twenty years after(二十年后)-第104章

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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　it　be　war！　Have　we　not　on　our　side　the
conqueror　of　Rocroy；　of　Nordlingen；　of　Lens？〃
The　prince　bowed　low。
It　was　then　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　queen　walked
first；　every　one　followed　her。　About　two　hundred　persons　had
accompanied　her　in　her　flight。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　queen；　laughing；　〃pray　take　up　your
abode　in　the　chateau；　it　is　large；　and　there　will　be　no　want
of　room　for　you　all；　but；　as　we　never　thought　of　coming
here；　I　am　informed　that　there　are；　in　all；　only　three　beds
in　the　whole　establishment；　one　for　the　king；　one　for　me
　〃
〃And　one　for　the　cardinal；〃　muttered　the　prince。
〃Am　I　　am　I；　then；　to　sleep　on　the　floor？〃　asked　Gaston
d'Orleans；　with　a　forced　smile。
〃No；　my　prince；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃the　third　bed　is　intended
for　your　highness。〃
〃But　your　eminence？〃　replied　the　prince。
〃I；〃　answered　Mazarin；　〃I　shall　not　sleep　at　all；　I　have
work　to　do。〃
Gaston　desired　that　he　should　be　shown　into　the　room　wherein
he　was　to　sleep；　without　in　the　least　concerning　himself　as
to　where　his　wife　and　daughter　were　to　repose。
〃Well；　for　my　part；　I　shall　go　to　bed；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃come；　Porthos。〃
Porthos　followed　the　lieutenant　with　that　profound
confidence　he　ever　had　in　the　wisdom　of　his　friend。　They
walked　from　one　end　of　the　chateau　to　the　other；　Porthos
looking　with　wondering　eyes　at　D'Artagnan；　who　was　counting
on　his　fingers。
〃Four　hundred；　at　a　pistole　each；　four　hundred　pistoles。〃
〃Yes；〃　interposed　Porthos；　〃four　hundred　pistoles；　but　who
is　to　make　four　hundred　pistoles？〃
〃A　pistole　is　not　enough；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　worth　a
louis。〃
〃What　is　worth　a　louis？〃
〃Four　hundred；　at　a　louis　each；　make　four　hundred　louis。〃
〃Four　hundred？〃　said　Porthos。
〃Yes；　there　are　two　hundred　of　them；　and　each　of　them　will
need　two；　which　will　make　four　hundred。〃
〃But　four　hundred　what？〃
〃Listen！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
But　as　there　were　all　kinds　of　people　about；　who　were　in　a
state　of　stupefaction　at　the　unexpected　arrival　of　the
court；　he　whispered　in　his　friend's　ear。
〃I　understand；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃I　understand　you
perfectly；　on　my　honor；　two　hundred　louis；　each　of　us；　would
be　making　a　pretty　thing　of　it；　but　what　will　people　say？〃
〃Let　them　say　what　they　will；　besides；　how　will　they　know
that　we　are　doing　it？〃
〃But　who　will　distribute　these　things？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Isn't　Musqueton　there？〃
〃But　he　wears　my　livery；　my　livery　will　be　known；〃　replied
Porthos。
〃He　can　turn　his　coat　inside　out。〃
〃You　are　always　in　the　right；　my　dear　friend；〃　cried
Porthos；　〃but　where　the　devil　do　you　discover　all　the
notions　you　put　into　practice？〃
D'Artagnan　smiled。　The　two　friends　turned　down　the　first
street　they　came　to。　Porthos　knocked　at　the　door　of　a　house
to　the　right；　whilst　D'Artagnan　knocked　at　the　door　of　a
house　to　the　left。
〃Some　straw；〃　they　said。
〃Sir；　we　don't　keep　any；〃　was　the　reply　of　the　people　who
opened　the　doors；　〃but　please　ask　at　the　hay　dealer's。〃
〃Where　is　the　hay　dealer's？〃
〃At　the　last　large　door　in　the　street。〃
〃Are　there　any　other　people　in　Saint　Germain　who　sell
straw？〃
〃Yes；　there's　the　landlord　of　the　Lamb；　and　Gros…Louis　the
farmer；　they　both　live　in　the　Rue　des　Ursulines。〃
〃Very　well。〃
D'Artagnan　went　instantly　to　the　hay　dealer　and　bargained
with　him　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　trusses　of　straw；　which　he
obtained；　at　the　rate　of　three　pistoles　each。　He　went
afterward　to　the　innkeeper　and　bought　from　him　two　hundred
trusses　at　the　same　price。　Finally；　Farmer　Louis　sold　them
eighty　trusses；　making　in　all　four　hundred　and　thirty。
There　was　no　more　to　be　had　in　Saint　Germain。　This　foraging
did　not　occupy　more　than　half　an　hour。　Musqueton；　duly
instructed；　was　put　at　the　head　of　this　sudden　and　new
business。　He　was　cautioned　not　to　let　a　bit　of　straw　out　of
his　hands　under　a　louis　the　truss；　and　they　intrusted　to　him
straw　to　the　amount　of　four　hundred　and　thirty　louis。
D'Artagnan；　taking　with　him　three　trusses　of　straw；　returned
to　the　chateau；　where　everybody；　freezing　with　cold　and　more
than　half　asleep；　envied　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　Duke
of　Orleans；　on　thei