twenty years after(二十年后)-第77节

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alone；　〃are　you　not？〃
〃Well；　yes；〃　replied　Raoul。　〃It　seems　to　me　I　did　my　duty。　I
defended　the　king。〃
〃And　who　told　you　to　defend　the　king？〃
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere　himself。〃
〃Yes；　the　king；　but　to…day　you　have　not　fought　for　the　king；
you　have　fought　for　Mazarin；　which　is　not　quite　the　same
thing。〃
〃But　you　yourself？〃
〃Oh；　for　me；　that　is　another　matter。　I　obey　my　captain's
orders。　As　for　you；　your　captain　is　the　prince；　understand
that　rightly；　you　have　no　other。　But　has　one　ever　seen　such
a　wild　fellow；〃　continued　he；　〃making　himself　a　Mazarinist
and　helping　to　arrest　Broussel！　Breathe　not　a　word　of　that；
or　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　will　be　furious。〃
〃You　think　the　count　will　be　angry　with　me？〃
〃Think　it？　I'm　certain　of　it；　were　it　not　for　that；　I　should
thank　you；　for　you　have　worked　for　us。　However；　I　scold　you
instead　of　him；　and　in　his　place；　the　storm　will　blow　over
more　easily；　believe　me。　And　moreover；　my　dear　child；〃
continued　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　making　use　of　the　privilege
conceded　to　me　by　your　guardian。〃
〃I　do　not　understand　you；　sir；〃　said　Raoul。
D'Artagnan　rose；　and　taking　a　letter　from　his　writing…desk；
presented　it　to　Raoul。　The　face　of　the　latter　became　serious
when　he　had　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　paper。
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！〃　he　said；　raising　his　fine　eyes　to
D'Artagnan；　moist　with　tears；　〃the　count　has　left　Paris
without　seeing　me？〃
〃He　left　four　days　ago；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃But　this　letter　seems　to　intimate　that　he　is　about　to　incur
danger；　perhaps　death。〃
〃He　　he　　incur　danger　of　death！　No；　be　not　anxious；　he
is　traveling　on　business　and　will　return　ere　long。　I　hope
you　have　no　repugnance　to　accept　me　as　your　guardian　in　the
interim。〃
〃Oh；　no；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　said　Raoul；　〃you　are　such　a
brave　gentleman　and　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　has　so　much
affection　for　you！〃
〃Eh！　Egad！　love　me　too；　I　will　not　torment　you　much；　but
only　on　condition　that　you　become　a　Frondist；　my　young
friend；　and　a　hearty　Frondist；　too。〃
〃But　can　I　continue　to　visit　Madame　de　Chevreuse？〃
〃I　should　say　you　could！　and　the　coadjutor　and　Madame　de
Longueville；　and　if　the　worthy　Broussel　were　there；　whom　you
so　stupidly　helped　arrest；　I　should　tell　you　to　excuse
yourself　to　him　at　once　and　kiss　him　on　both　cheeks。〃
〃Well；　sir；　I　will　obey　you；　although　I　do　not　understand
you。
〃It　is　unnecessary　for　you　to　understand。　Hold；〃　continued
D'Artagnan；　turning　toward　the　door；　which　had　just　opened；
〃here　is　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　who　comes　with　his　coat　torn。〃
〃Yes；　but　in　exchange；〃　said　Porthos；　covered　with
perspiration　and　soiled　by　dust；　〃in　exchange；　I　have　torn
many　skins。　Those　wretches　wanted　to　take　away　my　sword！
Deuce　take　'em；　what　a　popular　commotion！〃　continued　the
giant；　in　his　quiet　manner；　〃but　I　knocked　down　more　than
twenty　with　the　hilt　of　Balizarde。　A　draught　of　wine；
D'Artagnan。〃
〃Oh〃　I'll　aswer　for　you；〃　said　the　Gascon；　filling　Porthos's
