twenty years after(二十年后)-第122章

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〃Very　good；〃　said　Groslow；　and　opened　the　door　of　the　room。
〃I　will　show　you　the　way；〃　and　he　went　in　first。
D'Artagnan　turned　to　look　at　his　friends。　Porthos　was
perfectly　indifferent；　Athos；　pale；　but　resolute；　Aramis　was
wiping　a　slight　moisture　from　his　brow。
The　eight　guards　were　at　their　posts。　Four　in　the　king's
room；　two　at　the　door　between　the　rooms　and　two　at　that　by
which　the　friends　had　entered。　Athos　smiled　when　he　saw
their　bare　swords；　he　felt　it　was　no　longer　to　be　a
butchery；　but　a　fight；　and　he　resumed　his　usual　good　humor。
Charles　was　perceived　through　the　door；　lying　dressed　upon
his　bed；　at　the　head　of　which　Parry　was　seated；　reading　in　a
low　voice　a　chapter　from　the　Bible。
A　candle　of　coarse　tallow　on　a　black　table　lighted　up　the
handsome　and　resigned　face　of　the　king　and　that　of　his
faithful　retainer；　far　less　calm。
From　time　to　time　Parry　stopped；　thinking　the　king；　whose
eyes　were　closed；　was　really　asleep；　but　Charles　would　open
his　eyes　and　say　with　a　smile：
〃Go　on；　my　good　Parry；　I　am　listening。〃
Groslow　advanced　to　the　door　of　the　king's　room；　replaced　on
his　head　the　hat　he　had　taken　off　to　receive　his　guests；
looked　for　a　moment　contemptuously　at　this　simple；　yet
touching　scene；　then　turning　to　D'Artagnan；　assumed　an　air
of　triumph　at　what　he　had　achieved。
〃Capital！〃　cried　the　Gascon；　〃you　would　make　a　distinguished
general。〃
〃And　do　you　think；〃　asked　Groslow；　〃that　Stuart　will　ever
escape　while　I　am　on　guard？〃
〃No；　to　be　sure；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃unless；　forsooth；　the
sky　rains　friends　upon　him。〃
Groslow's　face　brightened。
It　is　impossible　to　say　whether　Charles；　who　kept　his　eyes
constantly　closed；　had　noticed　the　insolence　of　the　Puritan
captain；　but　the　moment　he　heard　the　clear　tone　of
D'Artagnan's　voice　his　eyelids　rose；　in　spite　of　himself。
Parry；　too；　started　and　stopped　reading。
〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　said　the　king；　〃go　on；　my
good　Parry；　unless　you　are　tired。〃
Parry　resumed　his　reading。
On　a　table　in　the　next　room　were　lighted　candles；　cards；　two
dice…boxes；　and　dice。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Groslow；　〃I　beg　you　will　take　your　places。
I　will　sit　facing　Stuart；　whom　I　like　so　much　to　see；
especially　where　he　now　is；　and　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；
opposite　to　me。〃
Athos　turned　red　with　rage。　D'Artagnan　frowned　at　him。
〃That's　it；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you；　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　la
Fere；　to　the　right　of　Monsieur　Groslow。　You；　Chevalier
d'Herblay；　to　his　left。　Du　Vallon　next　me。　You'll　bet　for　me
and　those　gentlemen　for　Monsieur　Groslow。〃
By　this　arrangement　D'Artagnan　could　nudge　Porthos　with　his
knee　and　make　signs　with　his　eyes　to　Athos　and　Aramis。
At　the　names　Comte　de　la　Fere　and　Chevalier　d'Herblay；
Charles　opened　his　eyes；　and　raising　his　noble　head；　in
spite　of　himself；　threw　a　glance　at　all　the　actors　in　the
scene。
At　that　moment　Parry　turned　over　several　leaves　of　his　Bible
and　read　with　a　loud　voice　this　verse　in　Jeremiah：
〃God　said；　‘Hear　ye　the　words　of　the　prophets　my　servants；
whom　I　have　sent　unto　you。〃
The　four　friends　exchanged　glances。　The　words　that　Parry　had
read　assured　them　that　their　presence　was　understood　by　the
king　and　was　assigned　to　its　real　motive。　D'Artagnan's　eyes
sparkled　with　joy。
〃You　asked　me　just　now　if　I　was　in　funds；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
placing　some　twenty　pistoles　upon　the　table。　〃Well；　in　my
turn　I　advise　you　to　keep　a　sharp　lookout　on　your　treasure；
my　dear　Monsieur　Groslow；　for　I　can　tell　you　we　shall　not
leave　this　without　robbing　you　of　it。〃
〃Not　without　my　defending　it；〃　said　Groslow。
〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Fight；　my　dear
captain；　fight。　You　know　or　you　don't　know；　that　that　is
what　we　ask　of　you。〃
〃Oh！　yes；〃　said　Groslow；　bursting　with　his　usual　coarse
laugh；　〃I　know　you　Frenchmen　want　nothing　but　cuts　and
bruises。〃
Charles　had　heard　and　understood　it　all。　A　slight　color
mounted　to　his　cheeks。　The　soldiers　then　saw　him　stretch　his
limbs；　little　by　little；　and　under　the　pretense　of　much　heat
throw　off　the　Scotch　plaid　which　covered　him。
