twenty years after(二十年后)-第61节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　hour；　each　from　his　own　abode　or　occupation。　Porthos　had
been　trying　a　new　horse；　D'Artagnan　was　on　guard　at　the
Louvre；　Aramis　had　been　to　visit　one　of　his　penitents　in　the
neighborhood；　and　Athos；　whose　domicile　was　established　in
the　Rue　Guenegaud；　found　himself　close　at　hand。　They　were；
therefore；　somewhat　surprised　to　meet　altogether　at　the　door
of　the　Hermitage；　Athos　starting　out　from　the　Pont　Neuf；
Porthos　by　the　Rue　de　la　Roule；　D'Artagnan　by　the　Rue　des
Fosse　Saint　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　and　Aramis　by　the　Rue　de
Bethisy。
The　first　words　exchanged　between　the　four　friends；　on
account　of　the　ceremony　which　each　of　them　mingled　with
their　demonstration；　were　somewhat　forced　and　even　the
repast　began　with　a　kind　of　stiffness。　Athos　perceived　this
embarrassment；　and　by　way　of　supplying　an　effectual　remedy；
called　for　four　bottles　of　champagne。
At　this　order；　given　in　Athos's　habitually　calm　manner；　the
face　of　the　Gascon　relaxed　and　Porthos's　brow　grew　smooth。
Aramis　was　astonished。　He　knew　that　Athos　not　only　never
drank；　but　more；　that　he　had　a　kind　of　repugnance　to　wine。
This　astonishment　was　doubled　when　Aramis　saw　Athos　fill　a
bumper　and　toss　it　off　with　all　his　former　enthusiasm。　His
companions　followed　his　example。　In　a　very　few　minutes　the
four　bottles　were　empty　and　this　excellent　specific
succeeded　in　dissipating　even　the　slightest　cloud　that　might
have　rested　on　their　spirits。　Now　the　four　friends　began　to
speak　loud；　scarcely　waiting　till　one　had　finished　before
another　began；　and　each　assumed　his　favorite　attitude　on　or
at　the　table。　Soon　　strange　fact　　Aramis　undid　two
buttons　of　his　doublet；　seeing　which；　Porthos　unfastened　his
entirely。
Battles；　long　journeys；　blows　given　and　received；　sufficed
for　the　first　themes　of　conversation；　which　turned　upon　the
silent　struggles　sustained　against　him　who　was　now　called
the　great　cardinal。
〃Faith；〃　said　Aramis；　laughing；　〃we　have　praised　the　dead
enough；　let　us　revile　the　living　a　little；　I　should　like　to
say　something　evil　of　Mazarin；　is　it　permissible？〃
〃Go　on；　go　on；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　laughing　heartily；
〃relate　your　story　and　I　will　applaud　it　if　it　is　a　good
one。〃
〃A　great　prince；〃　said　Aramis；　〃with　whom　Mazarin　sought　an
alliance；　was　invited　by　him　to　send　him　a　list　of　the
conditions　on　which　he　would　do　him　the　honor　to　negotiate
with　him。　The　prince；　who　had　a　great　repugnance　to　treat
with　such　an　ill…bred　fellow；　made　out　a　list；　against　the
grain；　and　sent　it。　In　this　list　there　were　three　conditions
which　displeased　Mazarin　and　he　offered　the　prince　ten
thousand　crowns　to　renounce　them。〃
〃Ah；　ha；　ha！〃　laughed　the　three　friends；　〃not　a　bad　bargain；
and　there　was　no　fear　of　being　taken　at　his　word；　what　did
the　prince　do　then？〃
〃The　prince　immediately　sent　fifty　thousand　francs　to
Mazarin；　begging　him　never　to　write　to　him　again；　and
offered　twenty　thousand　francs　more；　on　condition　that　he
would　never　speak　to　him。　What　did　Mazarin　do？〃
〃Stormed！〃　suggested　Athos。
〃Beat　the　messenger！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃Accepted　the　money！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃You　have　guessed　it；〃　answered　Aramis；　and　they　all　laughed
