twenty years after(二十年后)-第119章

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The　little　troop　recommenced　their　march；　and　at　the　end　of
two　hours　perceived　a　considerable　body　of　horsemen　about
half　a　league　ahead。
〃My　dear　friends；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃give　your　swords　to
Monsieur　Mouston；　who　will　return　them　to　you　at　the　proper
time　and　place；　and　do　not　forget　you　are　our　prisoners。〃
It　was　not　long　before　they　joined　the　escort。　The　king　was
riding　in　front；　surrounded　by　troopers；　and　when　he　saw
Athos　and　Aramis　a　glow　of　pleasure　lighted　his　pale　cheeks。
D'Artagnan　passed　to　the　head　of　the　column；　and　leaving　his
friends　under　the　guard　of　Porthos；　went　straight　to
Harrison；　who　recognized　him　as　having　met　him　at　Cromwell's
and　received　him　as　politely　as　a　man　of　his　breeding　and
disposition　could。　It　turned　out　as　D'Artagnan　had　foreseen。
The　colonel　neither　had　nor　could　have　any　suspicion。
They　halted　for　the　king　to　dine。　This　time；　however；　due
precautions　were　taken　to　prevent　any　attempt　at　escape。　In
the　large　room　of　the　hotel　a　small　table　was　placed　for　him
and　a　large　one　for　the　officers。
〃Will　you　dine　with　me？〃　asked　Harrison　of　D'Artagnan。
〃Gad；　I　should　be　very　happy；　but　I　have　my　companion；
Monsieur　du　Vallon；　and　the　two　prisoners；　whom　I　cannot
leave。　Let　us　manage　it　better。　Have　a　table　set　for　us　in　a
corner　and　send　us　whatever　you　like　from　yours。〃
〃Good；〃　answered　Harrison。
The　matter　was　arranged　as　D'Artagnan　had　suggested；　and
when　he　returned　he　found　the　king　already　seated　at　his
little　table；　where　Parry　waited　on　him；　Harrison　and　his
officers　sitting　together　at　another　table；　and；　in　a
corner；　places　reserved　for　himself　and　his　companions。
The　table　at　which　the　Puritan　officers　were　seated　was
round；　and　whether　by　chance　or　coarse　intention；　Harrison
sat　with　his　back　to　the　king。
The　king　saw　the　four　gentlemen　come　in；　but　appeared　to
take　no　notice　of　them。
They　sat　down　in　such　a　manner　as　to　turn　their　backs　on
nobody。　The　officers；　table　and　that　of　the　king　were
opposite　to　them。
〃I'faith；　colonel；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　are　very　grateful
for　your　gracious　invitation；　for　without　you　we　ran　the
risk　of　going　without　dinner；　as　we　have　without　breakfast。
My　friend　here；　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　shares　my　gratitude；　for
he　was　particularly　hungry。〃
〃And　I　am　so　still；〃　said　Porthos　bowing　to　Harrison。
〃And　how；〃　said　Harrison；　laughing；　〃did　this　serious
calamity　of　going　without　breakfast　happen　to　you？〃
〃In　a　very　simple　manner；　colonel；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃I　was
in　a　hurry　to　join　you　and　took　the　road　you　had　already
gone　by。　You　can　understand　our　disappointment　when；
arriving　at　a　pretty　little　house　on　the　skirts　of　a　wood；
which　at　a　distance　had　quite　a　gay　appearance；　with　its　red
roof　and　green　shutters；　we　found　nothing　but　a　poor　wretch
bathed　　Ah！　colonel；　pay　my　respects　to　the　officer　of
yours　who　struck　that　blow。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Harrison；　laughing；　and　looking　over　at　one　of
the　officers　seated　at　his　table。　〃When　Groslow　undertakes
this　kind　of　thing　there's　no　need　to　go　over　the　ground　a
second　time。〃
〃Ah！　it　was　this　gentleman？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　bowing　to　the
officer。　〃I　am　sorry　he　does　not　speak　French；　that　I　might
tender　him　my　compliments。〃
〃I　am　ready　to　receive　and　return　them；　sir；〃　said　the
officer；　in　pretty　good　French；　〃for　I　resided　three　years
in　Paris。〃
〃Then；　sir；　allow　me　to　assure　you　that　your　blow　was　so
well　directed　that　you　have　nearly　killed　your　man。〃
〃Nearly？　I　thought　I　had　quite；〃　said　Groslow。
〃No。　It　was　a　very　near　thing；　but　he　is　not　dead。〃
As　he　said　this；　D'Artagnan　gave　a　glance　at　Parry；　who　was
standing　in　front　of　the　king；　to　show　him　that　the　news　was
meant　for　him。
The　king；　too；　who　had　listened　in　the　greatest　agony；　now
breathed　again。
〃Hang　it；〃　said　Groslow；　〃I　thought　I　had　succeeded　better。
If　it　were　not　so　far　from　here　to　the　house　I　would　return
and　finish　him。〃
〃And　you　would　do　well；　if　you　are　afraid　of　his　recovering；
for　you　know；　if　a　wound　in　the　head　does　not　kill　at　once；
it　is　cured　in　a　week。〃
And　D'Artagnan　threw　a　second　glance　toward　Parry；　on　whose
face　such　an　expression　of　joy　was　manifested　that　Charles
stretched　out　his　hand　to　him；　smiling。
Parry　bent　over　his　master's　hand　and　kissed　it
respectfully。
〃I've　a　great　desire　to　drink　the　king's　health；〃　said
Athos。
〃Let　me　propose　it；　then；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Do；〃　said　Aramis。
Porthos　looked　at　D'Artagnan；　quite　amazed　at　the　resources
with　which　his　companion's　Gascon　sharpness　continually
supplied　him。　D'Artagnan　took　up　his　camp　tin　cup；　filled　it
with　wine　and　arose。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　drink　to　him　who　presides　at
the　repast。　Here's　to　our　colonel；　and　let　him　know　that　we
are　always　at　his　commands　as　far　as　London　and　farther。〃
And　as　D'Artagnan；　as　he　spoke；　looked　at　Harrison；　the
colonel　imagined　the　toast　was　for　himself。　He　arose　and
bowed　to　the　four　friends；　whose　eyes　were　fixed　on　Charles；
while　Harrison　emptied　his　glass　without　the　slightest
misgiving。
The　king；　in　return；　looked　at　the　four　gentlemen　and　drank
with　a　smile　full　of　nobility　and　gratitude。
〃Come；　gentlemen；〃　cried　Harrison；　regardless　of　his
illustrious　captive；　〃let　us　be　off。〃
〃Where　do　we　sleep；　colonel？〃
〃At　Thirsk；〃　replied　Harrison。
〃Parry；〃　said　the　king；　rising　too；　〃my　horse；　I　desire　to
go　to　Thirsk。〃
〃Egad！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Athos；　〃your　king　has　thoroughly
taken　me；　and　I　am　quite　at　his　service。〃
〃If　what　you　say　is　sincere；〃　replied　Athos；　〃he　will　never
reach　London。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃Because　before　then　we　shall　have　carried　him　off。〃
〃Well；　this　time；　Athos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃upon　my　word；
you　are　mad。〃
〃Have　you　some　plan　in　your　head　then？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Ay！〃　said　Porthos；　〃the　thing　would　not　be　impossible　with
a　good　plan。〃
〃I　have　none；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　D'Artagnan　will　discover
one。〃
D'Artagnan　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　they　proceeded。

