twenty years after(二十年后)-第24章

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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　name　borne　by　Porthos　or　his　new
one；　〃then　he　has　not　forgotten　me？〃
〃Forgotten　　he！〃　cried　Musqueton；　〃there's　not　a　day；　sir；
that　we　don't　expect　to　hear　that　you　were　made　marshal
either　instead　of　Monsieur　de　Gassion；　or　of　Monsieur　de
Bassompierre。〃
On　D'Artagnan's　lips　there　played　one　of　those　rare　and
melancholy　smiles　which　seemed　to　emanate　from　the　depth　of
his　soul　　the　last　trace　of　youth　and　happiness　that　had
survived　life's　disillusions。
〃And　you　　fellows；〃　resumed　Musqueton；　〃stay　near　Monsieur
le　Comte　d'Artagnan　and　pay　him　every　attention　in　your
power　whilst　I　go　to　prepare　my　lord　for　his　visit。〃
And　mounting　his　horse　Musqueton　rode　off　down　the　avenue　on
the　grass　at　a　hand　gallop。
〃Ah；　there！　there's　something　promising；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃No　mysteries；　no　cloak　to　hide　one's　self　in；　no　cunning
policy　here；　people　laugh　outright；　they　weep　for　joy　here。
I　see　nothing　but　faces　a　yard　broad；　in　short；　it　seems　to
me　that　nature　herself　wears　a　holiday　garb；　and　that　the
trees；　instead　of　leaves　and　flowers；　are　covered　with　red
and　green　ribbons　as　on　gala　days。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　said　Planchet；　〃I　seem　to　smell；　from　this
place；　even；　a　most　delectable　perfume　of　fine　roast　meat；
and　to　see　the　scullions　in　a　row　by　the　hedge；　hailing　our
approach。　Ah！　sir；　what　a　cook　must　Monsieur　Pierrefonds
have；　when　he　was　so　fond　of　eating　and　drinking；　even
whilst　he　was　only　called　Monsieur　Porthos！〃
〃Say　no　more！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃If　the　reality　corresponds
with　appearances　I　am　lost；　for　a　man　so　well　off　will　never
change　his　happy　condition；　and　I　shall　fail　with　him；　as　I
have　already　done　with　Aramis。〃

