twenty years after(二十年后)-第72节

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〃By…the…bye；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　we　are　decidedly　wrong
to　depart　thus；　without　leaving　a　line　for　Porthos　and
D'Artagnan。〃
〃The　thing　is　done；　dear　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　foresaw
that　and　have　embraced　them　both　from　you　and　myself。〃
〃You　are　a　wonderful　man；　my　dear　count；〃　said　Aramis；　〃you
think　of　everything。〃
〃Well；　have　you　made　up　your　mind　to　this　journey？〃
〃Quite；　and　now　that　I　reflect　about　it；　I　am　glad　to　leave
Paris　at　this　moment。〃
〃And　so　am　I；〃　replied　Athos；　〃my　only　regret　is　not　having
seen　D'Artagnan；　but　the　rascal　is　so　cunning；　he　might　have
guessed　our　project。〃
When　supper　was　over　Blaisois　entered。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃here
is　Monsieur　d'Artagnan's　answer。〃
〃But　I　did　not　tell　you　there　would　be　an　answer；　stupid！〃
said　Athos。
〃And　I　set　off　without　waiting　for　one；　but　he　called　me
back　and　gave　me　this；〃　and　he　presented　a　little　leather
bag；　plump　and　giving　out　a　golden　jingle。
Athos　opened　it　and　began　by　drawing　forth　a　little　note；
written　in　these　terms：
〃My　dear　Count；　　When　one　travels；　and　especially　for
three　months；　one　never　has　a　superfluity　of　money。　Now；
recalling　former　times　of　mutual　distress；　I　send　you　half
my　purse；　it　is　money　to　obtain　which　I　made　Mazarin　sweat。
Don't　make　a　bad　use　of　it；　I　entreat　you。
〃As　to　what　you　say　about　not　seeing　you　again；　I　believe
not　a　word　of　it；　with　such　a　heart　as　yours　　and　such　a
sword　　one　passes　through　the　valley　of　the　shadow　of
death　a　dozen　times；　unscathed　and　unalarmed。　Au　revoir；　not
farewell。
〃It　is　unnecessary　to　say　that　from　the　day　I　saw　Raoul　I
loved　him；　nevertheless；　believe　that　I　heartily　pray　that　I
may　not　become　to　him　a　father；　however　much　I　might　be
proud　of　such　a　son。
〃Your
〃D'Artagnan。

〃P。S。　　Be　it　well　understood　that　the　fifty　louis　which　I
send　are　equally　for　Aramis　as　for　you　　for　you　as
Aramis。〃

