twenty years after(二十年后)-第69节

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〃What　is　his　name？〃
〃I　did　not　venture　to　ask；　sir；　he　spoke　elegantly；　although
I　thought　from　his　accent　he　was　an　Englishman。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Athos；　leaning　down　his　head　as　if　to　remember
who　it　could　be。　Then；　when　he　raised　it　again；　he　was
struck　by　the　presence　of　a　man　who　was　standing　at　the　open
door　and　was　gazing　at　him　with　a　compassionate　air。
〃Lord　de　Winter！〃　exclaimed　the　count。
〃Athos；　my　friend！〃
And　the　two　gentlemen　were　for　an　instant　locked　in　each
other's　arms；　then　Athos；　looking　into　his　friend's　face　and
taking　him　by　both　hands；　said：
〃What　ails　you；　my　lord？　you　appear　as　unhappy　as　I　am　the
reverse。〃
〃Yes；　truly；　dear　friend；　and　I　may　even　say　the　sight　of
you　increases　my　dismay。〃
And　De　Winter　glancing　around　him；　Raoul　quickly　understood
that　the　two　friends　wished　to　be　alone　and　he　therefore
left　the　room　unaffectedly。
〃Come；　now　that　we　are　alone；〃　said　Athos；　〃let　us　talk　of
yourself。〃
〃Whilst　we　are　alone　let　us　speak　of　ourselves；〃　replied　De
Winter。　〃He　is　here。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Milady's　son。〃
Athos；　again　struck　by　this　name；　which　seemed　to　pursue　him
like　an　echo；　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　slightly　knitting
his　brows；　he　calmly　said：
〃I　know　it；　Grimaud　met　him　between　Bethune　and　Arras　and
then　came　here　to　warn　me　of　his　presence。〃
〃Does　Grimaud　know　him；　then？〃
〃No；　but　he　was　present　at　the　deathbed　of　a　man　who　knew
him。〃
〃The　headsman　of　Bethune？〃　exclaimed　De　Winter。
〃You　know　about　that？〃　cried　Athos；　astonished。
〃He　has　just　left　me；〃　replied　De　Winter；　〃after　telling　me
all。　Ah！　my　friend！　what　a　horrible　scene！　Why　did　we　not
destroy　the　child　with　the　mother？〃
〃What　need　you　fear？〃　said　Athos；　recovering　from　the
instinctive　fear　he　had　at　first　experienced；　by　the　aid　of
reason；　〃are　we　not　men　accustomed　to　defend　ourselves？　Is
this　young　man　an　assassin　by　profession　　a　murderer　in
cold　blood？　He　has　killed　the　executioner　of　Bethune　in　an
access　of　passion；　but　now　his　fury　is　assuaged。〃
De　Winter　smiled　sorrowfully　and　shook　his　head。
〃Do　you　not　know　the　race？〃　said　he。
〃Pooh！〃　said　Athos；　trying　to　smile　in　his　turn。　〃It　must
have　lost　its　ferocity　in　the　second　generation。　Besides；　my
friend；　Providence　has　warned　us；　that　we　may　be　on　our
guard。　All　we　can　now　do　is　to　wait。　Let　us　wait；　and；　as　I
said　before；　let　us　speak　of　yourself。　What　brings　you　to
Paris？〃
〃Affairs　of　importance　which　you　shall　know　later。　But　what
is　this　that　I　hear　from　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England？
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　sides　with　Mazarin！　Pardon　my　frankness；
dear　friend。　I　neither　hate　nor　blame　the　cardinal；　and　your
opinions　will　be　held　ever　sacred　by　me。　But　do　you　happen
to　belong　to　him？〃
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　replied　Athos；　〃is　in　the　service；　he
is　a　soldier　and　obeys　all　constitutional　authority。
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　not　rich　and　has　need　of　his　position
as　lieutenant　to　enable　him　to　live。　Millionaires　like
