twenty years after(二十年后)-第22章

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Mazarin's？〃
〃Nor　you　of　the　Prince　de　Conde？〃
〃No；　let　us　belong　to　no　party；　but　remain　friends；　let　us
be　neither　Cardinalists　nor　Frondists。〃
〃Adieu；　then。〃　And　D'Artagnan　poured　out　a　glass　of　wine。
〃To　old　times；〃　he　said。
〃Yes；〃　returned　Aramis。　〃Unhappily；　those　times　are　past。〃
〃Nonsense！　They　will　return；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃At　all
events；　if　you　want　me；　remember　the　Rue　Tiquetonne；　Hotel
de　la　Chevrette。〃
〃And　I　shall　be　at　the　convent　of　Jesuits；　from　six　in　the
morning　to　eight　at　night　come　by　the　door。　From　eight　in
the　evening　until　six　in　the　morning　come　in　by　the　window。〃
〃Adieu；　dear　friend。〃
〃Oh；　I　can't　let　you　go　so！　I　will　go　with　you。〃　And　he　took
his　sword　and　cloak。
〃He　wants　to　be　sure　that　I　go　away；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to
himself。
Aramis　whistled　for　Bazin；　but　Bazin　was　asleep　in　the
ante…chamber；　and　Aramis　was　obliged　to　shake　him　by　the　ear
to　awake　him。
Bazin　stretched　his　arms；　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　tried　to　go
to　sleep　again。
〃Come；　come；　sleepy　head；　quick；　the　ladder！〃
〃But；〃　said　Bazin；　yawning　portentously；　〃the　ladder　is
still　at　the　window。〃
〃The　other　one；　the　gardener's。　Didn't　you　see　that　Monsieur
d'Artagnan　mounted　with　difficulty？　It　will　be　even　more
difficult　to　descend。〃
D'Artagnan　was　about　to　assure　Aramis　that　he　could　descend
easily；　when　an　idea　came　into　his　head　which　silenced　him。
Bazin　uttered　a　profound　sigh　and　went　out　to　look　for　the
ladder。　Presently　a　good；　solid；　wooden　ladder　was　placed
against　the　window。
〃Now　then；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃this　is　something　like；　this
is　a　means　of　communication。　A　woman　could　go　up　a　ladder
like　that。〃
Aramis's　searching　look　seemed　to　seek　his　friend's　thought
even　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　but　D'Artagnan　sustained
the　inquisition　with　an　air　of　admirable　simplicity。
Besides；　at　that　moment　he　put　his　foot　on　the　first　step　of
the　ladder　and　began　his　descent。　In　a　moment　he　was　on　the
ground。　Bazin　remained　at　the　window。
〃Stay　there；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　shall　return　immediately。〃
The　two　friends　went　toward　the　shed。　At　their　approach
Planchet　came　out　leading　the　two　horses。
〃That　is　good　to　see；〃　said　Aramis。　〃There　is　a　servant
active　and　vigilant；　not　like　that　lazy　fellow　Bazin；　who　is
no　longer　good　for　anything　since　he　became　connected　with
the　church。　Follow　us；　Planchet；　we　shall　continue　our
conversation　to　the　end　of　the　village。〃
They　traversed　the　width　of　the　village；　talking　of
indifferent　things；　then　as　they　reached　the　last　houses：
〃Go；　then；　dear　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃follow　your　own
career。　Fortune　lavishes　her　smiles　upon　you；　do　not　let　her
flee　from　your　embrace。　As　for　me；　I　remain　in　my　humility
and　indolence。　Adieu！〃
〃Thus　'tis　quite　decided；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　what　I
have　to　offer　to　you　does　not　tempt　you？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　it　would　tempt　me　were　I　any　other　man；〃
rejoined　Aramis；　〃but　I　repeat；　I　am　made　up　of
contradictions。　What　I　hate　to…day　I　adore　to…morrow；　and
vice　versa。　You　see　that　I　cannot；　like　you；　for　instance；
settle　on　any　fixed　plan。〃
〃Thou　liest；　subtile　one；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃Thou
alone；　on　the　contrary；　knowest　how　to　choose　thy　object　and
to　gain　it　stealthily。〃
The　friends　embraced。　They　descended　into　the　plain　by　the
ladder。　Planchet　met　them　hard　by　the　shed。　D'Artagnan
jumped　into　the　saddle；　then　the　old　companions　in　arms
again　shook　hands。　D'Artagnan　and　Planchet　spurred　their
steeds　and　took　the　road　to　Paris。
But　after　he　had　gone　about　two　hundred　steps　D'Artagnan
stopped　short；　alighted；　threw　the　bridle　of　his　horse　over
the　arm　of　Planchet　and　took　the　pistols　from　his　saddle…bow
to　fasten　them　to　his　girdle。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Planchet。
〃This　is　the　matter：　be　he　ever　so　cunning　he　shall　never
say　I　was　his　dupe。　Stand　here；　don't　stir；　turn　your　back
to　the　road　and　wait　for　me。〃
Having　thus　spoken；　D'Artagnan　cleared　the　ditch　by　the
roadside　and　crossed　the　plain　so　as　to　wind　around　the
village。　He　had　observed　between　the　house　that　Madame　de
Longueville　inhabited　and　the　convent　of　the　Jesuits；　an
open　space　surrounded　by　a　hedge。
The　moon　had　now　risen　and　he　could　see　well　enough　to
retrace　his　road。
He　reached　the　hedge　and　hid　himself　behind　it；　in　passing
by　the　house　where　the　scene　which　we　have　related　took
place；　he　remarked　that　the　window　was　again　lighted　up　and
he　was　convinced　that　Aramis　had　not　yet　returned　to　his　own
apartment　and　that　when　he　did　it　would　not　be　alone。
In　truth；　in　a　few　minutes　he　heard　steps　approaching　and
low　whispers。
Close　to　the　hedge　the　steps　stopped。
D'Artagnan　knelt　down　near　the　thickest　part　of　the　hedge。
Two　men；　to　the　astonishment　of　D'Artagnan；　appeared
shortly；　soon；　however；　his　surprise　vanished；　for　he　heard
the　murmurs　of　a　soft；　harmonious　voice；　one　of　these　two
men　was　a　woman　disguised　as　a　cavalier。
〃Calm　yourself；　dear　Rene；〃　said　the　soft　voice；　〃the　same
thing　will　never　happen　again。　I　have　discovered　a　sort　of
subterranean　passage　which　runs　beneath　the　street　and　we
shall　only　have　to　raise　one　of　the　marble　slabs　before　the
door　to　open　you　an　entrance　and　an　outlet。〃
〃Oh！〃　answered　another　voice；　which　D'Artagnan　instantly
recognized　as　that　of　Aramis。　〃I　swear　to　you；　princess；
that　if　your　reputation　did　not　depend　on　precautions　and　if
my　life　alone　were　jeopardized　　〃
〃Yes；　yes！　I　know　you　are　as　brave　and　venturesome　as　any
man　in　the　world；　but　you　do　not　belong　to　me　alone；　you
belong　to　all　our　party。　Be　prudent！　sensible！〃
〃I　always　obey；　madame；　when　I　am　commanded　by　so　gentle　a
voice。〃
He　kissed　her　hand　tenderly。
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　cavalier　with　a　soft　voice。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Do　you　not　see　that　the　wind　has　blown　off　my　hat？〃
Aramis　rushed　after　the　fugitive　hat。　D'Artagnan　took
advantage　of　the　circumstance　to　find　a　place　in　the　hedge
not　so　thick；　where　his　glance　could　penetrate　to　the
supposed　cavalier。　At　that　instant；　the　moon；　inquisitive；
perhaps；　like　D'Artagnan；　came　from　behind　a　cloud　and　by
her　light　D'Artagnan　recognized　the　large　blue　eyes；　the
golden　hair　and　the　classic　head　of　the　Duchess　de
Longueville。
Aramis　returned；　laughing；　one　hat　on　his　head　and　the　other
in　his　hand；　and　he　and　his　companion　resumed　their　walk
toward　the　convent。
〃Good！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising　and　brushing　his　knees；　〃now
I　have　thee　　thou　art　a　Frondeur　and　the　lover　of　Madame
de　Longueville。〃


