twenty years after(二十年后)-第113章

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〃Yes；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃they　are　friends；　dear
friends　of　mine；　and　I　would　lay　down　my　life　for　them。〃
〃Very　well；　Mordaunt；〃　exclaimed　Cromwell；　pleased　at　having
his　opinion　of　the　young　man　raised　once　more；　〃I　will　give
them　to　you；　I　will　not　even　ask　who　they　are；　do　as　you
like　with　them。〃
〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Mordaunt；　〃thank　you；　my　life　is
always　at　your　service；　and　should　I　lose　it　I　should　still
owe　you　something；　thank　you；　you　have　indeed　repaid　me
munificently　for　my　services。〃
He　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　Cromwell；　and　in　spite　of
the　efforts　of　the　Puritan　general；　who　did　not　like　this
almost　kingly　homage；　he　took　his　hand　and　kissed　it。
〃What！〃　said　Cromwell；　arresting　him　for　a　moment　as　he
arose；　〃is　there　nothing　more　you　wish？　neither　gold　nor
rank？〃
〃You　have　given　me　all　you　can　give　me；　and　from　to…day　your
debt　is　paid。〃
And　Mordaunt　darted　out　of　the　general's　tent；　his　heart
beating　and　his　eyes　sparkling　with　joy。
Cromwell　gazed　a　moment　after　him。
〃He　has　slain　his　uncle！〃　he　murmured。　〃Alas！　what　are　my
servants？　Possibly　this　one；　who　asks　nothing　or　seems　to
ask　nothing；　has　asked　more　in　the　eyes　of　Heaven　than　those
who　tax　the　country　and　steal　the　bread　of　the　poor。　Nobody
serves　me　for　nothing。　Charles；　who　is　my　prisoner；　may
still　have　friends；　but　I　have　none！〃
And　with　a　deep　sigh　he　again　sank　into　the　reverie　that　had
been　interrupted　by　Mordaunt。


