twenty years after(二十年后)-第165章

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you　accuse　of　speaking　loud　and　threateningly。　What　am　I？　A
poor　officer；　without　fortune；　without　protection；　without　a
future；　unless　the　eye　of　my　queen；　which　I　have　sought　so
long；　rests　on　me　for　a　moment。　Look　at　the　Comte　de　la
Fere；　a　type　of　nobility；　a　flower　of　chivalry。　He　has　taken
part　against　his　queen；　or　rather；　against　her　minister。　He
has　not　been　unreasonably　exacting；　it　seems　to　me。　Look　at
Monsieur　du　Vallon；　that　faithful　soul；　that　arm　of　steel；
who　for　twenty　years　has　awaited　the　word　from　your　lips
which　will　make　him　in　rank　what　he　is　in　sentiment　and　in
courage。　Consider；　in　short；　your　people　who　love　you　and
who　yet　are　famished；　who　have　no　other　wish　than　to　bless
you；　and　who；　nevertheless　　no；　I　am　wrong；　your　subjects；
madame；　will　never　curse　you；　say　one　word　to　them　and　all
will　be　ended　　peace　succeed　war；　joy　tears；　and　happiness
to　misfortune！〃
Anne　of　Austria　looked　with　wonderment　on　the　warlike
countenance　of　D'Artagnan；　which　betrayed　a　singular
expression　of　deep　feeling。
〃Why　did　you　not　say　all　this　before　you　took　action；　sir？〃
she　said。
〃Because；　madame；　it　was　necessary　to　prove　to　your　majesty
one　thing　of　which　you　doubted　…that　is；　that　we　still
possess　amongst　us　some　valor　and　are　worthy　of　some
consideration　at　your　hands。〃
〃And　that　valor　would　shrink　from　no　undertaking；　according
to　what　I　see。〃
〃It　has　hesitated　at　nothing　in　the　past；　why；　then；　should
it　be　less　daring　in　the　future？〃
〃Then；　in　case　of　my　refusal；　this　valor；　should　a　struggle
occur；　will　even　go　the　length　of　carrying　me　off　in　the
midst　of　my　court；　to　deliver　me　into　the　hands　of　the
Fronde；　as　you　propose　to　deliver　my　minister？〃
〃We　have　not　thought　about　it　yet；　madame；〃　answered
D'Artagnan；　with　that　Gascon　effrontery　which　had　in　him　the
appearance　of　naivete；　but　if　we　four　had　resolved　upon　it
we　should　do　it　most　certainly。〃
〃I　ought；〃　muttered　Anne　to　herself；　〃by　this　time　to
remember　that　these　men　are　giants。〃
〃Alas；　madame！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　〃this　proves　to　me
that　not　till　to…day　has　your　majesty　had　a　just　idea　of
us。〃
〃Perhaps；〃　said　Anne；　〃but　that　idea；　if　at　last　I　have　it
　〃
〃Your　majesty　will　do　us　justice。　In　doing　us　justice　you
will　no　longer　treat　us　as　men　of　vulgar　stamp。　You　will　see
in　me　an　ambassador　worthy　of　the　high　interests　he　is
authorized　to　discuss　with　his　sovereign。〃
〃Where　is　the　treaty？〃
〃Here　it　is。〃
Anne　of　Austria　cast　her　eyes　upon　the　treaty　that
D'Artagnan　presented　to　her。
〃I　do　not　see　here；〃　she　said；　〃anything　but　general
conditions；　the　interests　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　or　of　the
Ducs　de　Beaufort；　de　Bouillon　and　d'Elbeuf　and　of　the
coadjutor；　are　herein　consulted；　but　with　regard　to　yours？〃
〃We　do　ourselves　justice；　madame；　even　in　assuming　the　high
position　that　we　have。　We　do　not　think　ourselves　worthy　to
stand　near　such　great　names。〃
〃But　you；　I　presume；　have　decided　to　assert　your　pretensions
viva　voce？〃
〃I　believe　you；　madame；　to　be　a　great　and　powerful　queen；
and　that　it　will　be　unworthy　of　your　power　and　greatness　if
you　do　not　recompense　the　arms　which　will　bring　back　his
eminence　to　Saint　Germain。〃
〃It　is　my　intention　so　to　do；　come；　let　us　hear　you。　Speak。〃
〃He　who　has　negotiated　these　matters　（forgive　me　if　I　begin
by　speaking　of　myself；　but　I　must　claim　that　importance
which　has　been　given　to　me；　not　assumed　by　me）　he　who　has
arranged　matters　for　the　return　of　the　cardinal；　ought；　it
appears　to　me；　in　order　that　his　reward　may　not　be　unworthy
of　your　majesty；　to　be　made　commandant　of　the　guards　　an
appointment　something　like　that　of　captain　of　the
musketeers。〃
〃'Tis　the　appointment　Monsieur　de　Treville　held；　you　ask　of
me。〃
〃The　place；　madame；　is　vacant；　and　although　'tis　a　year
since　Monsieur　de　Treville　has　left　it；　it　has　not　been
filled。〃
〃But　it　is　one　of　the　principal　military　appointments　in　the
king's　household。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Treville　was　but　a　younger　son　of　a　simple
Gascon　family；　like　me；　madame；　he　occupied　that　post　for
twenty　years。〃
〃You　have　an　answer　ready　for　everything；〃　replied　the
queen；　and　she　took　from　her　bureau　a　document；　which　she
filled　up　and　signed。
