twenty years after(二十年后)-第148章

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him。〃
〃He　expected；　you　will　remember；　to　be　here　on　the　fifth。〃
〃And　here　we　are　at　the　ninth。　This　evening　the　margin　of
possible　delay　expires。〃
〃What　do　you　think　should　be　done；〃　asked　Athos。　〃if　we　have
no　news　of　them　to…night？〃
〃Pardieu！　we　must　go　and　look　for　them。〃
〃All　right；〃　said　Athos。
〃But　Raoul？〃　said　Aramis。
A　light　cloud　passed　over　the　count's　face。
〃Raoul　gives　me　much　uneasiness；〃　he　said。　〃He　received
yesterday　a　message　from　the　Prince　de　Conde；　he　went　to
meet　him　at　Saint　Cloud　and　has　not　returned。〃
〃Have　you　seen　Madame　de　Chevreuse？〃
〃She　was　not　at　home。　And　you；　Aramis；　you　were　going；　I
think；　to　visit　Madame　de　Longueville。〃
〃I　did　go　there。〃
〃Well？〃
〃She　was　no　longer　there；　but　she　had　left　her　new　address。〃
〃Where　was　she？〃
〃Guess；　I　give　you　a　thousand　chances。〃
〃How　should　I　know　where　the　most　beautiful　and　active　of
the　Frondists　was　at　midnight？　for　I　presume　it　was　when　you
left　me　that　you　went　to　visit　her。〃
〃At　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　my　dear　fellow。〃
〃What！　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville？　Has　she；　then；　been　appointed
provost　of　merchants？〃
〃No；　but　she　has　become　queen　of　Paris；　ad　interim；　and
since　she　could　not　venture　at　once　to　establish　herself　in
the　Palais　Royal　or　the　Tuileries；　she　is　installed　at　the
Hotel　de　Ville；　where　she　is　on　the　point　of　giving　an　heir
or　an　heiress　to　that　dear　duke。〃
〃You　didn't　tell　me　of　that；　Aramis。〃
〃Really？　It　was　my　forgetfulness　then；　pardon　me。〃
〃Now；〃　asked　Athos；　〃what　are　we　to　do　with　ourselves　till
evening？　Here　we　are　without　occupation；　it　seems　to　me。〃
〃You　forget；　my　friend；　that　we　have　work　cut　out　for　us　in
the　direction　of　Charenton；　I　hope　to　see　Monsieur　de
Chatillon；　whom　I've　hated　for　a　long　time；　there。〃
〃Why　have　you　hated　him？〃
〃Because　he　is　the　brother　of　Coligny。〃
〃Ah；　true！　he　who　presumed　to　be　a　rival　of　yours；　for　which
he　was　severely　punished；　that　ought　to　satisfy　you。〃
〃'Yes；　but　it　does　not；　I　am　rancorous　　the　only　stigma
that　proves　me　to　be　a　churchman。　Do　you　understand？　You
understand　that　you　are　in　no　way　obliged　to　go　with　me。〃
〃Come；　now；〃　said　Athos；　〃you　are　joking。〃
〃In　that　case；　my　dear　friend；　if　you　are　resolved　to
accompany　me　there　is　no　time　to　lose；　the　drum　beats；　I
observed　cannon　on　the　road；　I　saw　the　citizens　in　order　of
battle　on　the　Place　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　certainly　the
fight　will　be　in　the　direction　of　Charenton；　as　the　Duc　de
Chatillon　said。〃
〃I　supposed；〃　said　Athos；　〃that　last　night's　conferences
would　modify　those　warlike　arrangements。〃
〃No　doubt；　but　they　will　fight；　none　the　less；　if　only　to
mask　the　conferences。〃
〃Poor　creatures！〃　said　Athos；　〃who　are　going　to　be　killed；
in　order　that　Monsieur　de　Bouillon　may　have　his　estate　at
Sedan　restored　to　him；　that　the　reversion　of　the　admiralty
may　be　given　to　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　and　that　the　coadjutor
may　be　made　a　cardinal。〃
〃Come；　come；　dear　Athos；　confess　that　you　would　not　be　so
philosophical　if　your　Raoul　were　to　be　involved　in　this
affair。〃
〃Perhaps　you　speak　the　truth；　Aramis。〃
〃Well；　let　us　go；　then；　where　the　fighting　is；　for　that　is
the　most　likely　place　to　meet　with　D'Artagnan；　Porthos；　and
possibly　even　Raoul。　Stop；　there　are　a　fine　body　of　citizens
passing；　quite　attractive；　by　Jupiter！　and　their　captain　
see！　he　has　the　true　military　style。〃
〃What；　ho！〃　said　Grimaud。
〃What？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Planchet；　sir。〃
〃Lieutenant　yesterday；〃　said　Aramis；　〃captain　to…day；
colonel；　doubtless；　to…morrow；　in　a　fortnight　the　fellow
will　be　marshal　of　France。〃
〃Question　him　about　the　fight；〃　said　Athos。
Planchet；　prouder　than　ever　of　his　new　duties；　deigned　to
explain　to　the　two　gentlemen　that　he　was　ordered　to　take　up
his　position　on　the　Place　Royale　with　two　hundred　men；
forming　the　rear　of　the　army　of　Paris；　and　to　march　on
Charenton　when　necessary。
〃This　day　will　be　a　warm　one；〃　said　Planchet；　in　a　warlike
tone。
〃No　doubt；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　it　is　far　from　here　to　the
enemy。〃
〃Sir；　the　distance　will　be　diminished；〃　said　a　subordinate。
Aramis　saluted；　then　turning　toward　Athos：
〃I　don't　care　to　camp　on　the　Place　Royale　with　all　these
people；〃　he　said。　〃Shall　we　go　forward？　We　shall　see　better
what　is　going　on。〃
〃And　then　Monsieur　de　Chatillon　will　not　come　to　the　Place
Royale　to　look　for　you。　Come；　then；　my　friend；　we　will　go
forward。〃
〃Haven't　you　something　to　say　to　Monsieur　de　Flamarens　on
your　own　account？〃
〃My　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　have　made　a　resolution　never　to
draw　my　sword　save　when　it　is　absolutely　necessary。〃
〃And　how　long　ago　was　that？〃
〃When　I　last　drew　my　poniard。〃
〃Ah！　Good！　another　souvenir　of　Monsieur　Mordaunt。　Well；　my
friend；　nothing　now　is　lacking　except　that　you　should　feel
remorse　for　having　killed　that　fellow。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　Athos；　putting　a　finger　on　his　lips；　with　the
sad　smile　peculiar　to　him；　〃let　us　talk　no　more　of　Mordaunt
　it　will　bring　bad　luck。〃　And　Athos　set　forward　toward
Charenton；　followed　closely　by　Aramis。


