twenty years after(二十年后)-第96节

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our　dispatches　are　addressed。〃
〃Have　you　no　letter　for　him？〃　asked　the　young　man。
〃I　have　one；　the　seal　of　which　I　am　not　to　break　till　I
reach　London；　but　since　you　tell　me　to　whom　it　is　addressed；
'tis　useless　to　wait　till　then。〃
D'Artagnan　tore　open　the　envelope　of　the　letter。　It　was
directed　to　〃Monsieur　Oliver　Cromwell；　General　of　the　Army
of　the　English　Nation。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃a　singular　commission。〃
〃Who　is　this　Monsieur　Oliver　Cromwell？〃　inquired　Porthos。
〃Formerly　a　brewer；〃　replied　the　Gascon。
〃Perhaps　Mazarin　wishes　to　make　a　speculation　in　beer；　as　we
did　in　straw；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Come；　come；　gentlemen；〃　said　Mordaunt；　impatiently；　〃let　us
depart。〃
〃What！〃　exclaimed　Porthos　〃without　supper？　Cannot　Monsieur
Cromwell　wait　a　little？〃
〃Yes；　but　I？〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃Well；　you；〃　said　Porthos；　〃what　then？〃
〃I　cannot　wait。〃
〃Oh！　as　to　you；　that　is　not　my　concern；　and　I　shall　sup
either　with　or　without　your　permission。〃
The　young　man's　eyes　kindled　in　secret；　but　he　restrained
himself。
〃Monsieur；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　must　excuse　famished
travelers。　Besides；　our　supper　can't　delay　you　much。　We　will
hasten　on　to　the　inn；　you　will　meanwhile　proceed　on　foot　to
the　harbor。　We　will　take　a　bite　and　shall　be　there　as　soon
as　you　are。〃
〃Just　as　you　please；　gentlemen；　provided　we　set　sail；〃　he
said。
〃The　name　of　your　ship？〃　inquired　D'Artagnan。
〃The　Standard。〃
〃Very　well；　in　half　an　hour　we　shall　be　on　board。〃
And　the　friends；　spurring　on　their　horses；　rode　to　the
hotel；　the　〃Arms　of　England。〃
〃What　do　you　say　of　that　young　man？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；　as
they　hurried　along。
〃I　say　that　he　doesn't　suit　me　at　all；〃　said　Porthos；　〃and
that　I　feel　a　strong　itching　to　follow　Aramis's　advice。〃
〃By　no　means；　my　dear　Porthos；　that　man　is　a　messenger　of
General　Cromwell；　it　would　insure　for　us　a　poor　reception；　I
imagine；　should　it　be　announced　to　him　that　we　had　twisted
the　neck　of　his　confidant。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　have　always　noticed　that
Aramis　gives　good　advice。〃
〃Listen；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　〃when　our　embassy　is　finished
　〃
〃Well？〃
〃If　it　brings　us　back　to　France　　〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well；　we　shall　see。〃
At　that　moment　the　two　friends　reached　the　hotel；　〃Arms　of
England；〃　where　they　supped　with　hearty　appetite　and　then　at
once　proceeded　to　the　port。
There　they　found　a　brig　ready　to　set　sail；　upon　the　deck　of
which　they　recognized　Mordaunt　walking　up　and　down
impatiently。
〃It　is　singular；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　whilst　the　boat　was
taking　them　to　the　Standard；　〃it　is　astonishing　how　that
young　man　resembles　some　one　I　must　have　known；　but　who　it
was　I　cannot　yet　remember。〃
A　few　minutes　later　they　were　on　board；　but　the　embarkation
of　the　horses　was　a　longer　matter　than　that　of　the　men；　and
it　was　eight　o'clock　before　they　raised　anchor。
The　young　man　stamped　impatiently　and　ordered　all　sail　to　be
spread。
