twenty years after(二十年后)-第7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！


〃Ah！　mon　Dieu！　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort！　do　you
absolutely　think　that　the　Palais　Royal　is　the　abode　of
gayety？　No。　We　have　had　great　annoyances　there。　As　for　me；　I
play　my　game　squarely；　fairly；　and　above　board；　as　I　always
do。　Let　us　come　to　some　conclusion。　Are　you　one　of　us；
Monsieur　de　Rochefort？〃
〃I　am　very　desirous　of　being　so；　my　lord；　but　I　am　totally
in　the　dark　about　everything。　In　the　Bastile　one　talks
politics　only　with　soldiers　and　jailers；　and　you　have　not　an
idea；　my　lord；　how　little　is　known　of　what　is　going　on　by
people　of　that　sort；　I　am　of　Monsieur　de　Bassompierre's
party。　Is　he　still　one　of　the　seventeen　peers　of　France。〃
〃He　is　dead；　sir；　a　great　loss。　His　devotion　to　the　queen
was　boundless；　men　of　loyalty　are　scarce。〃
〃I　think　so；　forsooth；〃　said　Rochefort；　〃and　when　you　find
any　of　them；　you　march　them　off　to　the　Bastile。　However；
there　are　plenty　in　the　world；　but　you　don't　look　in　the
right　direction　for　them；　my　lord。〃
〃Indeed！　explain　to　me。　Ah！　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；
how　much　you　must　have　learned　during　your　intimacy　with　the
late　cardinal！　Ah！　he　was　a　great　man。〃
〃Will　your　eminence　be　angry　if　I　read　you　a　lesson？〃
〃I！　never！　you　know　you　may　say　anything　to　me。　I　try　to　be
beloved；　not　feared。〃
〃Well；　there　is　on　the　wall　of　my　cell；　scratched　with　a
nail；　a　proverb；　which　says；　‘Like　master；　like　servant。'〃
〃Pray；　what　does　that　mean？〃
〃It　means　that　Monsieur　de　Richelieu　was　able　to　find　trusty
servants；　dozens　and　dozens　of　them。〃
〃He！　the　point　aimed　at　by　every　poniard！　Richelieu；　who
passed　his　life　in　warding　off　blows　which　were　forever
aimed　at　him！〃
〃But　he　did　ward　them　off；〃　said　De　Rochefort；　〃and　the
reason　was；　that　though　he　had　bitter　enemies　he　possessed
also　true　friends。　I　have　known　persons；〃　he　continued　
for　he　thought　he　might　avail　himself　of　the　opportunity　of
speaking　of　D'Artagnan　　〃who　by　their　sagacity　and　address
have　deceived　the　penetration　of　Cardinal　Richelieu；　who　by
their　valor　have　got　the　better　of　his　guards　and　spies；
persons　without　money；　without　support；　without　credit；　yet
who　have　preserved　to　the　crowned　head　its　crown　and　made
the　cardinal　crave　pardon。〃
〃But　those　men　you　speak　of；〃　said　Mazarin；　smiling　inwardly
on　seeing　Rochefort　approach　the　point　to　which　he　was
leading　him；　〃those　men　were　not　devoted　to　the　cardinal；
for　they　contended　against　him。〃
〃No；　in　that　case　they　would　have　met　with　more　fitting
reward。　They　had　the　misfortune　to　be　devoted　to　that　very
queen　for　whom　just　now　you　were　seeking　servants。〃
〃But　how　is　it　that　you　know　so　much　of　these　matters？〃
〃I　know　them　because　the　men　of　whom　I　speak　were　at　that
time　my　enemies；　because　they　fought　against　me；　because　I
did　them　all　the　harm　I　could　and　they　returned　it　to　the
best　of　their　ability；　because　one　of　them；　with　whom　I　had
most　to　do；　gave　me　a　pretty　sword…thrust；　now　about　seven
years　ago；　the　third　that　I　received　from　the　same　hand；　it
closed　an　old　account。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Mazarin；　with　admirable　suavity；　〃could　I　but
