twenty years after(二十年后)-第92节

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〃Madame；〃　replied　Planchet；　respectfully；　〃I　am　called
Dulaurier；　at　your　service。〃
〃Thank　you；　Monsieur　Dulaurier；〃　said　the　queen；　〃and　what
is　your　business？〃
〃Madame；　I　am　a　clothier　in　the　Rue　Bourdonnais。〃
〃That　is　all　I　wished　to　know；〃　said　the　queen。　〃Much
obliged　to　you；　Monsieur　Dulaurier。　You　will　hear　again　from
me。〃
〃Come；　come；〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　emerging　from　behind　the
curtain；　〃decidedly　Monsieur　Planchet　is　no　fool；　it　is
evident　he　has　been　brought　up　in　a　good　school。〃
The　different　actors　in　this　strange　scene　remained　facing
one　another；　without　uttering　a　single　word；　the　queen
standing　near　the　door；　D'Artagnan　half　out　of　his　hiding
place；　the　king　raised　on　his　elbow；　ready　to　fall　down　on
his　bed　again　at　the　slightest　sound　that　would　indicate　the
return　of　the　multitude；　but　instead　of　approaching；　the
noise　became　more　and　more　distant　and　very　soon　it　died
entirely　away。
The　queen　breathed　more　freely。　D'Artagnan　wiped　his　damp
forehead　and　the　king　slid　off　his　bed；　saying；　〃Let　us　go。〃
At　this　moment　Laporte　reappeared。
〃Well？〃　asked　the　queen
〃Well；　madame；〃　replied　the　valet；　〃I　followed　them　as　far
as　the　gates。　They　announced　to　all　their　comrades　that　they
had　seen　the　king　and　that　the　queen　had　spoken　to　them；
and；　in　fact；　they　went　away　quite　proud　and　happy。〃
〃Oh；　the　miserable　wretches！〃　murmured　the　queen；　〃they
shall　pay　dearly　for　their　boldness；　and　it　is　I　who　promise
this。〃
Then　turning　to　D'Artagnan；　she　said：
〃Sir；　you　have　given　me　this　evening　the　best　advice　I　have
ever　received。　Continue；　and　say　what　we　must　do　now。〃
〃Monsieur　Laporte；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃finish　dressing　his
majesty。〃
〃We　may　go；　then？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃Whenever　your　majesty　pleases。　You　have　only　to　descend　by
the　private　stairs　and　you　will　find　me　at　the　door。〃
〃Go；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　will　follow　you。〃
D'Artagnan　went　down　and　found　the　carriage　at　its　post　and
the　musketeer　on　the　box。　D'Artagnan　took　out　the　parcel
which　he　had　desired　Bernouin　to　place　under　the　seat。　It
may　be　remembered　that　it　was　the　hat　and　cloak　belonging　to
Monsieur　de　Gondy's　coachman。
He　placed　the　cloak　on　his　shoulders　and　the　hat　on　his
head；　whilst　the　musketeer　got　off　the　box。
〃Sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　will　go　and　release　your
companion；　who　is　guarding　the　coachman。　You　must　mount　your
horse　and　proceed　to　the　Rue　Tiquetonne；　Hotel　de　la
Chevrette；　whence　you　will　take　my　horse　and　that　of
Monsieur　du　Vallon；　which　you　must　saddle　and　equip　as　if
for　war；　and　then　you　will　leave　Paris；　bringing　them　with
you　to　Cours　la　Reine。　If；　when　you　arrive　at　Cours　la
Reine；　you　find　no　one；　you　must　go　on　to　Saint　Germain。　On
the　king's　service。〃
The　musketeer　touched　his　cap　and　went　away　to　execute　the
orders　thus　received。
D'Artagnan　mounted　the　box；　having　a　pair　of　pistols　in　his
belt；　a　musket　under　his　feet　and　a　naked　sword　behind　him。
The　queen　appeared；　and　was　followed　by　the　king　and　the
Duke　d'Anjou；　his　brother。
〃Monsieur　the　coadjutor's　carriage！〃　she　exclaimed；　falling
back。
〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　get　in　fearlessly；　for
I　myself　will　drive　you。〃
The　queen　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise　and　entered　the
carriage；　and　the　king　and　monsieur　took　their　places　at　her
side。
〃Come；　Laporte；〃　said　the　queen。
〃How；　madame！〃　said　the　valet；　〃in　the　same　carriage　as　your
majesties？〃
〃It　is　not　a　matter　of　royal　etiquette　this　evening；　but　of
the　king's　safety。　Get　in；　Laporte。〃
Laporte　obeyed。
〃Pull　down　the　blinds；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃But　will　that　not　excite　suspicion；　sir？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃Your　majesty's　mind　may　be　quite　at　ease；〃　replied　the
officer；　〃I　have　my　answer　ready。〃
The　blinds　were　pulled　down　and　they　started　at　a　gallop　by
the　Rue　Richelieu。　On　reaching　the　gate　the　captain　of　the
post　advanced　at　the　head　of　a　dozen　men；　holding　a　lantern
in　his　hand。
D'Artagnan　signed　to　them　to　draw　near。
〃Do　you　recognize　the　carriage？〃　he　asked　the　sergeant。
〃No；〃　replied　the　latter。
〃Look　at　the　arms。〃
The　sergeant　put　the　lantern　near　the　panel。
〃They　are　those　of　monsieur　le　coadjuteur；〃　he　said。
〃Hush；　he　is　enjoying　a　ride　with　Madame　de　Guemenee。〃
The　sergeant　began　to　laugh。
〃Open　the　gate；〃　he　cried。　〃I　know　who　it　is！〃　Then　putting
his　face　to　the　lowered　blinds；　he　said：
〃I　wish　you　joy；　my　lord！〃
〃Impudent　fellow！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃you　will　get　me　turned
off。〃
The　gate　groaned　on　its　hinges；　and　D'Artagnan；　seeing　the
way　clear；　whipped　his　horses；　who　started　at　a　canter；　and
five　minutes　later　they　had　rejoined　the　cardinal。
〃Musqueton！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　〃draw　up　the　blinds　of
his　majesty's　carriage。〃
〃It　is　he！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃Disguised　as　a　coachman！〃　exclaimed　Mazarin。
〃And　driving　the　coadjutor's　carriage！〃　said　the　queen。
〃Corpo　di　Dio！　Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　said　Mazarin；　〃you　are
worth　your　weight　in　gold。〃

53
How　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　earned　by　selling　Straw；　the　one
Two　Hundred　and　Nineteen；　and　the　other　Two　Hundred　and
Fifteen　Louis　d'or。

Mazarin　was　desirous　of　setting　out　instantly　for　Saint
Germain；　but　the　queen　declared　that　she　should　wait　for　the
people　whom　she　had　appointed　to　meet　her。　However；　she
offered　the　cardinal　Laporte's　place；　which　he　accepted　and
went　from　one　carriage　to　the　other。
It　was　not　without　foundation　that　a　report　of　the　king's
intention　to　leave　Paris　by　night　had　been　circulated。　Ten
or　twelve　persons　had　been　in　the　secret　since　six　o'clock；
and　howsoever　great　their　prudence　might　be；　they　could　not
issue　the　necessary　orders　for　the　departure　without
suspicion　being　generated。　Besides；　each　individual　had　one
or　two　others　for　whom　he　was　interested；　and　as　there　could
be　no　doubt　but　that　the　queen　was　leaving　Paris　full　of
terrible　projects　of　vengeance；　every　one　had　warned　parents
and　friends　of　what　was　about　to　transpire；　so　that　the　news
of　the　approaching　exit　ran　like　a　train　of　lighted
gunpowder　along　the　streets。
The　first　carriage　which　arrived　after　that　of　the　queen　was
that　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　with　the　princess　and　dowager