Porthos；　completely　used　up　by　three　nights　without　sleep
and　a　journey　of　seventy　leagues　on　horseback；　retired　to
his　cabin　and　went　to　sleep。
D'Artagnan；　overcoming　his　repugnance　to　Mordaunt；　walked
with　him　upon　the　deck　and　invented　a　hundred　stories　to
make　him　talk。
Musqueton　was　seasick。

55
The　Scotchman。

And　now　our　readers　must　leave　the　Standard　to　sail
peaceably；　not　toward　London；　where　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos
believed　they　were　going；　but　to　Durham；　whither　Mordaunt
had　been　ordered　to　repair　by　the　letter　he　had　received
during　his　sojourn　at　Boulogne；　and　accompany　us　to　the
royalist　camp；　on　this　side　of　the　Tyne；　near　Newcastle。
There；　placed　between　two　rivers　on　the　borders　of　Scotland；
but　still　on　English　soil；　the　tents　of　a　little　army
extended。　It　was　midnight。　Some　Highlanders　were　listlessly
keeping　watch。　The　moon；　which　was　partially　obscured　by
heavy　clouds；　now　and　then　lit　up　the　muskets　of　the
sentinels；　or　silvered　the　walls；　the　roofs；　and　the　spires
of　the　town　that　Charles　I。　had　just　surrendered　to　the
parliamentary　troops；　whilst　Oxford　and　Newark　still　held
out　for　him　in　the　hopes　of　coming　to　some　arrangement。
At　one　of　the　extremities　of　the　camp；　near　an　immense　tent；
in　which　the　Scottish　officers　were　holding　a　kind　of
council；　presided　over　by　Lord　Leven；　their　commander；　a　man
attired　as　a　cavalier　lay　sleeping　on　the　turf；　his　right
hand　extended　over　his　sword。
About　fifty　paces　off；　another　man；　also　appareled　as　a
cavalier；　was　talking　to　a　Scotch　sentinel；　and；　though　a
foreigner；　he　seemed　to　understand　without　much　difficulty
the　answers　given　in　the　broad　Perthshire　dialect。
As　the　town　clock　of　Newcastle　struck　one　the　sleeper　awoke；
and　with　all　the　gestures　of　a　man　rousing　himself　out　of
deep　sleep　he　looked　attentively　about　him；　perceiving　that
he　was　alone　he　rose　and　making　a　little　circuit　passed
close　to　the　cavalier　who　was　speaking　to　the　sentinel。　The
former　had　no　doubt　finished　his　questions；　for　a　moment
later　he　said　good…night　and　carelessly　followed　the　same
path　taken　by　the　first　cavalier。
In　the　shadow　of　a　tent　the　former　was　awaiting　him。
〃Well；　my　dear　friend？〃　said　he；　in　as　pure　French　as　has
ever　been　uttered　between　Rouen　and　Tours。
〃Well；　my　friend；　there　is　not　a　moment　to　lose；　we　must　let
the　king　know　immediately。〃
〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃
〃It　would　take　too　long　to　tell　you；　besides；　you　will　hear
it　all　directly　and　the　least　word　dropped　here　might　ruin
all。　We　must　go　and　find　Lord　Winter。〃
They　both　set　off　to　the　other　end　of　the　camp；　but　as　it
did　not　cover　more　than　a　surface　of　five　hundred　feet　they
quickly　arrived　at　the　tent　they　were　looking　for。
〃Tony；　is　your　master　sleeping？〃　said　one　of　the　two
cavaliers　to　a　servant　who　was　lying　in　the　outer
compartment；　which　served　as　a　kind　of　ante…room。
〃No；　monsieur　le　comte；〃　answered　the　servant；　〃I　think　not；
or　at　least　he　has　not　long　been　so；　for　he　was　pacing　up
and　down　for　more　than　two　hours　after　he　left　the　king；　and
the　sound　of　his　footsteps　has　only　ceased　during　the　last
ten　minutes。　However；　you　may　look　and　see；〃　added　the
lackey；　raising　the　curtained　entrance　of　the　tent。