find　such　men！〃
〃My　lord；　there　has　stood　for　six　years　at　your　very　door　a
man　such　as　I　describe；　and　during　those　six　years　he　has
been　unappreciated　and　unemployed　by　you。〃
〃Who　is　it？〃
〃It　is　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
〃That　Gascon！〃　cried　Mazarin；　with　well　acted　surprise。
〃‘That　Gascon'　has　saved　a　queen　and　made　Monsieur　de
Richelieu　confess　that　in　point　of　talent；　address　and
political　skill；　to　him　he　was　only　a　tyro。〃
〃Really？〃
〃It　is　as　I　have　the　honor　of　telling　it　to　your
excellency。〃
〃Tell　me　a　little　about　it；　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort。〃
〃That　is　somewhat　difficult；　my　lord；〃　said　Rochefort；　with
a　smile。
〃Then　he　will　tell　it　me　himself。〃
〃I　doubt　it；　my　lord。〃
〃Why　do　you　doubt　it？〃
〃Because　the　secret　does　not　belong　to　him；　because；　as　I
have　told　you；　it　has　to　do　with　a　great　queen。〃
〃And　he　was　alone　in　achieving　an　enterprise　like　that？〃
〃No；　my　lord；　he　had　three　colleagues；　three　brave　men；　men
such　as　you　were　wishing　for　just　now。〃
〃And　were　these　four　men　attached　to　each　other；　true　in
heart；　really　united？〃
〃As　if　they　had　been　one　man　　as　if　their　four　hearts　had
pulsated　in　one　breast。〃
〃You　pique　my　curiosity；　dear　Rochefort；　pray　tell　me　the
whole　story。〃
〃That　is　impossible；　but　I　will　tell　you　a　true　story；　my
lord。〃
〃Pray　do　so；　I　delight　in　stories；〃　cried　the　cardinal。
〃Listen；　then；〃　returned　Rochefort；　as　he　spoke　endeavoring
to　read　in　that　subtle　countenance　the　cardinal's　motive。
〃Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　queen　　a　powerful　monarch
　who　reigned　over　one　of　the　greatest　kingdoms　of　the
universe；　and　a　minister；　and　this　minister　wished　much　to
injure　the　queen；　whom　once　he　had　loved　too　well。　（Do　not
try；　my　lord；　you　cannot　guess　who　it　is；　all　this　happened
long　before　you　came　into　the　country　where　this　queen
reigned。）　There　came　to　the　court　an　ambassador　so　brave；　so
magnificent；　so　elegant；　that　every　woman　lost　her　heart　to
him；　and　the　queen　had　even　the　indiscretion　to　give　him
certain　ornaments　so　rare　that　they　could　never　be　replaced
by　any　like　them。
〃As　these　ornaments　were　given　by　the　king　the　minister
persuaded　his　majesty　to　insist　upon　the　queen's　appearing
in　them　as　part　of　her　jewels　at　a　ball　which　was　soon　to
take　place。　There　is　no　occasion　to　tell　you；　my　lord；　that
the　minister　knew　for　a　fact　that　these　ornaments　had　sailed
away　with　the　ambassador；　who　was　far　away；　beyond　seas。
This　illustrious　queen　had　fallen　low　as　the　least　of　her
subjects　　fallen　from　her　high　estate。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Well；　my　lord；　four　men　resolved　to　save　her。　These　four
men　were　not　princes；　neither　were　they　dukes；　neither　were
they　men　in　power；　they　were　not　even　rich。　They　were　four
honest　soldiers；　each　with　a　good　heart；　a　good　arm　and　a
sword　at　the　service　of　those　who　wanted　it。　They　set　out。
The　minister　knew　of　their　departure　and　had　planted　people
on　the　road　to　prevent　them　ever　reaching　their　destination。
Three　of　them　were　overwhelmed　and　disabled　by　numerous
assailants；　one　of　them　alone　arrived　at　the　port；　having
either　killed　or　wounded　those　who　wished　to　stop　him。　He