glass　to　the　brim；　〃but　when　you　have　drunk；　give　me　your
opinion。〃
〃Upon　what？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Look　here；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；　〃here　is　Monsieur　de
Bragelonne；　who　determined　at　all　risks　to　aid　the　arrest　of
Broussel　and　whom　I　had　great　difficulty　to　prevent
defending　Monsieur　de　Comminges。〃
〃The　devil！〃　said　Porthos；　〃and　his　guardian；　what　would　he
have　said　to　that？〃
〃Do　you　hear？〃　interrupted　D'Artagnan；　〃become　a　Frondist；
my　friend；　belong　to　the　Fronde；　and　remember　that　I　fill
the　count's　place　in　everything；〃　and　he　jingled　his　money。
〃Will　you　come？〃　said　he　to　Porthos。
〃Where？〃　asked　Porthos；　filling　a　second　glass　of　wine。
〃To　present　our　respects　to　the　cardinal。〃
Porthos　swallowed　the　second　glass　with　the　same　grace　with
which　he　had　imbibed　the　first；　took　his　beaver　and　followed
D'Artagnan。　As　for　Raoul；　he　remained　bewildered　with　what
he　had　seen；　having　been　forbidden　by　D'Artagnan　to　leave
the　room　until　the　tumult　was　over。


45
The　Beggar　of　St。　Eustache。

D'Artagnan　had　calculated　that　in　not　going　at　once　to　the
Palais　Royal　he　would　give　Comminges　time　to　arrive　before
him；　and　consequently　to　make　the　cardinal　acquainted　with
the　eminent　services　which　he；　D'Artagnan；　and　his　friend
had　rendered　to　the　queen's　party　in　the　morning。
They　were　indeed　admirably　received　by　Mazarin；　who　paid
them　numerous　compliments；　and　announced　that　they　were　more
than　half　on　their　way　to　obtain　what　they　desired；　namely；
D'Artagnan　his　captaincy；　Porthos　his　barony。
D'Artagnan　would　have　preferred　money　in　hand　to　all　that
fine　talk；　for　he　knew　well　that　to　Mazarin　it　was　easy　to
promise　and　hard　to　perform。　But；　though　he　held　the
cardinal's　promises　as　of　little　worth；　he　affected　to　be
completely　satisfied；　for　he　was　unwilling　to　discourage
Porthos。
Whilst　the　two　friends　were　with　the　cardinal；　the　queen
sent　for　him。　Mazarin；　thinking　that　it　would　be　the　means
of　increasing　the　zeal　of　his　two　defenders　if　he　procured
them　personal　thanks　from　the　queen；　motioned　them　to　follow
him。　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　pointed　to　their　dusty　and　torn
dresses；　but　the　cardinal　shook　his　head。
〃Those　costumes；〃　he　said；　〃are　of　more　worth　than　most　of
those　which　you　will　see　on　the　backs　of　the　queen's
courtiers；　they　are　costumes　of　battle。〃
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　obeyed。　The　court　of　Anne　of　Austria
was　full　of　gayety　and　animation；　for；　after　having　gained　a
victory　over　the　Spaniard；　it　had　just　gained　another　over
the　people。　Broussel　had　been　conducted　out　of　Paris　without
further　resistance；　and　was　at　this　time　in　the　prison　of
Saint　Germain；　while　Blancmesnil；　who　was　arrested　at　the
same　time；　but　whose　arrest　had　been　made　without　difficulty
or　noise；　was　safe　in　the　Castle　of　Vincennes。
Comminges　was　near　the　queen；　who　was　questioning　him　upon
the　details　of　his　expedition；　and　every　one　was　listening
to　his　account；　when　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　were　perceived
at　the　door；　behind　the　cardinal。
〃Ah；　madame；〃　said　Comminges；　hastening　to　D'Artagnan；　〃here
is　one　who　can　tell　you　better　than　myself；　for　he　was　my
protector。　Without　him　I　should　probably　at　this　moment　be　a
