twenty years after(二十年后)-第146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！


not　yet　victors；　gentlemen。〃
〃Then　let　us　draw　on　the　spot。　It　is　all　one　to　us　　to　us
who　do　not　command　to…morrow's　expedition。〃
Chatillon　and　Flamarens　looked　at　each　other。　There　was　such
irony　in　the　words　and　in　the　bearing　of　Aramis　that　the
duke　had　great　difficulty　in　bridling　his　anger；　but　at　a
word　from　Flamarens　he　restrained　himself　and　contented
himself　with　saying：
〃You　promise；　sir　　that's　agreed　　that　I　shall　find　you
to…morrow　at　Charenton？〃
〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid；　sir；〃　replied　Aramis；　and　the　two
gentlemen　shortly　afterward　left　the　Louvre。
〃For　what　reason　is　all　this　fume　and　fury？〃　asked　Athos。
〃What　have　they　done　to　you？〃
〃They　　did　you　not　see　what　they　did？〃
〃No。〃
〃They　laughed　when　we　swore　that　we　had　done　our　duty　in
England。　Now；　if　they　believed　us；　they　laughed　in　order　to
insult　us；　if　they　did　not　believe　it　they　insulted　us　all
the　more。　However；　I'm　glad　not　to　fight　them　until
to…morrow。　I　hope　we　shall　have　something　better　to　do
to…night　than　to　draw　the　sword。〃
〃What　have　we　to　do？〃
〃Egad！　to　take　Mazarin。〃
Athos　curled　his　lip　with　disdain。
〃These　undertakings　do　not　suit　me；　as　you　know；　Aramis。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because　it　is　taking　people　unawares。〃
〃Really；　Athos；　you　would　make　a　singular　general。　You　would
fight　only　by　broad　daylight；　warn　your　foe　before　an
attack；　and　never　attempt　anything　by　night　lest　you　should
be　accused　of　taking　advantage　of　the　darkness。〃
Athos　smiled。
〃You　know　one　cannot　change　his　nature；〃　he　said。　〃Besides；
do　you　know　what　is　our　situation；　and　whether　Mazarin's
arrest　wouldn't　be　rather　an　encumbrance　than　an　advantage？〃
〃Say　at　once　you　disapprove　of　my　proposal。〃
〃I　think　you　ought　to　do　nothing；　since　you　exacted　a
promise　from　these　gentlemen　not　to　let　Mazarin　know　that　we
were　in　France。〃
〃I　have　entered　into　no　engagement　and　consider　myself　quite
free。　Come；　come。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Either　to　seek　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　or　the　Duc　de　Bouillon；
and　to　tell　them　about　this。〃
〃Yes；　but　on　one　condition　　that　we　begin　by　the
coadjutor。　He　is　a　priest；　learned　in　cases　of　conscience；
and　we　will　tell　him　ours。〃
It　was　then　agreed　that　they　were　to　go　first　to　Monsieur　de
Bouillon；　as　his　house　came　first；　but　first　of　all　Athos
begged　that　he　might　go　to　the　Hotel　du　Grand　Charlemagne；
to　see　Raoul。
They　re…entered　the　boat　which　had　brought　them　to　the
Louvre　and　thence　proceeded　to　the　Halles；　and　taking　up
Grimaud　and　Blaisois；　they　went　on　foot　to　the　Rue
Guenegaud。
But　Raoul　was　not　at　the　Hotel　du　Grand　Charlemagne。　He　had
received　a　message　from　the　prince；　to　whom　he　had　hastened
with　Olivain　the　instant　he　had　received　it。

