twenty years after(二十年后)-第141章

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twenty…three　years　old。　I　was　drawn　on　by　a　very　natural
resentment　to　avenge　my　mother。　You　would　have　done　what　I
did。〃
Mordaunt　wanted　now　only　two　or　three　fathoms　to　reach　the
boat；　for　the　approach　of　death　seemed　to　give　him
supernatural　strength。
〃Alas！〃　he　said；　〃I　am　then　to　die？　You　are　going　to　kill
the　son；　as　you　killed　the　mother！　Surely；　if　I　am　culpable
and　if　I　ask　for　pardon；　I　ought　to　be　forgiven。〃
Then；　as　if　his　strength　failed　him；　he　seemed　unable　to
sustain　himself　above　the　water　and　a　wave　passed　over　his
head；　which　drowned　his　voice。
〃Oh！　this　is　torture　to　me；〃　cried　Athos。
Mordaunt　reappeared。
〃For　my　part；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　say　this　must　come　to　an
end；　murderer；　as　you　were；　of　your　uncle！　executioner；　as
you　were；　of　King　Charles！　incendiary！　I　recommend　you　to
sink　forthwith　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　if　you　come
another　fathom　nearer；　I'll　stave　your　wicked　head　in　with
this　oar。〃
〃D'Artagnan！　D'Artagnan！〃　cried　Athos；　〃my　son；　I　entreat
you；　the　wretch　is　dying；　and　it　is　horrible　to　let　a　man
die　without　extending　a　hand　to　save　him。　I　cannot　resist
doing　so；　he　must　live。〃
〃Zounds！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃why　don't　you　give　yourself
up　directly；　feet　and　hands　bound；　to　that　wretch？　Ah！　Comte
de　la　Fere；　you　wish　to　perish　by　his　hands！　I；　your　son；　as
you　call　me　　I　will　not　let　you！〃
'Twas　the　first　time　D'Artagnan　had　ever　refused　a　request
from　Athos。
Aramis　calmly　drew　his　sword；　which　he　had　carried　between
his　teeth　as　he　swam。
〃If　he　lays　his　hand　on　the　boat's　edge　I　will　cut　it　off；
regicide　that　he　is。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　Porthos。　〃Wait。〃
〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Throw　myself　in　the　water　and　strangle　him。〃
〃Oh；　gentlemen！〃　cried　Athos；　〃be　men！　be　Christians！　See！
death　is　depicted　on　his　face！　Ah！　do　not　bring　on　me　the
horrors　of　remorse！　Grant　me　this　poor　wretch's　life。　I　will
bless　you　　I　　〃
〃I　am　dying！〃　cried　Mordaunt；　〃come　to　me！　come　to　me！〃
D'Artagnan　began　to　be　touched。　The　boat　at　this　moment
turned　around；　and　the　dying　man　was　by　that　turn　brought
nearer　Athos。
〃Monsieur　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；〃　he　cried；　〃I　supplicate
you！　pity　me！　I　call　on　you　　where　are　you？　I　see　you　no
longer　　I　am　dying　　help　me！　help　me！〃
〃Here　I　am；　sir！〃　said　Athos；　leaning　and　stretching　out　his
arm　to　Mordaunt　with　that　air　of　dignity　and　nobility　of
soul　habitual　to　him；　〃here　I　am；　take　my　hand　and　jump　into
our　boat。〃
Mordaunt　made　a　last　effort　　rose　　seized　the　hand　thus
extended　to　him　and　grasped　it　with　the　vehemence　of
despair。
〃That's　right；〃　said　Athos；　〃put　your　other　hand　here。　〃And
he　offered　him　his　shoulder　as　another　stay　and　support；　so
that　his　head　almost　touched　that　of　Mordaunt；　and　these　two
mortal　enemies　were　in　as　close　an　embrace　as　if　they　had
been　brothers。
〃Now；　sir；〃　said　the　count；　〃you　are　safe　　calm　yourself。〃
〃Ah！　my　mother；〃　cried　Mordaunt；　with　eyes　on　fire　with　a
look　of　hate　impossible　to　paint；　〃I　can　only　offer　thee　one
victim；　but　it　shall　at　any　rate　be　the　one　thou　wouldst
thyself　have　chosen！〃
And　whilst　D'Artagnan　uttered　a　cry；　Porthos　raised　the　oar；
and　Aramis　sought　a　place　to　strike；　a　frightful　shake　given
to　the　boat　precipitated　Athos　into　the　sea；　whilst
Mordaunt；　with　a　shout　of　triumph；　grasped　the　neck　of　his
victim；　and　in　order　to　paralyze　his　movements；　twined　arms
and　legs　around　the　musketeer。　For　an　instant；　without　an
exclamation；　without　a　cry　for　help；　Athos　tried　to　sustain
himself　on　the　surface　of　the　waters；　but　the　weight　dragged
him　down；　he　disappeared　by　degrees；　soon　nothing　was　to　be
seen　except　his　long；　floating　hair；　then　both　men
disappeared　and　the　bubbling　of　the　water；　which；　in　its
turn；　was　soon　effaced；　alone　indicated　the　spot　where　these
two　had　sunk。
Mute　with　horror；　the　three　friends　had　remained
open…mouthed；　their　eyes　dilated；　their　arms　extended　like
statues；　and；　motionless　as　they　were；　the　beating　of　their
hearts　was　audible。　Porthos　was　the　first　who　came　to
himself。　He　tore　his　hair。
〃Oh！〃　he　cried；　〃Athos！　Athos！　thou　man　of　noble　heart；　woe
is　me！　I　have　let　thee　perish！〃
At　this　instant；　in　the　midst　of　the　silver　circle　illumined
by　the　light　of　the　moon　the　same　whirlpool　which　had　been
made　by　the　sinking　men　was　again　obvious；　and　first　were
seen；　rising　above　the　waves；　a　wisp　of　hair；　then　a　pale
face　with　open　eyes；　yet；　nevertheless；　the　eyes　of　death；
then　a　body；　which；　after　rising　of　itself　even　to　the　waist
above　the　sea；　turned　gently　on　its　back；　according　to　the
caprice　of　the　waves；　and　floated。
In　the　bosom　of　this　corpse　was　plunged　a　poniard；　the　gold
hilt　of　which　shone　in　the　moonbeams。
〃Mordaunt！　Mordaunt！〃　cried　the　three　friends；　〃'tis
Mordaunt！〃
〃But　Athos！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan。
Suddenly　the　boat　leaned　on　one　side　beneath　a　new　and
unexpected　weight　and　Grimaud　uttered　a　shout　of　joy；　every
one　turned　around　and　beheld　Athos；　livid；　his　eyes　dim　and
his　hands　trembling；　supporting　himself　on　the　edge　of　the
boat。　Eight　vigorous　arms　lifted　him　up　immediately　and　laid
him　in　the　boat；　where　directly　Athos　was　warmed　and
reanimated；　reviving　with　the　caresses　and　cares　of　his
friends；　who　were　intoxicated　with　joy。
〃You　are　not　hurt？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃and　he　　〃
〃Oh；　he！　now　we　may　say　at　last；　thank　Heaven！　he　is　really
dead。　Look！〃　and　D'Artagnan；　obliging　Athos　to　look　in　the
direction　he　pointed；　showed　him　the　body　of　Mordaunt
floating　on　its　back；　which；　sometimes　submerged；　sometimes
rising；　seemed　still　to　pursue　the　four　friends　with　looks
of　insult　and　mortal　hatred。
At　last　he　sank。　Athos　had　followed　him　with　a　glance　in
which　the　deepest　melancholy　and　pity　were　expressed。
〃Bravo！　Athos！〃　cried　Aramis；　with　an　emotion　very　rare　in
him。
〃A　capital　blow　you　gave！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃I　have　a　son。　I　wished　to　live；〃　said　Athos。
〃In　short；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　has　been　the　will　of
God。〃
〃It　was　not　I　who　killed　him；〃　said　Athos　in　a　soft；　low
tone；　〃'twas　destiny。〃

