twenty years after(二十年后)-第127章

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so　pleasing　and　so　sweet；　especially　when　one　is　parting
from　his　children　never　to　see　them　again；　then　of　his　wife；
the　noble　and　courageous　woman　who　had　sustained　him　to　the
last　moment。　He　drew　from　his　breast　the　diamond　cross　and
the　star　of　the　Garter　which　she　had　sent　him　by　those
generous　Frenchmen；　he　kissed　it；　and　then；　as　he　reflected；
that　she　would　never　again　see　those　things　till　he　lay　cold
and　mutilated　in　the　tomb；　there　passed　over　him　one　of
those　icy　shivers　which　may　be　called　forerunners　of　death。
Then；　in　that　chamber　which　recalled　to　him　so　many　royal
souvenirs；　whither　had　come　so　many　courtiers；　the　scene　of
so　much　flattering　homage；　alone　with　a　despairing　servant；
whose　feeble　soul　could　afford　no　support　to　his　own；　the
king　at　last　yielded　to　sorrow；　and　his　courage　sank　to　a
level　with　that　feebleness；　those　shadows；　and　that　wintry
cold。　That　king；　who　was　so　grand；　so　sublime　in　the　hour　of
death；　meeting　his　fate　with　a　smile　of　resignation　on　his
lips；　now　in　that　gloomy　hour　wiped　away　a　tear　which　had
fallen　on　the　table　and　quivered　on　the　gold　embroidered
cloth。
Suddenly　the　door　opened；　an　ecclesiastic　in　episcopal　robes
entered；　followed　by　two　guards；　to　whom　the　king　waved　an
imperious　gesture。　The　guards　retired；　the　room　resumed　its
obscurity。
〃Juxon！〃　cried　Charles；　〃Juxon；　thank　you；　my　last　friend；
you　come　at　a　fitting　moment。〃
The　bishop　looked　anxiously　at　the　man　sobbing　in　the
ingle…nook。
〃Come；　Parry；〃　said　the　king；　〃cease　your　tears。〃
〃If　it's　Parry；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃I　have　nothing　to　fear；
so　allow　me　to　salute　your　majesty　and　to　tell　you　who　I　am
and　for　what　I　am　come。〃
At　this　sight　and　this　voice　Charles　was　about　to　cry　out；
when　Aramis　placed　his　finger　on　his　lips　and　bowed　low　to
the　king　of　England。
〃The　chevalier！〃　murmured　Charles。
〃Yes；　sire；〃　interrupted　Aramis；　raising　his　voice；　〃Bishop
Juxon；　the　faithful　knight　of　Christ；　obedient　to　your
majesty's　wishes。〃
Charles　clasped　his　hands；　amazed　and　stupefied　to　find　that
these　foreigners；　without　other　motive　than　that　which　their
conscience　imposed　on　them；　thus　combated　the　will　of　a
people　and　the　destiny　of　a　king。
〃You！〃　he　said；　〃you！　how　did　you　penetrate　hither？　If　they
recognize　you；　you　are　lost。〃
〃Care　not　for　me；　sire；　think　only　of　yourself。　You　see；
your　friends　are　wakeful。　I　know　not　what　we　shall　do　yet；
but　four　determined　men　can　do　much。　Meanwhile；　do　not　be
surprised　at　anything　that　happens；　prepare　yourself　for
every　emergency。〃
Charles　shook　his　head。
〃Do　you　know　that　I　die　to…morrow　at　ten　o'clock？〃
〃Something；　your　majesty；　will　happen　between　now　and　then
to　make　the　execution　impossible。〃
The　king　looked　at　Aramis　with　astonishment。
At　this　moment　a　strange　noise；　like　the　unloading　of　a
cart；　and　followed　by　a　cry　of　pain；　was　heard　beneath　the
window。
〃Do　you　hear？〃　said　the　king。
〃I　hear；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　I　understand　neither　the　noise
nor　the　cry　of　pain。〃
〃I　know　not　who　can　have　uttered　the　cry；〃　said　the　king；
〃but　the　noise　is　easily　understood。　Do　you　know　that　I　am
to　be　beheaded　outside　this　window？　Well；　these　boards　you
hear　unloaded　are　the　posts　and　planks　to　build　my　scaffold。
Some　workmen　must　have　fallen　underneath　them　and　been
hurt。〃
Aramis　shuddered　in　spite　of　himself。
〃You　see；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　it　is　useless　for　you　to
resist。　I　am　condemned；　leave　me　to　my　death。〃
〃My　king；〃　said　Aramis；　〃they　well　may　raise　a　scaffold；　but
they　cannot　make　an　executioner。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　king。
〃I　mean　that　at　this　hour　the　headsman　has　been　got　out　of
the　way　by　force　or　persuasion。　The　scaffold　will　be　ready
by　to…morrow；　but　the　headsman　will　be　wanting　and　they　will
put　it　off　till　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃
〃What　then？〃　said　the　king。
〃To…morrow　night　we　shall　rescue　you。〃
〃How　can　that　be？〃　cried　the　king；　whose　face　was　lighted
up；　in　spite　of　himself；　by　a　flash　of　joy。
〃Oh！　sir；〃　cried　Parry；　〃may　you　and　yours　be　blessed！〃
