twenty years after(二十年后)-第159章

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pavilion　of　the　orangery。　The　Comte　de　la　Fere　cannot　be　far
off；　only　the　doors　are　locked。〃
〃That　is　a　slight　difficulty；〃　said　Porthos；　〃and　a　good
push　with　the　shoulders　　〃
〃For　God's　sake；　Porthos　my　friend；　reserve　your　feats　of
strength；　or　they　will　not　have；　when　needed　the　honor　they
deserve。　Have　you　not　heard　that　some　one　is　coming　here？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；　that　some　one　will　open　the　doors。〃
〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　if　that　some　one　recognizes　us；　if
that　some　one　cries　out；　we　are　lost；　for　you　don't　propose；
I　imagine；　that　I　shall　kill　that　man　of　the　church。　That
might　do　if　we　were　dealing　with　Englishmen　or　Germans。〃
〃Oh；　may　God　keep　me　from　it；　and　you；　too！〃　said
D'Artagnan。　〃The　young　king　would；　perhaps；　show　us　some
gratitude；　but　the　queen　would　never　forgive　us；　and　it　is
she　whom　we　have　to　consider。　And　then；　besides；　the　useless
blood！　never！　no；　never！　I　have　my　plan；　let　me　carry　it　out
and　we　shall　laugh。〃
〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　feel　some　need　of
it。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　some　one　is　coming。〃
The　sound　of　a　light　step　was　heard　in　the　vestibule。　The
hinges　of　the　door　creaked　and　a　man　appeared　in　the　dress
of　a　cavalier；　wrapped　in　a　brown　cloak；　with　a　lantern　in
one　hand　and　a　large　beaver　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes。
Porthos　effaced　himself　against　the　wall；　but　he　could　not
render　himself　invisible；　and　the　man　in　the　cloak　said　to
him；　giving　him　his　lantern：
〃Light　the　lamp　which　hangs　from　the　ceiling。〃
Then　addressing　D'Artagnan：
〃You　know　the　watchword？〃　he　said。
〃Ja！〃　replied　the　Gascon；　determined　to　confine　himself　to
this　specimen　of　the　German　tongue。
〃Tedesco！〃　answered　the　cavalier；　〃va　bene。〃
And　advancing　toward　the　door　opposite　to　that　by　which　he
came　in；　he　opened　it　and　disappeared　behind　it；　shutting　it
as　he　went。
〃Now；〃　asked　Porthos；　〃what　are　we　to　do？〃
〃Now　we　shall　make　use　of　your　shoulder；　friend　Porthos；　if
this　door　proves　to　be　locked。　Everything　in　its　proper
time；　and　all　comes　right　to　those　who　know　how　to　wait
patiently。　But　first　barricade　the　first　door　well；　then　we
will　follow　yonder　cavalier。〃
The　two　friends　set　to　work　and　crowded　the　space　before　the
door　with　all　the　furniture　in　the　room；　as　not　only　to　make
the　passage　impassable；　but　so　to　block　the　door　that　by　no
means　could　it　open　inward。
〃There！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　can't　be　overtaken。　Come！
forward！〃

