twenty years after(二十年后)-第103章

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the　king；　ostensibly　at　least；　had　no　other　guard　at　his
bed…head　but　his　mother。　The　foremost　of　them　stammered　and
attempted　to　fall　back。
〃Enter；　gentlemen；〃　said　Laporte；　〃since　the　queen　desires
you　so　to　do。〃
Then　one　more　bold　than　the　rest　ventured　to　pass　the　door
and　to　advance　on　tiptoe。　This　example　was　imitated　by　the
rest；　until　the　room　filled　silently；　as　if　these　men　had
been　the　humblest；　most　devoted　courtiers。　Far　beyond　the
door　the　heads　of　those　who　were　not　able　to　enter　could　be
seen；　all　craning　to　their　utmost　height　to　try　and　see。
D'Artagnan　saw　it　all　through　an　opening　he　had　made　in　the
curtain；　and　in　the　very　first　man　who　entered　he　recognized
Planchet。
〃Sir；〃　said　the　queen　to　him；　thinking　he　was　the　leader　of
the　band；　〃you　wished　to　see　the　king　and　therefore　I
determined　to　show　him　to　you　myself。　Approach　and　look　at
him　and　say　if　we　have　the　appearance　of　people　who　wish　to
run　away。〃
〃No；　certainly；〃　replied　Planchet；　rather　astonished　at　the
unexpected　honor　conferred　upon　him。
〃You　will　say；　then；　to　my　good　and　faithful　Parisians；〃
continued　Anne；　with　a　smile；　the　expression　of　which　did
not　deceive　D'Artagnan；　〃that　you　have　seen　the　king　in　bed；
asleep；　and　the　queen　also　ready　to　retire。〃
〃I　shall　tell　them；　madame；　and　those　who　accompany　me　will
say　the　same　thing；　but　　〃
〃But　what？〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria。
〃Will　your　majesty　pardon　me；〃　said　Planchet；　〃but　is　it
really　the　king　who　is　lying　there？〃
Anne　of　Austria　started。　〃If；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　one　among
you　who　knows　the　king；　let　him　approach　and　say　whether　it
is　really　his　majesty　lying　there。〃
A　man　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　in　the　folds　of　which　his　face　was
hidden；　approached　and　leaned　over　the　bed　and　looked。
For　one　second；　D'Artagnan　thought　the　man　had　some　evil
design　and　he　put　his　hand　to　his　sword；　but　in　the　movement
made　by　the　man　in　stooping　a　portion　of　his　face　was
uncovered　and　D'Artagnan　recognized　the　coadjutor。
〃It　is　certainly　the　king；〃　said　the　man；　rising　again。　〃God
bless　his　majesty！〃
〃Yes；〃　repeated　the　leader　in　a　whisper；　〃God　bless　his
majesty！〃　and　all　these　men；　who　had　entered　enraged；　passed
from　anger　to　pity　and　blessed　the　royal　infant　in　their
turn。
〃Now；'；　said　Planchet；　〃let　us　thank　the　queen。　My　friends；
retire。〃
They　all　bowed；　and　retired　by　degrees　as　noiselessly　as
they　had　entered。　Planchet；　who　had　been　the　first　to　enter；
was　the　last　to　leave。　The　queen　stopped　him。
〃What　is　your　name；　my　friend？〃　she　said。
Planchet；　much　surprised　at　the　inquiry；　turned　back。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　queen；　〃I　think　myself　as　much　honored
to　have　received　you　this　evening　as　if　you　had　been　a
prince；　and　I　wish　to　know　your　name。〃
〃Yes；〃　thought　Planchet；　〃to　treat　me　as　a　prince。　No；　thank
you。〃
D'Artagnan　trembled　lest　Planchet；　seduced；　like　the　crow　in
the　fable；　should　tell　his　name；　and　that　the　queen；　knowing
his　name；　would　discover　that　Planchet　had　belonged　to　him。
〃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　he