twenty years after(二十年后)-第112章

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recognizing　his　master；　stopped　and　neighed　with　pleasure；
it　was　Arthur。
The　king　smiled；　patted　it　with　his　hand　and　jumped　lightly
into　the　saddle。
〃Now；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃conduct　me　where　you　will。〃
Turning　back　again；　he　said；　〃I　thought　I　saw　Winter　move；
if　he　still　lives；　by　all　you　hold　most　sacred；　do　not
abandon　him。〃
〃Never　fear；　King　Charles；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃the　bullet
pierced　his　heart。〃
〃Do　not　breathe　a　word　nor　make　the　least　sign　to　me　or
Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Athos　and　Aramis；　〃that　you
recognize　this　man；　for　Milady　is　not　dead；　her　soul　lives
in　the　body　of　this　demon。〃
The　detachment　now　moved　toward　the　town　with　the　royal
captive；　but　on　the　road　an　aide…de…camp；　from　Cromwell；
sent　orders　that　Colonel　Tomlison　should　conduct　him　to
Holdenby　Castle。
At　the　same　time　couriers　started　in　every　direction　over
England　and　Europe　to　announce　that　Charles　Stuart　was　the
prisoner　of　Oliver　Cromwell。


57
Oliver　Cromwell。

〃Have　you　been　to　the　general？〃　said　Mordaunt　to　D'Artagnan
and　Porthos；　〃you　know　he　sent　for　you　after　the　action。〃
〃We　want　first　to　put　our　prisoners　in　a　place　of　safety；〃
replied　D'Artagnan。　〃Do　you　know；　sir；　these　gentlemen　are
each　of　them　worth　fifteen　hundred　pounds？〃
〃Oh；　be　assured；〃　said　Mordaunt；　looking　at　them　with　an
expression　he　vainly　endeavoured　to　soften；　〃my　soldiers
will　guard　them；　and　guard　them　well；　I　promise　you。〃
〃I　shall　take　better　care　of　them　myself；〃　answered
D'Artagnan；　〃besides；　all　they　require　is　a　good　room；　with
sentinels；　or　their　simple　parole　that　they　will　not　attempt
escape。　I　will　go　and　see　about　that；　and　then　we　shall　have
the　honor　of　presenting　ourselves　to　the　general　and
receiving　his　commands　for　his　eminence。〃
〃You　think　of　starting　at　once；　then？〃　inquired　Mordaunt。
〃Our　mission　is　ended；　and　there　is　nothing　more　to　detain
us　now　but　the　good　pleasure　of　the　great　man　to　whom　we
were　sent。〃
The　young　man　bit　his　lips　and　whispered　to　his　sergeant：
〃You　will　follow　these　men　and　not　lose　sight　of　them；　when
you　have　discovered　where　they　lodge；　come　and　await　me　at
the　town　gate。〃
The　sergeant　made　a　sign　of　comprehension。
Instead　of　following　the　knot　of　prisoners　that　were　being
taken　into　the　town；　Mordaunt　turned　his　steps　toward　the
rising　ground　from　whence　Cromwell　had　witnessed　the　battle
and　on　which　he　had　just　had　his　tent　pitched。
Cromwell　had　given　orders　that　no　one　was　to　be　allowed
admission；　but　the　sentinel；　who　knew　that　Mordaunt　was　one
of　the　most　confidential　friends　of　the　general；　thought　the
order　did　not　extend　to　the　young　man。　Mordaunt；　therefore；
raised　the　canvas；　and　saw　Cromwell　seated　before　a　table；
his　head　buried　in　his　hands；　his　back　being　turned。
Whether　he　heard　Mordaunt　or　not　as　he　entered；　Cromwell　did
not　move。　Mordaunt　remained　standing　near　the　door。　At　last；
after　a　few　moments；　Cromwell　raised　his　head；　and；　as　if　he
divined　that　some　one　was　there；　turned　slowly　around。
〃I　said　I　wished　to　be　alone；〃　he　exclaimed；　on　seeing　the
young　man。
〃They　thought　this　order　did　not　concern　me；　sir；
nevertheless；　if　you　wish　it；　I　am　ready　to　go。〃
〃Ah！　is　it　you；　Mordaunt？〃　said　Cromwell；　the　cloud　passing
away　from　his　face；　〃since　you　are　here；　it　is　well；　you　may
remain。〃
〃I　come　to　congratulate　you。〃
〃To　congratulate　me　　what　for？〃
〃On　the　capture　of　Charles　Stuart。　You　are　now　master　of
England。〃
〃I　was　much　more　really　so　two　hours　ago。〃
〃How　so；　general？〃
〃Because　England　had　need　of　me　to　take　the　tyrant；　and　now
the　tyrant　is　taken。　Have　you　seen　him？〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃What　is　his　bearing？〃
Mordaunt　hesitated；　but　it　seemed　as　though　he　was
constrained　to　tell　the　truth。
〃Calm　and　dignified；〃　said　he。
〃What　did　he　say？〃
〃Some　parting　words　to　his　friends。〃
〃His　friends！〃　murmured　Cromwell。　〃Has　he　any　friends？〃　Then
he　added　aloud；　〃Did　he　make　any　resistance？〃
〃No；　sir；　with　the　exception　of　two　or　three　friends　every
one　deserted　him；　he　had　no　means　of　resistance。〃
〃To　whom　did　he　give　up　his　sword？〃
〃He　did　not　give　it　up；　he　broke　it。〃
〃He　did　well；　but　instead　of　breaking　it；　he　might　have　used
it　to　still　more　advantage。〃