85
The　Oubliettes　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。

At　first；　on　arriving　at　the　door　through　which　Mazarin　had
passed；　D'Artagnan　tried　in　vain　to　open　it；　but　on　the
powerful　shoulder　of　Porthos　being　applied　to　one　of　the
panels；　which　gave　way；　D'Artagnan　introduced　the　point　of
his　sword　between　the　bolt　and　the　staple　of　the　lock。　The
bolt　gave　way　and　the　door　opened。
〃As　I　told　you；　everything　can　be　attained；　Porthos　women
and　doors；　by　proceeding　with　gentleness。〃
〃You're　a　great　moralist；　and　that's　the　fact；〃　said
Porthos。
They　entered；　behind　a　glass　window；　by　the　light　of　the
cardinal's　lantern；　which　had　been　placed　on　the　floor　in
the　midst　of　the　gallery；　they　saw　the　orange　and
pomegranate　trees　of　the　Castle　of　Rueil；　in　long　lines；
forming　one　great　alley　and　two　smaller　side　alleys。
〃No　cardinal！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　only　his　lantern；　where
the　devil；　then；　is　he？〃
Exploring；　however；　one　of　the　side　wings　of　the　gallery；
after　making　a　sign　to　Porthos　to　explore　the　other；　he　saw；
all　at　once；　at　his　left；　a　tub　containing　an　orange　tree；
which　had　been　pushed　out　of　its　place　and　in　its　place　an
open　aperture。
Ten　men　would　have　found　difficulty　in　moving　that　tub；　but
by　some　mechanical　contrivance　it　had　turned　with　the
flagstone　on　which　it　rested。
D'Artagnan；　as　we　have　said；　perceived　a　hole　in　that　place
and　in　this　hole　the　steps　of　a　winding　staircase。
He　called　Porthos　to　look　at　it。
〃Were　our　object　money　only；〃　he　said；　〃we　should　be　rich
directly。〃
〃How's　that？〃
〃Don't　you　understand；　Porthos？　At　the　bottom　of　that
staircase　lies；　probably；　the　cardinal's　treasury　of　which
folk　tell　such　wonders；　and　we　should　only　have　to　descend；
empty　a　chest；　shut　the　cardinal　up　in　it；　double　lock　it；
go　away；　carrying　off　as　much　gold　as　we　could；　put　back
this　orange…tree　over　the　place；　and　no　one　in　the　world
would　ever　ask　us　where　our　fortune　came　from　　not　even
the　cardinal。〃
〃It　would　be　a　happy　hit　for　clowns　to　make；　but　as　it　seems
to　be　unworthy　of　two　gentlemen　　〃　said　Porthos。
〃So　I　think；　and　therefore　I　said；　‘Were　our　object　money
only；'　but　we　want　something　else；〃　replied　the　Gascon。
At　the　same　moment；　whilst　D'Artagnan　was　leaning　over　the
aperture　to　listen；　a　metallic　sound；　as　if　some　one　was
moving　a　bag　of　gold；　struck　on　his　ear；　he　started；
instantly　afterward　a　door　opened　and　a　light　played　upon
the　staircase。
Mazarin　had　left　his　lamp　in　the　gallery　to　make　people
believe　that　he　was　walking　about；　but　he　had　with　him　a
waxlight；　to　help　him　to　explore　his　mysterious　strong　box。
〃Faith；〃　he　said；　in　Italian；　as　he　was　reascending　the
steps　and　looking　at　a　bag　of　reals；　〃faith；　there's　enough
to　pay　five　councillors　of　parliament；　and　two　generals　in
Paris。　I　am　a　great　captain　　that　I　am！　but　I　make　war　in
my　own　way。〃
The　two　friends　were　crouching　down；　meantime；　behind　a　tub
in　the　side　alley。
Mazarin　came　within　three　steps　of　D'Artagnan　and　pushed　a
spring　in　the　wall；　the　slab　turned　and　the　orange　tree
resumed　its　place。
Then　the　cardinal　put　out　the　waxlight；　slipped　it　into　his
pocket；　and　taking　up　the　lantern：　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃for
Monsieur　de　la　Fere。〃
〃Very　good；〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　our　road　likewise；　we
will　go　together。〃
All　three　set　off　on　their　walk；　Mazarin　taking　the　middle
alley　and　the　friends　the　side　ones。
The　cardinal　reached　a　second　door　without　perceiving　he　was
being　followed；　the　sand　with　which　the　alleys　were　covered
deadened　the　sound　of　footsteps。
He　then　turned　to　the　left；　down　a　corridor　which　had
escaped　the　attention　of　the　two　friends；　but　as　he　opened
the　door　he　paused；　as　if　in　thought。
〃Ah！　Diavolo！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　forgot　the　recommendation　of
De　Comminges；　who　advised　me　to　take　a　guard　and　place　it　at
this　door；　in　order　not　to　put　myself　at　the　mercy　of　that
four…headed　combination　of　devils。〃　And　with　a　movement　of
impatience　he　turned　to　retrace　his　steps。
〃Do　not　give　yourself　the　trouble；　my　lord；〃　said
D'Artagnan；　with　his　right　foot　forward；　his　beaver　in　his
hand；　a　smile　on　his　face；　〃we　have　followed　your　eminence
step　by　step　and　here　we　are。〃
〃Yes　　here　we　are；〃　said　Porthos。
And　he　made　the　same　friendly　salute　as　D'Artagnan。
Mazarin　gazed　at　each　of　them　with　an　affrighted　stare；
recognized　them；　and　let　drop　his　lantern；　uttering　a　cry　of
terror。
D'Artagnan　picked　it　up；　by　good　luck　it　had　not　been
extinguished。
〃Oh；　what　imprudence；　my　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis　not
good　to　be　about　just　here　without　a　light。　Your　eminence
might　knock　against　something；　or　fall　into　a　hole。〃
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　muttered　Mazarin；　unable　to　recover
from　his　astonishment。
〃Yes；　my　lord；　it　is　I。　I　have　the　honor　to　present　to　you
Monsieur　du　Vallon；　that　excellent　friend　of　mine；　in　whom
your　eminence　had　the　kindness　to　interest　yourself
formerly。〃
And　D'Artagnan　held　the　lamp　before　the　merry　face　of
Porthos；　who　now　began　to　comprehend　the　affair　and　be　very
proud　of　the　whole　undertaking。
〃You　were　going　to　visit　Monsieur　de　la　Fere？〃　said
D'Artagnan。　〃Don't　let　us　disarrange　your　eminence。　Be　so
good　as　to　show　us　the　way　and　we　will　follow　you。
Mazarin　was　by　degrees　recovering　his　senses。
〃Have　you　been　long　in　the　orangery？〃　he　asked　in　a
trembling　voice；　remembering　the　visits　he　had　been　paying
to　his　treasury。
Porthos　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　D'Artagnan　made　him　a
sign；　and　his　mouth；　remaining　silent；　gradually　closed。
〃This　moment　come；　my　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
Mazarin　breathed　again。　His　fears　were　now　no　longer　for　his
hoard；　but　for　himself。　A　sort　of　smile　played　on　his　lips。
〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　me　in　a　snare；　gentlemen。　I
confess　myself　conquered。　You　wish　to　ask　for　liberty；　and