Athos　smiled；　and　his　fine　eye　was　dimmed　by　a　tear。
D'Artagnan；　who　had　loved　him　so　tenderly；　loved　him　still；
although　a　Mazarinist。
〃There　are　the　fifty　louis；　i'faith；〃　said　Aramis；　emptying
the　purse　on　the　table；　all　bearing　the　effigy　of　Louis
XIII。　〃Well；　what　shall　you　do　with　this　money；　count？　Shall
you　keep　it　or　send　it　back？〃
〃I　shall　keep　it；　Aramis；　and　even　though　I　had　no　need　of
it　I　still　should　keep　it。　What　is　offered　from　a　generous
heart　should　be　accepted　generously。　Take　twenty…five　of
them；　Aramis；　and　give　me　the　remaining　twenty…five。〃
〃All　right；　I　am　glad　to　see　you　are　of　my　opinion。　There
now；　shall　we　start？〃
〃When　you　like；　but　have　you　no　groom？〃
〃No；　that　idiot　Bazin　had　the　folly　to　make　himself　verger；
as　you　know；　and　therefore　cannot　leave　Notre　Dame。
〃Very　well；　take　Blaisois；　with　whom　I　know　not　what　to　do；
since　I　already　have　Grimaud。〃
〃Willingly；〃　said　Aramis。
At　this　moment　Grimaud　appeared　at　the　door。　〃Ready；〃　said
he；　with　his　usual　curtness。
〃Let　us　go；　then；〃　said　Athos。
The　two　friends　mounted；　as　did　their　servants。　At　the
corner　of　the　Quai　they　encountered　Bazin；　who　was　running
breathlessly。
〃Oh；　sir！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃thank　Heaven　I　have　arrived　in
time。　Monsieur　Porthos　has　just　been　to　your　house　and　has
left　this　for　you；　saying　that　the　letter　was　important　and
must　be　given　to　you　before　you　left。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Aramis；　taking　a　purse　which　Bazin　presented　to
him。　〃What　is　this？〃
〃Wait；　your　reverence；　there　is　a　letter。〃
〃You　know　I　have　already　told　you　that　if　you　ever　call　me
anything　but　chevalier　I　will　break　every　bone　in　your　body。
Give　me　the　letter。〃
〃How　can　you　read？〃　asked　Athos；　〃it　is　as　dark　as　a　cold
oven。〃
〃Wait；〃　said　Bazin；　striking　a　flint；　and　setting　afire　a
twisted　wax…light；　with　which　he　started　the　church　candles。
Thus　illumined；　Aramis　read　the　following　epistle：
My　dear　D'Herblay；　　I　learned　from　D'Artagnan　who　has
embraced　me　on　the　part　of　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　and
yourself；　that　you　are　setting　out　on　a　journey　which　may
perhaps　last　two　or　three　months；　as　I　know　that　you　do　not
like　to　ask　money　of　your　friends　I　offer　you　some　of　my　own
accord。　Here　are　two　hundred　pistoles；　which　you　can　dispose
of　as　you　wish　and　return　to　me　when　opportunity　occurs。　Do
not　fear　that　you　put　me　to　inconvenience；　if　I　want　money　I
can　send　for　some　to　any　of　my　chateaux；　at　Bracieux　alone；
I　have　twenty　thousand　francs　in　gold。　So；　if　I　do　not　send
you　more　it　is　because　I　fear　you　would　not　accept　a　larger
sum。
〃I　address　you；　because　you　know；　that　although　I　esteem　him
from　my　heart　I　am　a　little　awed　by　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；
but　it　is　understood　that　what　I　offer　you　I　offer　him　at
the　same　time。
〃I　am；　as　I　trust　you　do　not　doubt；　your　devoted
〃Du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds。

〃Well；〃　said　Aramis；　〃what　do　you　say　to　that？〃
〃I　say；　my　dear　D'Herblay；　that　it　is　almost　sacrilege　to
distrust　Providence　when　one　has　such　friends；　and　therefore
we　will　divide　the　pistoles　from　Porthos；　as　we　divided　the
louis　sent　by　D'Artagnan。〃
The　division　being　made　by　the　light　of　Bazin's　taper；　the
two　friends　continued　their　road　and　a　quarter　of　an　hour
later　they　had　joined　De　Winter　at　the　Porte　Saint　Denis。

