　〃pardon　you！　Perhaps
God　will　pardon　you；　but　I；　never！〃
〃For　pity's　sake；〃　said　the　executioner；　extending　his　arms。
〃No　pity　for　him　who　had　no　pity！　Die；　impenitent；　die　in
despair；　die　and　be　damned！〃　And　drawing　a　poniard　from
beneath　his　robe　he　thrust　it　into　the　breast　of　the　wounded
man；　saying；　〃Here　is　my　absolution！〃
Then　was　heard　that　second　cry；　not　so　loud　as　the　first　and
followed　by　a　long　groan。
The　executioner；　who　had　lifted　himself　up；　fell　back　upon
his　bed。　As　to　the　monk；　without　withdrawing　the　poniard
from　the　wound；　he　ran　to　the　window；　opened　it；　leaped　out
into　the　flowers　of　a　small　garden；　glided　onward　to　the
stable；　took　out　his　mule；　went　out　by　a　back　gate；　ran　to　a
neighbouring　thicket；　threw　off　his　monkish　garb；　took　from
his　valise　the　complete　habiliment　of　a　cavalier；　clothed
himself　in　it；　went　on　foot　to　the　first　post；　secured　there
a　horse　and　continued　with　a　loose　rein　his　journey　to
Paris。

33
Grimaud　Speaks。

Grimaud　was　left　alone　with　the　executioner；　who　in　a　few
moments　opened　his　eyes。
〃Help；　help；〃　he　murmured；　〃oh；　God！　have　I　not　a　single
friend　in　the　world　who　will　aid　me　either　to　live　or　to
die？〃
〃Take　courage；〃　said　Grimaud；　〃they　are　gone　to　find
assistance。〃
〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　wounded　man；　fixing　his　half　opened
eyes　on　Grimaud。
〃An　old　acquaintance；〃　replied　Grimaud。
〃You？〃　and　the　wounded　man　sought　to　recall　the　features　of
the　person　now　before　him。
〃Under　what　circumstances　did　we　meet？〃　he　asked　again。
〃One　night；　twenty　years　ago；　my　master　fetched　you　from
Bethune　and　conducted　you　to　Armentieres。〃
〃I　know　you　well　now；〃　said　the　executioner；　〃you　were　one
of　the　four　grooms。〃
〃Just　so。〃
〃Where　do　you　come　from　now？〃
〃I　was　passing　by　and　drew　up　at　this　inn　to　rest　my　horse。
They　told　me　the　executioner　of　Bethune　was　here　and
wounded；　when　you　uttered　two　piercing　cries。　At　the　first
we　ran　to　the　door　and　at　the　second　forced　it　open。〃
〃And　the　monk？〃　exclaimed　the　executioner；　〃did　you　see　the
monk？〃
〃What　monk？〃
〃The　monk　that　was　shut　in　with　me。〃
〃No；　he　was　no　longer　here；　he　appears　to　have　fled　by　the
window。　Was　he　the　man　that　stabbed　you？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　the　executioner。
Grimaud　moved　as　if　to　leave　the　room。
〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　asked　the　wounded　man。
〃He　must　be　apprehended。〃
〃Do　not　attempt　it；　he　has　revenged　himself　and　has　done
well。　Now　I　may　hope　that　God　will　forgive　me；　since　my
crime　is　expiated。〃
〃Explain　yourself。〃　said　Grimaud。
〃The　woman　whom　you　and　your　masters　commanded　me　to　kill
　〃
〃Milady？〃
〃Yes；　Milady；　it　is　true　you　called　her　thus。〃
〃What　has　the　monk　to　do　with　this　Milady？〃
〃She　was　his　mother。〃
Grimaud　trembled　and　stared　at　the　dying　man　in　a　dull　and
leaden　manner。
〃His　mother！〃　he　repeated。
〃Yes；　his　mother。〃
〃But　does　he　know　this　secret；　then？〃
〃I　mistook　him　for　a　monk　and　revealed　it　to　him　in
confession。〃
〃Unhappy　man！〃　cried　Grimaud；　whose　face　was　covered　with
sweat　at　the　bare　idea　of　the　evil　results　such　a　revelation
might　cause；　〃unhappy　man；　you　named　no　one；　I　hope？〃
〃I　pronounced　no　name；　for　I　knew　none；　except　his　mother's；
as　a　young　girl；　and　it　was　by　this　name　that　he　recognized
her；　but　he　knows　that　his　uncle　was　among　her　judges。〃
Thus　speaking；　he　fell　back　exhausted。　Grimaud；　wishing　to
relieve　him；　advanced　his　hand　toward　the　hilt　of　the
dagger。
〃Touch　me　not！〃　said　the　executioner；　〃if　this　dagger　is
withdrawn　I　shall　die。〃
Grimaud　remained　with　his　hand　extended；　then；　striking　his
forehead；　he　exclaimed：
〃Oh！　if　this　man　should　ever　discover　the　names　of　the
others；　my　master　is　lost。〃
〃Haste！　haste　to　him　and　warn　him；〃　cried　the　wounded　man；
〃if　he　still　lives；　warn　his　friends；　too。　My　death；　believe
me；　will　not　be　the　end　of　this　atrocious　misadventure。〃
〃Where　was　the　monk　going？〃　asked　Grimaud。
〃Toward　Paris。〃
〃Who　stopped　him？〃
〃Two　young　gentlemen；　who　were　on　their　way　to　join　the　army
and　the　name　of　one　of　whom　I　heard　his　companion　mention　
the　Viscount　de　Bragelonne。〃
〃And　it　was　this　young　man　who　brought　the　monk　to　you？　Then
it　was　the　will　of　God　that　it　should　be　so　and　this　it　is
which　makes　it　all　so　awful；〃　continued　Grimaud。　〃And　yet
that　woman　deserved　her　fate；　do　you　not　think　so？〃
〃On　one's　death…bed　the　crimes　of　others　appear　very　small
in　comparison　with　one's　own；〃　said　the　executioner；　and
falling　back　exhausted　he　closed　his　eyes。
Grimaud　was　reluctant　to　leave　the　man　alone　and　yet　he
perceived　the　necessity　of　starting　at　once　to　bear　these
tidings　to　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。　Whilst　he　thus　hesitated
the　host　re…entered　the　room；　followed　not　only　by　a
surgeon；　but　by　many　other　persons；　whom　curiosity　had
attracted　to　the　spot。　The　surgeon　approached　the　dying　man；
who　seemed　to　have　fainted。
〃We　must　first　extract　the　steel　from　the　side；〃　said　he；
shaking　his　head　in　a　significant　manner。
The　prophecy　which　the　wounded　man　had　just　uttered　recurred
to　Grimaud；　who　turned　away　his　head。　The　weapon；　as　we　have
already　stated；　was　plunged　into　the　body　to　the　hilt；　and
as　the　surgeon；　taking　it　by　the　end；　drew　it　forth；　the
wounded　man　opened　his　eyes　and　fixed　them　on　him　in　a
manner