yourself；　my　lord；　are　rare　in　France。〃
〃Alas！〃　said　De　Winter；　〃I　am　at　this　moment　as　poor　as　he
is；　if　not　poorer。　But　to　return　to　our　subject。〃
〃Well；　then；　you　wish　to　know　if　I　am　of　Mazarin's　party？
No。　Pardon　my　frankness；　too；　my　lord。〃
〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　count；　for　this　pleasing　intelligence！
You　make　me　young　and　happy　again　by　it。　Ah！　so　you　are　not
a　Mazarinist？　Delightful！　Indeed；　you　could　not　belong　to
him。　But　pardon　me；　are　you　free？　I　mean　to　ask　if　you　are
married？〃
〃Ah！　as　to　that；　no；〃　replied　Athos；　laughing。
〃Because　that　young　man；　so　handsome；　so　elegant；　so
polished　　〃
〃Is　a　child　I　have　adopted　and　who　does　not　even　know　who
was　his　father。〃
〃Very　well；　you　are　always　the　same；　Athos；　great　and
generous。　Are　you　still　friends　with　Monsieur　Porthos　and
Monsieur　Aramis？〃
〃Add　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　my　lord。　We　still　remain　four
friends　devoted　to　each　other；　but　when　it　becomes　a
question　of　serving　the　cardinal　or　of　fighting　him；　of
being　Mazarinists　or　Frondists；　then　we　are　only　two。〃
〃Is　Monsieur　Aramis　with　D'Artagnan？〃　asked　Lord　de　Winter。
〃No；〃　said　Athos；　〃Monsieur　Aramis　does　me　the　honor　to
share　my　opinions。〃
〃Could　you　put　me　in　communication　with　your　witty　and
agreeable　friend？　Is　he　much　changed？〃
〃He　has　become　an　abbe；　that　is　all。〃
〃You　alarm　me；　his　profession　must　have　made　him　renounce
any　great　undertakings。〃
〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Athos；　smiling；　〃he　has　never　been
so　much　a　musketeer　as　since　he　became　an　abbe；　and　you　will
find　him　a　veritable　soldier。〃
〃Could　you　engage　to　bring　him　to　me　to…morrow　morning　at
ten　o'clock；　on　the　Pont　du　Louvre？〃
〃Oh；　oh！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　smiling；　〃you　have　a　duel　in
prospect。〃
〃Yes；　count；　and　a　splendid　duel；　too；　a　duel　in　which　I
hope　you　will　take　your　part。〃
〃Where　are　we　to　go；　my　lord？〃
〃To　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England；　who　has　desired　me　to
present　you　to　her。〃
〃This　is　an　enigma；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　it　matters　not；　since
you　know　the　solution　of　it　I　ask　no　further。　Will　your
lordship　do　me　the　honor　to　sup　with　me？〃
〃Thanks；　count；　no；〃　replied　De　Winter。　〃I　own　to　you　that
that　young　man's　visit　has　subdued　my　appetite　and　probably
will　rob　me　of　my　sleep。　What　undertaking　can　have　brought
him　to　Paris？　It　was　not　to　meet　me　that　he　came；　for　he　was
ignorant　of　my　journey。　This　young　man　terrifies　me；　my
lord；　there　lies　in　him　a　sanguinary　predisposition。〃
〃What　occupies　him　in　England？〃
〃He　is　one　of　Cromwell's　most　enthusiastic　disciples。〃
〃But　what　attached　him　to　the　cause？　His　father　and　mother
were　Catholics；　I　believe？〃
〃His　hatred　of　the　king；　who　deprived　him　of　his　estates　and
forbade　him　to　bear　the　name　of　De　Winter。〃
〃And　what　name　does　he　now　bear？〃
〃Mordaunt。〃
〃A　Puritan；　yet　disguised　as　a　monk　he　travels　alone　in
France。〃
〃Do　you　say　as　a　monk？〃
〃It　was　thus；　and　by　mere　accident　　may　God　pardon　me　if　I
blaspheme　　that　he　heard　the　confession　of　the　executioner
of　Bethune。〃
〃Then　I　understand　it　all！　he　has　been　sent　by　Cromwell　to
Mazarin；　and　the　queen　guessed　rightly；　we　have　been
