twenty years after(二十年后)-第106章

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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　we　cross　to　England。〃
〃Well；　suppose　instead　of　joining　this　Monsieur　Mordaunt　we
were　to　go　and　join　our　friends？〃　said　Porthos；　with　a
gesture　fierce　enough　to　have　frightened　an　army。
〃I　did　think　of　it；　but　this　letter　has　neither　date　nor
postmark。〃
〃True；〃　said　Porthos。　And　he　began　to　wander　about　the　room
like　a　man　beside　himself；　gesticulating　and　half　drawing
his　sword　out　of　the　scabbard。
As　to　D'Artagnan；　he　remained　standing　like　a　man　in
consternation；　with　the　deepest　affliction　depicted　on　his
face。
〃Ah；　this　is　not　right；　Athos　insults　us；　he　wishes　to　die
alone；　it　is　bad；　bad；　bad。〃
Musqueton；　witnessing　this　despair；　melted　into　tears　in　a
corner　of　the　room。
〃Come；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃all　this　leads　to　nothing。　Let　us
go　on。　We　will　embrace　Raoul；　and　perhaps　he　will　have　news
of　Athos。〃
〃Stop　　an　idea！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃indeed；　my　dear
D'Artagnan；　I　don't　know　how　you　manage；　but　you　are　always
full　of　ideas；　let　us　go　and　embrace　Raoul。〃
〃Woe　to　that　man　who　should　happen　to　contradict　my　master
at　this　moment；〃　said　Musqueton　to　himself；　〃I　wouldn't　give
a　farthing　for　his　life。〃
They　set　out。　On　arriving　at　the　Rue　Saint　Denis；　the
friends　found　a　vast　concourse　of　people。　It　was　the　Duc　de
Beaufort；　who　was　coming　from　the　Vendomois　and　whom　the
coadjutor　was　showing　to　the　Parisians；　intoxicated　with
joy。　With　the　duke's　aid　they　already　considered　themselves
invincible。
The　two　friends　turned　off　into　a　side　street　to　avoid
meeting　the　prince；　and　so　reached　the　Saint　Denis　gate。
〃Is　it　true；〃　said　the　guard　to　the　two　cavaliers；　〃that　the
Duc　de　Beaufort　has　arrived　in　Paris？〃
〃Nothing　more　certain；　and　the　best　proof　of　it　is；〃　said
D'Artagnan；　〃that　he　has　dispatched　us　to　meet　the　Duc　de
Vendome；　his　father；　who　is　coming　in　his　turn。〃
〃Long　live　De　Beaufort！〃　cried　the　guards；　and　they　drew
back　respectfully　to　let　the　two　friends　pass。　Once　across
the　barriers　these　two　knew　neither　fatigue　nor　fear。　Their
horses　flew；　and　they　never　ceased　speaking　of　Athos　and
Ara