Athos　and　Aramis　started　with　delight　to　find　that　the　king
was　lying　with　his　clothes　on。
The　game　began。　The　luck　had　turned；　and　Groslow；　having　won
some　hundred　pistoles；　was　in　the　merriest　possible　humor。
Porthos；　who　had　lost　the　fifty　pistoles　he　had　won　the
night　before　and　thirty　more　besides；　was　very　cross　and
questioned　D'Artagnan　with　a　nudge　of　the　knee　as　to　whether
it　would　not　soon　be　time　to　change　the　game。　Athos　and
Aramis　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　But　D'Artagnan　remained
impassible。
It　struck　ten。　They　heard　the　guard　going　its　rounds。
〃How　many　rounds　do　they　make　a　night？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；
drawing　more　pistoles　from　his　pocket。
〃Five；〃　answered　Groslow；　〃one　every　two　hours。〃
D'Artagnan　glanced　at　Athos　and　Aramis　and　for　the　first
time　replied　to　Porthos's　nudge　of　the　knee　by　a　nudge
responsive。　Meanwhile；　the　soldiers　whose　duty　it　was　to
remain　in　the　king's　room；　attracted　by　that　love　of　play　so
powerful　in　all　men；　had　stolen　little　by　little　toward　the
table；　and　standing　on　tiptoe；　lounged；　watching　the　game；
over　the　shoulders　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。　Those　on　the
other　side　had　followed　their　example；　thus　favoring　the
views　of　the　four　friends；　who　preferred　having　them　close
at　hand　to　chasing　them　about　the　chamber。　The　two　sentinels
at　the　door　still　had　their　swords　unsheathed；　but　they　were
leaning　on　them　while　they　watched　the　game。
Athos　seemed　to　grow　calm　as　the　critical　moment　approached。
With　his　white；　aristocratic　hands　he　played　with　the　louis；
bending　and　straightening　them　again；　as　if　they　were　made
of　pewter。　Aramis；　less　self…controlled；　fumbled　continually
with　his　hidden　poniard。　Porthos；　impatient　at　his　continued
losses；　kept　up　a　vigorous　play　with　his　knee。
D'Artagnan　turned；　mechanically　looking　behind　him；　and
between　the　figures　of　two　soldiers　he　could　see　Parry
standing　up　and　Charles　leaning　on　his　elbow　with　his　hands
clasped　and　apparently　offering　a　fervent　prayer　to　God。
D'Artagnan　saw　that　the　moment　was　come。　He　darted　a
preparatory　glance　at　Athos　and　Aramis；　who　slyly　pushed
their　chairs　a　little　back　so　as　to　leave　themselves　more
space　for　action。　He　gave　Porthos　a　second　nudge　of　the　knee
and　Porthos　got　up　as　if　to　stretch　his　legs　and　took　care
at　the　same　time　to　ascertain　that　his　sword　could　be　drawn
smoothly　from　the　scabbard。
〃Hang　it！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃another　twenty　pistoles　lost。
Really；　Captain　Groslow；　you　are　too　much　in　fortune's　way。
This　can't　last；〃　and　he　drew　another　twenty　from　his
pocket。　〃One　more　turn；　captain；　twenty　pistoles　on　one
throw　　only　one；　the　last。〃
〃Done　for　twenty；〃　replied　Groslow。
And　he　turned　up　two　cards　as　usual；　a　king　for　D'Artagnan
and　an　ace　for　himself。
〃A　king；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it's　a　good　omen；　Master　Groslow
　look　out　for　the　king。〃
And　in　spite　of　his　extraordinary　self…control　there　was　a
strange　vibration　in　the　Gascon's　voice　which　made　his
partner　start。
Groslow　began　turning　the　cards　one　after　another。　If　he
turned　up　an　ace　first　he　won；　if　a　king　he　lost。
He　turned　up　a　king。
〃At　last！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
At　this　word　Athos　and　Aramis　jumped　up。　Porthos　drew　back　a
step。　Daggers　and　swords　were　just　about　to　shine；　when
suddenly　the　door　was　thrown　open　and　Harrison　appeared　in
the　doorway；　accompanied　by　a　man　enveloped　in　a　large
cloak。　Behind　this　man　could　be　seen　the　glistening　muskets
of　half　a　dozen　soldiers。
Groslow　jumped　up；　ashamed　at　being　surprised　in　the　midst
of　wine；　cards；　and　dice。　But　Harrison　paid　not　the　least
attention　to　him；　and　entering　the　king's　room；　followed　by
his　companion：
〃Charles　Stuart；〃　said　he；　〃an　order　has　come　to　conduct　you
to　London　without　stopping　day　or　night。　Prepare　yourself；
then；　to　start　at　once。〃
〃And　by　whom　is　this　order　given？〃　asked　the　king。
〃By　General　Oliver　Cromwell。　And　here　is　Mr。　Mordaunt；　who
has　brought　it　and　is　charged　with　its　execution。〃
〃Mordaunt！〃　muttered　the　four　friends；　exchanging　glances。
D'Artagnan　swept　up　the　money　that　he　and　Porthos　had　lost
and　buried　it　in　his　huge　pocket。　Athos　and　Aramis　placed
themselves　behind　him。　At　this