twenty years after(二十年后)-第16章

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of　my　master；　and　that　it　was　owing　to　you　that　he　was　very
nearly　being　damned　eternally　for　remaining　a　musketeer；
whilst　all　the　time　his　true　vocation　was　the　church。〃
〃My　dear　Bazin；　you　ought　to　perceive；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃from　the　place　in　which　you　find　me；　that　I　am　greatly
changed　in　everything。　Age　produces　good　sense；　and；　as　I
doubt　not　but　that　your　master　is　on　the　road　to　salvation；
I　want　you　to　tell　me　where　he　is；　that　he　may　help　me　to
mine。〃
〃Rather　say；　to　take　him　back　with　you　into　the　world。
Fortunately；　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃
〃How！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃you　don't　know　where　Aramis　is？〃
〃Formerly；〃　replied　Bazin；　〃Aramis　was　his　name　of
perdition。　By　Aramis　is　meant　Simara；　which　is　the　name　of　a
demon。　Happily　for　him　he　has　ceased　to　bear　that　name。〃
〃And　therefore；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　resolved　to　be　patient　to
the　end；　〃it　is　not　Aramis　I　seek；　but　the　Abbe　d'Herblay。
Come；　my　dear　Bazin；　tell　me　where　he　is。〃
〃Didn't　you　hear　me　tell　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　that　I
don't　know　where　he　is？〃
〃Yes；　certainly；　but　to　that　I　answer　that　it　is
impossible。〃
〃It　is；　nevertheless；　the　truth；　monsieur　　the　pure　truth；
the　truth　of　the　good　God。〃
D'Artagnan　saw　clearly　that　he　would　get　nothing　out　of　this
man；　who　was　evidently　telling　a　falsehood　in　his　pretended
ignorance　of　the　abode　of　Aramis；　but　whose　lies　were　bold
and　decided。
〃Well；　Bazin；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃since　you　do　not　know　where
your　master　lives；　let　us　speak　of　it　no　more；　let　us　part
good　friends。　Accept　this　half…pistole　to　drink　to　my
health。〃
〃I　do　not　drink〃　　Bazin　pushed　away　with　dignity　the
officer's　hand　　〃'tis　good　only　for　the　laity。〃
〃Incorruptible！〃　murmured　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　unlucky；〃　and
whilst　he　was　lost　in　thought　Bazin　retreated　toward　the
sacristy；　and　even　there　he　could　not　think　himself　safe
until　he　had　shut　and　locked　the　door　behind　him。
D'Artagnan　was　still　in　deep　thought　when　some　one　touched
him　on　the　shoulder。　He　turned　and　was　about　to　utter　an
exclamation　of　surprise　when　the　other　made　to　him　a　sign　of
silence。
〃You　here；　Rochefort？〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。
〃Hush！〃　returned　Rochefort。　〃Did　you　know　that　I　am　at
liberty？〃
〃I　knew　it　from　the　fountain…head　　from　Planchet。　And　what
brought　you　here？〃
〃I　came　to　thank　God　for　my　happy　deliverance；〃　said
Rochefort。
〃And　nothing　more？　I　suppose　that　is　not　all。〃
〃To　take　my　orders　from　the　coadjutor　and　to　see　if　we
cannot　wake　up　Mazarin　a　little。〃
〃A　bad　plan；　you'll　be　shut　up　again　in　the　Bastile。〃
〃Oh；　as　to　that；　I　shall　take　care；　I　assure　you。　The　air；
the　fresh；　free　air　is　so　good；　besides；〃　and　Rochefort　drew
a　deep　breath　as　he　spoke；　〃I　am　going　into　the　country　to
make　a　tour。〃
〃Stop；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃I；　too；　am　going。〃
〃And　if　I　may　without　impertinence　ask　　where　are　you
going？〃
〃To　seek　my　friends。〃
〃What　friends？〃
〃Those　that　you　asked　about　yesterday。〃
〃Athos。　Porthos　and　Aramis　　you　are　looking　for　them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃On　honor？〃
〃What；　then；　is　there　surprising　in　that？〃
〃Nothing。　Queer；　though。　And　in　whose　behalf　are　you　looking
for　them？〃
〃You　are　in　no　doubt　on　that　score。〃
〃That　is　true。〃
〃Unfortunately；　I　have　no　idea　where　they　are。〃
〃And　you　have　no　way　to　get　news　of　them？　Wait　a　week　and　I
myself　will　give　you　some。〃
〃A　week　is　too　long。　I　must　find　them　within　three　days。〃
〃Three　days　are　a　short　time　and　France　is　large。〃
〃No　matter；　you　know　the　word　must；　with　that　word　great
things　are　done。〃
〃And　when　do　you　set　out？〃
〃I　am　now　on　my　road。〃
〃Good　luck　to　you。〃
〃And　to　you　　a　good　journey。〃
〃Perhaps　we　shall　meet　on　our　road。〃
〃That　is　not　probable。〃
〃Who　knows？　Chance　is　so　capricious。　Adieu；　till　we　meet
again！　Apropos；　should　Mazarin　speak　to　you　about　me；　tell
him　that　I　should　have　requested　you　to　acquaint　him　that　in
a　short　time　he　will　see　whether　I　am；　as　he　says；　too　old
for　action。〃
And　Rochefort　went　away　with　one　of　those　diabolical　smiles
which　used　formerly　to　make　D'Artagnan　shudder；　but