61
D'Artagnan　hits　on　a　Plan。

As　night　closed　in　they　arrived　at　Thirsk。　The　four　friends
appeared　to　be　entire　strangers　to　one　another　and
indifferent　to　the　precautions　taken　for　guarding　the　king。
They　withdrew　to　a　private　house；　and　as　they　had　reason
every　moment　to　fear　for　their　safety；　they　occupied　but　one
room　and　provided　an　exit；　which　might　be　useful　in　case　of
an　attack。　The　lackeys　were　sent　to　their　several　posts；
except　that　Grimaud　lay　on　a　truss　of　straw　across　the
doorway。
D'Artagnan　was　thoughtful　and　seemed　for　the　moment　to　have
lost　his　usual　loquacity。　Porthos；　who　could　never　see
anything　that　was　not　self…evident；　talked　to　him　as　usual。
He　replied　in　monosyllables　and　Athos　and　Aramis　looked
significantly　at　one　another。
Next　morning　D'Artagnan　was　the　first　to　rise。　He　had　been
down　to　the　stables；　already　taken　a　look　at　the　horses　and
given　the　necessary　orders　for　the　day；　whilst　Athos　and
Aramis　were　still　in　bed　and　Porthos　snoring。
At　eight　o'clock　the　march　was　resumed　in　the　same　order　as
the　night　before；　except　that　D'Artagnan　left　his　friends
and　began　to　renew　the　acquaintance　which　he　had　already
struck　up　with　Monsieur　Groslow。
Groslow；　whom　D'Artagnan's　praises　had　greatly　pleased；
welcomed　him　with　a　gracious　smile。
〃Really；　sir；〃　D'Artagnan　said　to　him；　〃I　am　pleased　to　find
one　with　whom　to　talk　in　my　own　poor　tongue。　My　friend；
Monsieur　du　Vallon；　is　of　a　very　melancholy　disposition；　so
much　so；　that　one　can　scarcely　get　three　words　out　of　him
all　day。　As　for　our　two　prisoners；　you　can　imagine　that　they
are　but　little　in　the　vein　for　conversation。〃
〃They　are　hot　royalists；〃　said　Groslow。
〃The　more　reason　they　should　be　sulky　with　us　for　having
captured　the　Stuart；　for　whom；　I　hope；　you're　preparing　a
pretty　trial。〃
〃Why；〃　said　Groslow；　〃that　is　just　what　we　are　taking　him　to
London　for。〃
〃And　you　never　by　any　chance　lose　sight　of　him；　I　presume？〃
〃I　should　think　not；　indeed。　You　see　he　has　a　truly　royal
escort。〃
〃Ay；　there's　no　fear　in　the　daytime；　but　at　night？〃
〃We　redouble　our　precautions。〃
〃And　what　method　of　surveillance　do　you　employ？〃
〃Eight　men　remain　constantly　in　his　room。〃
〃The　deuce；　he　is　well　guarded；　then。　But　besides　these
eight　men；　you　doubtle