princess。　Both　these　ladies　had　been　awakened　in　the　middle
of　the　night　and　did　not　know　what　it　all　was　about。　The
second　contained　the　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Orleans；　the　tall
young　Mademoiselle　and　the　Abbe　de　la　Riviere；　and　the
third；　the　Duke　de　Longueville　and　the　Prince　de　Conti；
brother　and　brother…in…law　of　Conde。　They　all　alighted　and
hastened　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　king　and　queen　in
their　coach。　The　queen　fixed　her　eyes　upon　the　carriage　they
had　left；　and　seeing　that　it　was　empty；　she　said：
〃But　where　is　Madame　de　Longueville？〃
〃Ah；　yes；　where　is　my　sister？〃　asked　the　prince。
〃Madame　de　Longueville　is　ill；〃　said　the　duke；　〃and　she
desired　me　to　excuse　her　to　your　majesty。〃
Anne　gave　a　quick　glance　to　Mazarin；　who　answered　by　an
almost　imperceptible　shake　of　his　head。
〃What　do　you　say　of　this？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃I　say　that　she　is　a　hostage　for　the　Parisians；〃　answered
the　cardinal。
〃Why　is　she　not　come？〃　asked　the　prince　in　a　low　voice；
addressing　his　brother。
〃Silence；〃　whispered　the　duke；　〃she　has　her　reasons。〃
〃She　will　ruin　us！〃　returned　the　prince。
〃She　will　save　us；〃　said　Conti。
Carriages　now　arrived　in　crowds；　those　of　the　Marechal　de
Villeroy；　Guitant；　Villequier　and　Comminges　came　into　the
line。　The　two　musketeers　arrived　in　their　turn；　holding　the
horses　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　in　their　hands。　These　two
instantly　mounted；　the　coachman　of　the　latter　replacing
D'Artagnan　on　the　coach…box　of　the　royal　coach。　Musqueton
took　the　place　of　the　coachman；　and　drove　standing；　for
reasons　known　to　himself；　like　Automedon　of　antiquity。
The　queen；　though　occupied　by　a　thousand　details；　tried　to
catch　the　Gascon's　eye；　but　he；　with　his　wonted　prudence；
had　mingled　with　the　crowd。
〃Let　us　be　the　avant　guard；〃　said　he　to　Porthos；　〃and　find
good　quarters　at　Saint　Germain；　nobody　will　think　of　us；　and
for　my　part　I　am　greatly　fatigued。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃I　am　falling　asleep；　which　is
strange；　considering　we　have　not　had　any　fighting；　truly　the
Parisians　are　idiots。〃
〃Or　rather；　we　are　very　clever；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Perhaps。〃
〃And　how　is　your　wrist？〃
〃Better；　but　do　you　think　that　we've　got　them　this　time？〃
〃Got　what？〃
〃You　your　command；　and　I　my　title？〃
〃I'faith！　yes　　I　should　expect　so；　besides；　if　they
forget；　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　reminding　them。〃
〃The　queen's　voice！　she　is　speaking；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　think
she　wants　to　ride　on　horseback。〃
〃Oh；　she　would　like　it；　but　　〃
〃But　what？〃
〃The　cardinal　won't　allow　it。　Gentlemen；〃　he　said；
addressing　the　two　musketeers；　〃accompany　the　royal
carriage；　we　are　going　forward　to　look　for　lodgings。〃
D'Artagnan　started　off　for　Saint　Germain；　followed　by
Porthos。
〃We　will　go　on；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　queen。
And　the　royal　carriage　drove　on；　followed　by　the　other
coaches　and　about　fifty　horsemen。
They　reached　Saint　German　without　any　accident；　on
descending；　the　queen　found　the　prince　awaiting　her；
bare…headed；　to　offer　her　his　hand。
〃What　an　awakening　for　the　Parisians！〃　said　the　queen；
radiant。
〃It　is　war；〃　said　the　prince。
〃Well；　then；　let