crossed　the　sea　and　brought　back　the　set　of　ornaments　to　the
great　queen；　who　was　able　to　wear　them　on　her　shoulder　on
the　appointed　day；　and　this　very　nearly　ruined　the　minister。
What　do　you　think　of　that　exploit；　my　lord？〃
〃It　is　magnificent！〃　said　Mazarin；　thoughtfully。
〃Well；　I　know　of　ten　such　men。〃
Mazarin　made　no　reply；　he　reflected。
Five　or　six　minutes　elapsed。
〃You　have　nothing　more　to　ask　of　me；　my　lord？〃　said
Rochefort。
〃Yes。　And　you　say　that　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　was　one　of　those
four　men？〃
〃He　led　the　enterprise。〃
〃And　who　were　the　others？〃
〃I　leave　it　to　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　to　name　them；　my　lord。
They　were　his　friends　and　not　mine。　He　alone　would　have　any
influence　with　them；　I　do　not　even　know　them　under　their
true　names。〃
〃You　suspect　me；　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；　I　want　him　and　you
and　all　to　aid　me。〃
〃Begin　with　me；　my　lord；　for　after　five　or　six　years　of
imprisonment　it　is　natural　to　feel　some　curiosity　as　to
one's　destination。〃
〃You；　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；　shall　have　the　post　of
confidence；　you　shall　go　to　Vincennes；　where　Monsieur　de
Beaufort　is　confined；　you　will　guard　him　well　for　me。　Well；
what　is　the　matter？〃
〃The　matter　is　that　you　have　proposed　to　me　what　is
impossible；〃　said　Rochefort；　shaking　his　head　with　an　air　of
disappointment。
〃What！　impossible？　And　why　is　it　impossible？〃
〃Because　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　is　one　of　my　friends；　or
rather；　I　am　one　of　his。　Have　you　forgotten；　my　lord；　that
it　is　he　who　answered　for　me　to　the　queen？〃
〃Since　then　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　has　become　an　enemy　of　the
State。〃
〃That　may　be；　my　lord；　but　since　I　am　neither　king　nor　queen
nor　minister；　he　is　not　my　enemy　and　I　cannot　accept　your
offer。〃
〃This；　then；　is　what　you　call　devotion！　I　congratulate　you。
Your　devotion　does　not　commit　you　too　far；　Monsieur　de
Rochefort。〃
〃And　then；　my　lord；〃　continued　Rochefort；　〃you　understand
that　to　emerge　from　the　Bastile　in　order　to　enter　Vincennes
is　only　to　change　one's　prison。〃
〃Say　at　once　that　you　are　on　the　side　of　Monsieur　de
Beaufort；　that　will　be　the　most　sincere　line　of　conduct；〃
said　Mazarin。
〃My　lord；　I　have　been　so　long　shut　up；　that　I　am　only　of　one
party　　I　am　for　fresh　air。　Employ　me　in　any　other　way；
employ　me　even　actively；　but　let　it　be　on　the　high　roads。〃
〃My　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；〃　Mazarin　replied　in　a　tone
of　raillery；　〃you　think　yourself　still　a　young　man；　your
spirit　is　that　of　the　phoenix；　but　your　strength　fails　you。
Believe　me；　you　ought　now　to　take　a　rest。　Here！〃
〃You　decide；　then；　nothing　about　me；　my　lord？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　come　to　a　decision。〃
Bernouin　came　into　the　room。
〃Call　an　officer　of　justice；〃　he　said；　〃and　stay　close　to
me；〃　he　added；　in　a　low　tone。
The　officer　entered。　Mazarin　wrote　a　few　words；　which　he
gave　to　this　man；　then　he　bowed。
〃Adieu；　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；〃　he　said。
Rochefort　bent　low。
〃I　see；　my　lord；　I　am　to　be　taken　back　to　the　Bastile。〃
〃You　are　sagacious。〃
〃I　shall　return　thither；　my　lord；　but　it　is　a　mistake　on