twenty years after(二十年后)-第123章

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and　buried　it　in　his　huge　pocket。　Athos　and　Aramis　placed
themselves　behind　him。　At　this　movement　Mordaunt　turned
around；　recognized　them；　and　uttered　an　exclamation　of
savage　delight。
〃I'm　afraid　we　are　prisoners；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan　to　his
friend。
〃Not　yet；〃　replied　Porthos。
〃Colonel；　colonel；〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃you　are　betrayed。　These
four　Frenchmen　have　escaped　from　Newcastle；　and　no　doubt
want　to　carry　off　the　king。　Arrest　them。〃
〃Ah！　my　young　man；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　drawing　his　sword；
〃that　is　an　order　sooner　given　than　executed。　Fly；　friends；
fly！〃　he　added；　whirling　his　sword　around　him。
The　next　moment　he　darted　to　the　door　and　knocked　down　two
of　the　soldiers　who　guarded　it；　before　they　had　time　to　cock
their　muskets。　Athos　and　Aramis　followed　him。　Porthos
brought　up　the　rear；　and　before　soldiers；　officers；　or
colonel　had　time　to　recover　their　surprise　all　four　were　in
the　street。
〃Fire！〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃fire　upon　them！〃
Three　or　four　shots　were　fired；　but　with　no　other　result
than　to　show　the　four　fugitives　turning　the　corner　of　the
street　safe　and　sound。
The　horses　were　at　the　place　fixed　upon；　and　they　leaped
lightly　into　their　saddles。
〃Forward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃and　spur　for　your　dear　lives！〃
They　galloped　away　and　took　the　road　they　had　come　by　in　the
morning；　namely；　in　the　direction　toward　Scotland。　A　few
hundred　yards　beyond　the　town　D'Artagnan　drew　rein。
〃Halt！〃　he　cried；　〃this　time　we　shall　be　pursued。　We　must
let　them　leave　the　village　and　ride　after　us　on　the　northern
road；　and　when　they　have　passed　we　will　take　the　opposite
direction。〃
There　was　a　stream　close　by　and　a　bridge　across　it。
D'Artagnan　led　his　horse　under　the　arch　of　the　bridge。　The
others　followed。　Ten　minutes　later　they　heard　the　rapid
gallop　of　a　troop　of　horsemen。　A　few　minutes　more　and　the
troop　passed　over　their　heads。