43
In　which　it　is　proved　that　first　Impulses　are　oftentimes　the
best。

The　three　gentlemen　took　the　road　to　Picardy；　a　road　so　well
known　to　them　and　which　recalled　to　Athos　and　Aramis　some　of
the　most　picturesque　adventures　of　their　youth。
〃If　Musqueton　were　with　us；〃　observed　Athos；　on　reaching　the
spot　where　they　had　had　a　dispute　with　the　paviers；　〃how　he
would　tremble　at　passing　this！　Do　you　remember；　Aramis；　that
it　was　here　he　received　that　famous　bullet　wound？〃
〃By　my　faith；　'twould　be　excusable　in　him　to　tremble；〃
replied　Aramis；　〃for　even　I　feel　a　shudder　at　the
recollection；　hold；　just　above　that　tree　is　the　little　spot
where　I　thought　I　was　killed。〃
It　was　soon　time　for　Grimaud　to　recall　the　past。　Arriving
before　the　inn　at　which　his　master　and　himself　had　made　such
an　enormous　repast；　he　approached　Athos　and　said；　showing
him　the　airhole　of　the　cellar：
〃Sausages！〃
Athos　began　to　laugh；　for　this　juvenile　escapade　of　his
appeared　to　be　as　amusing　as　if　some　one　had　related　it　of
another　person。
At　last；　after　traveling　two　days　and　a　night；　they　arrived
at　Boulogne　toward　the　evening；　favored　by　magnificent
weather。　Boulogne　was　a　strong　position；　then　almost　a
deserted　town；　built　entirely　on　the　heights；　what　is　now
called　the　lower　town　did　not　then　exist。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　De　Winter；　on　reaching　the　gate　of　the
town；　〃let　us　do　here　as　at　Paris　　let　us　separate　to
avoid　suspicion。　I　know　an　inn；　little　frequented；　but　of
which　the　host　is　entirely　devoted　to　me。　I　will　go　there；
where　I　expect　to　find　letters；　and　you　go　to　the　first
tavern　in　the　town；　to　L'Epee　du　Grand　Henri　for　instance；
refresh　yourselves；　and　in　two　hours　be　upon　the　jetty；　our
boat　is　waiting　for　us　there。〃
The　matter　being　thus　decided；　the　two　friends　found；　about
two　hundred　paces　further；　the　tavern　indicated。　Their
horses　were　fed；　but　not　unsaddled；　the　grooms　supped；　for
it　was　already　late；　and　their　two　masters；　impatient　to
return；　appointed　a　place　of　meeting　with　them　on　the　jetty
and　desired　them　on　no　account　to　exchange　a　word　with　any
one。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　this　caution　concerned
Blaisois　alone　　long　enough　since　it　had　been　a　useless
one　to　Grimaud。
Athos　and　Aramis　walked　down　toward　the　port。　From　their
dress；　covered　with　dust；　and　from　a　certain　easy　manner　by
means　of　which　a　man　accustomed　to　travel　is　always
recognizable；　the　two　friends　excited　the　attention　of　a　few
promenaders。　There　was　more　especially　one　upon　whom　their
arrival　had　produced　a　decided　impression。　This　man；　whom
they　had　noticed　from　the　first　for　the　same　reason　they　had
themselves　been　remarked　by　others；　was　walking　in　a
listless　way　up　and　down　the　jetty。　From　the　moment　he
perceived　them　he　did　not　cease　to　look　at　them　and　seemed
to　burn　with　the　wish　to　speak　to　them。
On　reaching　the　jetty　Athos　and　Aramis　stopped　to　look　at　a
little　boat　made　fast　to　a　pile　and　ready　rigged　as　if
waiting　to　start。
〃That　is　doubtless　our　boat；〃　said　Athos。
〃Yes；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃and　the　sloop　out　there　making　ready
to　sail　must　be　that　which　is　to　take　us　to　our　destination；
now；〃　continued　he；　〃if　only　De　Winter　does　not　keep　us
waiting。　It　is　not　at　all　amusing　here；　there　is　not　a
single　woman　passing。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　Athos；　〃we　are　overheard。〃
In　truth；　the　walker；　who；　during　the　observations　of　the
two　friends；　had　passed　and　repassed　behind　them　several
times；　stopped　at　the　name　of　De　Winter；　but　as　his　face
betrayed　no　emotion　at　mention　of　this　name；　it　might　have
been　by　chance　he　stood　so　still。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　man；　who　was　young　and　pale；　bowing
with　ease　and　courtesy；　〃pardon　my　curiosity；　but　I　see　you
come　from　Paris；　or　at　least　that　you　are　strangers　at
Boulogne。〃
〃We　come　from　Paris；　yes；〃　replied　Athos；　with　the　same
courtesy；　〃what　is　there　we　can　do　for　you？〃
〃Sir；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃will　you　be　so　good　as　to　tell
me　if　it　be　true　that　Cardinal　Mazarin　is　no　longer
minister？〃
〃That　is　a　strange　question；〃　said　Aramis。
〃He　is　and　he　is　not