twenty years after(二十年后)-第97节

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Athos　sighed　deeply；　the　sigh　woke　the　king；　so　lightly　did
he　sleep。
He　opened　his　eyes。
〃Ah！〃　said　he；　raising　himself　on　his　elbow；　〃is　it　you；
Comte　de　la　Fere？〃
〃Yes；　sire；〃　replied　Athos。
〃You　watch　while　I　sleep　and　you　have　come　to　bring　me　some
news？〃
〃Alas；　sire；〃　answered　Athos；　〃your　majesty　has　guessed
aright。〃
〃It　is　bad　news？〃
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃Never　mind；　the　messenger　is　welcome。　You　never　come　to　me
without　conferring　pleasure。　You　whose　devotion　recognizes
neither　country　nor　misfortune；　you　who　are　sent　to　me　by
Henrietta；　whatever　news　you　bring；　speak　out。〃
〃Sire；　Cromwell　has　arrived　this　night　at　Newcastle。〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃to　fight？〃
〃No；　sire；　but　to　buy　your　majesty。〃
〃What　did　you　say？〃
〃I　said；　sire；　that　four　hundred　thousand　pounds　are　owing
to　the　Scottish　army。〃
〃For　unpaid　wages；　yes；　I　know　it。　For　the　last　year　my
faithful　Highlanders　have　fought　for　honor　alone。〃
Athos　smiled。
〃Well；　sir；　though　honor　is　a　fine　thing；　they　are　tired　of
fighting　for　it；　and　to…night　they　have　sold　you　for　two
hundred　thousand　pounds　　that　is　to　say；　for　half　what　is
owing　them。〃
〃Impossible！〃　cried　the　king；　〃the　Scotch　sell　their　king
for　two　hundred　thousand　pounds！　And　who　is　the　Judas　who
has　concluded　this　infamous　bargain？〃
〃Lord　Leven。〃
〃Are　you　certain　of　it；　sir？〃
〃I　heard　it　with　my　own　ears。〃
The　king　sighed　deeply；　as　if　his　heart　would　break；　and
then　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。
〃Oh！　the　Scotch；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　Scotch　I　called　‘my
faithful；'　to　whom　I　trusted　myself　when　I　could　have　fled
to　Oxford！　the　Scotch；　my　brothers！　But　are　you　well
assured；　sir？〃
〃Lying　behind　the　tent　of　Lord　Leven；　I　raised　it　and　saw
all；　heard　all！〃
〃And　when　is　this　to　be　consummated？〃
〃To…day　　this　morning；　so　your　majesty　must　perceive　there
is　no　time　to　lose！〃
〃To　do　what？　since　you　say　I　am　sold。〃
〃To　cross　the　Tyne；　reach　Scotland　and　rejoin　Lord　Montrose；
who　will　not　sell　you。〃
〃And　what　shall　I　do　in　Scotland？　A　war　of　partisans；
unworthy　of　a　king。〃
〃The　example　of　Robert　Bruce　will　absolve　you；　sire。〃
〃No；　no！　I　have　fought　too　long；　they　have　sold　me；　they
shall　give　me　up；　and　the　eternal　shame　of　treble　treason
shall　fall　on　their　heads。〃
〃Sire；〃　said　Athos；　〃perhaps　a　king　should　act　thus；　but　not
a　husband　and　a　father。　I　have　come　in　the　name　of　your　wife
and　daughter　and　of　the　children　you　have　still　in　London；
and　I　say　to　you；　‘Live；　sire；'　　it　is　the　will　of
Heaven。〃
The　king　raised　himself；　buckled　on　his　belt；　and　passing
his　handkerchief　over　his　moist　forehead；　said：

〃Well；　what　is　to　be　done？〃
〃Sire；　have　you　in　the　army　one　regiment　on　which　you　can
implicitly　rely？〃
〃Winter；〃　said　the　king；　〃do　you　believe　in　the　fidelity　of
yours？〃
〃Sire；　they　are　but　men；　and　men　are　become　both　weak　and
wicked。　I　will　not　answer　for　them。　I　would　confide　my　life
to　them；　but　I　should　hesitate　ere　I　trusted　them　with　your
majesty's。〃
〃Well！〃　said　Athos；　〃since　you　have　not　a　regiment；　we　are
