twenty years after(二十年后)-第3章

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glass　with　a　feeling　of　self…satisfaction。　Still　young　
for　he　was　scarcely　forty…six　years　of　age　　he　possessed
great　elegance　of　form　and　was　above　the　middle　height；　his
complexion　was　brilliant　and　beautiful；　his　glance　full　of
expression；　his　nose；　though　large；　was　well　proportioned；
his　forehead　broad　and　majestic；　his　hair；　of　a　chestnut
color；　was　curled　slightly；　his　beard；　which　was　darker　than
his　hair；　was　turned　carefully　with　a　curling　iron；　a
practice　that　greatly　improved　it。　After　a　short　time　the
cardinal　arranged　his　shoulder　belt；　then　looked　with　great
complacency　at　his　hands；　which　were　most　elegant　and　of
which　he　took　the　greatest　care；　and　throwing　on　one　side
the　large　kid　gloves　tried　on　at　first；　as　belonging　to　the
uniform；　he　put　on　others　of　silk　only。　At　this　instant　the
door　opened。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　said　the　valet…de…chambre。
An　officer；　as　he　spoke；　entered　the　apartment。　He　was　a　man
between　thirty…nine　and　forty　years　of　age；　of　medium　height
but　a　very　well　proportioned　figure；　with　an　intellectual
and　animated　physiognomy；　his　beard　black；　and　his　hair
turning　gray；　as　often　happens　when　people　have　found　life
either　too　gay　or　too　sad；　more　especially　when　they　happen
to　be　of　swart　complexion。
D'Artagnan　advanced　a　few　steps　into　the　apartment。
How　perfectly　he　remembered　his　former　entrance　into　that
very　room！　Seeing；　however；　no　one　there　except　a　musketeer
of　his　own　troop；　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　supposed
soldier；　in　whose　dress；　nevertheless；　he　recognized　at　the
first　glance　the　cardinal。
The　lieutenant　remained　standing　in　a　dignified　but
respectful　posture；　such　as　became　a　man　of　good　birth；　who
had　in　the　course　of　his　life　been　frequently　in　the　society
of　the　highest　nobles。
The　cardinal　looked　at　him　with　a　cunning　rather　than
serious　glance；　yet　he　examined　his　countenance　with
attention　and　after　a　momentary　silence　said：
〃You　are　Monsieur　d'Artagnan？〃
〃I　am　that　individual；〃　replied　the　officer。
Mazarin　gazed　once　more　at　a　countenance　full　of
intelligence；　the　play　of　which　had　been；　nevertheless；
subdued　by　age　and　experience；　and　D'Artagnan　received　the
penetrating　glance　like　one　who　had　formerly　sustained　many
a　searching　look；　very　different；　indeed；　from　those　which
were　inquiringly　directed　on　him　at　that　instant。
〃Sir；〃　resumed　the　cardinal；　〃you　are　to　come　with　me；　or
rather；　I　am　to　go　with　you。〃
〃I　am　at　your　command；　my　lord；〃　returned　D'Artagnan。
〃I　wish　to　visit　in　person　the　outposts　which　surround　the
Palais　Royal；　do　you　suppose　that　there　is　any　danger　in　so
doing？〃
〃Danger；　my　lord！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan　with　a　look　of
astonishment；　〃what　danger？〃
〃I　am　told　that　there　is　a　general　insurrection。〃
〃The　uniform　of　the　king's　musketeers　carries　a　certain
respect　with　it；　and　even　if　that　were　not　the　case　I　would
engage　with　four　of　my　men　to　put　to　flight　a　hundred　of
these　clowns。〃
〃Did　you　witness　the　injury　sustained　by　Comminges？〃
〃Monsieur　de　Comminges　is　in　the　guards　and　not　in　the
musketeers　　〃
〃Which　means；　I　suppose；　that　the　musketeers　are　better
soldiers　than　the　guards。〃　The　cardinal　smiled　as　he　spoke。
〃Every　one　likes　his　own　uniform　best；　my　lord。〃
〃Myself　excepted；〃　and　again　Mazarin　smiled；　〃for　you
perceive　that　I　have　left　off　mine　and　put　on　yours。〃
〃Lord　bless　us！　this　is　modesty　indeed！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃Had　I　such　a　uniform　as　your　eminence　possesses；　I　protest
I　should　be　mightily　content；　and　I　would　take　an　oath　never
to　wear　any　other　costume　　〃
〃Yes；　but　for　to…night's　adventure　I　don't　suppose　my　dress
would　have　been　a　very　safe　one。　Give　me　my　felt　hat；
Bernouin。〃
The　valet　instantly　brought　to　his　master　a　regimental　hat
with　a　wide　brim。　The　cardinal　put　it　on　in　military　style。
〃Your　horses　are　ready　saddled　in　their　stables；　are　they
not？〃　he　said；　turning　to　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
〃Well；　let　us　set　out。〃
〃How　many　men　does　your　eminence　wish　to　escort　you？〃
〃You　say　that　with　four　men　you　will　undertake　to　disperse　a
hundred　low　fellows；　as　it　may　happen　that　we　shall　have　to
encounter　two　hundred；　take　eight　　〃
〃As　many　as　my　lord　wishes。〃
〃I　will　follow　you。　This　way　　light　us　downstairs　Bernouin。
The　valet　held　a　wax…light；　the　cardinal　took　a　key　from　his
bureau　and　opening　the　door　of　a　secret　stair　descended　into
the　court　of　the　Palais　Royal。

