twenty years after(二十年后)-第134章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃And　now　I　look　very　much　like　a　man　who　is　going　to　be
murdered。〃
〃Oh！　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃how　can　you　talk　like　that　when
you　are　in　the　company　of　gentlemen　and　have　such　an
excellent　sword　at　your　side？〃
〃No　sword　is　excellent　enough　to　be　of　use　against　four
swords　and　daggers。〃
〃Well；　that　is　scarcely　the　question。　I　had　the　honor　of
asking　you　why　you　altered　your　costume。　The　mask　and　beard
became　you　very　well；　and　as　to　the　axe；　I　do　not　think　it
would　be　out　of　keeping　even　at　this　moment。　Why；　then；　have
you　laid　it　aside？〃
〃Because；　remembering　the　scene　at　Armentieres；　I　thought　I
should　find　four　axes　for　one；　as　I　was　to　meet　four
executioners。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　in　the　calmest　manner　possible；
〃you　are　very　young；　I　shall　therefore　overlook　your
frivolous　remarks。　What　took　place　at　Armentieres　has　no
connection　whatever　with　the　present　occasion。　We　could
scarcely　have　requested　your　mother　to　take　a　sword　and
fight　us。〃
〃Aha！　It　is　a　duel；　then？〃　cried　Mordaunt；　as　if　disposed　to
reply　at　once　to　the　provocation。
Porthos　rose；　always　ready　for　this　kind　of　adventure。
〃Pardon　me；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Do　not　let　us　do　things　in　a
hurry。　We　will　arrange　the　matter　rather　better。　Confess；
Monsieur　Mordaunt；　that　you　are　anxious　to　kill　some　of　us。〃
〃All；〃　replied　Mordaunt。
〃Then；　my　dear　sir；　I　am　convinced　that　these　gentlemen
return　your　kind　wishes　and　will　be　delighted　to　kill　you
also。　Of　course　they　will　do　so　as　honorable　gentlemen；　and
the　best　proof　I　can　furnish　is　this　　〃
So　saying；　he　threw　his　hat　on　the　ground；　pushed　back　his
chair　to　the　wall　and　bowed　to　Mordaunt　with　true　French
grace。
〃At　your　service；　sir；〃　he　continued。　〃My　sword　is　shorter
than　yours；　it's　true；　but；　bah！　I　think　the　arm　will　make
up　for　the　sword。〃
〃Halt！〃　cried　Porthos　coming　forward。　〃I　begin；　and　without
any　rhetoric。〃
〃Allow　me；　Porthos；〃　said　Aramis。
Athos　did　not　move。　He　might　have　been　taken　for　a　statue。
Even　his　breathing　seemed　to　be　arrested。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　shall　have　your　turn。
Monsieur　Mordaunt　dislikes　you　sufficiently　not　to　refuse
you　afterward。　You　can　see　it　in　his　eye。　So　pray　keep　your
places；　like　Athos；　whose　calmness　is　entirely　laudable。
Besides；　we　will　have　no　words　about　it。　I　have　particular
business　to　settle　with　this　gentleman　and　I　shall　and　will
begin。〃
Porthos　and　Aramis　drew　back；　disappointed；　and　drawing　his
sword　D'Artagnan　turned　to　his　adversary：
〃Sir；　I　am　waiting　for　you。〃
〃And　for　my　part；　gentlemen；　I　admire　you。　You　are　disputing
which　shall　fight　me　first；　but　you　do　not　consult　me　who　am
most　concerned　in　the　matter。　I　hate　you　all；　but　not
equally。　I　hope　to　kill　all　four　of　you；　but　I　am　more
likely　to　kill　the　first　than　the　second；　the　second　than
the　third；　and　the　third　than　the　last。　I　claim；　then；　the
right　to　choose　my　opponent。　If　you　refuse　this　right　you
may　kill　me；　but　I　shall　not　fight。〃
〃It　is　but　fair；〃　said　Porthos　and　Aramis；　hoping　he　would
choose　one　of　them。
Athos　and　D'Artagnan　said　nothing；　but　their　silence　seemed
to　imply　consent。
〃Well；　then；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃I　choose　for　my　adversary　the
man　who；　not　thinking　himself　worthy　to　be　called　Comte　de
la　Fere；　calls　himself　Athos。〃
Athos　sprang　up；　but　after　an　instant　of　motionless　silence
he　said；　to　the　astonishment　of　his　friends；　〃Monsieur
Mordaunt；　a　duel　between　us　is　impossible。　Submit　this
honour　to　somebody　else。〃　And　he　sat　down。
〃Ah！〃　said　Mordaunt；　with　a　sneer；　〃there's　one　who　is
afraid。〃
〃Zounds！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　bounding　toward　him；　〃who
says　that　Athos　is　afraid？〃
〃Let　him　have　his　say；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　with　a　smile
of　sadness　and　contempt。
〃Is　it　your　decision；　Athos？〃　resumed　the　Gascon。
〃Irrevocably。〃
〃You　hear；　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　turning　to　Mordaunt。　〃The
Comte　de　la　Fere　will　not　do　you　the　honor　of　fighting　with
you。　Choose　one　of　us　to　replace　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃As　long　as　I　don't　fight　with　him　it　is　the　same　to　me　with
whom　I　fight。　Put　your　names　into　a　hat　and　draw　lots。〃
