twenty years after(二十年后)-第71节

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the　hospitality　of　France　would　be　accorded　him。
〃Well？〃　asked　Athos；　when　he　had　closed　the　letter。
〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　has　been　refused。〃
The　two　friends　exchanged　a　smile　of　contempt。
〃And　now；〃　said　Athos；　〃what　is　to　be　done？　I　have　the　honor
to　inquire　from　your　majesty　what　you　desire　Monsieur
d'Herblay　and　myself　to　do　in　your　service。　We　are　ready。〃
〃Ah；　sir；　you　have　a　noble　heart！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　with
a　burst　of　gratitude；　whilst　Lord　de　Winter　turned　to　her
with　a　glance　which　said；　〃Did　I　not　answer　for　them？〃
〃But　you；　sir？〃　said　the　queen　to　Aramis。
〃I；　madame；〃　replied　he；　〃follow　Monsieur　de　la　Fere
wherever　he　leads；　even　were　it　on　to　death；　without
demanding　wherefore；　but　when　it　concerns　your　majesty's
service；　then；〃　added　he；　looking　at　the　queen　with　all　the
grace　of　former　days；　〃I　precede　the　count。〃
〃Well；　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　queen；　〃since　it　is　thus；
and　since　you　are　willing　to　devote　yourselves　to　the
service　of　a　poor　princess　whom　the　whole　world　has
abandoned；　this　is　what　is　required　to　be　done　for　me。　The
king　is　alone　with　a　few　gentlemen；　whom　he　fears　to　lose
every　day；　surrounded　by　the　Scotch；　whom　he　distrusts；
although　he　be　himself　a　Scotchman。　Since　Lord　de　Winter
left　him　I　am　distracted；　sirs。　I　ask　much；　too　much；
perhaps；　for　I　have　no　title　to　request　it。　Go　to　England；
join　the　king；　be　his　friends；　protectors；　march　to　battle
at　his　side；　and　be　near　him　in　his　house；　where
conspiracies；　more　dangerous　than　the　perils　of　war；　are
hatching　every　day。　And　in　exchange　for　the　sacrifice　that
you　make；　gentlemen；　I　promise　　not　to　reward　you；　I
believe　that　word　would　offend　you　　but　to　love　you　as　a
sister；　to　prefer　you；　next　to　my　husband　and　my　children；
to　every　one。　I　swear　it　before　Heaven。〃
And　the　queen　raised　her　eyes　solemnly　upward。
〃Madame；〃　said　Athos；　〃when　must　we　set　out？〃
〃You　consent　then？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。
〃Yes；　madame；　only　it　seems　to　me　that　your　majesty　goes　too
far　in　engaging　to　load　us　with　a　friendship　so　far　above
our　merit。　We　render　service　to　God；　madame　in　serving　a
prince　so　unfortunate；　a　queen　so　virtuous。　Madame；　we　are
yours；　body　and　soul。〃
〃Oh；　sirs；〃　said　the　queen；　moved　even　to　tears；　〃this　is
the　first　time　for　five　years　I　have　felt　the　least　approach
to　joy　or　hope。　God；　who　can　read　my　heart；　all　the
gratitude　I　feel；　will　reward　you！　Save　my　husband！　Save　the
king；　and　although　you　care　not　for　the　price　that　is　placed
upon　a　good　action　in　this　world；　leave　me　the　hope　that　we
shall　meet　again；　when　I　may　be　able　to　thank　you　myself。　In
the　meantime；　I　remain　here。　Have　you　anything　to　ask　of　me？
From　this　moment　I　become　your　friend；　and　since　you　are
engaged　in　my　affairs　I　ought　to　occupy　myself　in　yours。〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　Athos；　〃I　have　only　to　ask　your　majesty's
prayers。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　am　alone　in　the　world　and　have　only
your　majesty　to　serve。〃