forestalled。　Everything　is　clear　to　me　now。　Adieu；　count；
till　to…morrow。〃
〃But　the　night　is　dark；〃　said　Athos；　perceiving　that　Lord　de
Winter　seemed　more　uneasy　than　he　wished　to　appear；　〃and　you
have　no　servant。〃
〃I　have　Tony；　a　safe　if　simple　youth。〃
〃Halloo；　there；　Grimaud；　Olivain；　and　Blaisois！　call　the
viscount　and　take　the　musket　with　you。〃
Blaisois　was　the　tall　youth；　half　groom；　half　peasant；　whom
we　saw　at　the　Chateau　de　Bragelonne；　whom　Athos　had
christened　by　the　name　of　his　province。
〃Viscount；〃　said　Athos　to　Raoul；　as　he　entered；　〃you　will
conduct　my　lord　as　far　as　his　hotel　and　permit　no　one　to
approach　him。〃
〃Oh！　count；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃for　whom　do　you　take　me？〃
〃For　a　stranger　who　does　not　know　Paris；〃　said　Athos；　〃and
to　whom　the　viscount　will　show　the　way。〃
De　Winter　shook　him　by　the　hand。
〃Grimaud；〃　said　Athos；　〃put　yourself　at　the　head　of　the
troop　and　beware　of　the　monk。〃
Grimaud　shuddered；　and　nodding；　awaited　the　departure；
regarding　the　butt　of　his　musket　with　silent　eloquence。　Then
obeying　the　orders　given　him　by　Athos；　he　headed　the　small
procession；　bearing　the　torch　in　one　hand　and　the　musket　in
the　other；　until　it　reached　De　Winter's　inn；　when　pounding
on　the　portal　with　his　fist；　he　bowed　to　my　lord　and　faced
about　without　a　word。
The　same　order　was　followed　in　returning；　nor　did　Grimaud's
searching　glance　discover　anything　of　a　suspicious
appearance；　save　a　dark　shadow；　as　it　were；　in　ambuscade；　at
the　corner　of　the　Rue　Guenegaud　and　of　the　Quai。　He　fancied；
also；　that　in　going　he　had　already　observed　the　street
watcher　who　had　attracted　his　attention。　He　pushed　on　toward
him；　but　before　he　could　reach　it　the　shadow　had　disappeared
into　an　alley；　into　which　Grimaud　deemed　it　scarcely　prudent
to　pursue　it。
The　next　day；　on　awaking；　the　count　perceived　Raoul　by　his
bedside。　The　young　man　was　already　dressed　and　was　reading　a
new　book　by　M。　Chapelain。
〃Already　up；　Raoul？〃　exclaimed　the　count。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Raoul；　with　slight　hesitation；　〃I　did
not　sleep　well。〃
〃You；　Raoul；　not　sleep　well！　then　you　must　have　something　on
your　mind！〃　said　Athos。
〃Sir；　you　will　perhaps　think　that　I　am　in　a　great　hurry　to
leave　you　when　I　have　only　just　arrived；　but　　〃
〃Have　you　only　two　days　of　leave；　Raoul？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　sir；　I　have　ten；　nor　is　it　to　the　camp　I
wish　to　go。〃
〃Where；　then？〃　said　Athos；　smiling；　〃if　it　be　not　a　secret。
You　are　now　almost　a　man；　since　you　have　made　your　first
passage　of　arms；　and　have　acquired　the　right　to　go　where　you
will　without　consulting　me。〃
〃Never；　sir；〃　said　Raoul；　〃as　long　as　I　possess　the
happiness　of　having　you　for　a　protector；　shall　I　deem　I　have
the　right　of　freeing　myself　from　a　guardianship　so　valuable
to　me。　I　have；　however；　a　wish　to　go　and　pass　a　day　at
Blois。　You　look　at　me　and　you　are　going　to　laugh　at　me。〃
〃No；　on　the　contrary；　I　am　not　inclined　to　laugh；〃　said
Athos；　suppressing　a　sigh。　〃You　wish　to　see　Blois　again；　it
is　but　natural。〃
〃Then　you　permit　me　to　go；　you　are　not　angry　in　your　heart？〃
exclaimed　Raoul；　joyously。
〃Certainly；　and　why　should　I　regret　what　gives　you
pleasure？〃
〃Oh！　how　kind　you　are；〃　exclaimed　the　yo