twenty years after(二十年后)-第60节

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mounted　his　horse。
〃Now；　monsieur；〃　he　said　to　Raoul；　〃will　you　give　me　the
letter　you　have　brought？〃
Raoul　handed　the　letter　to　the　prince。
〃Keep　near　me；〃　said　the　latter。
The　prince　threw　his　bridle　over　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；
as　he　was　wont　to　do　when　he　wished　to　have　both　hands　free；
unsealed　the　letter　of　Madame　de　Longueville　and　started　at
a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Lens；　attended　by　Raoul　and　his
small　escort；　whilst　messengers　sent　to　recall　the　troops
set　out　with　a　loose　rein　in　other　directions。　The　prince
read　as　he　hastened　on。
〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃they　tell　me　great
things　of　you。　I　have　only　to　say；　after　the　little　that　I
have　seen　and　heard；　that　I　think　even　better　of　you　than　I
have　been　told。'
Raoul　bowed。
Meanwhile；　as　the　little　troop　drew　nearer　to　Lens；　the
noise　of　the　cannon　sounded　louder。　The　prince　kept　his　gaze
fixed　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　with　the　steadfastness
of　a　bird　of　prey。　One　would　have　said　that　his　gaze　could
pierce　the　branches　of　trees　which　limited　his　horizon。　From
time　to　time　his　nostrils　dilated　as　if　eager　for　the　smell
of　powder；　and　he　panted　like　a　horse。
At　length　they　heard　the　cannon　so　near　that　it　was　evident
they　were　within　a　league　of　the　field　of　battle；　and　at　a
turn　of　the　road　they　perceived　the　little　village　of　Aunay。
The　peasants　were　in　great　commotion。　The　report　of　Spanish
cruelty　had　gone　out　and　every　one　was　frightened。　The　women
had　already　fled；　taking　refuge　in　Vitry；　only　a　few　men
remained。　On　seeing　the　prince　they　hastened　to　meet　him。
One　of　them　recognized　him。
〃Ah；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　come　to　drive　away　those
rascal　Spaniards　and　those　Lorraine　robbers？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　the　prince；　〃if　you　will　serve　me　as　guide。〃
〃Willingly；　my　lord。　Where　does　your　highness　wish　to　go？〃
〃To　some　elevated　spot　whence　I　can　look　down　on　Lens　and
the　surrounding　country　　〃
〃In　that　case；　I'm　your　man。〃
〃I　can　trust　you　　you　are　a　true　Frenchman？〃
〃I　am　an　old　soldier　of　Rocroy；　my　lord。〃
〃Here；〃　said　the　prince；　handing　him　a　purse；　〃here　is　for
Rocroy。　Now；　do　you　want　a　horse；　or　will　you　go　afoot？〃
〃Afoot；　my　lord；　I　have　served　always　in　the　infantry。
Besides；　I　expect　to　lead　your　highness　into　places　where
you　will　have　to　walk。〃
〃Come；　then；〃　said　the　prince；　〃let　us　lose　no　time。〃
The　peasant　started　off；　running　before　the　prince's　horse；
then；　a　hundred　steps　from　the　village；　he　took　a　narrow
road　hidden　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley。　For　a　half　league
they　proceeded　thus；　the　cannon…shot　sounding　so　near　that
they　expected　at　each　discharge　to　hear　the　hum　of　the
balls。　At　length　they　entered　a　path　which；　going　out　from
the　road；　skirted　the　mountainside。　The　prince　dismounted；
ordered　one　of　his　aids　and　Raoul　to　follow　his　example；　and
directed　the　others　to　await　his　orders；　keeping　themselves
meanwhile　on　the　alert。　He　then　began　to　ascend　the　path。
In　about　ten　minutes　they　reached　the　ruins　of　an　old
chateau；　those　ruins　crowned　the　summit　of　a　hill　which
overlooked　the　surrounding　country。　At　a　distance　of　hardly
a　quarter　of　a　league　they　looked　down　on　Lens；　at　bay；　and
before　Lens　the　enemy's　entire　army。
With　a　single　glance　the　prince　took　in　the　extent　of
country　that　lay　before　him；　from　Lens　as　far　as　Vimy。　In　a
moment　the　plan　of　the　battle　which　on　the　following　day　was
to　save　France　the　second　time　from　invasion　was　unrolled　in
his　mind。　He　took　a　pencil；　tore　a　page　from　his　tablets　and
wrote：

My　Dear　Marshal；　　In　an　hour　Lens　will　be　in　the　enemy's
possession。　Come　and　rejoin　me；　bring　with　you　the　whole
army。　I　shall　be　at　Vendin　to　place　it　in　position。
To…morrow　we　shall　retake　Lens　and　beat　the　enemy。〃

