twenty years after(二十年后)-第161章

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Porthos　lent　him　his　back　and　D'Artagnan　was　soon　on　the
summit　of　the　wall；　where　he　seated　himself。
Mazarin　pretended　to　laugh。
〃Are　you　there？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Yes；　my　friend；　and　now　　〃
〃Now；　what？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Now　give　me　the　cardinal　up　here；　if　he　makes　any　noise
stifle　him。〃
Mazarin　wished　to　call　out；　but　Porthos　held　him　tight　and
passed　him　to　D'Artagnan；　who　seized　him　by　the　neck　and
made　him　sit　down　by　him；　then　in　a　menacing　tone；　he　said：
〃Sir！　jump　directly　down；　close　to　Monsieur　de　la　Fere；　or；
on　the　honor　of　a　gentleman；　I'll　kill　you！〃
〃Monsieur；　monsieur；〃　cried　Mazarin；　〃you　are　breaking　your
word　to　me！〃
〃I　　did　I　promise　you　anything；　my　lord？〃
Mazarin　groaned。
〃You　are　free；〃　he　said；　〃through　me；　your　liberty　was　my
ransom。〃
〃Agreed；　but　the　ransom　of　that　immense　treasure　buried
under　the　gallery；　to　which　one　descends　on　pushing　a　spring
hidden　in　the　wall；　which　causes　a　tub　to　turn；　revealing　a
staircase　　must　not　one　speak　of　that　a　little；　my　lord？〃
〃Diavolo！〃　cried　Mazarin；　almost　choked；　and　clasping　his
hands；　〃I　am　a　lost　and　ruined　man！〃
But　without　listening　to　his　protestations　of　alarm；
D'Artagnan　slipped　him　gently　down　into　the　arms　of　Athos；
who　stood　immovable　at　the　bottom　of　the　wall。
Porthos　next　made　an　effort　which　shook　the　solid　wall；　and
by　the　aid　of　his　friend's　hand　gained　the　summit。
〃I　didn't　understand　it　all；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　understand
now；　how　droll　it　is！〃
〃You　think　so？　so　much　the　better；　but　that　it　may　prove
laughter…worthy　even　to　the　end；　let　us　not　lose　time。〃　And
he　jumped　off　the　wall。
Porthos　did　the　same。
〃Attend　to　monsieur　le　cardinal；　gentlemen；〃　said
D'Artagnan；　〃for　myself；　I　will　reconnoitre。〃
The　Gascon　then　drew　his　sword　and　marched　as　avant　guard。
〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃which　way　do　we　go？　Think　well　of　your
reply；　for　should　your　eminence　be　mistaken；　there　might
ensue　most　grave　results　for　all　of　us。〃
〃Along　the　wall；　sir；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃there　will　be　no
danger　of　losing　yourselves。〃
The　three　friends　hastened　on；　but　in　a　short　time　were
obliged　to　slacken　the　pace。　The　cardinal　could　not　keep　up
with　them；　though　with　every　wish　to　do　so。
Suddenly　D'Artagnan　touched　something　warm；　which　moved。
〃Stop！　a　horse！〃　he　cried；　〃I　have　found　a　horse！〃
〃And　I；　likewise；〃　said　Athos。
〃I；　too；〃　said　Porthos；　who；　faithful　to　the　instructions；
still　held　the　cardinal's　arm。
〃There's　luck；　my　lord！　just　as　you　were　complaining　of
being　tired　and　obliged　to　walk。〃
But　as　he　spoke　the　barrel　of　a　pistol　was　presented　at　his
breast　and　these　words　were　pronounced：
〃Touch　it　not！〃
〃Grimaud！〃　he　cried；　〃Grimaud！　what　art　thou　about？　Why；
thou　art　posted　here　by　Heaven！〃
〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　honest　servant；　〃it　was　Monsieur　Aramis
who　posted　me　here　to　take　care　of　the　horses。〃
〃Is　Aramis　here？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　he　has　been　here　since　yesterday。〃
〃What　are　you　doing？〃
〃On　the　watch　　〃
〃What！　Aramis　here？〃　cried　Athos。
〃At　the　lesser　gate　of　the　castle；　he's　posted　there。〃
〃Are　you　a　large　party？〃
〃Sixty。〃
〃Let　him　know。〃
〃This　moment；　sir。〃
And　believing　that　no　one　could　execute　the　commission
better　than　himself；　Grimaud　set　off　at　full　speed；　whilst；
enchanted　at　being　all　together　again；　the　friends　awaited
his　return。
There　was　no　one　in　the　whole　group　in　a　bad　humor　except
Cardinal　Mazarin。