dead　fish　in　the　nets　at　Saint　Cloud；　for　it　was　a　question
of　nothing　less　than　throwing　me　into　the　river。　Speak；
D'Artagnan；　speak。〃
D'Artagnan　had　been　a　hundred　times　in　the　same　room　with
the　queen　since　he　had　become　lieutenant　of　the　musketeers；
but　her　majesty　had　never　once　spoken　to　him。
〃Well；　sir；〃　at　last　said　Anne　of　Austria；　〃you　are　silent；
after　rendering　such　a　service？〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　have　nought　to　say；　save
that　my　life　is　ever　at　your　majesty's　service；　and　that　I
shall　only　be　happy　the　day　I　lose　it　for　you。
〃I　know　that；　sir；　I　have　known　that；〃　said　the　queen；　〃a
long　time；　therefore　I　am　delighted　to　be　able　thus　publicly
to　mark　my　gratitude　and　my　esteem。〃
〃Permit　me；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃to　reserve　a　portion
for　my　friend；　like　myself〃　（he　laid　an　emphasis　on　these
words）　〃an　ancient　musketeer　of　the　company　of　Treville；　he
has　done　wonders。〃
〃His　name？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃In　the　regiment；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃he　is　called　Porthos〃
（the　queen　started）；　〃but　his　true　name　is　the　Chevalier　du
Vallon。〃
〃De　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds；〃　added　Porthos。
〃These　names　are　too　numerous　for　me　to　remember　them　all；
and　I　will　content　myself　with　the　first；〃　said　the　queen；
graciously。　Porthos　bowed。　At　this　moment　the　coadjutor　was
announced；　a　cry　of　surprise　ran　through　the　royal
assemblage。　Although　the　coadjutor　had　preached　that　same
morning　it　was　well　known　that　he　leaned　much　to　the　side　of
the　Fronde；　and　Mazarin；　in　requesting　the　archbishop　of
Paris　to　make　his　nephew　preach；　had　evidently　had　the
intention　of　administering　to　Monsieur　de　Retz　one　of　those
Italian　kicks　he　so　much　enjoyed　giving。
The　fact　was；　in　leaving　Notre　Dame　the　coadjutor　had
learned　the　event　of　the　day。　Although　almost　engaged　to　the
leaders　of　the　Fronde　he　had　not　gone　so　far　but　that
retreat　was　possible　should　the　court　offer　him　the
advantages　for　which　he　was　ambitious　and　to　which　the
coadjutorship　was　but　a　stepping…stone。　Monsieur　de　Retz
wished　to　become　archbishop　in　his　uncle's　place；　and
cardinal；　like　Mazarin；　and　the　popular　party　could　with
difficulty　accord　him　favors　so　entirely　royal。　He　therefore
hastened　to　the　palace　to　congratulate　the　queen　on　the
battle　of　Lens；　determined　beforehand　to　act　with　or　against
the　court；　as　his　congratulations　were　well　or　ill　received。
The　coadjutor　possessed；　perhaps；　as　much　wit　as　all　those
put　together　who　were　assembled　at　the　court　to　laugh　at
him。　His　speech；　therefore；　was　so　well　turned；　that　in
spite　of　the　great　wish　felt　by　the　courtiers　to　laugh；　they
could　find　no　point　on　which　to　vent　their　ridicule。　He
concluded　by　saying　that　he　placed　his　feeble　influence　at
her　majesty's　command。
During　the　whole　time　he　was　speaking；　the　queen　appeared　to
be　well　pleased　with　the　coadjutor's　harangue；　but
terminating　as　it　did　with　such　a　phrase；　the　only　one　which
could　be　caught　at　by　the　jokers；　Anne　turned　around　and
directed　a　glance　toward　her　favorites；　which　announced　that
she　delivered　up　the　coadjutor　to　their　tender　mercies。
Immediately　the　wits　of　the　cou