three　devoted　men。　It　is　enough。　Let　your　majesty　mount　on
horseback　and　place　yourself　in　the　midst　of　us；　we　will
cross　the　Tyne；　reach　Scotland；　and　you　will　be　saved。〃
〃Is　this　your　counsel　also；　Winter？〃　inquired　the　king。
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃And　yours；　Monsieur　d'Herblay？〃
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃As　you　wish；　then。　Winter；　give　the　necessary　orders。〃
Winter　then　left　the　tent；　in　the　meantime　the　king　finished
his　toilet。　The　first　rays　of　daybreak　penetrated　the
aperture　of　the　tent　as　Winter　re…entered　it。
〃All　is　ready；　sire；〃　said　he。
〃For　us；　also？〃　inquired　Athos。
〃Grimaud　and　Blaisois　are　holding　your　horses；　ready
saddled。〃
〃In　that　case；〃　exclaimed　Athos；　〃let　us　not　lose　an
instant；　but　set　off。〃
〃Come；〃　added　the　king。
〃Sire；〃　said　Aramis；　〃will　not　your　majesty　acquaint　some　of
your　friends　of　this？〃
〃Friends！〃　answered　Charles；　sadly；　〃I　have　but　three　　one
of　twenty　years；　who　has　never　forgotten　me；　and　two　of　a
week's　standing；　whom　I　shall　never　forget。　Come；　gentlemen；
come！〃
The　king　quitted　his　tent　and　found　his　horse　ready　waiting
for　him。　It　was　a　chestnut　that　the　king　had　ridden　for
three　years　and　of　which　he　was　very　fond。
The　horse　neighed　with　pleasure　at　seeing　him。
〃Ah！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　was　unjust；　here　is　a　creature　that
loves　me。　You　at　least　will　be　faithful　to　me；　Arthur。〃
The　horse；　as　if　it　understood　these　words；　bent　its　red
nostrils　toward　the　king's　face；　and　parting　his　lips
displayed　all　its　teeth；　as　if　with　pleasure。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　king；　caressing　it　with　his　hand；　〃yes；
my　Arthur；　thou　art　a　fond　and　faithful　creature。〃
After　this　little　scene　Charles　threw　himself　into　the
saddle；　and　turning　to　Athos；　Aramis　and　Winter；　said：
〃Now；　gentlemen；　I　am　at　your　service。〃
But　Athos　was　standing　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　a　black　line
which　bordered　the　banks　of　the　Tyne　and　seemed　to　extend
double　the　length　of　the　camp。
〃What　is　that　line？〃　cried　Athos；　whose　vision　was　still
rather　obscured　by　the　uncertain　shades　and　demi…tints　of
daybreak。　〃What　is　that　line？　I　did　not　observe　it
yesterday。〃
〃It　must　be　the　fog　rising　from　the　river；〃　said　the　king。
〃Sire；　it　is　something　more　opaque　than　the　fog。〃
〃Indeed！〃　said　Winter；　〃it　appears　to　me　like　a　bar　of　red
color。〃
〃It　is　the　enemy；　who　have　made　a　sortie　from　Newcastle　and
are　surrounding　us！〃　exclaimed　Athos。
〃The　enemy！〃　cried　the　king。
〃Yes；　the　enemy。　It　is　too　late。　Stop　a　moment；　does　not
that　sunbeam　yonder；　just　by　the　side　of　the　town；　glitter
on　the　Ironsides？〃
This　was　the　name　given　the　cuirassiers；　whom　Cromwell　had
made　his　body…guard。
〃Ah！〃　said　the　king；　〃we　shall　soon　see　whether　my
Highlanders　have　betrayed　me　or　not。〃
〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　exclaimed　Athos。
〃To　give　them　the　order　to　charge；　and　run　down　these
miserable　rebels。〃
And　the　king；　putting　spurs　to　his　horse；　set　off　to　the
tent　of　Lord　Leven。
〃Follow　him；〃　said　Athos。
〃Come！〃　exclaimed　Aramis。
〃Is　the　king　wounded？〃　cried　Lord　Winter。　〃I　see　spots　of