The　queen　held　out　her　hand；　which　they　kissed；　and　she　said
in　a　low　tone　to　De　Winter：
〃If　you　need　money；　my　lord；　separate　the　jewels　I　have
given　you；　detach　the　diamonds　and　sell　them　to　some　Jew。
You　will　receive　for　them　fifty　or　sixty　thousand　francs；
spend　them　if　necessary；　but　let　these　gentlemen　be　treated
as　they　deserve；　that　is　to　say；　like　kings。〃
The　queen　had　two　letters　ready；　one　written　by　herself；　the
other　by　her　daughter；　the　Princess　Henrietta。　Both　were
addressed　to　King　Charles。　She　gave　the　first　to　Athos　and
the　other　to　Aramis；　so　that　should　they　be　separated　by
chance　they　might　make　themselves　known　to　the　king；　after
which　they　withdrew。
At　the　foot　of　the　staircase　De　Winter　stopped。
〃Not　to　arouse　suspicions；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃go　your　way
and　I　will　go　mine；　and　this　evening　at　nine　o'clock　we　will
assemble　again　at　the　Gate　Saint　Denis。　We　will　travel　on
horseback　as　far　as　our　horses　can　go　and　afterward　we　can
take　the　post。　Once　more；　let　me　thank　you；　my　good　friends；
both　in　my　own　name　and　the　queen's。〃
The　three　gentlemen　then　shook　hands；　Lord　de　Winter　taking
the　Rue　Saint　Honore；　and　Athos　and　Aramis　remaining
together。
〃Well；〃　said　Aramis；　when　they　were　alone；　〃what　do　you
think　of　this　business；　my　dear　count？〃
〃Bad；〃　replied　Athos；　〃very　bad。〃
〃But　you　received　it　with　enthusiasm。〃
〃As　I　shall　ever　receive　the　defense　of　a　great　principle；
my　dear　D'Herblay。　Monarchs　are　only　strong　by　the
assistance　of　the　aristocracy；　but　aristocracy　cannot
survive　without　the　countenance　of　monarchs。　Let　us；　then；
support　monarchy；　in　order　to　support　ourselves。
〃We　shall　be　murdered　there；〃　said　Aramis。　〃I　hate　the
English　　they　are　coarse；　like　every　nation　that　swills
beer。〃
〃Would　it　be　better　to　remain　here；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　take　a
turn　in　the　Bastile　or　the　dungeon　of　Vincennes　for　having
favored　the　escape　of　Monsieur　de　Beaufort？　I'faith；　Aramis；
believe　me；　there　is　little　left　to　regret。　We　avoid
imprisonment　and　we　play　the　part　of　heroes；　the　choice　is
easy。〃
〃It　is　true；　but　in　everything；　friend；　one　must　always
return　to　the　same　question　　a　stupid　one；　I　admit；　but
very　necessary　　have　you　any　money？〃
〃Something　like　a　hundred　pistoles；　that　my　farmer　sent　to
me　the　day　before　I　left　Bragelonne；　but　out　of　that　sum　I
ought　to　leave　fifty　for　Raoul　　a　young　man　must　live
respectably。　I　have　then　about　fifty　pistoles。　And　you？〃
〃As　for　me；　I　am　quite　sure　that　after　turning　out　all　my
pockets　and　emptying　my　drawers　I　shall　not　find　ten　louis
at　home。　Fortunately　Lord　de　Winter　is　rich。〃
〃Lord　de　Winter　is　ruined　for　the　moment；　Oliver　Cromwell
has　annexed　his　income　resources。〃
〃Now　is　the　time　when　Baron　Porthos　would　be　useful。〃
〃Now　it　is　that　I　regret　D'Artagnan。〃
〃Let　us　entice　them　away。〃
〃This　secret；　Aramis；　does　not　belong　to　us；　take　my　advice；
then；　and　let　no　one　into　our　confidence。　And　moreover；　in
taking　such　a　step　we　should　appear　to　be　doubtful　of
ourselves。　Let　us　regret　their　absence　to　ourselves　for　our
own　sakes；　but　not　speak　of　it。〃
〃You　are　right；　but　what　are　you　going　to　do　until　this
