twenty years after(二十年后)-第13章

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petted；　tended；　cured；　and　one　fine　morning；　in　better
health　than　ever　before；　he　set　out　for　France。　Once　in
France　he　turned　his　course　toward　Paris；　and　reaching　Paris
went　straight　to　Rue　Tiquetonne。
But　D'Artagnan　found　in　his　chamber　the　personal　equipment
of　a　man；　complete；　except　for　the　sword；　arranged　along　the
wall。
〃He　has　returned；〃　said　he。　〃So　much　the　worse；　and　so　much
the　better！〃
It　need　not　be　said　that　D'Artagnan　was　still　thinking　of
the　husband。　He　made　inquiries　and　discovered　that　the
servants　were　new　and　that　the　mistress　had　gone　for　a　walk。
〃Alone？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃With　monsieur。〃
〃Monsieur　has　returned；　then？〃
〃Of　course；〃　naively　replied　the　servant。
〃If　I　had　any　money；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃I　would
go　away；　but　I　have　none。　I　must　stay　and　follow　the　advice
of　my　hostess；　while　thwarting　the　conjugal　designs　of　this
inopportune　apparition。〃
He　had　just　completed　this　monologue　　which　proves　that　in
momentous　circumstances　nothing　is　more　natural　than　the
monologue　　when　the　servant…maid；　watching　at　the　door；
suddenly　cried　out：
〃Ah！　see！　here　is　madame　returning　with　monsieur。〃
D'Artagnan　looked　out　and　at　the　corner　of　Rue　Montmartre
saw　the　hostess　coming　along　hanging　to　the　arm　of　an
enormous　Swiss；　who　tiptoed　in　his　walk　with　a　magnificent
air　which　pleasantly　reminded　him　of　his　old　friend　Porthos。
〃Is　that　monsieur？〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃Oh！　oh！　he
has　grown　a　good　deal；　it　seems　to　me。〃　And　he　sat　down　in
the　hall；　choosing　a　conspicuous　place。
The　hostess；　as　she　entered；　saw　D'Artagnan　and　uttered　a
little　cry；　whereupon　D'Artagnan；　judging　that　he　had　been
recognized；　rose；　ran　to　her　and　embraced　her　tenderly。　The
Swiss；　with　an　air　of　stupefaction；　looked　at　the　hostess；
who　turned　pale。
〃Ah；　it　is　you；　monsieur！　What　do　you　want　of　me？〃　she
asked；　in　great　distress。
〃Is　monsieur　your　cousin？　Is　monsieur　your　brother？〃　said
D'Artagnan；　not　in　the　slightest　degree　embarrassed　in　the
role　he　was　playing。　And　without　waiting　for　her　reply　he
threw　himself　into　the　arms　of　the　Helvetian；　who　received
him　with　great　coldness。
〃Who　is　that　man？〃　he　asked。
The　hostess　replied　only　by　gasps。
〃Who　is　that　Swiss？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃Monsieur　is　going　to　marry　me；〃　replied　the　hostess；
between　two　gasps。
〃Your　husband；　then；　is　at　last　dead？〃
〃How　does　that　concern　you？〃　replied　the　Swiss。
〃It　concerns　me　much；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃since　you　cannot
marry　madame　without　my　consent　and　since　　〃
〃And　since？〃　asked　the　Swiss。
〃And　since　　I　do　not　give　it；〃　said　the　musketeer。
The　Swiss　became　as　purple　as　a　peony。　He　wore　his　elegant
uniform；　D'Artagnan　was　wrapped　in　a　sort　of　gray　cloak；　the
Swiss　was　six　feet　high；　D'Artagnan　was　hardly　more　than
five；　the　Swiss　considered　himself　on　his　own　ground　and
regarded　D'Artagnan　as　an　intruder。
〃Will　you　go　away　from　here？〃　demanded　the　Swiss；　stamping
violently；　like　a　man　who　begins　to　be　seriously　angry。
〃I？　By　no　means！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Some　one　must　go　for　help；〃　said　a　lad；　who　could　not
comprehend　that　this　little　man　should　make　a　stand　against
that　other　man；　who　was　so　large。
D'Artagnan；　with　a　sudden　accession　of　wrath；　seized　the　lad
by　the　ear　and　led　him　apart；　with　the　injunction：
〃Stay　you　where　you　are　and　don't　you　stir；　or　I　will　pull
this　ear　off。　As　for　you；　illustrious　descendant　of　William
Tell；　you　will　straightway　get　together　your　clothes　which
are　in　my　room　and　which　annoy　me；　and　go　out　quickly　to
another　lodging。〃
The　Swiss　began　to　laugh　boisterously。　〃I　go　out？〃　he　said。
〃And　why？〃
〃Ah；　very　well！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　see　that　you　understand
French。　Come　then；　and　take　a　turn　with　me　and　I　will
explain。〃
The　hostess；　who　knew　D'Artagnan's　skill　with　the　sword；
began　to　weep　and　tear　her　hair。　D'Artagnan　turned　toward
her；　saying；　〃Then　send　him　away；　madame。〃
〃Pooh！〃　said　the　Swiss；　who　had　needed　a　little　time　to　take
