twenty years after(二十年后)-第125章

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the　bench　to　try　and　get　a　sight　of　her。
〃By　my　soul；〃　said　Aramis；　〃she　is　charming。　Look
D'Artagnan；　everybody　is　looking　at　her；　and　in　spite　of
Bradshaw's　gaze　she　has　not　turned　pale。〃
〃It　is　Lady　Fairfax　herself；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Don't　you
remember；　Porthos；　we　saw　her　at　General　Cromwell's？〃
The　roll　call　continued。
〃These　rascals　will　adjourn　when　they　find　that　they　are　not
in　sufficient　force；〃　said　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。
〃You　don't　know　them。　Athos；　look　at　Mordaunt's　smile。　Is
that　the　look　of　a　man　whose　victim　is　likely　to　escape　him？
Ah；　cursed　basilisk；　it　will　be　a　happy　day　for　me　when　I
can　cross　something　more　than　a　look　with　you。〃
〃The　king　is　really　very　handsome；〃　said　Porthos；　〃and　look；
too；　though　he　is　a　prisoner；　how　carefully　he　is　dressed。
The　feather　in　his　hat　is　worth　at　least　five…and…twenty
pistoles。　Look　at　it；　Aramis。〃
The　roll　call　finished；　the　president　ordered　them　to　read
the　act　of　accusation。　Athos　turned　pale。　A　second　time　he
was　disappointed　in　his　expectation。　Notwithstanding　the
judges　were　so　few　the　trial　was　to　continue；　the　king　then；
was　condemned　in　advance。
〃I　told　you　so；　Athos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　shrugging　his
shoulders。　〃Now　take　your　courage　in　both　hands　and　hear
what　this　gentleman　in　black　is　going　to　say　about　his
sovereign；　with　full　license　and　privilege。〃
Never　till　then　had　a　more　brutal　accusation　or　meaner
insults　tarnished　kingly　majesty。
Charles　listened　with　marked　attention；　passing　over　the
insults；　noting　the　grievances；　and；　when　hatred　overflowed
all　bounds　and　the　accuser　turned　executioner　beforehand；
replying　with　a　smile　of　lofty　scorn。
〃The　fact　is；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃if　men　are　punished　for
imprudence　and　triviality；　this　poor　king　deserves
punishment。　But　it　seems　to　me　that　that　which　he　is　just
now　undergoing　is　hard　enough。〃
〃In　any　case；〃　Aramis　replied；　〃the　punishment　should　fall
not　on　the　king；　but　on　his　ministers；　for　the　first　article
of　the　constitution　is；　‘The　king　can　do　no　wrong。'〃
〃As　for　me；〃　thought　Porthos；　giving　Mordaunt　his　whole
attention；　〃were　it　not　for　breaking　in　on　the　majesty　of
the　situation　I　would　leap　down　from　the　bench；　reach
Mordaunt　in　three　bounds　and　strangle　him；　I　would　then　take
him　by　the　feet　and　knock　the　life　out　of　these　wretched
musketeers　who　parody　the　musketeers　of　France。　Meantime；
D'Artagnan；　who　is　full　of　invention；　would　find　some　way　to
save　the　king。　I　must　speak　to　him　about　it。〃
As　to　Athos；　his　face　aflame；　his　fists　clinched；　his　lips
bitten　till　they　bled；　he　sat　there　foaming　with　rage　at
that　endless　parliamentary　insult　and　that　long　enduring
royal　patience；　the　inflexible　arm　and　steadfast　heart　had
given　place　to　a　trembling　hand　and　a　body　shaken　by
excitement。
At　this　moment　the　accuser　concluded　with　these　words：　〃The
present　accusation　is　preferred　by　us　in　the　name　of　the
English　people。〃
At　these　words　there　was　a　murmur　along　the　benches；　and　a
second　voice；　not　that　of　a　woman；　but　a　man's；　stout　and
furious；　thundered　behind　D'Artagnan。
〃You　lie！〃　it　cried。　〃Nine…tenths　of　the　English　people　are
horrified　at　what　you　say。〃
This　voice　was　that　of　Athos；　who；　standing　up　with
outstretched　hand　and　quite　out　of　his　mind；　thus　assailed
the　public　accuser。
King；　judges；　spectators；　all　turned　their　eyes　to　the　bench
where　the　four　friends　were　seated。　Mordaunt　did　the　same
and　recognized　the　gentleman；　around　whom　the　three　other
Frenchmen　were　standing；　pale　and　menacing。　His　eyes
glittered　with　delight。　He　had　discovered　those　to　whose
death　he　had　devoted　his　life。　A　movement　of　fury　called　to
his　side　some　twenty　of　his　musketeers；　and　pointing　to　the
bench　where　his　enemies　were：　〃Fire　on　that　bench！〃　he
cried。
But　with　the　rapidity　of　thought　D'Artagnan　seized　Athos　by
the　waist；　and　followed　by　Porthos　with　Aramis；　leaped　down
from　the　benches；　rushed　into　the　passages；　and　flying　down
the　staircase　were　lost　in　the　crowd　without；　while　the