so　heartily　that　the　host　appeared　in　order　to　inquire
whether　the　gentlemen　wanted　anything；　he　thought　they　were
fighting。
At　last　their　hilarity　calmed　down　and：
〃Faith！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan　to　the　two　friends；　〃you　may
well　wish　ill　to　Mazarin；　for　I　assure　you；　on　his　side　he
wishes　you　no　good。〃
〃Pooh！　really？〃　asked　Athos。　〃If　I　thought　the　fellow　knew
me　by　my　name　I　would　be　rebaptized；　for　fear　it　might　be
thought　I　knew　him。〃
〃He　knows　you　better　by　your　actions　than　your　name；　he　is
quite　aware　that　there　are　two　gentlemen　who　greatly　aided
the　escape　of　Monsieur　de　Beaufort；　and　he　has　instigated　an
active　search　for　them；　I　can　answer　for　it。〃
〃By　whom？〃
〃By　me；　and　this　morning　he　sent　for　me　to　ask　me　if　I　had
obtained　any　information。〃
〃And　what　did　you　reply？〃
〃That　I　had　none　as　yet；　but　that　I　was　to　dine　to…day　with
two　gentlemen；　who　would　be　able　to　give　me　some。〃
〃You　told　him　that？〃　said　Porthos；　a　broad　smile　spreading
over　his　honest　face。　〃Bravo！　and　you　are　not　afraid　of
that；　Athos？〃
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃it　is　not　the　search　of　Mazarin　that　I
fear。〃
〃Now；〃　said　Aramis；　〃tell　me　a　little　what　you　do　fear。〃
〃Nothing　for　the　present；　at　least；　nothing　in　good
earnest。〃
〃And　with　regard　to　the　past？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Oh！　the　past　is　another　thing；〃　said　Athos；　sighing；　〃the
past　and　the　future。〃
〃Are　you　afraid　for　your　young　Raoul？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃one　is　never　killed　in　a　first
engagement。〃
〃Nor　in　the　second；〃　said　Aramis
〃Nor　in　the　third；〃　returned　Porthos；　〃and　even　when　one　is
killed；　one　rises　again；　the　proof　of　which　is；　that　here　we
are！〃
〃No；〃　said　Athos；　〃it　is　not　Raoul　about　whom　I　am　anxious；
for　I　trust　he　will　conduct　himself　like　a　gentleman；　and　if
he　is　killed　　well；　he　will　die　bravely；　but　hold　
should　such　a　misfortune　happen　　well　　〃　Athos　passed
his　hand　across　his　pale　brow。
〃Well？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Well；　I　shall　look　upon　it　as　an　expiation。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　know　what　you　mean。〃
〃And　I；　too；〃　added　Aramis；　〃but　you　must　not　think　of　that；
Athos；　what　is　past；　is　past。〃
〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃The　affair　at　Armentieres；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan。
〃The　affair　at　Armentieres？〃　asked　he　again。
〃Milady。〃
〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Porthos；　〃true；　I　had　forgotten　it！〃
Athos　looked　at　him　intently。
〃You　have　forgotten　it；　Porthos？〃　said　he。
〃Faith！　yes；　it　is　so　long　ago；〃　answered　Porthos。
〃This　affair　does　not；　then；　weigh　upon　your　conscience？〃
〃Faith；　no。〃
〃And　you；　D'Artagnan？〃
〃I　　I　own　that　when　my　mind　returns　to　that　terrible
period　I　have　no　recollection　of　anything　but　the　rigid
corpse　of　poor　Madame　Bonancieux。　Yes；　yes；〃　murmured　he；　〃I
have　often　felt　regret　for　the　victim；　but　never　the　very
slightest　remorse　for　the　assassin。〃
Athos　shook　his　dead　doubtfully。
〃Consider；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　you　admit　divine　justice　and
its　participation　in　the　things　of　this　world；　that　woman
was　punished　by　the　will　of　heaven。　We　were　but　the