D'Artagnan　could　now　see　it　without　alarm；　and　smiling　in
his　turn；　with　an　expression　of　melancholy　which　the
recollections　called　up　by　that　smile　could；　perhaps；　alone
give　to　his　countenance；　he　said：
〃Go；　demon；　do　what　thou　wilt！　It　matters　little　now　to　me。
There's　no　second　Constance　in　the　world。〃
On　his　return　to　the　cathedral；　D'Artagnan　saw　Bazin；　who
was　conversing　with　the　sacristan。　Bazin　was　making；　with
his　spare　little　short　arms；　ridiculous　gestures。　D'Artagnan
perceived　that　he　was　enforcing　prudence　with　respect　to
himself。
D'Artagnan　slipped　out　of　the　cathedral　and　placed　himself
in　ambuscade　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　des　Canettes；　it　was
impossible　that　Bazin　should　go　out　of　the　cathedral　without
his　seeing　him。
In　five　minutes　Bazin　made　his　appearance；　looking　in　every
direction　to　see　if　he　were　observed；　but　he　saw　no　one。
Calmed　by　appearances　he　ventured　to　walk　on　through　the　Rue
Notre　Dame。　Then　D'Artagnan　rushed　out　of　his　hiding　place
and　arrived　in　time　to　see　Bazin　turn　down　the　Rue　de　la
Juiverie　and　enter；　in　the　Rue　de　la　Calandre；　a　respectable
looking　house；　and　this　D'Artagnan　felt　no　doubt　was　the
habitation　of　the　worthy　beadle。　Afraid　of　making　any
inquiries　at　this　house；　D'Artagnan　entered　a　small　tavern
at　the　corner　of　the　street　and　asked　for　a　cup　of　hypocras。
This　beverage　required　a　good　half…hour　to　prepare。　And
D'Artagnan　had　time；　therefore；　to　watch　Bazin　unsuspected。
He　perceived　in　the　tavern　a　pert　boy　between　twelve　and
fifteen　years　of　age　whom　he　fancied　he　had　seen　not　twenty
minutes　before　under　the　guise　of　a　chorister。　He　questioned
him；　and　as　the　boy　had　no　interest　in　deceiving；　D'Artagnan
learned　that　he　exercised；　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning
until　nine；　the　office　of　chorister；　and　from　nine　o'clock
till　midnight　that　of　a　waiter　in　the　tavern。
Whilst　he　was　talking　to　this　lad　a　horse　was　brought　to　the
door　of　Bazin's　house。　It　was　saddled　and　bridled。　Almost
immediately　Bazin　came　downstairs。
〃Look！〃　said　the　boy；　〃there's　our　beadle；　who　is　going　a
journey。〃
〃And　where　is　he　going？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃Forsooth；　I　don't　know。〃
〃Half　a　pistole　if　you　can　find　out；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃For　me？〃　cried　the　boy；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　joy；　〃if　I
can　find　out　where　Bazin　is　going？　That　is　not　difficult。
You　are　not　joking；　are　you？〃
〃No；　on　the　honor　of　an　officer；　there　is　the　half…pistole；〃
and　he　showed　him　the　seductive　coin；　but　did　not　give　it
him。
〃I　shall　ask　him。〃
〃Just　the　very　way　not　to　know。　Wait　till　he　is　set　out　and
then；　marry；　come　up；　ask；　and　find　out。　The　half…pistole　is
ready；〃　and　he　put　it　back　again　into　his　pocket。
〃I　understand；〃　said　the　child；　with　that　jeering　smile
which　marks　especially　the　〃gamin　de　Paris。〃　〃Well；　we　must
wait。〃
They　had　not　long　to　wait。　Five　minutes　afterward　Bazin　set
off　on　a　full　trot；　urging　on　his　horse　by　the　blows　of　a
parapluie；　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　using　instead　of　a
riding　whip。
Scarcely　had　he　turned　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Juiverie
when　the　boy　rushed　after　him　like　a　bloodhound　on　full
scent。
Before　ten　minutes　had　elapsed　the　child　returned。
〃Well！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Well！〃　answered　the　boy；　〃the　thing　is　done。〃
〃Where　is　he　gone？〃
〃The　half…pistole　is　for　me？〃
〃Doubtless；　answer　me。〃
〃I　want　to　see　it。　Give　it　me；　that　I　may　see　it　is　not
false。
〃There　it　is。〃
The　child　put　the　piece　of　money　into　his　pocket。
〃And　now；　where　is　he　gone？〃　inquired　D'Artagnan。
〃He　is　gone　to　Noisy。〃
〃How　dost　thou　know？〃
〃Ah；　faith！　there　was　no　great　cunning　necessary。　I　knew　the
horse　he　rode；　it　belonged　to　the　butcher；　who　lets　it　out
now　and　then　to　M。　Bazin。　Now　I　thought　that　the　butcher
would　not　let　his　horse　out　like　that　without　knowing　where
it　was　going。　And　he　answered　‘that　Monsieur　Bazin　went　to
Noisy。'　'Tis　his　custom。　He　goes　two　or　three　times　a　week。〃
〃Dost　thou　know　Noisy　well？〃
〃I　think　so；　truly；　my　nurse　lives　there。〃
〃Is　there　a　convent　at　Noisy？〃
〃Isn't　there　a　great　and　grand　one　　the　convent　of
Jesuits？〃
〃What　is　thy　name？〃
〃Friquet。〃
D'Artagnan　wrote　the　child's　name　in　his　tablets。
〃Please；　sir；〃　sa