twenty years after(二十年后)-第121章

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and　that　I　only　speak　in　parables　and　riddles。　Let　those　who
have　ears　hear　and　those　who　have　eyes　see；　I　can　tell　you
nothing　more　at　present。〃
〃Go　ahead；　my　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　am　sure　that　whatever
you　do　is　well　done。〃
〃And　you；　Aramis；　are　you　of　that　opinion？〃
〃Entirely　so；　my　dear　D'Artagnan。〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃here　indeed　are　true
believers；　it　is　a　pleasure　to　work　miracles　before　them；
they　are　not　like　that　unbelieving　Porthos；　who　must　see　and
touch　before　he　will　believe。〃
〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Porthos；　with　an　air　of　finesse；　〃I　am
rather　incredulous。〃
D'Artagnan　gave　him　playful　buffet　on　the　shoulder；　and　as
they　had　reached　the　station　where　they　were　to　breakfast；
the　conversation　ended　there。
At　five　in　the　evening　they　sent　Musqueton　on　before　as
agreed　upon。　Blaisois　went　with　him。
In　crossing　the　principal　street　in　Derby　the　four　friends
perceived　Blaisois　standing　in　the　doorway　of　a　handsome
house。　It　was　there　a　lodging　was　prepared　for　them。
At　the　hour　agreed　upon　Groslow　came。　D'Artagnan　received
him　as　he　would　have　done　a　friend　of　twenty　years'
standing。　Porthos　scanned　him　from　head　to　foot　and　smiled
when　he　discovered　that　in　spite　of　the　blow　he　had
administered　to　Parry's　brother；　he　was　not　nearly　so　strong
as　himself。　Athos　and　Aramis　suppressed　as　well　as　they
could　the　disgust　they　felt　in　the　presence　of　such
coarseness　and　brutality。
In　short；　Groslow　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　his　reception。
Athos　and　Aramis　kept　themselves　to　their　role。　At　midnight
they　withdrew　to　their　chamber；　the　door　of　which　was　left
open　on　the　pretext　of　kindly　consideration。　Furthermore；
D'Artagnan　went　with　them；　leaving　Porthos　at　play　with
Groslow。
Porthos　gained　fifty　pistoles　from　Groslow；　and　found　him　a
more　agreeable　companion　than　he　had　at　first　believed　him
to　be。
As　to　Groslow；　he　promised　himself　that　on　the　following
evening　he　would　recover　from　D'Artagnan　what　he　had　lost　to
Porthos；　and　on　leaving　reminded　the　Gascon　of　his
appointment。
The　next　day　was　spent　as　usual。　D'Artagnan　went　from
Captain　Groslow　to　Colonel　Harrison　and　from　Colonel
Harrison　to　his　friends。　To　any　one　not　acquainted　with　him
he　seemed　to　be　in　his　normal　condition；　but　to　his　friends
　to　Athos　and　Aramis　　was　apparent　a　certain
feverishness　in　his　gayety。
〃What　is　he　contriving？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Wait；〃　said　Athos。
Porthos　said　nothing；　but　he　handled　in　his　pocket　the　fifty
pistoles　he　had　gained　from　Groslow　with　a　degree　of
satisfaction　which　betrayed　itself　in　his　whole　bearing。
Arrived　at　Ryston；　D'Artagnan　assembled　his　friends。　His
face　had　lost　the　expression　of　careless　gayety　it　had　worn
like　a　mask　the　whole　day。　Athos　pinched　Aramis's　hand。
〃The　moment　is　at　hand；〃　he　said。
〃Yes；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　who　had　overheard　him；
〃to…night；　gentlemen；　we　rescue　the　king。〃
〃D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　is　no　joke；　I　trust？　It
would　quite　cut　me　up。〃
〃You　are　a　very　odd　man；　Athos；〃　he　replied；　〃to　doubt　me
thus。　Where　and　when　have　you　seen　me　trifle　with　a　friend's
heart　and　a　king's　life？　I　have　told　you；　and　I　repeat　it；
that　to…night　we　rescue　Charles　I。　You　left　it　to　me　to
discover　the　means　and　I　have　done　so。〃
Porthos　looked　at　D'Artagnan　with　an　expression　of　profound
admiration。　Aramis　smiled　as　one　who　hopes。　Athos　was　pale；
and　trembled　in　every　limb。
〃Speak；〃　said　Athos。
〃We　are　invited；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃to　pass　the　night
with　M。　Groslow。　But　do　you　know　where？〃
〃No。〃
〃In　the　king's　room。〃
〃The　king's　room？〃　cried　Athos。
〃Yes；　gentlemen；　in　the　king's　room。　Groslow　is　on　guard
there　this　evening；　and　to　pass　the　time　away　he　has　invited
us　to　keep　him　company。〃
〃All　four　of　us？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Pardieu！　certainly；　all　four；　we　couldn't　leave　our
prisoners；　could　we？〃
〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　Aramis。
〃Tell　us　about　it；〃　said　Athos；　palpitating。
〃We　are　going；　then；　we　two　with　our　swords；　you　with
daggers。　We　four　have　got　to　master　these　eight　fools　and
their　stupid　captain。　Monsieur　Porthos；　what　do　you　say　to