〃How　can　it　be？〃　repeated　the　king。　〃I　must　know；　so　that　I
may　assist　you　if　there　is　any　chance。〃
〃I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　continued　Aramis；　〃but　the
cleverest；　the　bravest；　the　most　devoted　of　us　four　said　to
me　when　I　left　him；　‘Tell　the　king　that　to…morrow　at　ten
o'clock　at　night；　we　shall　carry　him　off。'　He　has　said　it
and　will　do　it。〃
〃Tell　me　the　name　of　that　generous　friend；〃　said　the　king；
〃that　I　may　cherish　for　him　an　eternal　gratitude；　whether　he
succeeds　or　not。〃
〃D'Artagnan；　sire；　the　same　who　had　so　nearly　rescued　you
when　Colonel　Harrison　made　his　untimely　entrance。〃
〃You　are；　indeed；　wonderful　men；〃　said　the　king；　〃if　such
things　had　been　related　to　me　I　should　not　have　believed
them。〃
〃Now；　sire；〃　resumed　Aramis；　〃listen　to　me。　Do　not　forget
for　a　single　instant　that　we　are　watching　over　your　safety；
observe　the　smallest　gesture；　the　least　bit　of　song；　the
least　sign　from　any　one　near　you；　watch　everything；　hear
everything；　interpret　everything。〃
〃Oh；　chevalier！〃　cried　the　king；　〃what　can　I　say　to　you？
There　is　no　word；　though　it　should　come　from　the　profoundest
depth　of　my　heart；　that　can　express　my　gratitude。　If　you
succeed　I　do　not　say　that　you　will　save　a　king；　no；　in
presence　of　the　scaffold　as　I　am；　royalty；　I　assure　you；　is
a　very　small　affair；　but　you　will　save　a　husband　to　his
wife；　a　father　to　his　children。　Chevalier；　take　my　hand；　it
is　that　of　a　friend　who　will　love　you　to　his　last　sigh。〃
Aramis　stooped　to　kiss　the　king's　hand；　but　Charles　clasped
his　and　pressed　it　to　his　heart。
At　this　moment　a　man　entered；　without　even　knocking　at　the
door。　Aramis　tried　to　withdraw　his　hand；　but　the　king　still
held　it。　The　man　was　one　of　those　Puritans；　half　preacher
and　half　soldier；　who　swarmed　around　Cromwell。
〃What　do　you　want；　sir？〃　said　the　king。
〃I　desire　to　know　if　the　confession　of　Charles　Stuart　is　at
an　end？〃　said　the　stranger。
〃And　what　is　it　to　you？〃　replied　the　king；　〃we　are　not　of
the　same　religion。〃
〃All　men　are　brothers；〃　said　the　Puritan。　〃One　of　my
brothers　is　about　to　die　and　I　come　to　prepare　him。〃
〃Bear　with　him；〃　whispered　Aramis；　〃it　is　doubtless　some
spy。〃
〃After　my　reverend　lord　bishop；〃　said　the　king　to　the　man；
〃I　shall　hear　you　with　pleasure；　sir。〃
The　man　retired；　but　not　before　examining　the　supposed　Juxon
with　an　attention　which　did　not　escape　the　king。
〃Chevalier；〃　said　the　king；　when　the　door　was　closed；　〃I
believe　you　are　right　and　that　this　man　only　came　here　with
evil　intentions。　Take　care　that　no　misfortune　befalls　you
when　you　leave。〃
〃I　thank　your　majesty；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　under　these　robes
I　have　a　coat　of　mail；　a　pistol　and　a　dagger。〃
〃Go；　then；　sir；　and　God　keep　you！〃
The　king　accompanied　him　to　the　door；　where　Aramis
pronounced　his　benediction　upon　him；　and　passing　through　the
ante…rooms；　filled　with　soldiers；　jumped　into　his　carriage
and　drove　to　the　bishop's　palace。　Juxon　was　waiting　for　him
impatiently。
〃Well？〃　said　he；　on　perceiving　Aramis。
〃Everything　has　succeeded　as　I　expected；　spies；　guards；
satellites；　all　took　me　for　you；　and　the　king　blesses　you
while　waiting　for　you　to　bless　him。〃
〃May　God　protect　you；　my　son；　for　your　example　has　given　me
at　the　same　time　hope　and　courage。〃
Aramis　resumed　his　own　attire　and　left　Juxon　with　the
assurance　that　he　might　again　have　recourse　to　him。
He　had　scarcely　gone　ten　yards　in　the　street　when　he
perceived　that　he　was　followed　by　a　man；　wrapped　in　a　large
cloak。　He　placed　his　hand　on　his　dagger　and　stopped。　The　man
came　straight　toward　him。　It　was　Porthos。
〃My　dear　friend；〃　cried　Aramis。
〃You　see；　we　had　each　our　mission；〃　said　Porthos；　〃mine　was
to　guard　you　and　I　am　doing　so。　Have　you　seen　the　king？〃
〃Yes；　and　all　goes　well。〃
〃We　are　to　meet　our　friends　at　the　hotel　at　eleven。〃
It　was　then　striking　half…past　ten　by　St。　Paul's。
Arrived　at　the　hotel　it　was　not　long　before　Athos　entered。
〃All's　well；〃　he　cried；　as　he　entered；　〃I　have　hired　a　cedar
wherry；　as　light　as　a　canoe；　as　easy　on　the　wing　as　any
swallow。　It　is　waiting　for　us　at　Greenwich；　opposite　the
Isle　of　Dogs；　manned　by　a　captain　and　four　men；　who　for　the
sum　of　fifty　pounds　sterling　will　k