58
Jesus　Seigneur。

Whilst　Mordaunt　was　making　his　way　to　Cromwell's　tent；
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　had　brought　their　prisoners　to　the
house　which　had　been　assigned　to　them　as　their　dwelling　at
Newcastle。
The　order　given　by　Mordaunt　to　the　sergeant　had　been　heard
by　D'Artagnan；　who　accordingly；　by　an　expressive　glance；
warned　Athos　and　Aramis　to　exercise　extreme　caution。　The
prisoners；　therefore；　had　remained　silent　as　they　marched
along　in　company　with　their　conquerors　　which　they　could
do　with　the　less　difficulty　since　each　of　them　had
occupation　enough　in　answering　his　own　thoughts。
It　would　be　impossible　to　describe　Musqueton's　astonishment
when　from　the　threshold　of　the　door　he　saw　the　four　friends
approaching；　followed　by　a　sergeant　with　a　dozen　men。　He
rubbed　his　eyes；　doubting　if　he　really　saw　before　him　Athos
and　Aramis；　and　forced　at　last　to　yield　to　evidence；　he　was
on　the　point　of　breaking　forth　in　exclamations　when　he
encountered　a　glance　from　the　eyes　of　Porthos；　the
repressive　force　of　which　he　was　not　inclined　to　dispute。
Musqueton　remained　glued　to　the　door；　awaiting　the
explanation　of　this　strange　occurrence。　What　upset　him
completely　was　that　the　four　friends　seemed　to　have　no
acquaintance　with　one　another。
The　house　to　which　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　conducted　Athos
and　Aramis　was　the　one　assigned　to　them　by　General　Cromwell
and　of　which　they　had　taken　possession　on　the　previous
evening。　It　was　at　the　corner　of　two　streets　and　had　in　the
rear；　bordering　on　the　side　street；　stables　and　a　sort　of
garden。　The　windows　on　the　ground　floor；　according　to　a
custom　in　provincial　villages；　were　barred；　so　that　they
strongly　resembled　the　windows　of　a　prison。
The　two　friends　made　the　prisoners　enter　the　house　first；
whilst　they　stood　at　the　door；　desiring　Musqueton　to　take
the　four　horses　to　the　stable。
〃Why　don't　we　go　in　with　them？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃We　must　first　see　what　the　sergeant　wishes　us　to　do；〃
replied　D'Artagnan。
The　sergeant　and　his　men　took　possession　of　the　little
garden。
D'Artagnan　asked　them　what　they　wished　and　why　they　had
taken　that　position。
〃We　have　had　orders；〃　answered　the　man；　〃to　help　you　in
taking　care　of　your　prisoners。〃
There　could　be　no　fault　to　find　with　this　arrangement；　on
the　contrary；　it　seemed　to　be　a　delicate　attention；　to　be
gratefully　received；　D'Artagnan；　therefore；　thanked　the　man
and　gave　him　a　crown　piece　to　drink　to　General　Cromwell's
health。
The　sergeant　answered　that　Puritans　never　drank；　and　put　the
crown　piece　in　his　pocket。
〃Ah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃what　a　fearful　day；　my　dear
D'Artagnan！〃
〃What！　a　fearful　day；　when　to…day　we　find　our　friends？〃
〃Yes；　but　under　what　circumstances？〃
〃'Tis　true　that　our　position　is　an　awkward　one；　but　let　us
go　in　and　see　more　clearly　what　is　to　be　done。〃
〃Things　look　black　enough；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃I　understand
now　why　Aramis　advised　me　to　strangle　that　horrible
Mordaunt。〃
〃Silence！〃　cried　the　Gascon；　〃do　not　utter　that　name。〃
〃But；〃　argued　Porthos；　〃I　speak　French　and　they　are　all
English。〃
D'Artagnan　looked　at　Porthos　with　that　air　of　wonder　which　a
cunning　man　cannot　help　feeling　at　displays　of　crass
stupidity。
But　as　Porthos　on　his　side　could　not　comprehend　his
astonishment；　he　merely　pushed　him　indoors；　saying；　〃Let　us
go　in。〃
They　found　Athos　in　profound　despondency；　Aramis　looked
first　at　Porthos　and　then　at　D'Artagnan；　without　speaking；
but　the　latter　understood　his　meaning　look。
〃You　want　to　know　how　we　came　here？　'Tis　easily　guessed。
Mazarin　sent　us　with　a　letter　to　General　Cromwell。〃
〃But　how　came　you　to　fall　into　company　with　Mordaunt；　whom　I
bade　you　distrust？〃　asked　Athos。
〃And　whom　I　advised　you　to　strangle；　Porthos；〃　said　Aramis。
〃Mazarin　again。　Cromwell　had　sent　him　to　Mazarin。　Mazarin
sent　us　to　Cromwell。　There　is　a　certain　fatality　in　it。〃
〃Yes；　you　are　right；　D'Artagnan；　a　fatality　that　will
separate　and　ruin　us！　So；　my　dear　Aramis；　say　no　more　about
it　and　let　us　prepare　to　submit　to　destiny。〃
〃Zounds！　on　the　contrary；　let　us　speak　about　it；　for　it　was
agreed　among　us；　once　for　all；　that　we　should　always　hold
together；　though　engaged　on　opposing　sides。〃
〃Yes；〃　added　Athos；　〃I　now　ask　you；　D'Artagnan；　what　side
you　are　on？　Ah！　behold　for　what　end　the　wretched　Mazarin　has
made　use　of　you。　Do　you　know　in　what　crime　you　are　to…day
engaged？　In　the　capture　of　a　king；　his　degradation　and　his
murder。〃
〃Oh！　oh！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃do　you　think　so？〃
〃You　are　exaggerating；　Athos；　we　are　not　so　far　gone　as
that；〃　replied　the　lieutenant。
〃Good　heavens！　we　are　on　the　very　eve　of　it。　I　say；　why　is
the　king　taken　prisoner？　Those　who　wish　to　respect　him　as　a
master　would　not　buy　him　as　a　slave。　Do　you　think　it　is　to
replace　him　on　the　throne　that　Cromwell　has　paid　for　him　two
hundred　thousand　pounds　sterling？　They　will　kill　him；　you
may　be　sure　of　it。〃
〃I　don't　maintain　the　contrary；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃But
what's　that　to　us？　I　am　here　because　I　am　a　soldier　and　have
to　obey　orders　　I　have　taken　an　oath　to　obey；　and　I　do
obey；　but　you　who　have　taken　no　such　oath；　why　are　you　here
and　what　cause　do　you　represent？〃
〃That　most　sacred　in　the　world；〃　said　Athos；　〃the　cause　of
misfortune；　of　religion；　royalty。　A　friend；　a　wife；　a
daughter；　have　done　us　the　honor　to　call　us　to　their　aid。　We
have　served　them　to　the　best　of　our　poor　means；　and　God　will
recompense　the　will；　forgive　the　want　of　power。　You　may　see
matters　differently；　D'Artagnan；　and　think　otherwise。　I　will
not　attempt　to　argue　with　you；　but　I　blame　you。〃
〃Heyday！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃what　matters　it　to　me；　after
all；　if　Cromwell；　who's　an　Englishman；　revolts　against　his
king；　who　is　a　Scotchman？　I　am　myself　a　Frenchman。　I　have
nothing　to　do　with　these　things　　why　hold　me　responsible？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Because　all　gentlemen　are　brothers；　because　you　are　a
gentleman；　because　the　kings　of　all　countries　are　the　first
among　gentlemen；　because　the　blind　populace；　ungrateful　and
brutal；　always　takes　pleasure　in　pulling　down　what　is　above
them。　And　you；　you；　D'Artagnan；　a　man　sprung　from　the
ancient　nobility　of　France；　bearing　an　honorable　name；
carrying　a　good　sword；　have　helped　to　give　up　a　king　to
beersellers；　shopkeepers；　and　wagoners。　Ah！　D'Artagnan！
perhaps　you　have　done　your　duty　as　a　soldier；　but　as　a
gentleman；　I　say　that　you　are　very　culpable。〃
D'Artagnan　was　chewing　the　stalk　of　a　flower；　unable　to
reply　and　thoroughly　uncomfortable；　for　when　turned　from　the
eyes　of　Athos　he　encountered　those　of　Aramis。
〃And　you；　Porthos；〃　continued　the　count；　as　if　in
consideration　for　D'Artagnan's　embarrassment；　〃you；　the　best
heart；　the　best　friend；　the　best　soldier　that　I　know　　you；
with　a　soul　that　makes　you　worthy　of　a　birth　on　the