twenty years after(二十年后)-第162章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃The　chances　of　war；〃　said　Athos；　〃are　many；　but　be　assured
we　shall　take　no　improper　advantage　of　them。〃
〃No；　but　we　shall　make　use　of　them；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
The　rest　of　the　night　was　employed　by　these　cavaliers　in
traveling　with　the　wonderful　rapidity　of　former　days。
Mazarin；　still　sombre　and　pensive；　permitted　himself　to　be
dragged　along　in　this　way；　it　looked　a　race　of　phantoms。　At
dawn　twelve　leagues　had　been　passed　without　drawing　rein；
half　the　escort　were　exhausted　and　several　horses　fell　down。
〃Horses；　nowadays；　are　not　what　they　were　formerly；〃
observed　Porthos；　〃everything　degenerates。〃
〃I　have　sent　Grimaud　to　Dammartin；〃　said　Aramis。　〃He　is　to
bring　us　five　fresh　horses　　one　for　his　eminence；　four　for
us。　We；　at　least；　must　keep　close　to　monseigneur；　the　rest
of　the　start　will　rejoin　us　later。　Once　beyond　Saint　Denis
we　shall　have　nothing　to　fear。〃
Grimaud；　in　fact；　brought　back　five　horses。　The　nobleman　to
whom　he　applied；　being　a　friend　of　Porthos；　was　very　ready；
not　to　sell　them；　as　was　proposed；　but　to　lend　them。　Ten
minutes　later　the　escort　stopped　at　Ermenonville；　but　the
four　friends　went　on　with　well　sustained　ardor；　guarding
Mazarin　carefully。　At　noon　they　rode　into　the　avenue　of
Pierrefonds。
〃Ah！〃　said　Musqueton；　who　had　ridden　by　the　side　of
D'Artagnan　without　speaking　a　word　on　the　journey；　〃you　may
think　what　you　will；　sir；　but　I　can　breathe　now　for　the
first　time　since　my　departure　from　Pierrefonds；〃　and　he　put
his　horse　to　a　gallop　to　announce　to　the　other　servants　the
arrival　of　Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　his　friends。
〃We　are　four　of　us；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　must　relieve　each
other　in　mounting　guard　over　my　lord　and　each　of　us　must
watch　three　hours　at　a　time。　Athos　is　going　to　examine　the
castle；　which　it　will　be　necessary　to　render　impregnable　in
case　of　siege；　Porthos　will　see　to　the　provisions　and　Aramis
to　the　troops　of　the　garrison。　That　is　to　say；　Athos　will　be
chief　engineer；　Porthos　purveyor…in…general；　and　Aramis
governor　of　the　fortress。〃
Meanwhile；　they　gave　up　to　Mazarin　the　handsomest　room　in
the　chateau。
〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　when　he　was　in　his　room；　〃you　do　not
expect；　I　presume；　to　keep　me　here　a　long　time　incognito？〃
〃No；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　〃on　the　contrary；　we
think　of　announcing　very　soon　that　we　have　you　here。〃
〃Then　you　will　be　besieged。〃
〃We　expect　it。〃
〃And　what　shall　you　do？〃
〃Defend　ourselves。　Were　the　late　Cardinal　Richelieu　alive　he
would　tell　you　a　certain　story　of　the　Bastion　Saint　Gervais；
which　we　four；　with　our　four　lackeys　and　twelve　dead　men；
held　out　against　a　whole　army。〃
〃Such　feats；　sir；　are　done　once　　and　never　repeated。〃
〃However；　nowadays　there's　no　need　of　so　much　heroism。
To…morrow　the　army　of　Paris　will　be　summoned；　the　day　after
it　will　be　here！　The　field　of　battle；　instead；　therefore；　of
being　at　Saint　Denis　or　at　Charenton；　will　be　near　Compiegne
or　Villars…Cotterets。〃
〃The　prince　will　vanquish　you；　as　he　has　always　done。〃
〃'Tis　possible；　my　lord；　but　before　an　engagement　ensues　we
shall　move　your　eminence　to　another　castle　belonging　to　our
friend　Du　Vallon；　who　has　three。　We　will　not　expose　your
eminence　to　the　chances　of　war。〃
〃Come；〃　answered　Mazarin；　〃I　see　it　will　be　necessary　for　me
to　capitulate。〃
〃Before　a　siege？〃
〃Yes；　the　conditions　will　be　better　than　afterward。〃
〃Ah；　my　lord！　as　to　conditions；　you　would　soon　see　how
moderate　and　reasonable　we　are！〃
〃Come；　now；　what　are　your　conditions？〃
〃Rest　yourself　first；　my　lord；　and　we　　we　will　reflect。〃
〃I　do　not　need　rest；　gentlemen；　I　need　to　know　whether　I　am
among　enemies　or　friends。〃
〃Friends；　my　lord！　friends！〃
〃Well；　then；　tell　me　at　once　what　you　want；　that　I　may　see
if　any　arrangement　be　possible。　Speak；　Comte　de　la　Fere！〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　Athos；　〃for　myself　I　have　nothing　to
demand。　For　France；　were　I　to　specify　my　wishes；　I　should
have　too　much。　I　beg　you　to　excuse　me　and　propose　to　the
chevalier。〃
And　Athos；　bowing；　retired　and　remained　leaning　against　the
mantelpiece；　a　spectator　of　the　scene。
