twenty years after(二十年后)-第15章

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Ferronnerie　his　guards　insulted　the　people；　who　began　to
abuse　them。　The　prisoner　thought　this　a　good　opportunity　for
escape；　he　called　out　his　name　and　cried　for　help。　I　was
there。　I　heard　the　name　of　Rochefort。　I　remembered　him　well。
I　said　in　a　loud　voice　that　he　was　a　prisoner；　a　friend　of
the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　who　called　for　help。　The　people　were
infuriated；　they　stopped　the　horses　and　cut　the　escort　to
pieces；　whilst　I　opened　the　doors　of　the　carriage　and
Monsieur　de　Rochefort　jumped　out　and　soon　was　lost　amongst
the　crowd。　At　this　moment　a　patrol　passed　by。　I　was　obliged
to　sound　a　retreat　toward　the　Rue　Tiquetonne；　I　was　pursued
and　took　refuge　in　the　house　next　to　this；　where　I　have　been
concealed　between　two　mattresses。　This　morning　I　ventured　to
run　along　the　gutters　and　　〃
〃Well；〃　interrupted　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　delight　that　De
Rochefort　is　free；　but　as　for　thee；　if　thou　shouldst　fall
into　the　hands　of　the　king's　servants　they　will　hang　thee
without　mercy。　Nevertheless；　I　promise　thee　thou　shalt　be
hidden　here；　though　I　risk　by　concealing　thee　neither　more
nor　less　than　my　lieutenancy；　if　it　was　found　out　that　I
gave　one　rebel　an　asylum。〃
〃Ah！　sir；　you　know　well　I　would　risk　my　life　for　you。〃
〃Thou　mayst　add　that　thou　hast　risked　it；　Planchet。　I　have
not　forgotten　all　I　owe　thee。　Sit　down　there　and　eat　in
security。　I　see　thee　cast　expressive　glances　at　the　remains
of　my　supper。〃
〃Yes；　sir；　for　all　I've　had　since　yesterday　was　a　slice　of
bread　and　butter；　with　preserves　on　it。　Although　I　don't
despise　sweet　things　in　proper　time　and　place；　I　found　the
supper　rather　light。〃
〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Well；　come；　set　to。〃
〃Ah；　sir；　you　are　going　to　save　my　life　a　second　time！〃
cried　Planchet。
And　he　seated　himself　at　the　table　and　ate　as　he　did　in　the
merry　days　of　the　Rue　des　Fossoyeurs；　whilst　D'Artagnan
walked　to　and　fro　and　thought　how　he　could　make　use　of
Planchet　under　present　circumstances。　While　he　turned　this
over　in　his　mind　Planchet　did　his　best　to　make　up　for　lost
time　at　table。　At　last　he　uttered　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　and
paused；　as　if　he　had　partially　appeased　his　hunger。
〃Come；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　who　thought　that　it　was　now　a
convenient　time　to　begin　his　interrogations；　〃dost　thou　know
where　Athos　is？〃
〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Planchet。
〃The　devil　thou　cost　not！　Dost　know　where　Porthos　is？〃：
〃No　　not　at　all。〃
〃And　Aramis？〃
〃Not　in　the　least。〃
〃The　devil！　the　devil！　the　devil！〃
〃But；　sir；〃　said　Planchet；　with　a　look　of　shrewdness；　〃I
know　where　Bazin　is。〃
〃Where　is　he？〃
〃At　Notre　Dame。〃
〃What　has　he　to　do　at　Notre　Dame？〃
〃He　is　beadle。〃
〃Bazin　beadle　at　Notre　Dame！　He　must　know　where　his　master
is！〃
〃Without　a　doubt　he　must。〃
D'Artagnan　thought　for　a　moment；　then　took　his　sword　and　put
on　his　cloak　to　go　out。
〃Sir；〃　said　Planchet；　in　a　mournful　tone；　〃do　you　abandon　me
thus　to　my　fate？　Think；　if　I　am　found　out　here；　the　people
of　the　house；　who　have　not　seen　me　enter　it；　will　take　me
for　a　thief。〃
〃True；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Let's　see。　Canst　thou　speak　any
patois？〃
〃I　can　do　something　better　than　that；　sir；　I　can　speak
Flemish。〃
〃Where　the　devil　didst　thou　learn　it？〃
〃In　Artois；　where　I　fought　for　years。　Listen；　sir。　Goeden
morgen；　mynheer；　eth　teen　begeeray　le　weeten　the　ge　sond
heets　omstand。〃
〃Which　means？〃
〃Good…day；　sir！　I　am　anxious　to　know　the　state　of　your
health。〃
〃He　calls　that　a　language！　But　never　mind；　that　will　do
capitally。〃
D'Artagnan　opened　the　door　and　called　out　to　a　waiter　to
desire　Madeleine　to　come　upstairs。
When　the　landlady　made　her　appearance　she　expressed　much
astonishment　at　seeing　Planchet。
〃My　dear　landlady；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　beg　to　introduce　to
you　your　brother；　who　is　arrived　from　Flanders　and　whom　I　am
going　to　take　into　my　service。〃
〃My　brother？〃
〃Wish　your　sister　good…morning；　Master　Peter。〃
〃Wilkom；　suster；〃　said　Planchet。
〃Goeden　day；　broder；〃　replied　the　astonished　landlady。
〃This　is　the　case；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　is　your　brother；
Madeleine；　you　don't　know　him　perhaps；　but　I　know　him；　he
has　arrived　from　Amsterdam。　You　must　dress　him　up　during　my
absence。　When　I　return；　which　will　be　in　about　an　hour；　you
must　offer　him　to　me　as　a　servant；　and　upon　your
recommendation；　though　he　doesn't　speak　a　word　of　French；　I
take　him　into　my　service。　You　understand？〃
〃That　is　to　say；　I　guess　your　wishes；　and　that　is　all　that's
necessary；〃　said　Madeleine。
〃You　are　a　precious　creature；　my　pretty　hostess；　and　I　am
much　obliged　to　you。〃
The　next　moment　D'Artagnan　was　on　his　way　to　Notre　Dame。


