twenty years after(二十年后)-第147章

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of　our　visit？〃
〃You　did　well；　you　would　have　caused　him　an　access　of　his
disease。　Let　us　go　to　Monsieur　de　Beaufort。〃
The　two　friends　went　to　the　Hotel　de　Vendome。　It　was　ten
o'clock　when　they　arrived。　The　Hotel　de　Vendome　was　not　less
guarded　than　the　Hotel　de　Bouillon；　and　presented　as　warlike
an　appearance。　There　were　sentinels；　a　guard　in　the　court；
stacks　of　arms；　and　horses　saddled。　Two　horsemen　going　out
as　Athos　and　Aramis　entered　were　obliged　to　give　place　to
them。
〃Ah！　ah！　gentlemen；〃　said　Aramis；　〃decidedly　it　is　a　night
for　meetings。　We　shall　be　very　unfortunate　if；　after　meeting
so　often　this　evening；　we　should　not　succeed　in　meeting
to…morrow。〃
〃Oh；　as　to　that；　sir；〃　replied　Chatillon　（for　it　was　he　who；
with　Flamarens；　was　leaving　the　Duc　de　Beaufort）；　〃you　may
be　assured；　for　if　we　meet　by　night　without　seeking　each
other；　much　more　shall　we　meet　by　day　when　wishing　it。〃
〃I　hope　that　is　true；〃　said　Aramis。
〃As　for　me；　I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said　the　duke。
De　Flamarens　and　De　Chatillon　continued　on　their　way　and
Athos　and　Aramis　dismounted。
Hardly　had　they　given　the　bridles　of　their　horses　to　their
lackeys　and　rid　themselves　of　their　cloaks　when　a　man
approached　them；　and　after　looking　at　them　for　an　instant　by
the　doubtful　light　of　the　lantern　hung　in　the　centre　of　the
courtyard　he　uttered　an　exclamation　of　joy　and　ran　to
embrace　them。
〃Comte　de　la　Fere！〃　the　man　cried　out；　〃Chevalier　d'Herblay！
How　does　it　happen　that　you　are　in　Paris？〃
〃Rochefort！〃　cried　the　two　friends。
〃Yes！　we　arrived　four　or　five　days　ago　from　the　Vendomois；
as　you　know；　and　we　are　going　to　give　Mazarin　something　to
do。　You　are　still　with　us；　I　presume？〃
〃More　than　ever。　And　the　duke？〃
〃Furious　against　the　cardinal。　You　know　his　success　　our
dear　duke？　He　is　really　king　of　Paris；　he　can't　go　out
without　being　mobbed　by　his　admirers。〃
〃Ah！　so　much　the　better！　Can　we　have　the　honor　of　seeing　his
highness？〃
〃I　shall　be　proud　to　present　you；〃　and　Rochefort　walked　on。
Every　door　was　opened　to　him。　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　was　at
supper；　but　he　rose　quickly　on　hearing　the　two　friends
announced。
〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　〃by　Jove！　you're　welcome；　sirs。　You　are
coming　to　sup　with　me；　are　you　not？　Boisgoli；　tell　Noirmont
that　I　have　two　guests。　You　know　Noirmont；　do　you　not？　The
successor　of　Father　Marteau　who　makes　the　excellent　pies　you
know　of。　Boisgoli；　let　him　send　one　of　his　best；　but　not
such　a　one　as　he　made　for　La　Ramee。　Thank　God！　we　don't　want
either　rope　ladders　or　gag…pears　now。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃do　not　let　us　disturb　you。　We　came
merely　to　inquire　after　your　health　and　to　take　your
orders。〃
〃As　to　my　health；　since　it　has　stood　five　years　of　prison；
with　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　to　boot；　'tis　excellent！　As　to　my
orders；　since　every　one　gives　his　own　commands　in　our　party；
I　shall　end；　if　this　goes　on；　by　giving　none　at　all。〃
〃In　short；　my　lord；〃　said　Athos；　glancing　at　Aramis；　〃your
highness　is　discontented　with　your　party？〃
〃Discontented；　sir！　say　my　highness　is　furious！　To　such　a
degree；　I　assure　you；　though　I　would　not　say　so　to　others；
that　if　the　queen；　acknowledging　the　injuries　she　has　done
me；　would　recall　my　mother　and　give　me　the　reversion　of　the
admiralty；　which　belonged　to　my　father　and　was　promised　me
at　his　death；　well！　it　would　not　be　long　before　I　should　be
training　dogs　to　say　that　there　were　greater　traitors　in
France　than　the　Cardinal　Mazarin！〃
At　this　Athos　and　Aramis　could　not　help　exchanging　not　only
a　look　but　a　smile；　and　had　they　not　known　it　for　a　fact；
this　would　have　told　them　that　De　Chatillon　and　De　Flamarens
had　been　there。
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃we　are　satisfied；　we　came　here　only
to　express　our　loyalty　and　to　say　that　we　are　at　your
lordship's　service　and　his　most　faithful　servants。〃
〃My　most　faithful　friends；　gentlemen；　my　most　faithful
friends；　you　have　proved　it。　And　if　ever　I　am　reconciled
with　the　court　I　shall　prove　to　you；　I　hope；　that　I　remain
your　friend；　as　well　as　that　of　　what　the　devil　are　their
names　　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos？〃
