twenty years after(二十年后)-第62节

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〃Let　him　enter；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃let　him　come　up。〃
But　Grimaud　had　already　mounted　the　staircase　and　was
waiting　on　the　last　step；　so　springing　into　the　room　he
motioned　the　host　to　leave　it。　The　door　being　closed；　the
four　friends　waited　in　expectation。　Grimaud's　agitation；　his
pallor；　the　sweat　which　covered　his　face；　the　dust　which
soiled　his　clothes；　all　indicated　that　he　was　the　messenger
of　some　important　and　terrible　news。
〃Your　honors；〃　said　he；　〃that　woman　had　a　child；　that　child
has　become　a　man；　the　tigress　had　a　little　one；　the　tiger
has　roused　himself；　he　is　ready　to　spring　upon　you　
beware！〃
Athos　glanced　around　at　his　friends　with　a　melancholy　smile。
Porthos　turned　to　look　at　his　sword；　which　was　hanging　on
the　wall；　Aramis　seized　his　knife；　D'Artagnan　arose。
〃What　do　you　mean；　Grimaud？〃　he　exclaimed。
〃That　Milady's　son　has　left　England；　that　he　is　in　France；
on　his　road　to　Paris；　if　he　be　not　here　already。〃
〃The　devil　he　is！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Are　you　sure　of　it？〃
〃Certain；〃　replied　Grimaud。
This　announcement　was　received　in　silence。　Grimaud　was　so
breathless；　so　exhausted；　that　he　had　fallen　back　upon　a
chair。　Athos　filled　a　beaker　with　champagne　and　gave　it　to
him。
〃Well；　after　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃supposing　that　he
lives；　that　he　comes　to　Paris；　we　have　seen　many　other　such。
Let　him　come。〃
〃Yes；〃　echoed　Porthos；　glancing　affectionately　at　his　sword；
still　hanging　on　the　wall；　〃we　can　wait　for　him；　let　him
come。〃
〃Moreover；　he　is　but　a　child；〃　said　Aramis。
Grimaud　rose。
〃A　child！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Do　you　know　what　he　has　done；　this
child？　Disguised　as　a　monk　he　discovered　the　whole　history
in　confession　from　the　executioner　of　Bethune；　and　having
confessed　him；　after　having　learned　everything　from　him；　he
gave　him　absolution　by　planting　this　dagger　into　his　heart。
See；　it　is　on　fire　yet　with　his　hot　blood；　for　it　is　not
thirty　hours　since　it　was　drawn　from　the　wound。〃
And　Grimaud　threw　the　dagger　on　the　table。
D'Artagnan；　Porthos　and　Aramis　rose　and　in　one　spontaneous
motion　rushed　to　their　swords。　Athos　alone　remained　seated；
calm　and　thoughtful。
〃And　you　say　he　is　dressed　as　a　monk；　Grimaud？〃
〃Yes；　as　an　Augustine　monk。〃
〃What　sized　man　is　he？〃
〃About　my　height；　thin；　pale；　with　light　blue　eyes　and　tawny
flaxen　hair。〃
〃And　he　did　not　see　Raoul？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Yes；　on　the　contrary；　they　met；　and　it　was　the　viscount
himself　who　conducted　him　to　the　bed　of　the　dying　man。〃
Athos；　in　his　turn；　rising　without　speaking；　went　and
unhooked　his　sword。
〃Heigh；　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　trying　to　laugh；　〃do　you　know
we　look　very　much　like　a　flock　of　silly；　mouse…evading
women！　How　is　it　that　we；　four　men　who　have　faced　armies
without　blinking；　begin　to　tremble　at　the　mention　of　a
child？〃
〃It　is　true；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　this　child　comes　in　the　name
of　Heaven。〃
And　very　soon　they　left　the　inn。