7
Touches　upon　the　Strange　Effects　a　Half…pistole　may　have
upon　a　Beadle　and　a　Chorister。

D'Artagnan；　as　he　crossed　the　Pont　Neuf；　congratulated
himself　on　having　found　Planchet　again；　for　at　that　time　an
intelligent　servant　was　essential　to　him；　nor　was　he　sorry
that　through　Planchet　and　the　situation　which　he　held　in　Rue
des　Lombards；　a　connection　with　the　bourgeoisie　might　be
commenced；　at　that　critical　period　when　that　class　were
preparing　to　make　war　with　the　court　party。　It　was　like
having　a　spy　in　the　enemy's　camp。　In　this　frame　of　mind；
grateful　for　the　accidental　meeting　with　Planchet；　pleased
with　himself；　D'Artagnan　reached　Notre　Dame。　He　ran　up　the
steps；　entered　the　church；　and　addressing　a　verger　who　was
sweeping　the　chapel；　asked　him　if　he　knew　Monsieur　Bazin。
〃Monsieur　Bazin；　the　beadle？〃　said　the　verger。　〃Yes。　There
he　is；　attending　mass；　in　the　chapel　of　the　Virgin。〃
D'Artagnan　nearly　jumped　for　joy；　he　had　despaired　of
finding　Bazin；　but　now；　he　thought；　since　he　held　one　end　of
the　thread　he　would　be　pretty　sure　to　reach　the　other　end。
He　knelt　down　just　opposite　the　chapel　in　order　not　to　lose
sight　of　his　man；　and　as　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　prayers
and　had　omitted　to　take　a　book　with　him；　he　made　use　of　his
time　in　gazing　at　Bazin。
Bazin　wore　his　dress；　it　may　be　observed；　with　equal　dignity
and　saintly　propriety。　It　was　not　difficult　to　understand
that　he　had　gained　the　crown　of　his　ambition　and　that　the
silver…mounted　wand　he　brandished　was　in　his　eyes　as
honorable　a　distinction　as　the　marshal's　baton　which　Conde
threw；　or　did　not　throw；　into　the　enemy's　line　of　battle　at
Fribourg。　His　person　had　undergone　a　change；　analogous　to
the　change　in　his　dress；　his　figure　had　grown　rotund　and；　as
it　were；　canonical。　The　striking　points　of　his　face　were
effaced；　he　had　still　a　nose；　but　his　cheeks；　fattened　out；
each　took　a　portion　of　it　unto　themselves；　his　chin　had
joined　his　throat；　his　eyes　were　swelled　up　with　the
puffiness　of　his　cheeks；　his　hair；　cut　straight　in　holy
guise；　covered　his　forehead　as　far　as　his　eyebrows。
The　officiating　priest　was　just　finishing　mass　whilst
D'Artagnan　was　looking　at　Bazin；　he　pronounced　the　words　of
the　holy　Sacrament　and　retired；　giving　the　benediction；
which　was　received　by　the　kneeling　communicants；　to　the
astonishment　of　D'Artagnan；　who　recognized　in　the　priest　the
coadjutor*　himself；　the　famous　Jean　Francois　Gondy；　who　at
that　time；　having　a　presentiment　of　the　part　he　was　to　play；
was　beginning　to　court　popularity　by　almsgiving。　It　was　to
this　end　that　he　performed　from　time　to　time　some　of　those
early　masses　which　the　common　people；　generally；　alone
attended。

*A　sacerdotal　officer。

D'Artagnan　knelt　as　well　as　the　rest；　received　his　share　of
the　benediction　and　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　but　when
Bazin　passed　in　his　turn；　with　his　eyes　raised　to　Heaven　and
walking；　in　all　humility；　the　very　last；　D'Artagnan　pulled
him　by　the　hem　of　his　robe。
Bazin　looked　down　and　started；　as　if　he　had　seen　a　serpent。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　he　cried；　〃Vade　retro　Satanas！〃
〃So；　my　dear　Bazin！〃　said　the　officer；　laughing；　〃this　is
the　way　you　receive　an　old　friend。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　Bazin；　〃the　true　friends　of　a　Christian　are
those　who　aid　him　in　working　out　his　salvation；　not　those
who　hinder　him　in　doing　so。〃
〃I　don't　understand　you；　Bazin；　nor　can　I　see　how　I　can　be　a
stumbling…block　in　the　way　of　your　salvation；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃You　forget；　sir；　that　you　very　nearly　ruined　forever　that
of　my　master；　and　that　it　was　owing　to　you　that　he　was　very
nearly　being　damned　eternally　for　rema