twenty years after(二十年后)-第23章

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then　too　late　to　make　inquiries　　the　host　of　the　Cygne　de
la　Croix　had　gone　to　bed。
The　next　morning　D'Artagnan　summoned　the　host；　one　of　those
sly　Normans　who　say　neither　yes　nor　no　and　fear　to　commit
themselves　by　giving　a　direct　answer。　D'Artagnan；　however；
gathered　from　his　equivocal　replies　that　the　road　to　the
right　was　the　one　he　ought　to　take；　and　on　that　uncertain
information　he　resumed　his　journey。　At　nine　in　the　morning
he　reached　Nanteuil　and　stopped　for　breakfast。　His　host　here
was　a　good　fellow　from　Picardy；　who　gave　him　all　the
information　he　needed。　The　Bracieux　estate　was　a　few　leagues
from　Villars…Cotterets。
D'Artagnan　was　acquainted　with　Villars…Cotterets　having　gone
thither　with　the　court　on　several　occasions；　for　at　that
time　Villars…Cotterets　was　a　royal　residence。　He　therefore
shaped　his　course　toward　that　place　and　dismounted　at　the
Dauphin　d'Or。　There　he　ascertained　that　the　Bracieux　estate
was　four　leagues　distant；　but　that　Porthos　was　not　at
Bracieux。　Porthos　had；　in　fact；　been　involved　in　a　dispute
with　the　Bishop　of　Noyon　in　regard　to　the　Pierrefonds
property；　which　adjoined　his　own；　and　weary　at　length　of　a
legal　controversy　which　was　beyond　his　comprehension；　he　put
an　end　to　it　by　purchasing　Pierrefonds　and　added　that　name
to　his　others。　He　now　called　himself　Du　Vallon　de　Bracieux
de　Pierrefonds；　and　resided　on　his　new　estate。
The　travelers　were　therefore　obliged　to　stay　at　the　hotel
until　the　next　day；　the　horses　had　done　ten　leagues　that　day
and　needed　rest。　It　is　true　they　might　have　taken　others；
but　there　was　a　great　forest　to　pass　through　and　Planchet；
as　we　have　seen；　had　no　liking　for　forests　after　dark。
There　was　another　thing　that　Planchet　had　no　liking　for　and
that　was　starting　on　a　journey　with　a　hungry　stomach。
Accordingly；　D'Artagnan；　on　awaking；　found　his　breakfast
waiting　for　him。　It　need　not　be　said　that　Planchet　in
resuming　his　former　functions　resumed　also　his　former
humility　and　was　not　ashamed　to　make　his　breakfast　on　what
was　left　by　D'Artagnan。
It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　they　set　out　again。　Their
course　was　clearly　defined：　they　were　to　follow　the　road
toward　Compiegne　and　on　emerging　from　the　forest　turn　to　the
right。
The　morning　was　beautiful；　and　in　this　early　springtime　the
birds　sang　on　the　trees　and　the　sunbeams　shone　through　the
misty　glades；　like　curtains　of　golden　gauze。
In　other　parts　of　the　forest　the　light　could　scarcely
penetrate　through　the　foliage；　and　the　stems　of　two　old　oak
trees；　the　refuge　of　the　squirrel；　startled　by　the
travelers；　were　in　deep　shadow。
There　came　up　from　all　nature　in　the　dawn　of　day　a　perfume
of　herbs；　flowers　and　leaves；　which　delighted　the　heart。
D'Artagnan；　sick　of　the　closeness　of　Paris；　thought　that
when　a　man　had　three　names　of　his　different　estates　joined
one　to　another；　he　ought　to　be　very　happy　in　such　a
paradise；　then　he　shook　his　head；　saying；　〃If　I　were　Porthos
and　D'Artagnan　came　to　make　me　such　a　proposition　as　I　am
going　to　make　to　him；　I　know　what　I　should　say　to　it。〃
As　to　Planchet；　he　thought　of　little　or　nothing；　but　was
happy　as　a　hunting…hound　in　his　old　master's　company。
At　the　extremity　of　the　wood　D'Artagnan　perceived　the　road
that　had　been　described　to　him；　and　at　the　end　of　the　road
he　saw　the　towers　of　an　immense　feudal　castle。
〃Oh！　oh！〃　he　said；　〃I　fancied　this　castle　belonged　to　the
ancient　branch　of　Orleans。　Can　Porthos　have　negotiated　for
it　with　the　Duc　de　Longueville？〃
〃Faith！〃　exclaimed　Planchet；　〃here's　land　in　good　condition；
if　it　belongs　to　Monsieur　Porthos　I　wish　him　joy。〃
〃Zounds！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃don't　call　him　Porthos；　nor
even　Vallon；　call　him　De　Bracieux　or　De　Pierrefonds；　thou
wilt　knell　out　damnation　to　my　mission　otherwise。〃
As　he　approached　the　castle　which　had　first　attracted　his
eye；　D'Artagnan　was　convinced　that　it　could　not　be　there
that　his　friend　dwelt；　the　towers；　though　solid　and　as　if
built　yesterday；　were　open　and　broken。　One　might　have
fancied　that　some　giant　had　cleaved　them　with　blows　from　a
hatchet。
On　arriving　at　the　extremity　of　the　castle　D'Artagnan　found