〃D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。〃
〃Ah；　yes。　You　understand；　then；　Comte　de　la　Fere；　you
understand；　Chevalier　d'Herblay；　that　I　am　altogether　and
always　at　your　service。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　bowed　and　went　out。
〃My　dear　Athos；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃I　think　you　consented　to
accompany　me　only　to　give　me　a　lesson　　God　forgive　me！〃
〃Wait　a　little；　Aramis；　it　will　be　time　for　you　to　perceive
my　motive　when　we　have　paid　our　visit　to　the　coadjutor。〃
〃Let　us　then　go　to　the　archiepiscopal　palace；〃　said　Aramis。
They　directed　their　horses　to　the　city。　On　arriving　at　the
cradle　from　which　Paris　sprang　they　found　it　inundated　with
water；　and　it　was　again　necessary　to　take　a　boat。　The　palace
rose　from　the　bosom　of　the　water；　and　to　see　the　number　of
boats　around　it　one　would　have　fancied　one's　self　not　in
Paris；　but　in　Venice。　Some　of　these　boats　were　dark　and
mysterious；　others　noisy　and　lighted　up　with　torches。　The
friends　slid　in　through　this　congestion　of　embarkation　and
landed　in　their　turn。　The　palace　was　surrounded　with　water；
but　a　kind　of　staircase　had　been　fixed　to　the　lower　walls；
and　the　only　difference　was；　that　instead　of　entering　by　the
doors；　people　entered　by　the　windows。
Thus　did　Athos　and　Aramis　make　their　appearance　in　the
ante…chamber；　where　about　a　dozen　noblemen　were　collected　in
waiting。
〃Good　heavens！〃　said　Aramis　to　Athos；　〃does　the　coadjutor
intend　to　indulge　himself　in　the　pleasure　of　making　us　cool
our　hearts　off　in　his　ante…chamber？〃
〃My　dear　friend；　we　must　take　people　as　we　find　them。　The
coadjutor　is　at　this　moment　one　of　the　seven　kings　of　Paris；
and　has　a　court。　Let　us　send　in　our　names；　and　if　he　does
not　send　us　a　suitable　message　we　will　leave　him　to　his　own
affairs　or　those　of　France。　Let　us　call　one　of　these
lackeys；　with　a　demi…pistole　in　the　left　hand。〃
〃Exactly　so；〃　cried　Aramis。　〃Ah！　if　I'm　not　mistaken　here's
Bazin。　Come　here；　fellow。〃
Bazin；　who　was　crossing　the　ante…chamber　majestically　in　his
clerical　dress；　turned　around　to　see　who　the　impertinent
gentleman　was　who　thus　addressed　him；　but　seeing　his　friends
he　went　up　to　them　quickly　and　expressed　delight　at　seeing
them。
〃A　truce　to　compliments；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　want　to　see　the
coadjutor；　and　instantly；　as　we　are　in　haste。〃
〃Certainly；　sir　　it　is　not　such　lords　as　you　are　who　are
allowed　to　wait　in　the　ante…chamber；　only　just　now　he　has　a
secret　conference　with　Monsieur　de　Bruy。〃
〃De　Bruy！〃　cried　the　friends；　〃'tis　then　useless　our　seeing
monsieur　the　coadjutor　this　evening；〃　said　Aramis；　〃so　we
give　it　up。〃
And　they　hastened　to　quit　the　palace；　followed　by　Bazin；　who
was　lavish　of　bows　and　compliments。
〃Well；〃　said　Athos；　when　Aramis　and　he　were　in　the　boat
again；　〃are　you　beginning　to　be　convinced　that　we　should
have　done　a　bad　turn　to　all　these　people　in　arresting
Mazarin？〃
〃You　are　wisdom　incarnate；　Athos；〃　Aramis　replied。
What　had　especially　been　observed　by　the　two　friends　was　the
little　interest　taken　by　the　court　of　France　in　the　terrible
events　which　had　occurred　in　England；　which　they　thought
should　have　arrested　the　attention　of　all　Europe。
In　fact；　aside　from　a　poor　widow　and　a　royal　orphan　who　wept
in　the　corner　of　the　Louvre；　no　one　appeared　to　be　aware
that　Charles　I。　had　ever　lived　and　that　he　had　perished　on
the　scaffold。
The　two　friends　made　an　appointment　for　ten　o'clock　on　the
following　day；　for　though　the　night　was　well　advanced　when
they　reached　the　door　of　the　hotel；　Aramis　said　that　he　had
certain　important　visits　to　make　and　left　Athos　to　enter
alone。
At　ten　o'clock　the　next　day　they　met　again。　Athos　had　been
out　since　six　o'clock。
〃Well；　have　you　any　news？〃　Athos　asked。
〃Nothing。　No　one　has　seen　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　has；　not
appeared。　Have　you　anything？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃The　devil！〃　said　Aramis。
〃In　fact；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　delay　is　not　natural；　they　took
the　shortest　route　and　should　have　arrived　before　we　did。〃
〃Add　to　that　D'Artagnan's　rapidity　in　action　and　that　he　is
not　the　man　to　lose　an　hour；　knowing　that　we　were　expecting
him。〃
〃He　expected；　you　will　remember；　to　be　here　on　the　fifth。〃
〃And　here　we　are　at　the　ninth。　This　evening　t