Lord　Winter　was　seated　near　an　aperture；　arranged　as　a
window　to　let　in　the　night　air；　his　eyes　mechanically
following　the　course　of　the　moon；　intermittently　veiled；　as
we　before　observed；　by　heavy　clouds。　The　two　friends
approached　Winter；　who；　with　his　head　on　his　hands；　was
gazing　at　the　heavens；　he　did　not　hear　them　enter　and
remained　in　the　same　attitude　till　he　felt　a　hand　upon　his
shoulder。
He　turned　around；　recognized　Athos　and　Aramis　and　held　out
his　hand　to　them。
〃Have　you　observed；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃what　a　blood…red
color　the　moon　has　to…night？〃
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃I　thought　it　looked　much　the　same　as
usual。〃
〃Look；　again；　chevalier；〃　returned　Lord　Winter。
〃I　must　own；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　am　like　the　Comte　de　la　Fere
　I　can　see　nothing　remarkable　about　it。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃in　a　position　so　precarious　as　ours
we　must　examine　the　earth　and　not　the　heavens。　Have　you
studied　our　Scotch　troops　and　have　you　confidence　in　them？〃
〃The　Scotch？〃　inquired　Winter。　〃What　Scotch？〃
〃Ours；　egad！〃　exclaimed　Athos。　〃Those　in　whom　the　king　has
confided　　Lord　Leven's　Highlanders。〃
〃No；〃　said　Winter；　then　he　paused；　〃but　tell　me；　can　you　not
perceive　the　russet　tint　which　marks　the　heavens？〃
〃Not　the　least　in　the　world；〃　said　Aramis　and　Athos　at　once。
〃Tell　me；〃　continued　Winter；　always　possessed　by　the　same
idea；　〃is　there　not　a　tradition　in　France　that　Henry　IV。；
the　evening　before　the　day　he　was　assassinated；　when　he　was
playing　at　chess　with　M。　de　Bassompiere；　saw　clots　of　blood
upon　the　chessboard？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　the　marechal　has　often　told　me　so
himself。〃
〃Then　it　was　so；〃　murmured　Winter；　〃and　the　next　day　Henry
IV。　was　killed。〃
〃But　what　has　this　vision　of　Henry　IV。　to　do　with　you；　my
lord？〃　inquired　Aramis。
〃Nothing；　and　indeed　I　am　mad　to　trouble　you　with　such
things；　when　your　coming　to　my　tent　at　such　an　hour
announces　that　you　are　the　bearers　of　important　news。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　the　king。〃
〃To　the　king！　but　the　king　is　asleep。〃
〃I　have　something　important　to　reveal　to　him。〃
〃Can　it　not　be　put　off　till　to…morrow？〃
〃He　must　know　it　this　moment；　and　perhaps　it　is　already　too
late。〃
〃Come；　then；〃　said　Lord　Winter。
Lord　Winter's　tent　was　pitched　by　the　side　of　the　royal
marquee；　a　kind　of　corridor　communicating　between　the　two。
This　corridor　was　guarded；　not　by　a　sentinel；　but　by　a
confidential　servant；　through　whom；　in　case　of　urgency；
Charles　could　communicate　instantly　with　his　faithful
subject。
〃These　gentlemen　are　with　me；〃　said　Winter。
The　lackey　bowed　and　let　them　pass。　As　he　had　said；　on　a
camp　bed；　dressed　in　his　black　doublet；　booted；　unbelted；
with　his　felt　hat　beside　him；　lay　the　king；　overcome　by
sleep　and　fatigue。　They　advanced；　and　Athos；　who　was　the
first　to　enter；　gazed　a　moment　in　silence　on　that　pale　and
noble　face；　framed　in　its　long　and　now　untidy；　matted　hair；
the　blue　veins　showing　through　the　transparent　temples；　his
eyes　seemingly　swollen　by　tears。
Athos　sighed　deeply；　the　sigh　woke　the　king；　so　lightly　did
he　sleep。
He　opened　his　eyes。
〃Ah！〃