87
In　which　we　begin　to　think　that　Porthos　will　be　at　last　a
Baron；　and　D'Artagnan　a　Captain。

At　the　expiration　of　ten　minutes　Aramis　arrived；　accompanied
by　Grimaud　and　eight　or　ten　followers。　He　was　excessively
delighted　and　threw　himself　into　his　friends'　arms。
〃You　are　free；　my　brothers！　free　without　my　aid！　and　I　shall
have　succeeded　in　doing　nothing　for　you　in　spite　of　all　my
efforts。〃
〃Do　not　be　unhappy；　dear　friend；　on　that　account；　if　you
have　done　nothing　as　yet；　you　will　do　something　soon；〃
replied　Athos。
〃I　had　well　concerted　my　plans；〃　pursued　Aramis；　〃the
coadjutor　gave　me　sixty　men；　twenty　guard　the　walls　of　the
park；　twenty　the　road　from　Rueil　to　Saint　Germain；　twenty
are　dispersed　in　the　woods。　Thus　I　was　able；　thanks　to　the
strategic　disposition　of　my　forces；　to　intercept　two
couriers　from　Mazarin　to　the　queen。〃
Mazarin　listened　intently。
〃But；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　trust　that　you　honorably　sent
them　back　to　monsieur　le　cardinal！〃
〃Ah；　yes！〃　said　Aramis；　〃toward　him　I　should　be　very　likely
to　practice　such　delicacy　of　sentiment！　In　one　of　the
despatches　the　cardinal　declares　to　the　queen　that　the
treasury　is　empty　and　that　her　majesty　has　no　more　money。　In
the　other　he　announces　that　he　is　about　to　transport　his
prisoners　to　Melun；　since　Rueil　seemed　to　him　not
sufficiently　secure。　You　can　understand；　dear　friend；　with
what　hope　I　was　inspired　by　that　last　letter。　I　placed
myself　in　ambuscade　with　my　sixty　men；　I　encircled　the
castle；　the　riding　horses　I　entrusted　to　Grimaud　and　I
awaited　your　coming　out；　which　I　did　not　expect　till
to…morrow；　and　I　didn't　hope　to　free　you　without　a　skirmish。
You　are　free　to…night；　without　fighting；　so　much　the　better！
How　did　you　manage　to　escape　that　scoundrel　Mazarin？　You
must　have　much　reason　to　complain　of　him。〃
〃Not　very　much；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Really！〃
〃I　might　even　say　that　we　have　some　reason　to　praise　him。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃Yes；　really；　it　is　owing　to　him　that　we　are　free。〃
〃Owing　to　him？〃
〃Yes；　he　had　us　conducted　into　the　orangery　by　Monsieur
Bernouin；　his　valet…de…chambre；　and　from　there　we　followed
him　to　visit　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。　Then　he　offered　us　our
liberty　and　we　accepted　it。　He　even　went　so　far　as　to　show
us　the　way　out；　he　led　us　to　the　park　wall；　which　we　climbed
over　without　accident；　and　then　we　fell　in　with　Grimaud。〃
〃Well！〃　exclaimed　Aramis；　〃this　will　reconcile　me　to　him；
but　I　wish　he　were　here　that　I　might　tell　him　that　I　did　not
believe　him　capable　of　so　noble　an　act。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　no　longer　able　to　contain
himself；　〃allow　me　to　introduce　to　you　the　Chevalier
d'Herblay；　who　wishes　　as　you　may　have　heard　　to　offer
his　congratulations　to　your　eminence。〃
And　he　retired；　discovering　Mazarin；　who　was　in　great
confusion；　to　the　astonished　gaze　of　Aramis。
〃Ho！　ho！〃　exclaimed　the　latter；　〃the　cardinal！　a　glorious
prize！　Halloo！　halloo！　friends！　to　horse！　to　horse！〃
Several　horsemen　ran　quickly　to　him。
〃Zounds！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃I　may　have　done　some　good；　so；　my
lord；　deign　to　receive　my　most　respectful　homage！　I　will　lay
a　wager　that　'twas　that　Saint　Christopher；　Porthos；　who
performed　this　feat！　Apropos！　I　forgot　　〃　and　he　gave
some　orders　in　a　low　voice　to　one　of　the　horsemen。
〃I　think　it　will　be　wise　to　set　off；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　but　I　am　expecting　some　one；　a　friend　of　Athos。〃
〃A　friend！〃　exclaimed　the　count。
〃And　here　he　comes；　by　Jupiter！　galloping　through　the
bushes。〃
〃The　count！　the　count！〃　cried　a　young　voice　that　made　Athos
start。
〃Raoul！　Raoul！〃　he　ejaculated。
For　one　moment　the　young　man　forgot　his　habitual　respect　
he　threw　himself　on　his　father's　neck。
〃Look；　my　lord　cardinal；〃　said　Aramis；　〃would　it　not　have
been　a　pity　to　have　separated　men　who　love　each　other　as　we
love？　Gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　addressing　the　cavaliers；
who　became　more　and　more　numerous　every　instant；　〃gentlemen；
encircle　his　eminence；　that　you　may　show　him　the　greater
honor。　He　will；　indeed　give　us　the　favor　of　his　company；　you
will；　I　hope；　be　grateful　for　it；　Porthos；　do　not　lose　sight
of　his　eminence。〃
Aramis　then　joined　Athos　and　D'Artagnan；　who　were　consulting
together。
〃Come；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　after　a　conference　of　five　minutes'
duration；　〃let　us　begin　our　journey。〃
〃Where　are　we　to　go？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃To　your　house；　dear　Porthos；　at　Pierrefonds；　your　fine
chateau　is　worthy　of　affording　its　princely　hospitality　to
his　eminence；　it　is；　likewise；　well　situated　　neither　too
near　Paris；　nor　too　far　from　it；　we　can　establish　a
communication　between　it　and　the　capital　with　great
facility。　Come；　my　lord；　you　shall　be　treated　like　a　prince；
as　you　are。〃
〃A　fallen　prince！〃　exclaimed　Mazarin；　piteously。
〃The　chances　of　war；〃　said　Athos；　〃are　many；　but　be　assured
we　shall　take　no　improper　advantage　of　them。〃
〃No；　but　we　sh