twenty years after(二十年后)-第68节

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De　Winter　shrank　back　from　the　fire　of　those　scorching　eyes。
〃Your　mother？〃　he　said。
〃Yes；　my　lord；　my　mother；〃　replied　the　young　man；　advancing
into　the　room　until　he　was　face　to　face　with　Lord　de　Winter；
and　crossing　his　arms。　〃I　have　asked　the　headsman　of
Bethune；〃　he　said；　his　voice　hoarse　and　his　face　livid　with
passion　and　grief。　〃And　the　headsman　of　Bethune　gave　me　a
reply。〃
De　Winter　fell　back　in　a　chair　as　though　struck　by　a
thunderbolt　and　in　vain　attempted　a　reply。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　young　man；　〃all　is　now　explained；　with
this　key　I　open　the　abyss。　My　mother　inherited　an　estate
from　her　husband；　you　have　assassinated　her；　my　name　would
have　secured　me　the　paternal　estate；　you　have　deprived　me　of
it；　you　have　despoiled　me　of　my　fortune。　I　am　no　longer
astonished　that　you　knew　me　not。　I　am　not　surprised　that　you
refused　to　recognize　me。　When　a　man　is　a　robber　it　is　hard
to　call　him　nephew　whom　he　has　impoverished；　when　one　is　a
murderer；　to　recognize　the　man　whom　one　has　made　an　orphan。〃
These　words　produced　a　contrary　effect　to　that　which
Mordaunt　had　anticipated。　De　Winter　remembered　the　monster
that　Milady　had　been；　he　rose；　dignified　and　calm；
restraining　by　the　severity　of　his　look　the　wild　glance　of
the　young　man。
〃You　desire　to　fathom　this　horrible　secret？〃　said　De　Winter；
〃well；　then；　so　be　it。　Know；　then；　what　manner　of　woman　it
was　for　whom　to…day　you　call　me　to　account。　That　woman　had；
in　all　probability；　poisoned　my　brother；　and　in　order　to
inherit　from　me　she　was　about　to　assassinate　me　in　my　turn。
I　have　proof　of　it。　What　say　you　to　that？〃
〃I　say　that　she　was　my　mother。〃
〃She　caused　the　unfortunate　Duke　of　Buckingham　to　be　stabbed
by　a　man　who　was；　ere　that；　honest；　good　and　pure。　What　say
you　to　that　crime；　of　which　I　have　the　proof？〃
〃She　was　my　mother。〃
〃On　our　return　to　France　she　had　a　young　woman　who　was
attached　to　one　of　her　opponents　poisoned　in　the　convent　of
the　Augustines　at　Bethune。　Will　this　crime　persuade　you　of
the　justice　of　her　punishment　　for　of　all　this　I　have　the
proofs？〃
〃She　was　my　mother！〃　cried　the　young　man；　who　uttered　these
three　successive　exclamations　with　constantly　increasing
force。
〃At　last；　charged　with　murders；　with　debauchery；　hated　by
every　one　and　yet　threatening　still；　like　a　panther
thirsting　for　blood；　she　fell　under　the　blows　of　men　whom
she　had　rendered　desperate；　though　they　had　never　done　her
the　least　injury；　she　met　with　judges　whom　her　hideous
crimes　had　evoked；　and　that　executioner　you　saw　　that
executioner　who　you　say　told　you　everything　　that
executioner；　if　he　told　you　everything；　told　you　that　he
leaped　with　joy　in　avenging　on　her　his　brother's　shame　and
suicide。　Depraved　as　a　girl；　adulterous　as　a　wife；　an
unnatural　sister；　homicide；　poisoner；　execrated　by　all　who
knew　her；　by　every　nation　that　had　been　visited　by　her；　she
died　accursed　by　Heaven　and　earth。〃
A　sob　which　Mordaunt　could　not　repress　burst　from　his　throat
and　his　livid　face　became　suffused　with　blood；　he　clenched