77
The　three　Lieutenants　of　the　Generalissimo。

The　night　was　dark；　but　still　the　town　resounded　with　those
noises　that　disclose　a　city　in　a　state　of　siege。　Athos　and
Aramis　did　not　proceed　a　hundred　steps　without　being　stopped
by　sentinels　placed　before　the　barricades；　who　demanded　the
watchword；　and　on　their　saying　that　they　were　going　to
Monsieur　de　Bouillon　on　a　mission　of　importance　a　guide　was
given　them　under　pretext　of　conducting　them；　but　in　fact　as
a　spy　over　their　movements。
On　arriving　at　the　Hotel　de　Bouillon　they　came　across　a
little　troop　of　three　cavaliers；　who　seemed　to　know　every
possible　password；　for　they　walked　without　either　guide　or
escort；　and　on　arriving　at　the　barricades　had　nothing　to　do
but　to　speak　to　those　who　guarded　them；　who　instantly　let
them　pass　with　evident　deference；　due　probably　to　their　high
birth。
On　seeing　them　Athos　and　Aramis　stood　still。
〃Oh！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃do　you　see；　count？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Athos。
〃Who　do　these　three　cavaliers　appear　to　you　to　be？〃
〃What　do　you　think；　Aramis？〃
〃Why；　they　are　our　men。〃
〃You　are　not　mistaken；　I　recognize　Monsieur　de　Flamarens。〃
〃And　I；　Monsieur　de　Chatillon。〃
〃As　to　the　cavalier　in　the　brown　cloak　　〃
〃It　is　the　cardinal。〃
〃In　person。〃
〃How　the　devil　do　they　venture　so　near　the　Hotel　de
Bouillon？〃
Athos　smiled；　but　did　not　reply。　Five　minutes　afterward　they
knocked　at　the　prince's　door。
This　door　was　guarded　by　a　sentinel　and　there　was　also　a
guard　placed　in　the　courtyard；　ready　to　obey　the　orders　of
the　Prince　de　Conti's　lieutenant。
Monsieur　de　Bouillon　had　the　gout；　but　notwithstanding　his
illness；　which　had　prevented　his　mounting　on　horseback　for
the　last　month　…that　is；　since　Paris　had　been　besieged　
he　was　ready　to　receive　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　and　the
Chevalier　d'Herblay。
He　was　in　bed；　but　surrounded　with　all　the　paraphernalia　of
war。　Everywhere　were　swords；　pistols；　cuirasses；　and
arquebuses；　and　it　was　plain　that　as　soon　as　his　gout　was
better　Monsieur　de　Bouillon　would　give　a　pretty　tangle　to
the　enemies　of　the　parliament　to　unravel。　Meanwhile；　to　his
great　regret；　as　he　said；　he　was　obliged　to　keep　his　bed。
〃Ah；　gentlemen；〃　he　cried；　as　the　two　friends　entered；　〃you
are　very　happy！　you　can　ride；　you　can　go　and　come　and　fight
for　the　cause　of　the　people。　But　I；　as　you　see；　am　nailed　to
my　bed　　ah！　this　demon；　gout　　this　demon；　gout！〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃we　are　just　arrived　from　England　and
our　first　concern　is　to　inquire　after　your　health。〃
〃Thanks；　gentlemen；　thanks！　As　you　see；　my　health　is　but
indifferent。　But　you　come　from　England。　And　King　Charles　is
well；　as　I　have　just　heard？〃
〃He　is　dead；　my　lord！〃　said　Aramis。
〃Pooh！〃　said　the　duke；　too　much　astonished　to　believe　it
true。
〃Dead　on　the　scaffold；　condemned　by　parliament。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃And　executed　in　our　presence。〃
〃What；　then；　has　Monsieur　de　Flamarens　been　telling　me？〃
〃Monsieur　de　Flamarens？〃
〃Yes；　he　has　just　gone　out。〃
Athos　smiled。　〃With　two　companions？〃　he　said。
〃With　two　companions；　yes；〃　replied　the　duke。　Then　he　added
with　a　certain　uneasiness；　〃Did　you　meet　them？〃
〃Why；　yes；　I　think　so　　in　the　street；〃　said　Athos；　and　he
looked　smilingly　at　Aramis；　who　looked　at　him　with　an
expression　of　surprise。
〃The　devil　take　this　gout！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Bouillon；
evidently　ill　at　ease。
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃we　admire　your　devotion　to　the　cause
you　have　espoused；　in　remaining　at　the　head　of　the　army
whilst　so　ill；　in　so　much　pain。〃
〃One　must；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Bouillon；　〃sacrifice　one's
comfort　to　the　public　good；　but　I　confess　to　you　I　am　now
almost　exhausted。　My　spirit　is　willing；　my　head　is　clear；
but　this　demon；　the　gout；　o'ercrows　me。　I　confess；　if　the
court　would　do　justice　to　my　claims　and　give　the　head　of　my
house　the　title　of　prince；　and　if　my　brother　De　Turenne　were
reinstated　in　his　command　I　would　return　to　my　estates　and
leave　the　court　and　parliament　to　settle　things　between
themselves　as　they　might。〃
〃You　are　perfectly　right；　my　lord。〃
〃You　think　so？　At　this　very　moment　the　court　is　making
overtures　to　me；　hitherto　I　have　repulsed　them；　but　since
such　men　as　you　assure　me　that　I　am　wrong　in　doing　so；　I've
a　good　mind　to　follow　your　advice　and　to　accept　a
proposition　made　to　me　by　the　Duc　de　Chatillon　just　now。〃
〃Accept　it；　my　lord；　accept　it；〃　said　Aramis。
〃Faith！　yes。　I　am　even　sorry　that　this　evening　I　almost
repulsed　　but　there　will　be　a　conference　to…morrow　and　we
shall　see。〃
The　two　friends　saluted　the　duke。
〃Go；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　be　much　fatigued　after
your　voyage。　Poor　King　Charles！　But；　after　all；　he　was
somewhat　to　blame　in　all　that　business　and　we　may　console
ourselves　with　the　reflection　that　France　has　no　cause　of
reproach　in　the　matter　and　did　all　she　could　to　serve　him。〃
〃Oh！　as　to　that；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　are　witnesses。　Mazarin
especially　　〃
〃Yes；　do　you　know；　I　am　very　glad　to　hear　you　give　that
testimony；　the　cardinal　has　some　good　in　him；　and　if　he　were
not　a　foreigner　　well；　he　would　be　more　justly　estimated。
Oh！　the　devil　take　this　gout！〃
Athos　and　Aramis　took　their　leave；　but　even　in　the
ante…chamber　they　could　still　hear　the　duke's　cries；　he　was
evidently　suffering　the　tortures　of　the　damned。
When　they　reached　the　street；　Aramis　said：
〃Well；　Athos；　what　do　you　think？〃
〃Of　whom？〃
〃Pardieu！　of　Monsieur　de　Bouillon。〃
〃My　friend；　I　think　that　he　is　much　troubled　with　gout。〃
〃You　noticed　that　I　didn't　breathe　a　word　as　to　the　purpose
of　our　visit？〃
〃You　did　well；　you　would　have