twenty years after(二十年后)-第94节

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〃None；　my　lord。〃
〃But　the　diamond　I　gave　you　yesterday？〃
〃I　wish　to　keep　it　in　remembrance　of　your　eminence。〃
Mazarin　sighed。
〃'Tis　very　dear　living　in　England；　my　lord；　especially　as
envoy　extraordinary。〃
〃Zounds！〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃the　people　there　are　very
sedate；　and　their　habits；　since　the　revolution；　simple；　but
no　matter。〃
He　opened　a　drawer　and　took　out　a　purse。
〃What　do　you　say　to　a　thousand　crowns？〃
D'Artagnan　pouted　out　his　lower　lip　in　a　most　extraordinary
manner。
〃I　reply；　my　lord；　'tis　but　little；　as　certainly　I　shall　not
go　alone。〃
〃I　suppose　not。　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　that　worthy　gentleman；
for；　with　the　exception　of　yourself；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；
there's　not　a　man　in　France　that　I　esteem　and　love　so　much
as　him　　〃
〃Then；　my　lord；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　pointing　to　the　purse
which　Mazarin　still　held；　〃if　you　love　and　esteem　him　so
much；　you　　understand　me？〃
〃Be　it　so！　on　his　account　I　add　two　hundred　crowns。〃
〃Scoundrel！〃　muttered　D'Artagnan。　〃But　on　our　return；〃　he
said　aloud；　〃may　we；　that　is；　my　friend　and　I；　depend　on
having；　he　his　barony；　and　I　my　promotion？〃
〃On　the　honor　of　Mazarin。〃
〃I　should　like　another　sort　of　oath　better；〃　said　D'Artagnan
to　himself；　then　aloud；　〃May　I　not　offer　my　duty　to　her
majesty　the　queen？〃
〃Her　majesty　is　asleep　and　you　must　set　off　directly；〃
replied　Mazarin；　〃go；　pray；　sir　　〃
〃One　word　more；　my　lord；　if　there's　any　fighting　where　I'm
going；　must　I　fight？〃
〃You　are　to　obey　the　commands　of　the　personage　to　whom　I
have　addressed　the　inclosed　letter。〃
〃'Tis　well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　holding　out　his　hand　to
receive　the　money。　〃I　offer　my　best　respects　and　services　to
you；　my　lord。〃
D'Artagnan　then；　returning　to　the　officer；　said：
〃Sir；　have　the　kindness　also　to　awaken　Monsieur　du　Vallon
and　to　say　'tis　by　his　eminence's　order；　and　that　I　shall
await　him　at　the　stables。〃
The　officer　went　off　with　an　eagerness　that　showed　the
Gascon　that　he　had　some　personal　interest　in　the　matter。
Porthos　was　snoring　most　musically　when　some　one　touched　him
on　the　shoulder。
〃I　come　from　the　cardinal；〃　said　the　officer。
〃Heigho！〃　said　Porthos；　opening　his　large　eyes；　〃what　have
you　got　to　say？〃
〃That　his　eminence　has　ordered　you　to　England　and　that
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　waiting　for　you　in　the　stables。〃
Porthos　sighed　heavily；　arose；　took　his　hat；　his　pistols；
and　his　cloak；　and　departed；　casting　a　look　of　regret　upon
the　couch　where　he　had　hoped　to　sleep　so　well。
No　sooner　had　he　turned　his　back　than　the　officer　laid
himself　down　in　it；　and　he　had　scarcely　crossed　the
threshold　before　his　successor；　in　his　turn；　was　snoring
immoderately。　It　was　very　natural；　he　being　the　only　person
in　the　whole　assemblage；　except　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the
Duke　of　Orleans；　who　slept　gratuitously。