36
A　Letter　from　Charles　the　First。

The　reader　must　now　cross　the　Seine　with　us　and　follow　us　to
the　door　of　the　Carmelite　Convent　in　the　Rue　Saint　Jacques。
It　is　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　the　pious　sisters
have　just　finished　saying　mass　for　the　success　of　the　armies
of　King　Charles　I。　Leaving　the　church；　a　woman　and　a　young
girl　dressed　in　black；　the　one　as　a　widow　and　the　other　as
an　orphan；　have　re…entered　their　cell。
The　woman　kneels　on　a　prie…dieu　of　painted　wood　and　at　a
short　distance　from　her　stands　the　young　girl；　leaning
against　a　chair；　weeping。
The　woman　must　have　once　been　handsome；　but　traces　of　sorrow
have　aged　her。　The　young　girl　is　lovely　and　her　tears　only
embellish　her；　the　lady　appears　to　be　about　forty　years　of
age；　the　girl　about　fourteen。
〃Oh；　God！〃　prayed　the　kneeling　suppliant；　〃protect　my
husband；　guard　my　son；　and　take　my　wretched　life　instead！〃
〃Oh；　God！〃　murmured　the　girl；　〃leave　me　my　mother！〃
〃Your　mother　can　be　of　no　use　to　you　in　this　world；
Henrietta；〃　said　the　lady；　turning　around。　〃Your　mother　has
no　longer　either　throne　or　husband；　she　has　neither　son；
money　nor　friends；　the　whole　world；　my　poor　child；　has
abandoned　your　mother！〃　And　she　fell　back；　weeping；　into　her
daughter's　arms。
〃Courage；　take　courage；　my　dear　mother！〃　said　the　girl。
〃Ah！　'tis　an　unfortunate　year　for　kings；〃　said　the　mother。
〃And　no　one　thinks　of　us　in　this　country；　for　each　must
think　about　his　own　affairs。　As　long　as　your　brother　was
with　me　he　kept　me　up；　but　he　is　gone　and　can　no　longer　send
us　news　of　himself；　either　to　me　or　to　your　father。　I　have
pledged　my　last　jewels；　sold　your　clothes　and　my　own　to　pay
his　servants；　who　refused　to　accompany　him　unless　I　made
this　sacrifice。　We　are　now　reduced　to　live　at　the　expense　of
these　daughters　of　Heaven；　we　are　the　poor；　succored　by
God。〃
〃But　why　not　address　yourself　to　your　sister；　the　queen？〃
asked　the　girl。
〃Alas！　the　queen；　my　sister；　is　no　longer　queen；　my　child。
Another　reigns　in　her　name。　One　day　you　will　be　able　to
understand　how　all　this　is。〃
〃Well；　then；　to　the　king；　your　nephew。　Shall　I　speak　to　him？
You　know　how　much　he　loves　me；　my　mother。
〃Alas！　my　nephew　is　not　yet　king；　and　you　know　Laporte　has
told　us　twenty　times　that　he　himself　is　in　need　of　almost
everything。〃
〃Then　let　us　pray　to　Heaven；〃　said　the　girl。
The　two　women　who　thus　knelt　in　united　prayer　were　the
daughter　and　grand…daughter　of　Henry　IV。；　the　wife　and
daughter　of　Charles　I。
They　had　just　finished　their　double　prayer；　when　a　nun
softly　tapped　at　the　door　of　the　cell。
〃Enter；　my　sister；〃　said　the　queen。
〃I　trust　your　majesty　will　pardon　this　intrusion　on　her
meditations；　but　a　foreign　lord　has　arrived　from　England　and
waits　in　the　parlor；　demanding　the　honor　of　presenting　a
letter　to　your　majesty。〃
〃Oh；　a　letter！　a　letter　from　the　king；　perhaps。　News　from
your　father；　do　you　hear；　Henrietta？　And　the　name　of　this
lord？〃
〃Lord　de　Winter。〃
〃Lord　de　Winter！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　〃the　friend　of　my
husband。　Oh；　bid　him　enter！〃
And　the　queen　advanced　to　meet　the　messenger；　whose　hand　she
seized　affectionately；　whilst　he　knelt　down　and　presented　a
letter　to　her；　contained　in　a　case　of　gold。
〃Ah！　my　lord！〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　bring　us　three　things
which　we　have　not　seen　for　a　long　time。　Gold；　a　devoted
friend；　and　a　letter　from　the　king；　our　husband　and　master。〃
De　Winter　bowed　again；　unable　to　reply　from　excess　of
emotion。
On　their　side　the　mother　and　daughter　retired　into　the
embrasure　of　a　window　to　read　eagerly　the　following　letter：