〃A　good　idea；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃At　least　that　will　conciliate　us　all；〃　said　Aramis。
〃I　should　never　have　thought　of　that；〃　said　Porthos；　〃and
yet　it　is　very　simple。〃
〃Come；　Aramis；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃write　this　for　us　in　those
neat　little　characters　in　which　you　wrote　to　Marie　Michon
that　the　mother　of　this　gentleman　intended　to　assassinate
the　Duke　of　Buckingham。〃
Mordaunt　sustained　this　new　attack　without　wincing。　He　stood
with　his　arms　folded；　apparently　as　calm　as　any　man　could　be
in　such　circumstances。　If　he　had　not　courage　he　had　what　is
very　like　it；　namely；　pride。
Aramis　went　to　Cromwell's　desk；　tore　off　three　bits　of　paper
of　equal　size；　wrote　on　the　first　his　own　name　and　on　the
others　those　of　his　two　companions；　and　presented　them　open
to　Mordaunt；　who　by　a　movement　of　his　head　indicated　that　he
left　the　matter　entirely　to　Aramis。　He　then　rolled　them
separately　and　put　them　in　a　hat；　which　he　handed　to
Mordaunt。
Mordaunt　put　his　hand　into　the　hat；　took　out　one　of　the
three　papers　and　disdainfully　dropped　it　on　the　table
without　reading　it。
〃Ah！　serpent；〃　muttered　D'Artagnan；　〃I　would　give　my　chance
of　a　captaincy　in　the　mousquetaires　for　that　to　be　my　name。〃
Aramis　opened　the　paper；　and　in　a　voice　trembling　with　hate
and　vengeance　read　〃D'Artagnan。〃
The　Gascon　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　and　turning　to　Mordaunt：
〃I　hope；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　no　objection　to　make。〃
〃None；　whatever；〃　replied　the　other；　drawing　his　sword　and
resting　the　point　on　his　boot。
The　moment　that　D'Artagnan　saw　that　his　wish　was
accomplished　and　his　man　would　not　escape　him；　he　recovered
his　usual　tranquillity。　He　turned　up　his　cuffs　neatly　and
rubbed　the　sole　of　his　right　boot　on　the　floor；　but　did　not
fail；　however；　to　remark　that　Mordaunt　was　looking　about　him
in　a　singular　manner。
〃Are　you　ready；　sir？〃　he　said　at　last。
〃I　was　waiting　for　you；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　raising　his
head　and　casting　at　his　opponent　a　look　it　would　be
impossible　to　describe。
〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃take　care　of　yourself；　for　I
am　not　a　bad　hand　at　the　rapier。〃
〃Nor　I　either。〃
〃So　much　the　better；　that　sets　my　mind　at　rest。　Defend
yourself。〃
〃One　minute；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃Give　me　your　word；
gentlemen；　that　you　will　not　attack　me　otherwise　than　one
after　the　other。〃
〃Is　it　to　have　the　pleasure　of　insulting　us　that　you　say
that；　my　little　viper？〃
〃No；　but　to　set　my　mind　at　rest；　as　you　observed　just　now。〃
〃It　is　for　something　else　than　that；　I　imagine；〃　muttered
D'Artagnan；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。
〃On　the　honor　of　gentlemen；〃　said　Aramis　and　Porthos。
〃In　that　case；　gentlemen；　have　the　kindness　to　retire　into
the　corners；　so　as　to　give　us　ample　room。　We　shall　require
it。〃
〃Yes；　gentlemen；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　must　not　leave　this
person　the　slightest　pretext　for　behaving　badly；　which；　with
all　due　respect；　I　fancy　he　is　anxious　still　to　do。〃
This　new　attack　made　no　impression　on　Mordaunt。　The　space
was　cleared；　the　two　lamps　placed　on　Cromwell's　desk；　in
order　that　the　combatants　might　have　as　much　light　as
possible；　and　the　swords　crossed。
D'Artagnan　was　too　good　a　swordsman　to　trifle　with　his
opponent。　He　made　a　rapid　and　brilliant　feint　which　Mordaunt
parried。
〃Aha！〃　he　cried　with　a　smile　of　satisfaction。
And　without　losing　a　minute；　thinking　he　saw　an　opening；　he
thrust　his　right　in　and　forced　Mordaunt　to　parry　a　counter
en　quarte　so　fine　that　the　point　of　the　weapon　might　have
turned　within　a　wedding　ring。
This　time　it　was　Mordaunt　who　smiled。
〃Ah；　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃you　have　a　wicked　smile。　It
must　have　been　the　devil　who　taught　it　you；　was　it　not？〃
Mordaunt　replied　by　trying　his　opponent's　weapon　with　an
amount　of　strength　which　the　Gascon　was　astonished　to　find
in　a　form　apparently　so　feeble；　but　thanks　to　a　parry　no
less　clever　than　that　which　Mordaunt　had　just　achieved；　he
succeeded　in　meeting　his　sword；　which　slid　along　his　own
without　touching　his　chest。
Mordaunt　rapidly　sprang　back　a　step。
〃Ah！　you　lose　ground；　you　are　turning？　Well；　as　you　please；
I　even　gain　something　by　it；　for　I　no　longer　see　that　wicked