74
How　Musqueton；　after　being　very　nearly　roasted；　had　a　Narrow
Escape　of　being　eaten。

A　deep　silence　reigned　for　a　long　time　in　the　boat　after　the
fearful　scene　described。
The　moon；　which　had　shone　for　a　short　time；　disappeared
behind　the　clouds；　every　object　was　again　plunged　in　the
obscurity　that　is　so　awful　in　the　deserts　and　still　more　so
in　that　liquid　desert；　the　ocean；　and　nothing　was　heard　save
the　whistling　of　the　west　wind　driving　along　the　tops　of　the
crested　billows。
Porthos　was　the　first　to　speak。
〃I　have　seen；〃　he　said；　〃many　dreadful　things；　but　nothing
that　ever　agitated　me　so　much　as　what　I　have　just　witnessed。
Nevertheless；　even　in　my　present　state　of　perturbation；　I
protest　that　I　feel　happy。　I　have　a　hundred　pounds'　weight
less　upon　my　chest。　I　breathe　more　freely。〃　In　fact；　Porthos
breathed　so　loud　as　to　do　credit　to　the　free　play　of　his
powerful　lungs。
〃For　my　part；〃　observed　Aramis；　〃I　cannot　say　the　same　as
you　do；　Porthos。　I　am　still　terrified　to　such　a　degree　that
I　scarcely　believe　my　eyes。　I　look　around　the　boat；
expecting　every　moment　to　see　that　poor　wretch　holding
between　his　hands　the　poniard　plunged　into　his　heart。〃
〃Oh！　I　feel　easy；〃　replied　Porthos。　〃The　poniard　was　pointed
at　the　sixth　rib　and　buried　up　to　the　hilt　in　his　body。　I　do
not　reproach　you；　Athos；　for　what　you　have　done。　On　the
contrary；　when　one　aims　a　blow　that　is　the　regulation　way　to
strike。　So　now；　I　breathe　again　　I　am　happy！〃
〃Don't　be　in　haste　to　celebrate　a　victory；　Porthos；〃
interposed　D'Artagnan；　〃never　have　we　incurred　a　greater
danger　than　we　are　now　encountering。　Men　may　subdue　men　
they　cannot　overcome　the　elements。　We　are　now　on　the　sea；　at
night；　without　any　pilot；　in　a　frail　bark；　should　a　blast　of
wind　upset　the　boat　we　are　lost。〃
Musqueton　heaved　a　deep　sigh。
〃You　are　ungrateful；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃yes；
ungrateful　to　Providence；　to　whom　we　owe　our　safety　in　the
most　miraculous　manner。　Let　us　sail　before　the　wind；　and
unless　it　changes　we　shall　be　drifted　either　to　Calais　or
Boulogne。　Should　our　bark　be　upset　we　are　five　of　us　good
swimmers；　able　enough　to　turn　it　over