evening？　I　have　two　things　to　postpone。〃
〃And　what　are　they？〃
〃First；　a　thrust　with　the　coadjutor；　whom　I　met　last　night
at　Madame　de　Rambouillet's　and　whom　I　found　particular　in
his　remarks　respecting　me。〃
〃Oh；　fie　　a　quarrel　between　priests；　a　duel　between
allies！〃
〃What　can　I　do；　friend？　he　is　a　bully　and　so　am　I；　his
cassock　is　a　burden　to　him　and　I　imagine　I　have　had　enough
of　mine；　in　fact；　there　is　so　much　resemblance　between　us
that　I　sometimes　believe　he　is　Aramis　and　I　am　the
coadjutor。　This　kind　of　life　fatigues　and　oppresses　me；
besides；　he　is　a　turbulent　fellow；　who　will　ruin　our　party。
I　am　convinced　that　if　I　gave　him　a　box　on　the　ear；　such　as
I　gave　this　morning　to　the　little　citizen　who　splashed　me；
it　would　change　the　appearance　of　things。〃
〃And　I；　my　dear　Aramis；〃　quietly　replied　Athos；　〃I　think　it
would　only　change　Monsieur　de　Retz's　appearance。　Take　my
advice；　leave　things　just　as　they　are；　besides；　you　are
neither　of　you　now　your　own　masters；　he　belongs　to　the
Fronde　and　you　to　the　queen　of　England。　So；　if　the　second
matter　which　you　regret　being　unable　to　attend　to　is　not
more　important　than　the　first　　〃
〃Oh！　that　is　of　the　first　importance。〃
〃Attend　to　it；　then；　at　once。〃
〃Unfortunately；　it　is　a　thing　that　I　can't　perform　at　any
time　I　choose。　It　was　arranged　for　the　evening　and　no　other
time　will　serve。〃
〃I　understand；〃　said　Athos　smiling；　〃midnight。〃
〃About　that　time。〃
〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　those　are　things　that　bear
postponement　and　you　must　put　it　off；　especially　with　so
good　an　excuse　to　give　on　your　return　　〃
〃Yes；　if　I　return。〃
〃If　you　do　not　return；　how　does　it　concern　you？　Be
reasonable。　Come；　you　are　no　longer　twenty　years　old。〃
〃To　my　great　regret；　mordieu！　Ah；　if　I　were　but　twenty　years
old！〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Athos；　〃doubtless　you　would　commit　great
follies！　But　now　we　must　part。　I　have　one　or　two　visits　to
make　and　a　letter　yet　to　write。　Call　for　me　at　eight　o'clock
or　shall　I　wait　supper　for　you　at　seven？〃
〃That　will　do　very　well；〃　said　Aramis。　〃I　have　twenty　visits
to　make　and　as　many　letters　to　write。〃
They　then　separated。　Athos　went　to　pay　a　visit　to　Madame　de
Vendome；　left　his　name　at　Madame　de　Chevreuse's　and　wrote
the　following　letter　to　D'Artagnan：

〃Dear　Friend；　　I　am　about　to　set　off　with　Aramis　on
important　business。　I　wished　to　make　my　adieux　to　you；　but
time　does　not　permit。　Remember　that　I　write　to　you　now　to
repeat　how　much　affection　for　you　I　still　cherish。
〃Raoul　is　gone　to　Blois　and　is　ignorant　of　my　departure；
watch　over　him　in　my　absence　as　much　as　you　possibly　can；
and　if　by　chance　you　receive　no　news　of　me　three　months
hence；　tell　him　to　open　a　packet　which　he　will　find
addressed　to　him　in　my　bronze　casket　at　Blois；　of　which　I
send　you　now　the　key。
〃Embrace　Porthos　from　Aramis　and　myself。　Adieu；　perhaps
farewell。〃

At　the　hour　agreed　upon　Aramis　arrived；　he　was　dressed　as　an
officer　and　had　the　old　sword　at　his　side　which　he　had　drawn
so　often　and　which　he　was　more　than　ever　ready　to　draw。
〃By…the…bye；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　we　are　decidedly　wrong
to　depart