twenty years after(二十年后)-第144章

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〃The　face　of　the　shortest　of　those　three　gentlemen？〃
〃No。〃
〃He　looked　to　me　　but　'tis　impossible。〃
At　this　instant　the　sergeant；　who　had　been　for　his　orders；
returned；　and　pointing　to　the　three　gentlemen　in　cloaks；
said：
〃The　passports　are　in　order；　let　these　three　gentlemen
pass。〃
The　three　gentlemen　bowed　and　hastened　to　take　advantage　of
this　permission。
Aramis　looked　after　them；　and　as　the　last　of　them　passed
close　to　him　he　pressed　the　hand　of　Athos。
〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　my　friend？〃　asked　the　latter。
〃I　have　　doubtless　I　am　dreaming；　tell　me；　sir；〃　he　said
to　the　sergeant；　〃do　you　know　those　three　gentlemen　who　are
just　gone　out？〃
〃Only　by　their　passports；　they　are　three　Frondists；　who　are
gone　to　rejoin　the　Duc　de　Longueville。〃
〃'Tis　strange；〃　said　Aramis；　almost　involuntarily；　〃I
fancied　that　I　recognized　Mazarin　himself。〃
The　sergeant　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter。
〃He！〃　he　cried；　〃he　venture　himself　amongst　us；　to　be　hung！
Not　so　foolish　as　all　that。〃
〃Ah！〃　muttered　Athos；　〃I　may　be　mistaken；　I　haven't　the
unerring　eye　of　D'Artagnan。〃
〃Who　is　speaking　of　Monsieur　D'Artagnan？〃　asked　an　officer
who　appeared　at　that　moment　upon　the　threshold　of　the　room。
〃What！〃　cried　Aramis　and　Athos；　〃what！　Planchet！〃
〃Planchet；〃　added　Grimaud；　〃Planchet；　with　a　gorget；
indeed！〃
〃Ah；　gentlemen！〃　cried　Planchet；　〃so　you　are　back　again　in
Paris。　Oh；　how　happy　you　make　us！　no　doubt　you　come　to　join
the　princes！〃
〃As　thou　seest；　Planchet；〃　said　Aramis；　whilst　Athos　smiled
on　seeing　what　important　rank　was　held　in　the　city　militia
by　the　former　comrade　of　Musqueton；　Bazin　and　Grimaud。
〃And　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　of　whom　you　spoke　just　now；
Monsieur　d'Herblay；　may　I　ask　if　you　have　any　news　of　him？〃
〃We　parted　from　him　four　days　ago　and　we　have　reason　to
believe　that　he　has　reached　Paris　before　us。〃
〃No；　sir；　I　am　sure　he　hasn't　yet　arrived。　But　then　he　may
have　stopped　at　Saint　Germain。〃
〃I　don't　think　so；　we　appointed　to　meet　at　La　Chevrette。〃
〃I　was　there　this　very　day。〃
〃And　had　the　pretty　Madeleine　no　news？〃　asked　Aramis；
smiling。
〃No；　sir；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that　she　seemed　very
anxious。〃
〃In　fact；〃　said　Aramis；　〃there　is　no　time　lost　and　we　made
our　journey　quickly。　Permit　me；　then；　my　dear　Athos；　without
inquiring　further　about　our　friend；　to　pay　my　respects　to　M。
Planchet。〃
〃Ah；　monsieur　le　chevalier；〃　said　Planchet；　bowing。
〃Lieutenant？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Lieutenant；　with　a　promise　of　becoming　captain。〃
〃'Tis　capital；　and　pray；　how　did　you　acquire　all　these
honors？〃
〃In　the　first　place；　gentlemen；　you　know　that　I　was　the
means　of　Monsieur　de　Rochefort's　escape；　well；　I　was　very
near　being　hung　by　Mazarin　and　that　made　me　more　popular
than　ever。〃
〃So；　owing　to　your　popularity　　〃
〃No；　thanks　to　something　better。　You　know；　gentlemen；　that　I
served　the　Piedmont　regiment　and　had　the　honor　of　being　a
sergeant？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；　one　day　when　no　one　could　drill　a　mob　of　citizens；
who　began　to　march；　some　with　the　right　foot；　others　with
the　left；　I　succeeded；　I　did；　in　making　them　all　begin　with
the　same　foot；　and　I　was　made　lieutenant　on　the　spot。〃
〃So　I　presume；〃　said　Athos；　〃that　you　have　a　large　number　of
the　nobles　with　you？〃
〃Certainly。　There　are　the　Prince　de　Conti；　the　Duc　de
Longueville；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　the　Duc　de　Bouillon；　the
Marechal　de　la　Mothe；　the　Marquis　de　Sevigne；　and　I　don't
know　who；　for　my　part。〃
〃And　the　Vicomte　Raoul　de　Bragelonne？〃　inquired　Athos；　in　a
tremulous　voice。　〃D'Artagnan　told　me　that　he　had　recommended
him　to　your　care；　in　parting。〃
〃Yes；　count；　nor　have　I　lost　sight　of　him　for　a　single
instant　since。〃
〃Then；〃　said　Athos　in　a　tone　of　delight；　〃he　is　well？　no
accident　has　happened　to　him？〃
〃None；　sir。〃
〃And　he　lives？〃
〃Still　at　the　Hotel　of　the　Great　Charlemagne。〃
〃And　passes　his　time？〃
〃Sometimes　with　the　queen　of　England；　sometimes　with　Madame
de　Chevreuse。　He　and　the　Count　de　Guiche　are　like　each
other's　shadows。〃
〃Thanks；　Planchet；　thanks！〃　cried　Athos；　extending　his　hand
to　the　lieutenant。
〃Oh；　sir！〃　Planchet　only　touched　the　tips　of　the　count's
fingers。
〃Well；　what　are　you　doing；　count　　to　a　former　lackey？
〃My　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃he　has　given　me　news　of　Raoul。〃
〃And　now；　gentlemen；〃　said　Planchet；　who　had　not　heard　what
they　were　saying；　〃what　do　you　intend　to　do？〃
〃Re…enter　Paris；　if　you　will　let　us；　my　good　Planchet。〃
〃Let　you。　sir？　Now；　as　ever；　I　am　nothing　but　your　servant。〃
Then　turning　to　his　men：
〃Allow　these　gentlemen　to　pass；〃　he　said；　〃they　are　friends
of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort。〃
〃Long　live　the　Duc　de　Beaufort！〃　cried　the　sentinels。
The　sergeant　drew　near　to　Planchet。
〃What！　without　passports？〃　he　murmured。
〃Without　passports；〃　said　Planchet。
〃Take　notice；　captain；〃　he　continued；　giving　Planchet　his
expected　title；　〃take　notice　that　one　of　the　three　men　who
just　now　went　out　from　here　told　me　privately　to　distrust
these　gentlemen。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　Planchet；　with　dignity；　〃I　know　them　and　I
answer　for　them。〃
As　he　said　this；　he　pressed　Grimaud's　hand；　who　seemed
honored　by　the　distinction。
〃Farewell　till　we　meet　again；〃　said　Aramis；　as　they　took
leave　of　Planchet；　〃if　anything　happens　to　us　we　shall　blame
you　for　it。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Planchet；　〃I　am　in　all　things　at　your　service。〃
〃That　fellow　is　no　fool；〃　said　Aramis；　as　he　got　on　his
horse。
〃How　should　he　be？〃　replied　Athos；　whilst　mounting　also；
〃seeing　he　was　used　so　long　to　brush　your　hats。〃