78
The　Battle　of　Charenton。

As　Athos　and　Aramis　proceeded；　and　passed　different
companies　on　the　road；　they　became　aware　that　they　were
arriving　near　the　field　of　battle。
〃Ah！　my　friend！〃　cried　Athos；　suddenly；　〃where　have　you
brought　us？　I　fancy　I　perceive　around　us　faces　of　different
officers　in　the　royal　army；　is　not　that　the　Duc　de　Chatillon
himself　coming　toward　us　with　his　brigadiers？〃
〃Good…day；　sirs；〃　said　the　duke；　advancing；　〃you　are　puzzled
by　what　you　see　here；　but　one　word　will　explain　everything。
There　is　now　a　truce　and　a　conference。　The　prince；　Monsieur
de　Retz；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　the　Duc　de　Bouillon；　are
talking　over　public　affairs。　Now　one　of　two　things　must
happen：　either　matters　will　not　be　arranged；　or　they　will　be
arranged；　in　which　last　case　I　shall　be　relieved　of　my
command　and　we　shall　still　meet　again。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Aramis；　〃you　speak　to　the　point。　Allow　me　to　ask
you　a　question：　Where　are　the　plenipotentiaries？〃
〃At　Charenton；　in　the　second　house　on　the　right　on　entering
from　the　direction　of　Paris。〃
〃And　was　this　conference　arranged　beforehand？〃
〃No；　gentlemen；　it　seems　to　be　the　result　of　certain
propositions　which　Mazarin　made　last　night　to　the
Parisians。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　exchanged　smiles；　for　they　well　knew　what
those　propositions　were；　to　whom　they　had　been　made　and　who
had　made　them。
〃And　that　house　in　which　the　plenipotentiaries　are；〃　asked
Athos；　〃belongs　to　　〃
〃To　Monsieur　de　Chanleu；　who　commands　your　troops　at
Charenton。　I　say　your　troops；　for　I　presume　that　you
gentlemen　are　Frondeurs？〃
〃Yes；　almost；〃　said　Aramis。
〃We　are　for　the　king　and　the　princes；〃　added　Athos。
〃We　must　understand　each　other；〃　said　the　duke。　〃The　king　is
with　us　and　his　generals　are　the　Duke　of　Orleans　and　the
Prince　de　Conde；　although　I　must　add　'tis　almost　impossible
now　to　know　to　which　party　any　one　belongs。〃
〃Yes；〃　answered　Athos；　〃but　his　right　place　is　in　our　ranks；
with　the　Prince　de　Conti；　De　Beaufort；　D'Elbeuf；　and　De
Bouillon；　but；　sir；　supposing　that　the　conference　is　broken
off　　are　you　going　to　try　to　take　Charenton？〃
〃Such　are　my　orders。〃
〃Sir；　since　you　command　the　cavalry　　〃
〃Pardon　me；　I　am　commander…in…chief。〃
〃So　much　the　better。　You　must　know　all　your　officers　　I
mean　those　more　distinguished。〃
〃Why；　yes；　very　nearly。〃
〃Will　you　then　kindly　tell　me　if　you　have　in　your　command
the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan；　lieutenant　in　the　musketeers？〃
〃No；　sir；　he　is　not　with　us；　he　left　Paris　more　than　six
weeks　ago　and　is　believed　to　have　gone　on　a　mission　to
England。〃
〃I　knew　that；　but　I　supposed　he　had　returned。〃
〃No；　sir；　no　one　has　seen　him。　I　can　answer　positively　on
that　point；　for　the　musketeers　belong　to　our　forces　and
Monsieur　de　Cambon；　the　substitute　for　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；
still　holds　his　place。〃
The　two　friends　looked　at　each　other。
〃You　see；〃　said　Athos。
〃It　is　strange；〃　said　Aramis。
〃It　is　absolutely　certain　that　some　misfortune　has　happened
to　them　on　the　way。〃
〃If　we　have　no　news　of　them　this　evening；　to…morrow　we　must
start。〃
Athos　nodded　affirmatively；　then　turning：
〃And　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne；　a　young　man　fifteen　years　of
age；　attached　to　the　Prince　de　Conde　　has　he　the　honor　of
being　known