〃Speak；　then；　chevalier！〃　said　the　cardinal。　〃What　do　you
want？　Nothing　ambiguous；　if　you　please。　Be　clear；　short　and
precise。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃I　have　in　my　pocket　the　very
programme　of　the　conditions　which　the　deputation　　of　which
I　formed　one　　went　yesterday　to　Saint　Germain　to　impose　on
you。　Let　us　consider　first　the　ancient　rights。　The　demands
in　that　programme　must　be　granted。〃
〃We　were　almost　agreed　on　those；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃let　us
pass　on　to　private　and　personal　stipulations。〃
〃You　suppose；　then；　that　there　are　some？〃　said　Aramis；
smiling。
〃I　do　not　suppose　that　you　will　all　be　quite　so
disinterested　as　Monsieur　de　la　Fere；〃　replied　the　cardinal；
bowing　to　Athos。
〃My　lord；　you　are　right；　and　I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　do
justice　to　the　count　at　last。　The　count　has　a　mind　above
vulgar　desires　and　earthly　passions。　He　is　a　proud　soul　
he　is　a　man　by　himself！　You　are　right　　he　is　worth　us　all；
and　we　avow　it　to　you！〃
〃Aramis；〃　said　Athos；　〃are　you　jesting？〃
〃No；　no；　dear　friend；　I　state　only　what　we　all　know。　You　are
right；　it　is　not　you　alone　this　matter　concerns；　but　my　lord
and　his　unworthy　servant；　myself。〃
〃Well；　then；　what　do　you　require　besides　the　general
conditions　before　recited？〃
〃I　require；　my　lord；　that　Normandy　should　be　given　to　Madame
de　Longueville；　with　five　hundred　thousand　francs　and　full
absolution。　I　require　that　his　majesty　should　deign　to　be
godfather　to　the　child　she　has　just　borne；　and　that　my　lord；
after　having　been　present　at　the　christening；　should　go　to
proffer　his　homage　to　our　Holy　Father　the　Pope。〃
〃That　is；　you　wish　me　to　lay　aside　my　ministerial　functions；
to　quit　France　and　be　an　exile。〃
〃I　wish　his　eminence　to　become　pope　on　the　first
opportunity；　allowing　me　then　the　right　of　demanding　full
indulgences　for　myself　and　my　friends。〃
Mazarin　made　a　grimace　which　was　quite　indescribable；　and
then　turned　to　D'Artagnan。
〃And　you；　sir？〃　he　said。
〃I；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　Gascon；　〃I　differ　from　Monsieur
d'Herblay　entirely　as　to　the　last　point；　though　I　agree　with
him　on　the　first。　Far　from　wishing　my　lord　to　quit　Paris；　I
hope　he　will　stay　there　and　continue　to　be　prime　minister；
as　he　is　a　great　statesman。　I　shall　try　also　to　help　him　to
down　the　Fronde；　but　on　one　condition　　that　he　sometimes
remembers　the　king's　faithful　servants　and　gives　the　first
vacant　company　of　musketeers　to　a　man　that　I　could　name。　And
you；　Monsieur　du　Vallon　　〃
〃Yes；　you；　sir！　Speak；　if　you　please；〃　said　Mazarin。
〃As　for　me；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃I　wish　my　lord　cardinal；　in
order　to　do　honor　to　my　house；　which　gives　him　an　asylum；
would　in　remembrance　of　this　adventure　erect　my　estate　into
a　barony；　with　a　promise　to　confer　that　order　on　one　of　my
particular　friends；　whenever　his　majesty　next　creates
peers。〃
〃You　know；　sir；　that　before　receiving　the　order　one　must
submit　proofs。〃
〃My　friends　will　submit　them。　Besides；　should　it　be
necessary；　monseigneur　will　show　him　how　that　formality　may
be　avoided。〃
Mazarin　bit　his　lips；　the　blow　was　direct　and　he　replied
rather　dryly：
〃All　this　appears　to　me　to　be　ill　conceived；　disjointed；
gentlemen；　for　if　I　satisfy　some　I　shall　displease　others。
If　I　stay　in　Paris　I　cannot　go　to　Rome；　if　I　became　pope　I
could　not　continue　to　be　prime　minister；　and　it　is　only　by
continuing　prime　minister　that　I　can　make　Monsieur
d'Artagnan　a　captain　and　Monsieur　du　Vallon　a　baron。〃
〃True〃〃　said　Aramis；　〃so；　as　I　am　in　a　minority；　I　withdraw
my　proposition；　so　far　as　it　relates　to　the　voyage　to　Rome
and　monseigneur's　resignation。〃
〃I　am　to　remain　minister；　then？〃　said　Mazarin。
〃You　remain　minister；　that　is　understood；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃France　needs　you。〃
〃And　I　desist　from　my　pretensions；〃　said　Aramis。　〃His
eminence　will　continue　to　be　prime　minister　and　her
majesty's　favorite；　if　he　will　grant　to　me　and　my　friends
what　we　demand　for　France　and　for　ourselves。〃
〃Occupy　yourselves　with　your　own　affairs；　gentlemen；　and　let
France　settle　matters　as　she　will　with　me；〃　resumed　Mazarin。
〃Ho！　ho！〃　replied　Aramis。　〃The　Frondeurs　will　have　a　treaty
and　your　eminence　must　sign　it　before　us；　promising