his　fists；　sweat　covered　his　face；　his　hair；　like　Hamlet's；
stood　on　end；　and　racked　with　fury　he　cried　out：
〃Silence；　sir！　she　was　my　mother！　Her　crimes；　I　know　them
not；　her　disorders；　I　know　them　not；　her　vices；　I　know　them
not。　But　this　I　know；　that　I　had　a　mother；　that　five　men
leagued　against　one　woman；　murdered　her　clandestinely　by
night　　silently　　like　cowards。　I　know　that　you　were　one
of　them；　my　uncle；　and　that　you　cried　louder　than　the
others：　‘She　must　die。'　Therefore　I　warn　you；　and　listen
well　to　my　words；　that　they　may　be　engraved　upon　your
memory；　never　to　be　forgotten：　this　murder；　which　has　robbed
me　of　everything　　this　murder；　which　has　deprived　me　of　my
name　　this　murder；　which　has　impoverished　me　　this
murder；　which　has　made　me　corrupt；　wicked；　implacable　　I
shall　summon　you　to　account　for　it　first　and　then　those　who
were　your　accomplices；　when　I　discover　them！〃
With　hatred　in　his　eyes；　foaming　at　his　mouth；　and　his　fist
extended；　Mordaunt　had　advanced　one　more　step；　a
threatening；　terrible　step；　toward　De　Winter。　The　latter　put
his　hand　to　his　sword；　and　said；　with　the　smile　of　a　man　who
for　thirty　years　has　jested　with　death：
〃Would　you　assassinate　me；　sir？　Then　I　shall　recognize　you
as　my　nephew；　for　you　would　be　a　worthy　son　of　such　a
mother。〃
〃No；〃　replied　Mordaunt；　forcing　his　features　and　the　muscles
of　his　body　to　resume　their　usual　places　and　be　calm；　〃no；　I
shall　not　kill　you；　at　least　not　at　this　moment；　for　without
you　I　could　not　discover　the　others。　But　when　I　have　found
them；　then　tremble；　sir。　I　stabbed　to　the　heart　the　headsman
of　Bethune；　without　mercy　or　pity；　and　he　was　the　least
guilty　of　you　all。〃
With　these　words　the　young　man　went　out　and　descended　the
stairs　with　sufficient　calmness　to　pass　unobserved；　then
upon　the　lowest　landing　place　he　passed　Tony；　leaning　over
the　balustrade；　waiting　only　for　a　call　from　his　master　to
mount　to　his　room。
But　De　Winter　did　not　call；　crushed；　enfeebled；　he　remained
standing　and　with　listening　ear；　then　only　when　he　had　heard
the　step　of　the　horse　going　away　he　fell　back　on　a　chair；
saying：
〃My　God；　I　thank　Thee　that　he　knows　me　only。〃

41
Paternal　Affection。

Whilst　this　terrible　scene　was　passing　at　Lord　de　Winter's；
Athos；　seated　near　his　window；　his　elbow　on　the　table　and
his　head　supported　on　his　hand；　was　listening　intently　to
Raoul's　account　of　the　adventures　he　met　with　on　his　journey
and　the　details　of　the　battle。
Listening　to　the　relation　of　those　emotions　so　fresh　and
pure；　the　fine；　noble　face　of　Athos　betrayed　indescribable
pleasure；　he　inhaled　the　tones　of　that　young　voice；　as
harmonious　music。　He　forgot　all　that　was　dark　in　the　past
and　that　was　cloudy　in　the　future。　It　almost　seemed　as　if
the　return　of　this　much　loved　boy　had　changed　his　fears　to
hopes。　Athos　was　happy　　happy　as　he　had　never　been　before。
〃And　you　assisted　and　took　part　in　this　great　battle；
Bragelonne！〃　cried　the　former　musketeer。
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃And　it　was　a　fierce　one？〃
〃His　highness　the　prince　charged　eleven　times　in　person。〃
〃He　is　a　great　commander；　Bragelonne。〃
