twenty years after(二十年后)-第124章

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Parliament；　which　summoned　the　ex…king；　Charles　I。；　to　the
bar；　publicly　cried。
〃Parliament　indeed！〃　cried　Athos。　〃Parliament　can　never　have
passed　such　an　act　as　that。〃
At　this　moment　the　landlord　came　in。
〃Did　parliament　pass　this　act？〃　Athos　asked　of　him　in
English。
〃Yes；　my　lord；　the　pure　parliament。〃
〃What　do　you　mean　by　‘the　pure　parliament'？　Are　there；　then；
two　parliaments？〃
〃My　friend；〃　D'Artagnan　interrupted；　〃as　I　don't　understand
English　and　we　all　understand　Spanish；　have　the　kindness　to
speak　to　us　in　that　language；　which；　since　it　is　your　own；
you　must　find　pleasure　in　using　when　you　have　the　chance。〃
〃Ah！　excellent！〃　said　Aramis。
As　to　Porthos；　all　his　attention　was　concentrated　on　the
allurements　of　the　breakfast　table。
〃You　were　asking；　then？〃　said　the　host　in　Spanish。
〃I　asked；〃　said　Athos；　in　the　same　language；　〃if　there　are
two　parliaments；　a　pure　and　an　impure？〃
〃Why；　how　extraordinary！〃　said　Porthos；　slowly　raising　his
head　and　looking　at　his　friends　with　an　air　of　astonishment；
〃I　understand　English；　then！　I　understand　what　you　say！〃
〃That　is　because　we　are　talking　Spanish；　my　dear　friend；〃
said　Athos。
〃Oh；　the　devil！〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　am　sorry　for　that；　it
would　have　been　one　language　more。〃
〃When　I　speak　of　the　pure　parliament；〃　resumed　the　host；　〃I
mean　the　one　which　Colonel　Bridge　has　weeded。〃
〃Ah！　really；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃these　people　are　very
ingenious。　When　I　go　back　to　France　I　must　suggest　some　such
convenient　course　to　Cardinal　Mazarin　and　the　coadjutor。　One
of　them　will　weed　the　parliament　in　the　name　of　the　court；
and　the　other　in　the　name　of　the　people；　and　then　there
won't　be　any　parliament　at　all。〃
〃And　who　is　this　Colonel　Bridge？〃　asked　Aramis；　〃and　how
does　he　go　to　work　to　weed　the　parliament？〃
〃Colonel　Bridge；〃　replied　the　Spaniard；　〃is　a　retired
wagoner；　a　man　of　much　sense；　who　made　one　valuable
observation　whilst　driving　his　team；　namely；　that　where
there　happened　to　be　a　stone　on　the　road；　it　was　much　easier
to　remove　the　stone　than　try　and　make　the　wheel　pass　over
it。　Now；　of　two　hundred　and　fifty…one　members　who　composed
the　parliament；　there　were　one　hundred　and　ninety…one　who
were　in　the　way　and　might　have　upset　his　political　wagon。　He
took　them　up；　just　as　he　formerly　used　to　take　up　the　stones
from　the　road；　and　threw　them　out　of　the　house。〃
〃Neat；〃　remarked　D'Artagnan。　〃Very！〃
〃And　all　these　one　hundred　and　ninety…one　were　Royalists？〃
asked　Athos。
〃Without　doubt；　senor；　and　you　understand　that　they　would
have　saved　the　king。〃
〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Porthos；　with　majestic　common　sense；
〃they　were　in　the　majority。〃
〃And　you　think；〃　said　Aramis；　〃he　will　consent　to　appear
before　such　a　tribunal？〃
〃He　will　be　forced　to　do　so；〃　smiled　the　Spaniard。
〃Now；　Athos！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃do　you　begin　to　believe　that
it's　a　ruined　cause；　and　that　what　with　your　Harrisons；
Joyces；　Bridges　and　Cromwells；　we　shall　never　get　the　upper
hand？〃
〃The　king　will　be　delivered　at　the　tribunal；〃　said　Athos；
〃the　very　silence　of　his　supporters　indicates　that　they　are
at　work。〃
D'Artagnan　shrugged　his　shoulders。
〃But；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　they　dare　to　condemn　their　king；　it
can　only　be　to　exile　or　imprisonment。〃
D'Artagnan　whistled　a　little　air　of　incredulity。
〃We　shall　see；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　we　shall　go　to　the
sittings；　I　presume。〃
〃You　will　not　have　long　to　wait；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃they
begin　to…morrow。〃
〃So；　then；　they　drew　up　the　indictments　before　the　king　was
taken？〃
〃Of　course；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃they　began　the　day　he　was
sold。〃
〃And　you　know；〃　said　Aramis；　〃that　it　was　our　friend
Mordaunt　who　made；　if　not　the　bargain；　at　least　the
overtures。〃
〃And　you　know；〃　added　D'Artagnan；　〃that　whenever　I　catch　him
I　will　kill　him；　this　Mordaunt。〃
〃And　I；　too；〃　exclaimed　Porthos。
〃And　I；　too；〃　added　Aramis。
〃Touching　unanimity！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃which　well　becomes
good　citizens　like　us。　Let　us　take　a　turn　around　the　town
and　imbibe　a　little　fog。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃'twill　be　at　least　a　little　change
from　beer。〃