in　D'Artagnan's　proposal；　〃pooh！　who　are　you；　in　the　first
place；　to　ask　me　to　take　a　turn　with　you？〃
〃I　am　lieutenant　in　his　majesty's　musketeers；〃　said
D'Artagnan；　〃and　consequently　your　superior　in　everything；
only；　as　the　question　now　is　not　of　rank；　but　of　quarters　
you　know　the　custom　　come　and　seek　for　yours；　the　first　to
return　will　recover　his　chamber。〃
D'Artagnan　led　away　the　Swiss　in　spite　of　lamentations　on
the　part　of　the　hostess；　who　in　reality　found　her　heart
inclining　toward　her　former　lover；　though　she　would　not　have
been　sorry　to　give　a　lesson　to　that　haughty　musketeer　who
had　affronted　her　by　the　refusal　of　her　hand。
It　was　night　when　the　two　adversaries　reached　the　field　of
battle。　D'Artagnan　politely　begged　the　Swiss　to　yield　to　him
the　disputed　chamber；　the　Swiss　refused　by　shaking　his　head；
and　drew　his　sword。
〃Then　you　will　lie　here；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃It　is　a　wretched
bed；　but　that　is　not　my　fault；　and　it　is　you　who　have　chosen
it。〃　With　these　words　he　drew　in　his　turn　and　crossed　swords
with　his　adversary。
He　had　to　contend　against　a　strong　wrist；　but　his　agility
was　superior　to　all　force。　The　Swiss　received　two　wounds　and
was　not　aware　of　it；　by　reason　of　the　cold；　but　suddenly
feebleness；　occasioned　by　loss　of　blood；　obliged　him　to　sit
down。
〃There！〃　said：　D'Artagnan；　〃what　did　I　tell　you？
Fortunately；　you　won't　be　laid　up　more　than　a　fortnight。
Remain　here　and　I　will　send　you　your　clothes　by　the　boy。
Good…by！　Oh；　by　the　way；　you'd　better　take　lodging　in　the
Rue　Montorgueil　at　the　Chat　Qui　Pelote。　You　will　be　well　fed
there；　if　the　hostess　remains　the　same。　Adieu。〃
Thereupon　he　returned　in　a　lively　mood　to　his　room　and　sent
to　the　Swiss　the　things　that　belonged　to　him。　The　boy　found
him　sitting　where　D'Artagnan　had　left　him；　still　overwhelmed
by　the　coolness　of　his　adversary。
The　boy；　the　hostess；　and　all　the　house　had　the　same　regard
for　D'Artagnan　that　one　would　have　for　Hercules　should　he
return　to　earth　to　repeat　his　twelve　labors。
But　when　he　was　alone　with　the　hostess　he　said：　〃Now；　pretty
Madeleine；　you　know　the　difference　between　a　Swiss　and　a
gentleman。　As　for　you；　you　have　acted　like　a　barmaid。　So
much　the　worse　for　you；　for　by　such　conduct　you　have　lost　my
esteem　and　my　patronage。　I　have　driven　away　the　Swiss　to
humiliate　you；　but　I　shall　lodge　here　no　longer。　I　will　not
sleep　where　I　must　scorn。　Ho；　there；　boy！　Have　my　valise
carried　to　the　Muid　d'Amour；　Rue　des　Bourdonnais。　Adieu；
madame。〃
In　saying　these　words　D'Artagnan　appeared　at　the　same　time
majestic　and　grieved。　The　hostess　threw　herself　at　his　feet；
asked　his　pardon　and　held　him　back　with　a　sweet　violence。
What　more　need　be　said？　The　spit　turned；　the　stove　roared；
the　pretty　Madeleine　wept；　D'Artagnan　felt　himself　invaded
by　hunger；　cold　and　love。　He　pardoned；　and　having　pardoned
he　remained。
And　this　explains　how　D'Artagnan　had　quarters　in　the　Rue
Tiquetonne；　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette。
D'Artagnan；　then　returned　home　in　thoughtful　mood；　finding　a
somewhat　lively　pleasure　in　carrying　Mazarin's　bag　of　money
and　thinking　of　that　fine　diamond　which　he　had　once　called
his　own　and　which　he　had　seen　on　the　minister's　finger　that
night。
〃Should　that　diamond　ever　fall　into　my　hands　again；〃　he
reflected；　〃I　would　turn　it　at　once　into　money；　I　would　buy
with　the　proceeds　certain　lands　around　my　father's　chateau；
which　is　a　pretty　place；　well　enough；　but　with　no　land　to　it
at　all；　except　a　garden　about　the　size　of　the　Cemetery　des
Innocents；　and　I　should　wait　in　all　my　glory　till　some　rich
heiress；　attracted　by　my　good　looks；　rode　along　to　marry　me。
Then　I　should　like　to　have　three　sons；　I　should　make　the
first　a　nobleman；　like　Athos；　the　second　a　good　soldier；
like　Porthos；　the　third　an　excellent　abbe；　like　Aramis。
Faith！　that　would　be　a　far　better　life　than　I　lead　now；　but
Monsieur　Mazarin　is　a　mean　wretch；　who　won't　dispossess
himself　of　his　diamond　in　my　favor。〃
On　entering　the　Rue　Tiquetonne　he　heard　a　tremendous　noise
and　found　a　dense　crowd　near　the　house。
〃Oho！〃　said　he；　〃is　the　hotel　on　fire？〃　On　approaching　the
hotel　of　the　Roe　he　found；　however；　that　it　was　in　front　of
the　next　house　the　mob　was　collected。　The　people　were
shouting