〃He　is　a　hero；　sir。　I　did　not　lose　sight　of　him　for　an
instant。　Oh！　how　fine　it　is　to　be　called　Conde　and　to　be　so
worthy　of　such　a　name！〃
〃He　was　calm　and　radiant；　was　he　not？〃
〃As　calm　as　at　parade；　radiant　as　at　a　fete。　When　we　went　up
to　the　enemy　it　was　slowly；　we　were　forbidden　to　draw　first
and　we　were　marching　toward　the　Spaniards；　who　were　on　a
height　with　lowered　muskets。　When　we　arrived　about　thirty
paces　from　them　the　prince　turned　around　to　the　soldiers：
‘Comrades；'　he　said；　‘you　are　about　to　suffer　a　furious
discharge；　but　after　that　you　will　make　short　work　with
those　fellows。'　There　was　such　dead　silence　that　friends　and
enemies　could　have　heard　these　words；　then　raising　his
sword；　‘Sound　trumpets！'　he　cried。〃
〃Well；　very　good；　you　will　do　as　much　when　the　opportunity
occurs；　will　you；　Raoul？〃
〃I　know　not；　sir；　but　I　thought　it　really　very　fine　and
grand！〃
〃Were　you　afraid；　Raoul？〃　asked　the　count。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　man　naively；　〃I　felt　a　great
chill　at　my　heart；　and　at　the　word　‘fire；'　which　resounded
in　Spanish　from　the　enemy's　ranks；　I　closed　my　eyes　and
thought　of　you。〃
〃In　honest　truth；　Raoul？〃　said　Athos；　pressing　his　hand。
〃Yes；　sir；　at　that　instant　there　was　such　a　rataplan　of
musketry　that　one　might　have　imagined　the　infernal　regions
had　opened。　Those　who　were　not　killed　felt　the　heat　of　the
flames。　I　opened　my　eyes；　astonished　to　find　myself　alive
and　even　unhurt；　a　third　of　the　squadron　were　lying　on　the
ground；　wounded；　dead　or　dying。　At　that　moment　I　encountered
the　eye　of　the　prince。　I　had　but　one　thought　and　that　was
that　he　was　observing　me。　I　spurred　on　and　found　myself　in
the　enemy's　ranks。〃
〃And　the　prince　was　pleased　with　you？〃
〃He　told　me　so；　at　least；　sir；　when　he　desired　me　to　return
to　Paris　with　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；　who　was　charged　to
carry　the　news　to　the　queen　and　to　bring　the　colors　we　had
taken。　‘Go；'　said　he；　‘the　enemy　will　not　rally　for　fifteen
days　and　until　that　time　I　have　no　need　of　your　service。　Go
and　see　those　whom　you　love　and　who　love　you；　and　tell　my
sister　De　Longueville　that　I　thank　her　for　the　present　that
she　made　me　of　you。'　And　I　came；　sir；〃　added　Raoul；　gazing
at　the　count　with　a　smile　of　real　affection；　〃for　I　thought
you　would　be　glad　to　see　me　again。〃
Athos　drew　the　young　man　toward　him　and　pressed　his　lips　to
his　brow；　as　he　would　have　done　to　a　young　daughter。
〃And　now；　Raoul；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　launched；　you　have　dukes
for　friends；　a　marshal　of　France　for　godfather；　a　prince　of
the　blood　as　commander；　and　on　the　day　of　your　return　you
have　been　received　by　two　queens；　it　is　not　so　bad　for　a
novice。〃
〃Oh　sir；〃　said　Raoul；　suddenly；　〃you　recall　something；
which；　in　my　haste　to　relate　my　exploits；　I　had　forgotten；
it　is　that　there　was　with　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England；
a　gentleman　who；　when　I　pronounced　your　name；　uttered　a　cry
of　surprise　and　joy；　he　said　he　was　a　friend　of　yours；　asked
your　address；　and　is　coming　to　see　you。〃
〃What　is　his　name？〃
〃I　did　not　venture　to　ask；　sir；　he　spoke　elegantly；　although