63
The　Trial。

The　next　morning　King　Charles　I。　was　haled　by　a　strong　guard
before　the　high　court　which　was　to　judge　him。　All　London　was
crowding　to　the　doors　of　the　house。　The　throng　was　terrific；
and　it　was　not　till　after　much　pushing　and　some　fighting
that　our　friends　reached　their　destination。　When　they　did　so
they　found　the　three　lower　rows　of　benches　already　occupied；
but　being　anxious　not　to　be　too　conspicuous；　all；　with　the
exception　of　Porthos；　who　had　a　fancy　to　display　his　red
doublet；　were　quite　satisfied　with　their　places；　the　more　so
as　chance　had　brought　them　to　the　centre　of　their　row；　so
that　they　were　exactly　opposite　the　arm…chair　prepared　for
the　royal　prisoner。
Toward　eleven　o'clock　the　king　entered　the　hall；　surrounded
by　guards；　but　wearing　his　head　covered；　and　with　a　calm
expression　turned　to　every　side　with　a　look　of　complete
assurance；　as　if　he　were　there　to　preside　at　an　assembly　of
submissive　subjects；　rather　than　to　meet　the　accusations　of
a　rebel　court。
The　judges；　proud　of　having　a　monarch　to　humiliate；
evidently　prepared　to　enjoy　the　right　they　had　arrogated　to
themselves；　and　sent　an　officer　to　inform　the　king　that　it
was　customary　for　the　accused　to　uncover　his　head。
Charles；　without　replying　a　single　word；　turned　his　head　in
another　direction　and　pulled　his　felt　hat　over　it。　Then　when
the　officer　was　gone　he　sat　down　in　the　arm…chair　opposite
the　president　and　struck　his　boots　with　a　little　cane　which
he　carried　in　his　hand。　Parry；　who　accompanied　him；　stood
behind　him。
D'Artagnan　was　looking　at　Athos；　whose　face　betrayed　all
those　emotions　which　the　king；　possessing　more　self…control；
had　banished　from　his　own。　This　agitation　in　one　so　cold　and
calm　as　Athos；　frightened　him。
〃I　hope；〃　he　whispered　to　him；　〃that　you　will　follow　his
majesty's　example　and　not　get　killed　for　your　folly　in　this
den。〃
〃Set　your　mind　at　rest；〃　replied　Athos。
〃Aha！〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃it　is　clear　that　they　are
afraid　of　something　or　other；　for　look；　the　sentinels　are
being　reinforced。　They　had　only　halberds　before；　now　they
have　muskets。　The　halberds　were　for　the　audience　in　the
rear；　the　muskets　are　for　us。〃
〃Thirty；　forty；　fifty；　sixty…five　men；〃　said　Porthos；
counting　the　reinforcements。
〃Ah！〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　you　forget　the　officer。〃
D'Artagnan　grew　pale　with　rage。　He　recognized　Mordaunt；　who
with　bare　sword　was　marshalling　the　musketeers　behind　the
king　and　opposite　the　benches。
〃Do　you　think　they　have　recognized　us？〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃In
that　case　I　should　beat　a　retreat。　I　don't　care　to　be　shot
in　a　box。〃
〃No；〃　said　Aramis；　〃he　has　not　seen　us。　He　sees　no　one　but
the　king。　Mon　Dieu！　how　he　stares　at　him；　the　insolent　dog！
Does　he　hate　his　majesty　as　much　as　he　does　us？〃
〃Pardi；〃　answered　Athos　〃we　only　carried　off　his　mother；　the
king　has　spoiled　him　of　his　name　and　property。〃
〃True；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　silence！　the　president　is　speaking
to　the　king。〃
〃Stuart；〃　Bradshaw　was　saying；　〃listen　to　the　roll　call　of
your　judges　and　address　to　the　court　any　observations　you
may　have　to　make。〃
The　king　turned　his　head　away；　as　if　these　words　had　not
been　intended　for　him。　Bradshaw　waited；　and　as　there　was　no
reply　there　was　a　moment　of　silence。
Out　of　the　hundred　and　sixty…three　members　designated　there
were　only　seventy…three　present；　for　the　rest；　fearful　of
taking　part　in　such　an　act；　had　remained　away。
When　the　name　of　Colonel　Fairfax　was　called；　one　of　those
brief　but　solemn　silences　ensued；　which　announced　the
absence　of　the　members　who　had　no　wish　to　take　a　personal
part　in　the　trial。
〃Colonel　Fairfax；〃　repeated　Bradshaw。
〃Fairfax；〃　answered　a　laughing　voice；　the　silvery　tone　of
which　betrayed　it　as　that　of　a　woman；　〃is　not　such　a　fool　as
to　be　here。〃
A　loud　laugh　followed　these　words；　pronounced　with　that
boldness　which　women　draw　from　their　own　weakness　　a
weakness　which　removes　them　beyond　the　power　of　vengeance。
〃It　is　a　woman's　voice；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃faith；　I　would　give
a　good　deal　if　she　is　young　and　pretty。〃　And　he　mounted　on
the　bench　to　try　and　get　a　sight　of　her。
〃By　my　soul；〃　said　Aramis；　〃she　is　charming