11
How　D'Artagnan；　in　discovering　the　Retreat　of　Porthos；
perceives　that　Wealth　does　not　necessarily　produce
Happiness。

D'Artagnan　passed　through　the　iron　gate　and　arrived　in　front
of　the　chateau。　He　alighted　as　he　saw　a　species　of　giant　on
the　steps。　Let　us　do　justice　to　D'Artagnan。　Independently　of
every　selfish　wish；　his　heart　palpitated　with　joy　when　he
saw　that　tall　form　and　martial　demeanor；　which　recalled　to
him　a　good　and　brave　man。
He　ran　to　Porthos　and　threw　himself　into　his　arms；　the　whole
body　of　servants；　arranged　in　a　semi…circle　at　a　respectful
distance；　looked　on　with　humble　curiosity。　Musqueton；　at　the
head　of　them；　wiped　his　eyes。　Porthos　linked　his　arm　in　that
of　his　friend。
〃Ah！　how　delightful　to　see　you　again；　dear　friend！〃　he
cried；　in　a　voice　which　was　now　changed　from　a　baritone　into
a　bass；　〃you've　not　then　forgotten　me？〃
〃Forget　you！　oh！　dear　Du　Vallon；　does　one　forget　the
happiest　days　of　flowery　youth；　one's　dearest　friends；　the
dangers　we　have　dared　together？　On　the　contrary；　there　is
not　an　hour　we　have　passed　together　that　is　not　present　to
my　memory。〃
〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Porthos；　trying　to　give　to　his　mustache　a
curl　which　it　had　lost　whilst　he　had　been　alone。　〃Yes；　we
did　some　fine　things　in　our　time　and　we　gave　that　poor
cardinal　a　few　threads　to　unravel。〃
And　he　heaved　a　sigh。
〃Under　any　circumstances；〃　he　resumed；　〃you　are　welcome；　my
dear　friend；　you　will　help　me　to　recover　my　spirits；
to…morrow　we　will　hunt　the　hare　on　my　plain；　which　is　a
superb　tract　of　land；　or　pursue　the　deer　in　my　woods；　which
are　magnificent。　I　have　four　harriers　which　are　considered
the　swiftest　in　the　county；　and　a　pack　of　hounds　which　are
unequalled　for　twenty　leagues　around。〃
And　Porthos　heaved　another　sigh。
〃But；　first；〃　interposed　D'Artagnan；　〃you　must　present　me　to
Madame　du　Vallon。〃
A　third　sigh　from　Porthos。
〃I　lost　Madame　du　Vallon　two　years　ago；〃　he　said；　〃and　you
find　me　still　in　affliction　on　that　account。　That　was　the
reason　why　I　left　my　Chateau　du　Vallon　near　Corbeil；　and
came　to　my　estate；　Bracieux。　Poor　Madame　du　Vallon！　her
temper　was　uncertain；　but　she　came　at　last　to　accustom
herself　to　my　little　ways　and　understand　my　little　wishes。〃
〃So　you　are　free　now；　and　rich？〃
〃Alas！〃　groaned　Porthos；　〃I　am　a　widower　and　have　forty
thousand　francs　a　year。　Let　us　go　to　breakfast。〃
〃I　shall　be　happy　to　do　so；　the　morning　air　has　made　me
hungry。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃my　air　is　excellent。〃
They　went　into　the　chateau；　there　was　nothing　but　gilding；
high　and　low；　the　cornices　were　gilt；　the　mouldings　were
gilt；　the　legs　and　arms　of　the　chairs　were　gilt。　A　table；
ready　set　out；　awaited　them。
〃You　see；〃　said　Porthos；　〃this　is　my　usual　style。〃
〃Devil　take　me！〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　〃I　wish　you　joy　of　it。
The　king　has　nothing　like　it。〃
〃No；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃I　hear　it　said　that　he　is　very
badly　fed　by　the　cardinal；　Monsieur　de　Mazarin。　Taste　this
cutlet；　my　dear　D'Artagnan；　'tis　off　one　of　my　sheep。〃
〃You　have　very　tender　mutton　and　I　wish　you　joy　of　it。〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　the　sheep　are　fed　in　my　meadows；　which　are　excellent
pasture。〃
〃Give　me　another　cutlet。〃
〃No；　try　this　hare；　which　I　had　killed　yesterday　in　one　of
my　warrens。〃
〃Zounds！　what　a　flavor！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃ah！　they　are　fed
on　thyme　only；　your　hares。〃
〃And　how　do　you　like　my　wine？〃　asked　Porthos；　〃it　is
pleasant；　isn't　it？〃
〃Capital！〃
〃It　is　nothing；　however；　but　a　wine　of　the　country。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Yes；　a　small　declivity　to　the　south；　yonder　on　my　hill；
gives　me　twenty　hogsheads。〃
〃Quite　a　vineyard；　hey？〃
Porthos　sighed　for　the　fifth　time　　D'Artagnan　had　counted
his　sighs。　He　became　curious　to　solve　the　problem。
〃Well　now；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems；　my　dear　friend；　that
something　vexes　you；　you　are　ill；　perhaps？　That　health；
which　　〃
〃Excellent；　my　dear　friend；　better　than　ever。　I　could　kill
an　ox　with　a　blow　of　my　fist。〃
〃Well；　then；　family　affairs；　perhaps？〃
〃Family！　I　have；　happily；　only　myself　in　the　world　to　care
for。〃
〃But　what　makes　you　sigh？〃
〃My　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃to　be　candid　with　you；　I
am　not　happy。〃
〃You　are　not　happy；　Porthos？　You　who　have　chateau；　meadows；
mountains；　woods　　you　who　have　forty　thousand　francs　a
year　　you　　are　　not　　happy？〃
〃My　dear　friend；　all　those　things　I　have；　but　I　am　a　hermit
in　the　midst　of　superfluity。〃
〃Surrounded；　I　suppose；　only　by　clodhoppers；　with　whom　you
could　not　associate。〃
Porthos　turned　rather　pale　and　drank　off　a　large　glass　of
wine。
〃No；　but　just　think；　there　are　paltry　country　squires　who
have　all　some　title　or　another　and　pretend　to　go　back　as　far
as　Charlemagne；　or　at　least　to　Hugh　Capet。　When　I　first　came
here；　being　the　last　comer；　it　was　for　me　to　make　the　first
advances。　I　made　them；　but　you　know；　my　dear　friend；　Madame
du　Vallon　　〃
Porthos；　in　pronouncing　these　words；　seemed　to　gulp　down
something。
〃Madame　du　Vallon　was　of　doubtful　gentility。　She　had；　in　her
first　marriage　　I　don't　think；　D'Artagnan；　I　am　telling
you　anything　new　　married　a　lawyer；　they　thought　that
‘nauseous；'　you　can　understand　that's　a　word　bad　enough　to
make　one　kill　thirty　thousand　men。　I　have　killed　two；　which
has　made　people　hold　their　tongues；　but　has　not　made　me
their　friend。　So　that　I　have　no　society；　I　live　alone；　I　am
sick　of　it　　my　mind　preys　on　itself。〃
D'Artagnan　smiled。　He　now　saw　where　the　breastplate　was
weak；　and　prepared　the　blow。
〃But　now；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　a　widower；　your　wife's
connection　cannot　injure　you。〃
〃Yes；　but　understand　me；　not　being　of　a　race　of　historic
fame；　like　the　De　Courcys；　who　were　content　to　be　plain
sirs；　or　the　Rohans；　who　didn't　wish　to　be　dukes；　all　these
people；　who　are　all　either　vicomtes　or　comtes　go　before　me
at　church　in　all　the　ceremonies；　and　I　can　say　nothing　to
them。　Ah！　If　I　only　were　a　　〃
〃A　baron；　don't　you　mean？〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　finishing　his
friend's　sentence。
〃Ah！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃would　I　were　but　a　baron！〃
〃Well；　my　friend；　I　am　come　to　give　you　this　very　title
which　you　wish　for　so　much。〃
Porthos　gave　a　start　that　shook　the　room；　two　or　three
bottles　fell　and　were　broken。　Musqueton　ran　thither；　hearing
the　noise。
Porthos　waved　his　hand　to　Musqueton　to　pick　up　the　bottles。
〃I　am　glad　to　see；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　you　have　still
that　honest　lad　with　you。〃
〃He　is　my　steward；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃he　will　never