that？〃
〃I　say　it　is　easy　enough；〃　answered　Porthos。
〃We　dress　the　king　in　Groslow's　clothes。　Musqueton；　Grimaud
and　Blaisois　have　our　horses　saddled　at　the　end　of　the　first
street。　We　mount　them　and　before　daylight　are　twenty　leagues
distant。〃
Athos　placed　his　two　hands　on　D'Artagnan's　shoulders；　and
gazed　at　him　with　his　calm；　sad　smile。
〃I　declare；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃that　there　is　not　a
creature　under　the　sky　who　equals　you　in　prowess　and　in
courage。　Whilst　we　thought　you　indifferent　to　our　sorrows；
which　you　couldn't　share　without　crime；　you　alone　among　us
have　discovered　what　we　were　searching　for　in　vain。　I　repeat
it；　D'Artagnan；　you　are　the　best　one　among　us；　I　bless　and
love　you；　my　dear　son。〃
〃And　to　think　that　I　couldn't　find　that　out；〃　said　Porthos；
scratching　his　head；　〃it　is　so　simple。〃
〃But；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　I　understand　rightly　we　are　to　kill
them　all；　eh？〃
Athos　shuddered　and　turned　pale。
〃Mordioux！〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　〃I　believe　we　must。　I
confess　I　can　discover　no　other　safe　and　satisfactory　way。〃
〃Let　us　see；〃　said　Aramis；　〃how　are　we　to　act？〃
〃I　have　arranged　two　plans。　Firstly；　at　a　given　signal；
which　shall　be　the　words　‘At　last；'　you　each　plunge　a　dagger
into　the　heart　of　the　soldier　nearest　to　you。　We；　on　our
side；　do　the　same。　That　will　be　four　killed。　We　shall　then
be　matched；　four　against　the　remaining　five。　If　these　five
men　give　themselves　up　we　gag　them；　if　they　resist；　we　kill
them。　If　by　chance　our　Amphitryon　changes　his　mind　and
receives　only　Porthos　and　myself；　why；　then；　we　must　resort
to　heroic　measures　and　each　give　two　strokes　instead　of　one。
It　will　take　a　little　longer　time　and　may　make　a　greater
disturbance；　but　you　will　be　outside　with　swords　and　will
rush　in　at　the　proper　time。〃
〃But　if　you　yourselves　should　be　struck？〃　said　Athos。
〃Impossible！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃those　beer　drinkers　are　too
clumsy　and　awkward。　Besides；　you　will　strike　at　the　throat；
Porthos；　it　kills　as　quickly　and　prevents　all　outcry。〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　Porthos；　〃it　will　be　a　nice　little　throat
cutting。〃
〃Horrible；　horrible；〃　exclaimed　Athos。
〃Nonsense；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　would　do　as　much；　Mr。
Humanity；　in　a　battle。　But　if　you　think　the　king's　life　is
not　worth　what　it　must　cost　there's　an　end　of　the　matter　and
I　send　to　Groslow　to　say　I　am　ill。〃
〃No；　you　are　right；〃　said　Athos。
At　this　moment　a　soldier　entered　to　inform　them　that　Groslow
was　waiting　for　them。
〃Where？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃In　the　room　of　the　English　Nebuchadnezzar；〃　replied　the
staunch　Puritan。
〃Good；〃　replied　Athos；　whose　blood　mounted　to　his　face　at
the　insult　offered　to　royalty；　〃tell　the　captain　we　are
coming。〃
The　Puritan　then　went　out。　The　lackeys　had　been　ordered　to
saddle　eight　horses　and　to　wait；　keeping　together　and
without　dismounting；　at　the　corner　of　a　street　about　twenty
steps　from　the　house　where　the　king　was　lodged。
It　was　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　sentinels　had　been
relieved　at　eight　and　Captain　Groslow　had　been　on　guard　for
an　hour。　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos；　armed　with　their　swords；
and　Athos　and　Aramis；　each　carrying　a　concealed　poniard；
approached　the　house　which　for　the　time　being　was　Charles
Stuart's　prison。　The　two　latter　followed　their　captors　in
the　humble　guise　of　captives；　without　arms。
〃Od's　bodikins；〃　said　Groslow；　as　the　four　friends　entered；
〃I　had　almost　given　you　up。〃
D'Artagnan　went　up　to　him　and　whispered　in　his　ear：
〃The　fact　is；　we；　that　is；　Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　I；
hesitated　a　little。〃
〃And　why？〃
D'Artagnan　looked　significantly　toward　Athos　and　Aramis。
〃Aha；〃　said　Groslow；　〃on　account　of　political　opinions？　No
matter。　On　the　contrary；〃　he　added；　laughing；　〃if　they　want
to　see　their　Stuart　they　shall　see　him。
〃Are　we　to　pass　the　night　in　the　king's　room？〃　asked
D'Artagnan。
〃No；　but　in　the　one　next　to　it；　and　as　the　door　will　remain
open　it　comes　to　the　same　thing。　Have　you　provided　yourself
with　money？　I　assure　you　I　intend　to　play　the　devil's　game
to…night。〃
D'Artagnan　rattled　the　gold　in　his　pockets。
〃Very　good；〃　said　Groslow；　and　opened　the　door　of　the　room。
〃I　will　show　you　the　way；〃　and　he　we