10
Monsieur　Porthos　du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds。

Thanks　to　what　Aramis　had　told　him；　D'Artagnan；　who　knew
already　that　Porthos　called　himself　Du　Vallon；　was　now　aware
that　he　styled　himself；　from　his　estate；　De　Bracieux；　and
that　he　was；　on　account　of　this　estate；　engaged　in　a　lawsuit
with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon。　It　was；　then；　in　the　neighborhood
of　Noyon　that　he　must　seek　that　estate。　His　itinerary　was
promptly　determined：　he　would　go　to　Dammartin；　from　which
place　two　roads　diverge；　one　toward　Soissons；　the　other
toward　Compiegne；　there　he　would　inquire　concerning　the
Bracieux　estate　and　go　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　according
to　the　information　obtained。
Planchet；　who　was　still　a　little　concerned　for　his　safety
after　his　recent　escapade；　declared　that　he　would　follow
D'Artagnan　even　to　the　end　of　the　world；　either　by　the　road
to　the　right　or　by　that　to　the　left；　only　he　begged　his
former　master　to　set　out　in　the　evening；　for　greater
security　to　himself。　D'Artagnan　suggested　that　he　should
send　word　to　his　wife；　so　that　she　might　not　be　anxious
about　him；　but　Planchet　replied　with　much　sagacity　that　he
was　very　sure　his　wife　would　not　die　of　anxiety　through　not
knowing　where　he　was；　while　he；　Planchet；　remembering　her
incontinence　of　tongue；　would　die　of　anxiety　if　she　did
know。
This　reasoning　seemed　to　D'Artagnan　so　satisfactory　that　he
no　further　insisted；　and　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；
the　time　when　the　vapors　of　night　begin　to　thicken　in　the
streets；　he　left　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette；　and　followed　by
Planchet　set　forth　from　the　capital　by　way　of　the　Saint
Denis　gate。
At　midnight　the　two　travelers　were　at　Dammartin；　but　it　was
then　too　late　to　make　inquiries　　the　hos