Dear　Wife；　　We　have　now　reached　the　moment　of　decision。　I
have　concentrated　here　at　Naseby　camp　all　the　resources
Heaven　has　left　me；　and　I　write　to　you　in　haste　from　thence。
Here　I　await　the　army　of　my　rebellious　subjects。　I　am　about
to　struggle　for　the　last　time　with　them。　If　victorious；　I
shall　continue　the　struggle；　if　beaten；　I　am　lost。　I　shall
try；　in　the　latter　case　（alas！　in　our　position；　one　must
provide　for　everything）；　I　shall　try　to　gain　the　coast　of
France。　But　can　they；　will　they　receive　an　unhappy　king；　who
will　bring　such　a　sad　story　into　a　country　already　agitated
by　civil　discord？　Your　wisdom　and　your　affection　must　serve
me　as　guides。　The　bearer　of　this　letter　will　tell　you；
madame；　what　I　dare　not　trust　to　pen　and　paper　and　the　risks
of　transit。　He　will　explain　to　you　the　steps　that　I　expect
you　to　pursue。　I　charge　him　also　with　my　blessing　for　my
children　and　with　the　sentiments　of　my　soul　for　yourself；　my
dearest　sweetheart。〃

The　letter　bore　the　signature；　not　of　〃Charles；　King；〃　but
of　〃Charles　　still　king。〃
〃And　let　him　be　no　longer　king；〃　cried　the　queen。　〃Let　him
be　conquered；　exiled；　proscribed；　provided　he　still　lives。
Alas！　in　these　days　the　throne　is　too　dangerous　a　place　for
me　to　wish　him　to　retain　it。　But　my　lord；　tell　me；〃　she
continued；　〃hide　nothing　from　me　　what　is；　in　truth；　the
king's　position？　Is　it　as　hopeless　as　he　thinks？〃
〃Alas！　madame；　more　hopeless　than　he　thinks。　His　majesty　has
so　good　a　heart　that　he　cannot　understand　hatred；　is　so
loyal　that　he　does　not　suspect　treason！　England　is　torn　in
twain　by　a　spirit　of　disturbance　which；　I　greatly　fear；
blood　alone　can　exorcise。〃
〃But　Lord　Montrose；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I　have　heard　of　his
great　and　rapid　successes　of　battles　gained。　I　heard　it　said
that　he　was　marching　to　the　frontier　to　join　the　king。〃
〃Yes；　madame；　but　on　the　frontier　he　was　met　by　Lesly；　he
had　tried　victory　by　means　of　superhuman　undertakings。　Now
victory　has　abandoned　him。　Montrose；　beaten　at　Philiphaugh；
was　obliged　to　disperse　the　remains　of　his　army　and　to　fly；
disguised　as　a　servant。　He　is　at　Bergen；　in　Norway。〃
〃Heaven　preserve　him！〃　said　the　queen。　〃It　is　at　least　a
consolation　to　know　that　some　who　have　so　often　risked　their
lives　for　us　are　safe。　And　now；　my　lord；　that　I　see　how
hopeless　the　position　of　the　king　is；　tell　me　with　what　you
are　charged　on　the　part　of　my　royal　husband。〃
〃Well；　then；　madame；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃the　king　wishes　you
to　try　and　discover　the　dispositions　of　the　king　and　queen
toward　him。〃
〃Alas！　you　know　that　even　now　the　king　is　but　a　child　and
the　queen　a　woman　weak　enough。　Here；　Monsieur　Mazarin　is
everything。〃
〃Does　he　desire　to　play　the　part　in　France　that　Cromwell
plays　in　England？〃
〃Oh；　no