76
The　Ambassadors。

The　two　friends　rode　rapidly　down　the　declivity　of　the
Faubourg；　but　on　arriving　at　the　bottom　were　surprised　to
find　that　the　streets　of　Paris　had　become　rivers；　and　the
open　places　lakes；　after　the　great　rains　which　fell　in
January　the　Seine　had　overflowed　its　banks　and　the　river
inundated　half　the　capital。　The　two　gentlemen　were　obliged；
therefore；　to　get　off　their　horses　and　take　a　boat；　and　in
that　strange　manner　they　approached　the　Louvre。
Night　had　closed　in；　and　Paris；　seen　thus；　by　the　light　of
lanterns　flickering　on　the　pools　of　water；　crowded　with
ferry…boats　of　every　kind；　including　those　that　glittered
with　the　armed　patrols；　with　the　watchword；　passing　from
post　to　post　　Paris　presented　such　an　aspect　as　to
strongly　seize　the　senses　of　Aramis；　a　man　most　susceptible
to　warlike　impressions。
They　reached　the　queen's　apartments；　but　were　compelled　to
stop　in　the　ante…chamber；　since　her　majesty　was　at　that
moment　giving　audience　to　gentlemen　bringing　her　news　from
England。
〃We？　too？〃　said　Athos；　to　the　footman　who　had　given　him　that
answer；　〃not　only　bring　news　from　England；　but　have　just
come　from　there。〃
〃What？　then；　are　your　names；　gentlemen？〃
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere　and　the　Chevalier　d'Herblay；〃　said
Aramis。
〃Ah！　in　that　case；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　footman；　on　hearing
the　names　which　the　queen　had　so　often　pronounced　with　hope；
〃in　that　case　it　is　another　thing；　and　I　think　her　majesty
will　pardon　me　for　not　keeping　you　here　a　moment。　Please
follow　me；〃　and　he　went　on　before；　followed　by　Athos　and
Aramis。
On　arriving　at　the　door　of　the　room　where　the　queen　was
receiving　he　made　a　sign　for　them　to　wait　and　opening　the
door：
〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　your　majesty　will　forgive　me　for
disobeying　your　orders；　when　you　learn　that　the　gentlemen　I
have　come　to　announce　are　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　and　the
Chevalier　d'Herblay。〃
On　hearing　those　two　names　the　queen　uttered　a　cry　of　joy；
which　the　two　gentlemen　heard。
〃Poor　queen！〃　murmured　Athos。
〃Oh；　let　them　come　in！　let　them　come　in；〃　cried　the　young
princess；　bounding　to　the　door。
The　poor　child　was　constant　in　her　attendance　on　her　mother
and　sought　by　her　filial　attentions　to　make　her　forget　the
absence　of　her　two　sons　and　her　other　daughter。
〃Come　in；　gentlemen；〃　repeated　the　princess；　opening　the
door　herself。
The　queen　was　seated　on　a　fauteuil　and　before　her　were
standing　two　or　three　gentlemen；　and　among　them　the　Duc　de
Chatillon；　the　brother　of　the　nobleman　killed　eight　or　nine
years　previously　in　a　duel　on　account　of　Madame　de
Longueville；　on　the　Place　Royale。　All　these　gentlemen　had
been　noticed　by　Athos　and　Aramis　in　the　guardhouse；　and　when
the　two　friends　were　announced　they　started　and　exch