muskets　within　were　pointed　on　some　three　thousand
spectators；　whose　piteous　cries　and　noisy　alarm　stopped　the
impulse　already　given　to　bloodshed。
Charles　also　had　recognized　the　four　Frenchmen。　He　put　one
hand　on　his　heart　to　still　its　beating　and　the　other　over
his　eyes；　that　he　might　not　witness　the　slaying　of　his
faithful　friends。
Mordaunt；　pale　and　trembling　with　anger；　rushed　from　the
hall　sword　in　hand；　followed　by　six　pikemen；　pushing；
inquiring　and　panting　in　the　crowd；　and　then；　having　found
nothing；　returned。
The　tumult　was　indescribable。　More　than　half　an　hour　passed
before　any　one　could　make　himself　heard。　The　judges　were
looking　for　a　new　outbreak　from　the　benches。　The　spectators
saw　the　muskets　leveled　at　them；　and　divided　between　fear
and　curiosity；　remained　noisy　and　excited。
Quiet　was　at　length　restored。
〃What　have　you　to　say　in　your　defense？〃　asked　Bradshaw　of
the　king。
Then　rising；　with　his　head　still　covered；　in　the　tone　of　a
judge　rather　than　a　prisoner；　Charles　began。
〃Before　questioning　me；〃　he　said；　〃reply　to　my　question。　I
was　free　at　Newcastle　and　had　there　concluded　a　treaty　with
both　houses。　Instead　of　performing　your　part　of　this
contract；　as　I　performed　mine；　you　bought　me　from　the
Scotch；　cheaply；　I　know；　and　that　does　honor　to　the　economic
talent　of　your　government。　But　because　you　have　paid　the
price　of　a　slave；　do　you　imagine　that　I　have　ceased　to　be
your　king？　No。　To　answer　you　would　be　to　forget　it。　I　shall
only　reply　to　you　when　you　have　satisfied　me　of　your　right
to　question　me。　To　answer　you　would　be　to　acknowledge　you　as
my　judges；　and　I　only　acknowledge　you　as　my　executioners。〃
And　in　the　middle　of　a　deathlike　silence；　Charles；　calm；
lofty；　and　with　his　head　still　covered；　sat　down　again　in
his　arm…chair。
〃Why　are　not　my　Frenchmen　here？〃　he　murmured　proudly　and
turning　his　eyes　to　the　benches　where　they　had　appeared　for
a　moment；　〃they　would　have　seen　that　their　friend　was　worthy
of　their　defense　while　alive；　and　of　their　tears　when　dead。〃
〃Well；〃　said　the　president；　seeing　that　Charles　was
determined　to　remain　silent；　〃so　be　it。　We　will　judge　you　in
spite　of　your　silence。　You　are　accused　of　treason；　of　abuse
of　power；　and　murder。　The　evidence　will　support　it。　Go；　and
another　sitting　will　accomplish　what　you　have　postponed　in
this。〃
Charles　rose　and　turned　toward　Parry；　whom　he　saw　pale　and
with　his　temples　dewed　with　moisture。
〃Well；　my　dear　Parry；〃　said　he；　〃what　is　the　matter；　and
what　can　affect　you　in　this　manner？〃
〃Oh；　my　king；〃　said　Parry；　with　tears　in　his　eyes　and　in　a
tone　of　supplication；　〃do　not　look　to　the　left　as　we　leave
the　hall。〃
〃And　why；　Parry？〃
〃Do　not　look；　I　implore　you；　my　king。〃
〃But　what　is　the　matter？　Speak；〃　said　Charles；　attempting　to
look　across　the　hedge　of　guards　which　surrounded　him。
〃It　is　　but　you　will　not　look；　will　you？　　it　is　because
they　have　had　the　axe；　with　which　criminals　are　executed；
brought　and　placed　there　on　the　table。　The　sight　is
hideous。〃
〃Fools；〃　said　Charles；　〃do　they　take　me　for　a　coward；　like
themselves？　You　have　done　well　to　warn　me。　Thank　you；
Parry。〃
When　the　moment　arrived　the　king　followed　his　guards　out　of
the　hall。　As　he　passed　the　table　on　which　the　axe　was　laid；
he　stopped；　and　turning　with　a　smile；　said：
〃Ah！　the　axe；　an　ingenious　device；　and　well　worthy　of　those
who　know　not　what　a　gentleman　is；　you　frighten　me　not；
executioner's　axe；〃　added　he；　touching　it　with　the　cane
which　he　held　in　his　hand；　〃and　I　strike　you　now；　waiting
patiently　and　Christianly　for　you　to　return　the　blow。〃
And　shrugging　his　shoulders　with　unaffected　contempt　he
passed　on。　When　he　reached　the　door　a　stream　of　people；　who
had　been　disappointed　in　not　being　able　to　get　into　the
house　and　to　make　amends　had　collected　to　see　him　come　out；
stood　on　each　side；　as　he　passed；　many　among　them　glaring　on
him　with　threatening　looks。
〃How　many　people；〃　thought　he；　〃and　not　one　true　friend。〃
And　as　he　uttered　these　words　of　doubt　and　depression　within
his　mind；　a　voice　beside　him　said：
〃Respect　to　fallen　majesty。〃
The　king　turned　quickly　around；　with　tears　in　his　eyes　and
heart。　It　was　an　old　soldier　of　the　guar