62
London。

As　soon　as　the　noise　of　the　hoofs　was　lost　in　the　distance
D'Artagnan　remounted　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　scoured　the
plain；　followed　by　his　three　friends；　directing　their
course；　as　well　as　they　could　guess；　toward　London。
〃This　time；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　when　they　were　sufficiently
distant　to　proceed　at　a　trot；　〃I　think　all　is　lost　and　we
have　nothing　better　to　do　than　to　reach　France。　What　do　you
say；　Athos；　to　that　proposition？　Isn't　it　reasonable？〃
〃Yes；　dear　friend；〃　Athos　replied；　〃but　you　said　a　word　the
other　day　that　was　more　than　reasonable　　it　was　noble　and
generous。　You　said；　‘Let　us　die　here！'　I　recall　to　you　that
word。〃
〃Oh；〃　said　Porthos；　〃death　is　nothing：　it　isn't　death　that
can　disquiet　us；　since　we　don't　know　what　it　is。　What
troubles　me　is　the　idea　of　defeat。　As　things　are　turning
out；　I　foresee　that　we　must　give　battle　to　London；　to　the
provinces；　to　all　England；　and　certainly　in　the　end　we　can't
fail　to　be　beaten。〃
〃We　ought　to　witness　this　great　tragedy　even　to　its　last
scene；〃　said　Athos。　〃Whatever　happens；　let　us　not　leave
England　before　the　crisis。　Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Aramis？〃
〃Entirely；　my　dear　count。　Then；　too；　I　confess　I　should　not
be　sorry　to　come　across　Mordaunt　again。　It　appears　to　me
that　we　have　an　account　to　settle　with　him；　and　that　it　is
not　our　custom　to　leave　a　place　without　paying　our　debts；　of
this　kind；　at　least。〃
〃Ah！　that's　another　thing；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　should
not　mind　waiting　in　London　a　whole　year　for　a　chance　of
meeting　this　Mordaunt　in　question。　Only　let　us　lodge　with
some　one　on　whom　we　can　count；　for　I　imagine；　just　now；　that
Noll　Cromwell　would　not　be　inclined　to　trifle　with　us。
Athos；　do　you　know　any　inn　in　the　whole　town　where　one　can
find　white　sheets；　roast　beef　reasonably　cooked；　and　wine
which　is　not　made　of　hops　and　gin？〃
〃I　think　I　know　what　you　want；〃　replied　Athos。　〃De　Winter
took　us　to　the　house　of　a　Spaniard；　who；　he　said；　had　become
naturalized　as　an　Englishman　by　the　guineas　of　his　new
compatriots。　What　do　you　say　to　it；　Aramis？〃
〃Why；　the　idea　of　taking　quarters　with　Senor　Perez　seems　to
me　very　reasonable；　and　for　my　part　I　agree　to　it。　We　will
invoke　the　remembrance　of　that　poor　De　Winter；　for　whom　he
seemed　to　have　a　great　regard；　we　will　tell　him　that　we　have
come　as　amateurs　to　see　what　is　going　on；　we　will　spend　with
him　a　guinea　each　per　day；　and　I　think　that　by　taking　all
these　precautions　we　can　be　quite　undisturbed。〃
〃You　forget；　Aramis；　one　precaution　of　considerable
importance。〃
〃What　is　that？〃
〃The　precaution　of　changing　our　clothes。〃
〃Changing　our　clothes！〃　exclaimed　Porthos。　〃I　don't　see　why；
we　are　very　comfortable　in　those　we　wear。〃
〃To　prevent　recognition；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Our　clothes　have
a　cut　which　would　proclaim　the　Frenchman　at　first　sight。
Now；　I　don't　set　sufficient　store　on　the　cut　of　my　jerkin　to
risk　being　hung　at　Tyburn　or　sent　for　change　of　scene　to　the
Indies。　I　shall　buy　a　chestnut…colored　suit。　I've　remarked
that　your　Puritans　revel　in　that　color。〃
〃But　can　you　find　your　man？〃　said　Aramis　to　Athos。
〃Oh！　to　be　sure；　yes。　He　lives　at　the　Bedford　Tavern；
Greenhall　Street。　Besides；　I　can　find　my　way　about　the　city
with　my　eyes　shut。〃
〃I　wish　we　were　already　there；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　my
advice　is　that　we　reach　London　before　daybreak；　even　if　we
kill　our　horses。〃
〃Come　on；　then；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　unless　I　am　mistaken　in　my
calculations　we　have　only　eight　or　ten　leagues　to　go。〃
The　friends　urged　on　their　horses　and　arrived；　in　fact；　at
about　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。　They　were　stopped　and
questioned　at　the　gate　by　which　they　sought　to　enter　the
city；　but　Athos　replied；　in　excellent　English；　that　they　had
been　sent　forward　by　Colonel　Harrison　to　announce　to　his
colleague；　Monsieur　Bridge；　the　approach　of　the　king。　That
reply　led　to　several　questions　about　the　king's　capture；　and
Athos　gave　details　so　precise　and　positive　that　if　the
gatekeepers　had　any　suspicions　they　vanished　completely。　The
way　was　therefore　opened　to　the　four　friends　with　all　sorts
of　Puritan　congratulations。
Athos　was　right。　He　went　direct　to　the　Bedford　Tavern；　and
the　host；　who　recognized　him；　was　delighted　to　see　him　again
with　such　a　numerous　and　promising　company。
Though　it　was　scarcely　daylight　our　four　travelers　found　the
town　in　a　great　bustle；　owing　to　the　reported　approach　of
Harrison　and　the　king。
The　plan　of　changing　their　clothes　was　unanimously　adopted。
The　landlord　sent　out　for　every　description　of　garment；　as
if　he　wanted　to　fit　up　his　wardrobe。　Athos　chose　a　black
coat；　which　gave　him　the　appearance　of　a　respectable
citizen。　Aramis；　not　wishing　to　part　with　his　sword；
selected　a　dark…blue　cloak　of　a　military　cut。　Porthos　was
seduced　by　a　wine…colored　doublet　and　sea…green　breeches。
D'Artagnan；　who　had　fixed　on　his　color　beforehand；　had　only
to　select　the　shade；　and　looked　in　his　chestnut　suit　exactly
like　a　retired　sugar　dealer。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃for　the　actual　man。　We　must　cut　off
our　hair；　that　the　populace　may　not　insult　us。　As　we　no
longer　wear　the　sword　of　the　gentleman　we　may　as　well　have
the　head　of　the　Puritan。　This；　as　you　know；　is　the　important
point　of　distinction　between　the　Covenanter　and　the
Cavalier。〃
After　some　discussion　this　was　agreed　to　and　Musqueton
played　the　role　of　barber。
〃We　look　hideous；〃　said　Athos。
〃And　smack　of　the　Puritan　to　a　frightful　extent；〃　said
Aramis。
〃My　head　feels　actually　cold；〃　said　Porthos。
〃As　for　me；　I　feel　anxious　to　preach　a　sermon；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃Now；〃　said　Athos；　〃that　we　cannot　even　recognize　one
another　and　have　therefore　no　fear　of　others　recognizing　us；
let　us　go　and　see　the　king's　entrance。〃
They　had　not　been　long　in　the　crowd　before　loud　cries
announced　the　king's　arrival。　A　carriage　had　been　sent　to
meet　him；　and　the　gigantic　Porthos；　who　stood　a　head　above
the　entire　rabble；　soon　announced　that　he　saw　the　royal
equipage　approaching。　D'Artagnan　raised　himself　on　tiptoe；
and　as　the　carriage　passed；　saw　Harrison　at　one　window　and
Mordaunt　at　the　other。
The　next　day；　Athos；　leaning　out　of　his　window；　which　looked
upon　the　most　populous　part　of　the　city；　heard　the　Act　of
Parliament；　which　summoned　the　ex…king；　Charles　I。；　to　the
bar；　publicly　cried。
〃Parliament　indeed！〃　cried　Athos。　〃Parli