blood　on　the　ground。〃　And　he　set　off　to　follow　the　two
friends。
He　was　stopped　by　Athos。
〃Go　and　call　out　your　regiment；〃　said　he；　〃I　can　foresee
that　we　shall　have　need　of　it　directly。〃
Winter　turned　his　horse　and　the　two　friends　rode　on。　It　had
taken　but　two　minutes　for　the　king　to　reach　the　tent　of　the
Scottish　commander；　he　dismounted　and　entered。
The　general　was　there；　surrounded　by　the　more　prominent
chiefs。
〃The　king！〃　they　exclaimed；　as　all　rose　in　bewilderment。
Charles　was　indeed　in　the　midst　of　them；　his　hat　on　his
head；　his　brows　bent；　striking　his　boot　with　his　riding
whip。
〃Yes；　gentlemen；　the　king　in　person；　the　king　who　has　come
to　ask　for　some　account　of　what　has　happened。〃
〃What　is　the　matter；　sire？〃　exclaimed　Lord　Leven。
〃It　is　this；　sir；〃　said　the　king；　angrily；　〃that　General
Cromwell　has　reached　Newcastle；　that　you　knew　it　and　I　was
not　informed　of　it；　that　the　enemy　have　left　the　town　and
are　now　closing　the　passages　of　the　Tyne　against　us；　that
our　sentinels　have　seen　this　movement　and　I　have　been　left
unacquainted　with　it；　that；　by　an　infamous　treaty　you　have
sold　me　for　two　hundred　thousand　pounds　to　Parliament。　Of
this　treaty；　at　least；　I　have　been　warned。　This　is　the
matter；　gentlemen；　answer　and　exculpate　yourselves；　for　I
stand　here　to　accuse　you。〃
〃Sire；〃　said　Lord　Leven；　with　hesitation；　〃sire；　your
majesty　has　been　deceived　by　false　reports。〃
〃My　own　eyes　have　seen　the　enemy　extend　itself　between
myself　and　Scotland；　and　I　can　almost　say　that　with　my　own
ears　I　have　heard　the　clauses　of　the　treaty　debated。〃
The　Scotch　chieftains　looked　at　each　other　in　their　turn
with　frowning　brows。
〃Sire；〃　murmured　Lord　Leven；　crushed　by　shame；　〃sire；　we　are
ready　to　give　you　every　proof　of　our　fidelity。〃
〃I　ask　but　one；〃　said　the　king；　〃put　the　army　in　battle
array　and　face　the　enemy。〃
〃That　cannot　be；　sire；〃　said　the　earl。
〃How；　cannot　be？　What　hinders　it？〃　exclaimed　the　king。
〃Your　majesty　is　well　aware　that　there　is　a　truce　between　us
and　the　English　army。〃
〃And　if　there　is　a　truce　the　English　army　has　broken　it　by
quitting　the　town；　contrary　to　the　agreement　which　kept　it
there。　Now；　I　tell　you；　you　must　pass　with　me　through　this
army　across　to　Scotland；　and　if　you　refuse　you　may　choose
betwixt　two　names；　which　the　contempt　of　all　honest　men　will
brand　you　with　　you　are　either　cowards　or　traitors！〃
The　eyes　of　the　Scotch　flashed　fire；　and；　as　often　happens
on　such　occasions；　from　shame　they　passed　to　effrontery　and
two　heads　of　clans　advanced　upon　the　king。
〃Yes；〃　said　they；　〃we　have　promised　to　deliver　Scotland　and
England　from　him　who　for　the　last　five…and…twenty　years　has
sucked　the　blood　and　gold　of　Scotland　and　England。　We　have
promised　and　we　will　keep　our　promise。　Charles　Stuart；　you
are　our　prisoner。〃
And　both　extended　their　hands　as　if　to　seize　the　king；　but
before　they　could　touch　him　with　the　tips　of　their　fingers；
both　had　fallen；　one　dead；　the　other　stunned。
Aramis　had　passed　his　sword　through　the　body　of　the　first
and　Athos　had　knocked　down　the　other　with　the　butt　end　of
his　pistol。
Then；　as　Lord　Leven　and　the　other　chieftains　recoiled　before
this　unexpected