2
A　Nightly　Patrol。

In　ten　minutes　Mazarin　and　his　party　were　traversing　the
street　〃Les　Bons　Enfants〃　behind　the　theatre　built　by
Richelieu　expressly　for　the　play　of　〃Mirame；〃　and　in　which
Mazarin；　who　was　an　amateur　of　music；　but　not　of　literature；
had　introduced　into　France　the　first　opera　that　was　ever
acted　in　that　country。
The　appearance　of　the　town　denoted　the　greatest　agitation。
Numberless　groups　paraded　the　streets　and；　whatever
D'Artagnan　might　think　of　it；　it　was　obvious　that　the
citizens　had　for　the　night　laid　aside　their　usual
forbearance；　in　order　to　assume　a　warlike　aspect。　From　time
to　time　noises　came　in　the　direction　of　the　public　markets。
The　report　of　firearms　was　heard　near　the　Rue　Saint　Denis
and　occasionally　church　bells　began　to　ring　indiscriminately
and　at　the　caprice　of　the　populace。　D'Artagnan；　meantime；
pursued　his　way　with　the　indifference　of　a　man　upon　whom
such　acts　of　folly　made　no　impression。　When　he　approached　a
group　in　the　middle　of　the　street　he　urged　his　horse　upon　it
without　a　word　of　warning；　and　the　members　of　the　group；
whether　rebels　or　not；　as　if　they　knew　with　what　sort　of　a
man　they　had　to　deal；　at　once　gave　place　to　the　patrol。　The
cardinal　envied　that　composure；　which　he　attributed　to　the
habit　of　meeting　danger；　but　none　the　less　he　conceived　for
the　officer　under　whose　orders　he　had　for　the　moment　placed
himself；　that　consideration　which　even　prudence　pays　to
careless　courage。　On　approaching　an　outpost　near　the
Barriere　des　Sergens；　the　sentinel　cried　out；　〃Who's　there？〃
and　D'Artagnan　answered　　having　first　asked　the　word　of
the　cardinal　　〃Louis　and　Rocroy。〃　After　which　he　inquired
if　Lieutenant　Comminges　were　not　the　commanding　officer　at
the　outpost。　The　soldier　replied　by　pointing　out　to　him　an
officer　who　was　conversing；　on　foot；　his　hand　upon　the　neck
of　a　horse　on　which　the　individual　to　whom　he　was　talking
sat。　Here　was　the　officer　D'Artagnan　was　seeking。
〃Here　is　Monsieur　Comminges；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　returning　to
the　cardinal。　He　instantly　retired；　from　a　feeling　of
respectful　delicacy；　it　was；　however；　evident　that　the
cardinal　was　recognized　by　both　Comminges　and　the　other
officers　on　horseback。
〃Well　done；　Guitant；〃　cried　the　cardinal　to　the　equestrian；
〃I　see　plainly　that；　notwithstanding　the　sixty…four　years
that　have　passed　over　your　head；　you　are　still　the　same　man；
active　and　zealous。　What　were　you　saying　to　this　youngster？〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　Guitant；　〃I　was　observing　that　we　live　in
troublous　times　and　that　to…day's　events　are　very　like　those
in　the　days　of　the　Ligue；　of　which　I　heard　so　much　in　my
youth。　Are　you　aware　that　the　mob　have　even　suggested
throwing　up　barricades　in　the　Rue　Saint　Denis　and　the　Rue
Saint　Antoine？〃
〃And　what　was　Comminges　saying　to　you　in　reply；　my　good
Guitant？〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Comminges；　〃I　answered　that　to　compose　a
Ligue　only　one　ingredient　was　wanting　　in　my　opinion　an
essential　one　　a　Duc　de　Guise；　moreover；　no　generation
ever　does　the　same　thing　twice。〃
〃No；　but　they　mean　to　make　a　Fronde；　as　they　call　it；〃　said
Guitant。
〃And　what　is　a　Fronde？〃　inquired　Mazarin。
〃My　lord；　Fronde　is　the　name　the　discontented　give　to　their
party。〃
〃And　what　is　the　origin　of　this　name？〃
〃It　seems　that　some　days　since　Councillor　Bachaumont
remarked　at　the　palace　that　rebels　and　agitators　reminded
him　of　schoolboys　slinging　　qui　frondent　　stones　from
the　moats　round　Paris；　young　urchins　who　run　off　the　moment
the　constable　appears；　only　to　return　to　their　diversion　the
instant　his　back　is　turned。　So　they　have　picked　up　the　word
and　the　insurrectionists　are　called　‘Frondeurs；'　and
yesterday　every　article　sold　was　‘a　la　Fronde；'　bread　‘a　la
Fronde；'　hats　‘a　la　Fronde；'　to　say　nothing　of　gloves；
pocket…handkerchiefs；　and　fans