〃Undoubtedly；　madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　taking　the　document
and　bowing；　〃this　is　a　noble　reward；　but　everything　in　the
world　is　unstable；　and　the　man　who　happened　to　fall　into
disgrace　with　your　majesty　might　lose　this　office
to…morrow。〃
〃What　more　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　queen；　coloring；　as　she
found　that　she　had　to　deal　with　a　mind　as　subtle　as　her　own。
〃A　hundred　thousand　francs　for　this　poor　captain　of
musketeers；　to　be　paid　whenever　his　services　shall　no　longer
be　acceptable　to　your　majesty。〃
Anne　hesitated。
〃To　think　of　the　Parisians；〃　soliloquized　D'Artagnan；
〃offering　only　the　other　day；　by　an　edict　of　the　parliament；
six　hundred　thousand　francs　to　any　man　soever　who　would
deliver　up　the　cardinal　to　them；　dead　or　alive　　if　alive；
in　order　to　hang　him；　if　dead；　to　deny　him　the　rites　of
Christian　burial！〃
〃Come；〃　said　Anne；　〃'tis　reasonable；　since　you　only　ask　from
a　queen　the　sixth　of　what　the　parliament　has　proposed；〃　and
she　signed　an　order　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs。
〃Now；　then；〃　she　said；　〃what　next？〃
〃Madame；　my　friend　Du　Vallon　is　rich　and　has　therefore
nothing　in　the　way　of　fortune　to　desire；　but　I　think　I
remember　that　there　was　a　question　between　him　and　Monsieur
Mazarin　as　to　making　his　estate　a　barony。　Nay；　it　must　have
been　a　promise。〃
〃A　country　clown；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria；　〃people　will
laugh。〃
〃Let　them；〃　answered　D'Artagnan。　〃But　I　am　sure　of　one　thing
　that　those　who　laugh　at　him　in　his　presence　will　never
laugh　a　second　time。〃
〃Here　goes　the　barony。〃　said　the　queen；　she　signed　a　patent。
〃Now　there　remains　the　chevalier；　or　the　Abbe　d'Herblay；　as
your　majesty　pleases。〃
〃Does　he　wish　to　be　a　bishop？〃
〃No；　madame；　something　easier　to　grant。〃
〃What？〃
〃It　is　that　the　king　should　deign　to　stand　godfather　to　the
son　of　Madame　de　Longueville。〃
The　queen　smiled。
〃Monsieur　de　Longueville　is　of　royal　blood；　madame；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen；　〃but　his　son？〃
〃His　son；　madame；　must　be；　since　the　husband　of　the　son's
mother　is。〃
〃And　your　friend　has　nothing　more　to　ask　for　Madame　de
Longueville？〃
〃No；　madame；　for　I　presume　that　the　king；　standing　godfather
to　him；　could　do　no　less　than　present　him　with　five　hundred
thousand　francs；　giving　his　father；　also；　the　government　of
Normandy。〃
〃As　to　the　government　of　Normandy；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I
think　I　can　promise；　but　with　regard　to　the　present；　the
cardinal　is　always　telling　me　there　is　no　more　money　in　the
royal　coffers。〃
〃We　shall　search　for　some；　madame；　and　I　think　we　can　find　a
little；　and　if　your　majesty　approves；　we　will　seek　for　some
together。〃
〃What　next？〃
〃What　next；　madame？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃That　is　all。〃
〃Haven't　you；　then；　a　fourth　companion？〃
〃Yes；　madame；　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃What　does　he　ask？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃There　is　in　the　world；　then；　one　man　who；　having　the　power
to　ask；　asks　　nothing！〃
〃There　is　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　madame。　The　Comte　de　la　Fere
is　not　a　man。〃
〃What　is　he；　then？〃
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere　is　a　demi…god。〃
〃Has　he　not　a　son；　a　young　man；　a　relative；　a　nephew；　of
whom　Comminges　spoke　to　me　as　being　a　brave　boy；　and　who；
with　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；　brought　the　standards　from
Lens？〃
〃He　has；　as　your　majesty　has　said；　a　ward；　who　is　called　the
Vicomte　de　Bragelonne。〃
〃If　that　young　man　should　be　appointed　to　a　regiment　what
would　his　guardian　say？〃
〃Perhaps　he　would　accept。〃
〃Perhaps？〃
〃Yes；　if　your　majesty　herself　should　beg　him　to　accept。〃
〃He　must　be　indeed　a　strange　man。　Well；　we　will　reflect　and
perhaps　we　will　beg　him。　Are　you　satisfied；　sir？〃
〃There　is　one　thing　the　queen　has　not　signed　　her　assent
to　the　treaty。〃
〃Of　what　use　to…day？　I　will　sign　it　to…morrow。〃
〃I　can　assure　her　majesty　that　if　she　does　not　sign　to…day
she　will　not　have　time　to　sign　to…morrow。　Consent；　then；　I
beg　you；　madame；　to　write　at　the　bottom　of　this　schedule；
which　has　been　drawn　up　by　Mazarin；　as　you　see：
〃‘I　consent　to　ratify　the　treaty　proposed　by　the
Parisians。'〃
Anne　was　caught；　she　could　not　draw