54
In　which　we　hear　Tidings　of　Aramis。

D'Artagnan　went　straight　to　the　stables；　day　was　just
dawning。　He　found　his　horse　and　that　of　Porthos　fastened　to
the　manger；　but　to　an　empty　manger。　He　took　pity　on　these
poor　animals　and　went　to　a　corner　of　the　stable；　where　he
saw　a　little　straw；　but　in　doing　so　he　struck　his　foot
against　a　human　body；　which　uttered　a　cry　and　arose　on　its
knees；　rubbing　its　eyes。　It　was　Musqueton；　who；　having　no
straw　to　lie　upon；　had　helped　himself　to　that　of　the　horses。
〃Musqueton；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　be　off！　Let　us　set
off。〃
Musqueton；　recognizing　the　voice　of　his　master's　friend；　got
up　suddenly；　and　in　doing　so　let　fall　some　louis　which　he
had　appropriated　to　himself　illegally　during　the　night。
〃Ho！　ho！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　picking　up　a　louis　and
displaying　it；　〃here's　a　louis　that　smells　confoundedly　of
straw。〃
Musqueton　blushed　so　confusedly　that　the　Gascon　began　to
laugh　at　him　and　said：
〃Porthos　would　be　angry；　my　dear　Monsieur　Musqueton；　but　I
pardon　you；　only　let　us　remember　that　this　gold　must　serve
us　as　a　joke；　so　be　gay　　come　along。〃
Musqueton　instantly　assumed　a　jovial　countenance；　saddled
the　horses　quickly　and　mounted　his　own　without　making　faces
over　it。
Whilst　this　went　on；　Porthos　arrived　with　a　very　cross　look
on　his　face；　and　was　astonished　to　find　the　lieutenant
resigned　and　Musqueton　almost　merry。
〃Ah；　that's　it！〃　he　cried；　〃you　have　your　promotion　and　I　my
barony。〃
〃We　are　going　to　fetch　our　brevets；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and
when　we　come　back；　Master　Mazarin　will　sign　them。〃
〃And　where　are　we　going？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃To　Paris　first；　I　have　affairs　to　settle。〃
And　they　both　set　out　for　Paris。
On　arriving　at　its　gates　they　were　astounded　to　see　the
threatening　aspect　of　the　capital。　Around　a　broken…down
carriage　the　people　were　uttering　imprecations；　whilst　the
persons　who　had　attempted　to　escape　were　made　prisoners　
that　is　to　say；　an　old　man　and　two　women。　On　the　other　hand；
as　the　two　friends　approached　to　enter；　they　showed　them
every　kind　of　civility；　thinking　them　deserters　from　the
royal　party　and　wishing　to　bind　them　to　their　own。
〃What　is　the　king　doing？〃　they　asked。
〃He　is　asleep。〃
〃And　the　Spanish　woman？〃
〃Dreaming。〃
〃And　the　cursed　Italian？〃
〃He　is　awake；　so　keep　on　the　watch；　as　they　are　gone　away；
it's　for　some　purpose；　rely　on　it。　But　as　you　are　the
strongest；　after　all；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃don't　be
furious　with　old　men　and　women；　and　keep　your　wrath　for　more
appropriate　occasions。〃
The　people　listened　to　these　words　and　let　go　the　ladies；
who　thanked　D'Artagnan　with　an　eloquent　look。
〃Now！　onward！〃　cried　the　Gascon。
And　they　continued　their　way；　crossing　the　barricades；
getting　the　chains　about　their　legs；　pushed　about；
questioning　and　questioned。
In　the　place　of　the　Palais　Royal　D'Artagnan　saw　a　sergeant；
who　was　drilling　six　or　seven　hundred　citizens。　It　was
Planchet；　who　brought　into　play　profitably　the　recollections
of　the　regiment　of　Piedmont。
In　passing　before　D'Artagnan　he　recognized　his　former
master。
〃Good…day；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　said　Planchet　proudly。
〃Good…day；　Monsieur　Dulaurier；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
Planchet　stopped　short；　staring　at　D'Artagnan。　The　first
row；　seeing　their　sergeant　stop；　stopped　in　their　turn；　and
so　on　to　the　very　last。
〃These　citizens　are　dreadfully　ridiculous；〃　observed
D'Artagnan　to　Porthos　and　went　on　his　way。
Five　minutes　afterward　he　entered　the　hotel　of　La　Chevrette；
where　pretty　Madeleine；　the　hostess；　came　to　him。
〃My　dear　Mistress　Turquaine；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃if　you
happen　to　have　any　money；　lock　it　up　quickly；　if　you　happen
to　have　any　jewels；　hide　them　directly；　if　you　happen　to
have　any　debtors；　make　them　pay　you；　or　any　creditors；　don't
pay　them。〃
〃Why；　prithee？〃　asked　Madeleine。
〃Because　Paris　is　going　to　be　reduced　to　dust　and　ashes　like
Babylon；　of　which　you　have　no　doubt　heard　tell。〃
〃And　are　you　going　to　leave　me　at　such　a　time？〃
〃This　very　instant。〃
〃And　where　are　you　going？〃
〃Ah；　if　you　could　tell　me　that；　you　would　be　doing　me　a
service。〃
〃Ah；　me！　ah；　me！
〃Have　you　any　letters　for　me？〃　inquired　D'Artagnan；　wishing
to　signify　to　the　hostess　that　her　lamentations　were
superfluous　and　that　therefore　she　had　better　spare　him
demonstrations　of　her　grief。
〃There's　one　just　arrived；〃　and　she　handed　the　letter　to
D'Artagnan。
〃From　Athos！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　recognizing　the　handwriting。
〃Ah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃let　us　hear　what　he　says。〃
D'Artagnan　opened　the　letter　and　read　as　follows：