Then；　turning　toward　Raoul：　〃Go；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃ride
fast　and　give　this　letter　to　Monsieur　de　Grammont。〃
Raoul　bowed；　took　the　letter；　went　hastily　down　the
mountain；　leaped　on　his　horse　and　set　out　at　a　gallop。　A
quarter　of　an　hour　later　he　was　with　the　marshal。
A　portion　of　the　troops　had　already　arrived　and　the
remainder　was　expected　from　moment　to　moment。　Marshal　de
Grammont　put　himself　at　the　head　of　all　the　available
cavalry　and　infantry　and　took　the　road　to　Vendin；　leaving
the　Duc　de　Chatillon　to　await　and　bring　on　the　rest。　All　the
artillery　was　ready　to　move；　and　started　off　at　a　moment's
notice。
It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　when　the　marshal　arrived
at　the　appointed　place。　The　prince　awaited　him　there。　As　he
had　foreseen；　Lens　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy
immediately　after　Raoul's　departure。　The　event　was　announced
by　the　cessation　of　the　firing。
As　the　shadows　of　night　deepened　the　troops　summoned　by　the
prince　arrived　in　successive　detachments。　Orders　were　given
that　no　drum　should　be　beaten；　no　trumpet　sounded。
At　nine　o'clock　the　night　had　fully　come。　Still　a　last　ray
of　twilight　lighted　the　plain。　The　army　marched　silently；
the　prince　at　the　head　of　the　column。　Presently　the　army
came　in　sight　of　Lens；　two　or　three　houses　were　in　flames
and　a　dull　noise　was　heard　which　indicated　what　suffering
was　endured　by　a　town　taken　by　assault。
The　prince　assigned　to　every　one　his　post。　Marshal　de
Grammont　was　to　hold　the　extreme　left；　resting　on　Mericourt。
The　Duc　de　Chatillon　commanded　the　centre。　Finally；　the
prince　led　the　right　wing；　resting　on　Aunay。　The　order　of
battle　on　the　morrow　was　to　be　that　of　the　positions　taken
in　the　evening。　Each　one；　on　awaking；　would　find　himself　on
the　field　of　battle。
The　movement　was　executed　in　silence　and　with　precision。　At
ten　o'clock　every　one　was　in　his　appointed　position；　at
half…past　ten　the　prince　visited　the　posts　and　gave　his
final　orders　for　the　following　day。
Three　things　were　especially　urged　upon　the　officers；　who
were　to　see　that　the　soldiers　observed　them　scrupulously：
the　first；　that　the　different　corps　should　so　march　that
cavalry　and　infantry　should　be　on　the　same　line　and　that
each　body　should　protect　its　gaps；　the　second；　to　go　to　the
charge　no　faster　than　a　walk；　the　third；　to　let　the　enemy
fire　first。
The　prince　assigned　the　Count　de　Guiche　to　his　father　and
kept　Bragelonne　near　his　own　person；　but　the　two　young　men
sought　the　privilege　of　passing　the　night　together　and　it
was　accorded　them。　A　tent　was　erected　for　them　near　that　of
the　marshal。
Although　the　day　had　been　fatiguing；　neither　of　them　was
inclined　to　sleep。　And　besides；　even　for　old　soldiers　the
evening　before　a　battle　is　a　serious　time；　it　was　so　with
greater　reason　to　two　young　men　who　were　about　to　witness
for　the　first　time　that　terrible　spectacle。　On　the　evening
before　a　battle　one　thinks　of　a　thousand　things　forgotten
till　then；　those　who　are　indifferent　to　one　another　become
friends　and　those　who　are　friends　become　brothers。　It　need
not　be　said　that　if　in　the　depths　of　the　heart　there　is　a
sentiment　more　tender；　it　reaches　then；　quite　naturally；　the
highest　exaltation　of　which　it　is　capable。　Some　sentiment　of
this　kind　must　have　been　cherished　by　each　one　of　these　two
friends；　for　each　of　them　almost　immediately　sat　down　by
himself　at　an　end　of　the　tent　and　began　to　write。
The　letters　were　long　　the　four　pages　were　covered　with
closely　written　words。　The　writers　sometimes　looked　up　at
each　other　and　smiled；　they　understood　without　speaking；
their　organizations　were　so　delicate　and　sympathetic。　The
letters　being　finished；　each　put　his　own　into　two　envelopes；
so　that　no　one；　without　tearing　the　first　envelope；　could
discover　to　whom　the　second　was　addressed；　then　they　drew
near　to　each　other　and　smilingly　exchanged　their　letters。
〃In　case　any　evil　should　happen　to　me；〃　said　Bragelonne。
〃In　case　I　should　be　killed；〃　said　De　Guiche。
They　then　embraced　each　other　like　two　brothers；　and　each
wrapping　himself　in　his　cloak　they　soon　passed　into　that
kindly　sleep　of　youth　which　is　the　prerogative　of　birds；
flowers　and　infants。

35
A　Dinner　in　the　Old　Style。

The　second　interview　between　the　former　musketeers　was　not
so　formal　and　threatening　as　the　first。　Athos；　with　his
superior　understanding；　wisely　deemed　that　the　supper　table
would　be　the　most　complete　and　satisfactory　point　of
reunion；　and　at　the　moment　when　his　friends；　in　deference　to
his　deportment　and　sobriety；　dared　scarcely　speak　of　some　of
their　former　good　dinners；　he　was　the　first　to　propose　that
they　should　all　assemble　around　some　well　spread　table　and
abandon　themselves　unreservedly　to　their　own　natural
character　and　manners　　a　freedom　which　had　formerly
contributed　so　much　to　that　good　understanding　between　them
which　gave　them　the　name　of　the　inseparables。　For　different
reasons　this　was　an　agreeable　proposition　to　them　all；　and
it　was　therefore　agreed　that　each　should　leave　a　very　exact
address　and　that　upon　the　request　of　any　of　the　associates　a
meeting　should　be　convoked　at　a　famous　eating　house　in　the
Rue　de　la　Monnaie；　of　the　sign　of　the　Hermitage。　The　first
rendezvous　was　fixed　for　the　following　Wednesday；　at　eight
o'clock　in　the　evening　precisely。
On　that　day；　in　fact；　the　four　friends　arrived　punctually　at
the　hour；　each　from　his　own　abode　or　occupation。　Porthos　had
been　trying　a　new　horse；　D'Artagnan　was　on　guard