twenty years after(二十年后)-第168章

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This　new　eruption　was　more　dangerous　than　the　others；　being
composed　of　armed　men。　It　was　plain　that　it　was　not　the
chance　combination　of　those　who　had　collected　a　number　of
the　malcontents　at　the　same　spot；　but　a　concerted　organized
attack。
Each　of　these　mobs　was　led　by　a　chief；　one　of　whom　appeared
to　belong；　not　to　the　people；　but　to　the　honorable
corporation　of　mendicants；　and　the　other；　notwithstanding
his　affected　imitation　of　the　people；　might　easily　be
discerned　to　be　a　gentleman。　Both　were　evidently　stimulated
by　the　same　impulse。
There　was　a　shock　which　was　perceived　even　in　the　royal
carriage。　Myriads　of　hoarse　cries；　forming　one　vast　uproar；
were　heard；　mingled　with　guns　firing。
〃Ho！　Musketeers！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
The　escort　divided　into　two　files。　One　of　them　passed　around
to　the　right　of　the　carriage；　the　other　to　the　left。　One
went　to　support　D'Artagnan；　the　other　Porthos。　Then　came　a
skirmish；　the　more　terrible　because　it　had　no　definite
object；　the　more　melancholy；　because　those　engaged　in　it
knew　not　for　whom　they　were　fighting。　Like　all　popular
movements；　the　shock　given　by　the　rush　of　this　mob　was
formidable。　The　musketeers；　few　in　number；　not　being　able；
in　the　midst　of　this　crowd；　to　make　their　horses　wheel
around；　began　to　give　way。　D'Artagnan　offered　to　lower　the
blinds　of　the　royal　carriage；　but　the　young　king　stretched
out　his　arm；　saying：
〃No；　sir！　I　wish　to　see　everything。〃
〃If　your　majesty　wishes　to　look　out　　well；　then；　look！〃
replied　D'Artagnan。　And　turning　with　that　fury　which　made
him　so　formidable；　he　rushed　toward　the　chief　of　the
insurgents；　a　man　who；　with　a　huge　sword　in　his　hand；　was
trying　to　hew　a　passage　to　the　coach　door　through　the
musketeers。
〃Make　room！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃Zounds！　give　way！〃
At　these　words　the　man　with　a　pistol　and　sword　raised　his
head；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　blow　was　sped　by　D'Artagnan；
the　rapier　had　pierced　his　bosom。
〃Ah！　confound　it！〃　cried　the　Gascon；　trying　in　vain；　too
late；　to　retract　the　thrust。　〃What　the　devil　are　you　doing
here；　count？〃
〃Accomplishing　my　destiny；〃　replied　Rochefort；　falling　on
one　knee。　〃I　have　already　got　up　again　after　three　stabs
from　you；　I　shall　never　rise　after　this　fourth。〃
〃Count！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　some　degree　of　emotion；　〃I
struck　without　knowing　that　it　was　you。　I　am　sorry；　if　you
die；　that　you　should　die　with　sentiments　of　hatred　toward
me。〃
Rochefort　extended　his　hand　to　D'Artagnan；　who　took　it。　The
count　wished　to　speak；　but　a　gush　of　blood　stifled　him。　He
stiffened　in　the　last　convulsions　of　death　and　expired。
〃Back；　people！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃your　leader　is　dead；　you
have　no　longer　any　business　here。〃
Indeed；　as　if　De　Rochefort　had　been　the　very　soul　of　the
attack；　the　crowd　who　had　followed　and　obeyed　him　took　to
flight　on　seeing　him　fall。　D'Artagnan　charged；　with　a　party
of　musketeers；　up　the　Rue　du　Coq；　and　the　portion　of　the　mob
he　assailed　disappeared　like　smoke；　dispersing　near　the
Place　Saint　Germain…l'Auxerrois　and　taking　the　direction　of
the　quays。
D'Artagnan　returned　to　help　Porthos；　if　Porthos　needed　help；
but　Porthos；　for　his　part；　had　done　his　work　as
conscientiously　as　D'Artagnan。　The　left　of　the　carriage　was
as　well　cleared　as　the　right；　and　they　drew　up　the　blind　of
the　window　which　Mazarin；　less　heroic　than　the　king；　had
taken　the　precaution　to　lower。
Porthos　looked　very　melancholy。
〃What　a　devil　of　a　face　you　have；　Porthos！　and　what　a
strange　air　for　a　victor！〃
〃But　you；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃seem　to　me　agitated。〃
〃There's　a　reason！　Zounds！　I　have　just　killed　an　old
friend。〃
〃Indeed！〃　replied　Porthos；　〃who？〃
〃That　poor　Count　de　Rochefort。〃
〃Well！　exactly　like　me！　I　have　just　killed　a　man　whose　face
is　not　unknown　to　me。　Unluckily；　I　hit　him　on　the　head　and
immediately　his　face　was　covered　with　blood。〃
〃And　he　said　nothing　as　he　died？〃
〃Yes；　he　exclaimed；　‘Oh！'〃
〃I　suppose；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　laughing；　〃if　he　only　said