〃Dear　D'Artagnan；　dear　Du　Vallon；　my　good　friends；　perhaps
this　may　be　the　last　time　that　you　will　ever　hear　from　me。
Aramis　and　I　are　very　unhappy；　but　God；　our　courage；　and　the
remembrance　of　our　friendship　sustain　us。　Think　often　of
Raoul。　I　intrust　to　you　certain　papers　which　are　at　Blois；
and　in　two　months　and　a　half；　if　you　do　not　hear　of　us；　take
possession　of　them。
〃Embrace；　with　all　your　heart；　the　vicomte；　for　your
devoted；　friend；
〃ATHOS。〃

〃I　believe；　by　Heaven；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　I　shall
embrace　him；　since　he's　upon　our　road；　and　if　he　is　so
unfortunate　as　to　lose　our　dear　Athos；　from　that　very　day　he
becomes　my　son。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　Porthos；　〃shall　make　him　my　sole　heir。〃
〃Let　us　see；　what　more　does　Athos　say？〃

〃Should　you　meet　on　your　journey　a　certain　Monsieur
Mordaunt；　distrust　him；　in　a　letter　I　cannot　say　more。〃

〃Monsieur　Mordaunt！〃　exclaimed　the　Gascon；　surprised。
〃Monsieur　Mordaunt！　'tis　well；〃　said　Porthos；　〃we　shall
remember　that；　but　see；　there　is　a　postscript　from　Aramis。〃
〃So　there　is；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　and　he　read：

〃We　conceal　the　place　where　we　are；　dear　friends；　knowing
your　brotherly　affection　and　that　you　would　come　and　die
with　us　were　we　to　reveal　it。〃

〃Confound　it；〃　interrupted　Porthos；　with　an　explosion　of
passion　which　sent　Musqueton　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；
〃are　they　in　danger　of　dying？〃
D'Artagnan　continued：

〃Athos　bequeaths　to　you　Raoul；　and　I　bequeath　to　you　my
revenge。　If　by　any　good　luck　you　lay　your　hand　on　a　certain
man　named　Mordaunt；　tell　Porthos　to　take　him　into　a　corner
and　to　wring　his　neck。　I　dare　not　say　more　in　a　letter。
〃ARAMIS。

〃If　that　is　all；　it　is　easily　done；〃　said　Porthos。
〃On　the　contrary；〃　observed　D'Artagnan；　with　a　vexed　look；
〃it　would　be　impossible。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃It　is　precisely　this　Monsieur　Mordaunt　whom　we　are　going　to
join　at　Boulogne　and　with　whom　w