himself　overlooking　a　beautiful　valley；　in　which；　at　the
foot　of　a　charming　little　lake；　stood　several　scattered
houses；　which；　humble　in　their　aspect；　and　covered；　some
with　tiles；　others　with　thatch；　seemed　to　acknowledge　as
their　sovereign　lord　a　pretty　chateau；　built　about　the
beginning　of　the　reign　of　Henry　IV。；　and　surmounted　by　four
stately；　gilded　weather…cocks。　D'Artagnan　no　longer　doubted
that　this　was　Porthos's　pleasant　dwelling　place。
The　road　led　straight　up　to　the　chateau　which；　compared　to
its　ancestor　on　the　hill；　was　exactly　what　a　fop　of　the
coterie　of　the　Duc　d'Enghein　would　have　been　beside　a　knight
in　steel　armor　in　the　time　of　Charles　VII。　D'Artagnan
spurred　his　horse　on　and　pursued　his　road；　followed　by
Planchet　at　the　same　pace。
In　ten　minutes　D'Artagnan　reached　the　end　of　an　alley
regularly　planted　with　fine　poplars　and　terminating　in　an
iron　gate；　the　points　and　crossed　bars　of　which　were　gilt。
In　the　midst　of　this　avenue　was　a　nobleman；　dressed　in　green
and　with　as　much　gilding　about　him　as　the　iron　gate；　riding
on　a　tall　horse。　On　his　right　hand　and　his　left　were　two
footmen；　with　the　seams　of　their　dresses　laced。　A
considerable　number　of　clowns　were　assembled　and　rendered
homage　to　their　lord。
〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃can　this　be　the　Seigneur
du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds？　Well…a…day！　how　he　has
shrunk　since　he　gave　up　the　name　of　Porthos！〃
〃This　cannot　be　Monsieur　Porthos；〃　observed　Planchet
replying；　as　it　were；　to　his　master's　thoughts。　〃Monsieur
Porthos　was　six　feet　high；　this　man　is　scarcely　five。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　people　are　bowing　very
low　to　this　person。〃
As　he　spoke；　he　rode　toward　the　tall　horse　　to　the　man　of
importance　and　his　valets。　As　he　approached　he　seemed　to
recognize　the　features　of　this　individual。
〃Jesu！〃　cried　Planchet；　〃can　it　be？〃
At　this　exclamation　the　man　on　horseback　turned　slowly　and
with　a　lofty　air；　and　the　two　travelers　could　see；　displayed
in　all　their　brilliancy；　the　large　eyes；　the　vermilion
visage；　and　the　eloquent　smile　of　　Musqueton。
It　was　indeed　Musqueton　　Musqueton；　as　fat　as　a　pig；
rolling　about　with　rude　health；　puffed　out　with　good　living；
who；　recognizing　D'Artagnan　and　acting　very　differently　from
the　hypocrite　Bazin；　slipped　off　his　horse　and　approached
the　officer　with　his　hat　off；　so　that　the　homage　of　the
assembled　crowd　was　turned　toward　this　new　sun；　which
eclipsed　the　former　luminary。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！　Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　cried　Musqueton；
his　fat　cheeks　swelling　out　and　his　whole　frame　perspiring
with　joy；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！　oh！　what　joy　for　my　lord　and
master；　Du　Vallon　de　Bracieux　de　Pierrefonds！〃
〃Thou　good　Musqueton！　where　is　thy　master？〃
〃You　stand　upon　his　property！〃
〃But　how　handsome　thou　art　　how　fat！　thou　hast　prospered
and　grown　stout！〃　and　D'Artagnan　could　not　restrain　his
astonishment　at　the　change　good　fortune　had　produced　on　the
once　famished　one。
〃Hey；　yes；　thank　God；　I　am　pretty　well；〃　said　Musqueton。
〃But　hast　thou　nothing　to　say　to　thy　friend　Planchet？〃
〃How；　my　friend　Planchet？　Planchet　　art　thou　there？〃　cried
Musqueton；　with　open　arms　and　eyes　full　of　tears。
〃My　very　self；〃　replied　Planchet；　〃but　I　wanted　first　to　see
if　thou　wert　grown　proud。〃
〃Proud　toward　an　old　friend？　never；　Planchet！　thou　wouldst
not　have　thought　so　hadst　thou　known　Musqueton　well。〃
〃So　far　so　well；〃　answered　Planchet；　alighting；　and
extending　his　arms　to　Musqueton；　the　two　servants　embraced
with　an　emotion　which　touched　those　who　were　present　and
made　them　suppose　that　Planchet　was　a　great　lord　in
disguise；　so　highly　did　they　estimate　the　position　of
Musqueton。
〃And　now；　sir；〃　resumed　Musqueton；　when　he　had　rid　himself
of　Planchet；　who　had　in　vain　tried　to　clasp　his　hands　behind
his　friend's　fat　back；　〃now；　sir；　allow　me　to　leave　you；　for
I　could　not　permit　my　master　to　hear　of　your　arrival　from
any　but　myself；　he　would　never　forgive　me　for　not　having
preceded　you。〃
〃This　dear　friend；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　carefully　avoiding　to
utter　either　the　former　n