instruments；　that　is　all。〃
〃But　as　to　free　will；　Aramis？〃
〃How　acts　the　judge？　He　has　a　free　will；　yet　he　fearlessly
condemns。　What　does　the　executioner？　He　is　master　of　his
arm；　yet　he　strikes　without　remorse。〃
〃The　executioner！〃　muttered　Athos；　as　if　arrested　by　some
recollection。
〃I　know　that　it　is　terrible；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　when　I
reflect　that　we　have　killed　English；　Rochellais；　Spaniards；
nay；　even　French；　who　never　did　us　any　other　harm　but　to　aim
at　and　to　miss　us；　whose　only　fault　was　to　cross　swords　with
us　and　to　be　unable　to　ward　off　our　blows　　I　can；　on　my
honor；　find　an　excuse　for　my　share　in　the　murder　of　that
woman。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　said　Porthos；　〃now　that　you　have　reminded　me　of
it；　Athos；　I　have　the　scene　again　before　me；　as　if　I　now
were　there。　Milady　was　there；　as　it　were；　where　you　sit。〃
（Athos　changed　color。）　〃I　　I　was　where　D'Artagnan　stands。
I　wore　a　long　sword　which　cut　like　a　Damascus　　you
remember　it；　Aramis　for　you　always　called　it　Balizarde。
Well；　I　swear　to　you；　all　three；　that　had　the　executioner　of
Bethune　　was　he　not　of　Bethune？　　yes；　egad！　of　Bethune！
　not　been　there；　I　would　have　cut　off　the　head　of　that
infamous　being　without　thinking　of　it；　or　even　after
thinking　of　it。　She　was　a　most　atrocious　woman。〃
〃And　then；〃　said　Aramis；　with　the　tone　of　philosophical
indifference　which　he　had　assumed　since　he　had　belonged　to
the　church　and　in　which　there　was　more　atheism　than
confidence　in　God；　〃what　is　the　use　of　thinking　of　it　all？
At　the　last　hour　we　must　confess　this　action　and　God　knows
better　than　we　can　whether　it　is　a　crime；　a　fault；　or　a
meritorious　deed。　I　repent　of　it？　Egad！　no。　Upon　my　honor
and　by　the　holy　cross；　I　only　regret　it　because　she　was　a
woman。〃
〃The　most　satisfactory　part　of　the　matter；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃is　that　there　remains　no　trace　of　it。〃
〃She　had　a　son；〃　observed　Athos。
〃Oh！　yes；　I　know　that；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　you　mentioned
it　to　me；　but　who　knows　what　has　become　of　him？　If　the
serpent　be　dead；　why　not　its　brood？　Do　you　think　his　uncle
De　Winter　would　have　brought　up　that　young　viper？　De　Winter
probably　condemned　the　son　as　he　had　done　the　mother。〃
〃Then；〃　said　Athos；　〃woe　to　De　Winter；　for　the　child　had
done　no　harm。〃
〃May　the　devil　take　me；　if　the　child　be　not　dead；〃　said
Porthos。　〃There　is　so　much　fog　in　that　detestable　country；
at　least　so　D'Artagnan　declares。〃
Just　as　the　quaint　conclusion　reached　by　Porthos　was　about
to　bring　back　hilarity　to　faces　now　more　or　less　clouded；
hasty　footsteps　were　heard　upon　the　stair　and　some　one
knocked　at　the　door。
〃Come　in；〃　cried　Athos。
〃Please　your　honors；〃　said　the　host；　〃a　person　in　a　great
hurry　wishes　to　speak　to　one　of　you。〃
〃To　which　of　us？〃　asked　all　the　four　friends。
〃To　him　who　is　called　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃It　is　I；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　what　is　the　name　of　the　person？〃
〃Grimaud。〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　turning　pale。　〃Back　already！　What　can
have　happened；　then；　to　Bragelonne？〃
〃Let　him　enter；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃let　him　come　up。〃
But　Grimaud　had　already　m