There　was　a　momentary　pause。
〃I　heard　that　the　colonel　of　the　regiment　that　escorted
Charles　was　killed；〃　said　Cromwell；　staring　very　fixedly　at
Mordaunt。
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃By　whom？〃　inquired　Cromwell。
〃By　me。〃
〃What　was　his　name？〃
〃Lord　Winter。〃
〃Your　uncle？〃　exclaimed　Cromwell。
〃My　uncle；〃　answered　Mordaunt；　〃but　traitors　to　England　are
no　longer　members　of　my　family。〃
Cromwell　observed　the　young　man　a　moment　in　silence；　then；
with　that　profound　melancholy　Shakespeare　describes　so　well：
〃Mordaunt；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　terrible　servant。〃
〃When　the　Lord　commands；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃His　commands　are
not　to　be　disputed。　Abraham　raised　the　knife　against　Isaac；
and　Isaac　was　his　son。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃but　the　Lord　did　not　suffer　that
sacrifice　to　be　accomplished。〃
〃I　have　looked　around　me；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃and　I　have　seen
neither　goat　nor　kid　caught　among　the　bushes　of　the　plain。〃
Cromwell　bowed。　〃You　are　strong　among　the　strong；　Mordaunt；〃
he　said；　〃and　the　Frenchmen；　how　did　they　behave？〃
〃Most　fearlessly。〃
〃Yes；　yes；〃　murmured　Cromwell；　〃the　French　fight　well；　and
if　my　glass　was　good　and　I　mistake　not；　they　were　foremost
in　the　fight。〃
〃They　were；〃　replied　Mordaunt。
〃After　you；　however；〃　said　Cromwell。
〃It　was　the　fault　of　their　horses；　not　theirs。〃
Another　pause
〃And　the　Scotch？〃
〃They　kept　their　word　and　never　stirred；〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃Wretched　men！〃
〃Their　officers　wish　to　see　you；　sir。〃
〃I　have　no　time　to　see　them。　Are　they　paid？〃
〃Yes；　to…night。〃
〃Let　them　be　off　and　return　to　their　own　country；　there　to
hide　their　shame；　if　its　hills　are　high　enough；　I　have
nothing　more　to　do　with　them　nor　they　with　me。　And　now　go；
Mordaunt。〃
〃Before　I　go；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃I　have　some　questions　and　a
favor　to　ask　you；　sir。〃
〃A　favor　from　me？〃
Mordaunt　bowed。
〃I　come　to　you；　my　leader；　my　head；　my　father；　and　I　ask
you；　master；　are　you　contented　with　me？〃
Cromwell　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。　The　young　man
remained　immovable。
〃Yes；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃you　have　done；　since　I　knew　you；　not
only　your　duty；　but　more　than　your　duty；　you　have　been　a
faithful　friend；　a　cautious　negotiator；　a　brave　soldier。〃
〃Do　you　remember；　sir　it　was　my　idea；　the　Scotch　treaty；　for
giving　up　the　king？〃
〃Yes；　the　idea　was　yours。　I　had　no　such　contempt　for　men
before。〃
〃Was　I　not　a　good　ambassador　in　France？〃
〃Yes；　for　Mazarin　has　granted　what　I　desire。〃
〃Have　I　not　always　fought　for　your　glory　and　interests？〃
〃Too　ardently；　perhaps；　it　is　what　I　have　just　reproached
you　for。　But　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　these　questions？〃
〃To　tell　you；　my　lord；　that　the　moment　has　now　arrived　when；
with　a　single　word；　you　may　recompense　all　these　services。〃
〃Oh！〃　said　Oliver；　with　a　slight　curl　of　his　lip；　〃I　forgot
that　every　service　merits　some　reward　and　that　up　to　this
moment　you　have　not　been　paid。〃
〃Sir；　I　can　take　my　pay　at　this　moment；　to　the　full　extent
of　my　wishes。〃
〃How　is　that？〃
〃I　have　the　payment　under　my　hand；　I　almost　possess　it。〃
〃What　is　it？　Have　they　offered　you　money？　Do　you　wish　a
step；　or　some　place　in　the　government？〃
〃Sir；　will　you　grant　me　my　request？〃
〃Let　us　hear　what　it　is；　first。〃
〃Sir；　when　you　have　told　me　to　obey　an　order　did　I　ever
answer；　‘Let　me　see　that　order　'？〃
〃If；　however；　your　wish　should　be　one　impossible　to
fulfill？〃
〃When　you　have　cherished　a　wish　and　have　charged　me　with　its
fulfillment；　have　I　ever　replied；　‘It　is　impossible'？〃
〃But　a　request　preferred　with　so　much　preparation　　〃
〃Ah；　do　not　fear；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　with　apparent
simplicity：　〃it　will　not　ruin　you。〃
〃Well；　then；〃　said　Cromwell；　〃I　promise；　as　far　as　lies　in
my　power；　to　grant　your　request；　proceed。〃
〃Sir；　two　prisoners　were　taken　this　morning；　will　you　let　me
have　them？〃
〃For　their　ransom？　have　they　then　offered　a　large　one？〃
inquired　Cromwell。
〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　they　are　poor；　sir。〃
〃They　are　friends　of　yours；　then？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃they　are　friends；　dear
friends　of　mine；　and　I　wo