that；　it　did　not　enlighten　you　much。〃
〃Well；　sir！〃　cried　the　queen。
〃Madame；　the　passage　is　quite　clear　and　your　majesty　can
continue　your　road。〃
In　fact；　the　procession　arrived；　in　safety　at　Notre　Dame；　at
the　front　gate　of　which　all　the　clergy；　with　the　coadjutor
at　their　head；　awaited　the　king；　the　queen　and　the　minister；
for　whose　happy　return　they　chanted　a　Te　Deum。
As　the　service　was　drawing　to　a　close　a　boy　entered　the
church　in　great　excitement；　ran　to　the　sacristy；　dressed
himself　quickly　in　the　choir　robes；　and　cleaving；　thanks　to
that　uniform；　the　crowd　that　filled　the　temple；　approached
Bazin；　who；　clad　in　his　blue　robe；　was　standing　gravely　in
his　place　at　the　entrance　to　the　choir。
Bazin　felt　some　one　pulling　his　sleeve。　He　lowered　to　earth
his　eyes；　beatifically　raised　to　Heaven；　and　recognized
Friquet。
〃Well；　you　rascal；　what　is　it？　How　do　you　dare　to　disturb　me
in　the　exercise　of　my　functions？〃　asked　the　beadle。
〃Monsieur　Bazin；〃　said　Friquet；　〃Monsieur　Maillard　　you
know　who　he　is；　he　gives　holy　water　at　Saint　Eustache　　〃
〃Well；　go　on。〃
〃Well；　he　received　in　the　scrimmage　a　sword　stroke　on　the
head。　That　great　giant　who　was　there　gave　it　to　him。〃
〃In　that　case；〃　said　Bazin；　〃he　must　be　pretty　sick。〃
〃So　sick　that　he　is　dying；　and　he　wants　to　confess　to　the
coadjutor；　who；　they　say；　has　power　to　remit　great　sins。〃
〃And　does　he　imagine　that　the　coadjutor　will　put　himself　out
for　him？〃
〃To　be　sure；　the　coadjutor　has　promised。〃
〃Who　told　you　that？〃
〃Monsieur　Maillard　himself。〃
〃You　have　seen　him；　then？〃
〃Certainly；　I　was　there　when　he　fell。〃
〃What　were　you　doing　there？〃
〃I　was　shouting；　‘Down　with　Mazarin！'　‘Death　to　the
cardinal！'　‘The　Italian　to　the　gallows！'　Isn't　that　what　you
would　have　me　shout？〃
〃Be　quiet；　you　rascal！〃　said　Bazin；　looking　uneasily　around。
〃So　that　he　told　me；　that　poor　Monsieur　Maillard；　‘Go　find
the　coadjutor；　Friquet；　and　if　you　bring　him　to　me　you　shall
be　my　heir。'　Say；　then；　Father　Bazin　　the　heir　of　Monsieur
Maillard；　the　giver　of　holy　water　at　Saint　Eustache！　Hey！　I
shall　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　fold　my　arms！　All　the　same；
I　should　like　to　do　him　that　service　　what　do　you　say　to
it？〃
〃I　will　tell　the　coadjutor；〃　said　Bazin。
In　fact；　he　slowly　and　respectfully　approached　the　prelate
and　spoke　to　him　privately　a　few　words；　to　which　the　latter
responded　by　an　affirmative　sign。　He　then　returned　with　the
same　slow　step　and　said：
〃Go　and　tell　the　dying　man　that　he　must　be　patient。
Monseigneur　will　be　with　him　in　an　hour。〃
〃Good！〃　said　Friquet；　〃my　fortune　is　made。〃
〃By　the　way；〃　said　Bazin；　〃where　was　he　carried？〃
〃To　the　tower　Saint　Jacques　la　Boucherie；〃　and　delighted
with　the　success　of　his　embassy；　Friquet　started　off　at　the
top　of　his　speed。
When　the　Te　Deum　was　over；　the　coadjutor；　without　stopping
to　change　his　priestly　dress；　took　his　way　toward　that　old
tower　which　he　knew　so　well。　He　arrived　in　time。　Though
sinking　from　moment　to　moment；　the　wounded　man　was　not　yet
dead。　The　door　was　opened　to　the　coadjutor　of　the　room　in
which　the　mendicant　was　suffering。
A　moment　later　Friquet　went　out；　carrying　in　his　hand　a
large　leather　bag；　he　opened　it　as　soon　as　he　was　outside
the　chamber　and　to　his　great　astonishment　found　it　full　of
gold。　The　mendicant　had　kept　his　word　and　made　Friquet　his
heir。
〃Ah！　Mother　Nanette！〃　cried　Friquet；　suffocating；　〃ah！
Mother　Nanette！〃
He　could　say　no　more；　but　though　he　hadn't　strength　to　speak
he　had　enough　for　action。　He　rushed　headlong　to　the　street；
and　like　the　Greek　from　Marathon　who　fell　in　the　square　at
Athens；　with　his　laurel　in　his　hand；　Friquet　reached
Councillor　Broussel's　threshold；　and　then　fell　exhausted；
scattering　on　the　floor　the　louis　disgorged　by　his　leather
bag。
Mother　Nanette　began　by　picking　up　the　louis；　then　she
picked　up　Friquet。
In　the　meantime　the　cortege　returned　to　the　Palais　Royal。
〃That　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　a　very　brave　man；　mother；〃　said
the　young　king。
〃Yes；　my　son；　and　he　rendered　very　important　services　to
your　father。　Treat　him　kindly；　therefore；　in　the　future。〃
〃Captain；〃　said　the　young　king　to　D'Artagnan；　on　descending
from　the　carriage；　〃the　queen　has　charged　me　to　invite　you
to　dinner　to…day　　you　and　your　f