twenty years after(二十年后)-第31章

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he　has　neither　dogs　nor　arms；　he's　not　going　on　a　message；
for　he　goes　secretly。　Why　does　he　go　in　secret？　Is　he　afraid
of　me　or　of　his　father？　for　I　am　sure　the　count　is　his
father。　By　Jove！　I　shall　know　about　that　soon；　for　I　shall
soon　speak　out　to　Athos。〃
Day　was　now　advanced；　all　the　noises　that　had　ceased　the
night　before　reawakened；　one　after　the　other。　The　bird　on
the　branch；　the　dog　in　his　kennel；　the　sheep　in　the　field；
the　boats　moored　in　the　Loire；　even；　became　alive　and　vocal。
The　latter；　leaving　the　shore；　abandoned　themselves　gaily　to
the　current。　The　Gascon　gave　a　last　twirl　to　his　mustache；　a
last　turn　to　his　hair；　brushed；　from　habit；　the　brim　of　his
hat　with　the　sleeve　of　his　doublet；　and　went　downstairs。
Scarcely　had　he　descended　the　last　step　of　the　threshold
when　he　saw　Athos　bent　down　toward　the　ground；　as　if　he　were
looking　for　a　crown…piece　in　the　dust。
〃Good…morning；　my　dear　host；〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃Good…day　to　you；　have　you　slept　well？〃
〃Excellently；　Athos；　but　what　are　you　looking　for？　You　are
perhaps　a　tulip　fancier？〃
〃My　dear　friend；　if　I　am；　you　must　not　laugh　at　me　for　being
so。　In　the　country　people　alter；　one　gets　to　like；　without
knowing　it；　all　those　beautiful　objects　that　God　causes　to
spring　from　the　earth；　which　are　despised　in　cities。　I　was
looking　anxiously　for　some　iris　roots　I　planted　here；　close
to　this　reservoir；　and　which　some　one　has　trampled　upon　this
morning。　These　gardeners　are　the　most　careless　people　in　the
world；　in　bringing　the　horse　out　to　the　water　they've
allowed　him　to　walk　over　the　border。〃
D'Artagnan　began　to　smile。
〃Ah！　you　think　so；　do　you？〃
And　he　took　his　friend　along　the　alley；　where　a　number　of
tracks　like　those　which　had　trampled　down　the　flowerbeds；
were　visible。
〃Here　are　the　horse's　hoofs　again；　it　seems；　Athos；〃　he　said
carelessly。
〃Yes；　indeed；　the　marks　are　recent。〃
〃Quite　so；〃　replied　the　lieutenant。
〃Who　went　out　this　morning？〃　Athos　asked；　uneasily。　〃Has　any
horse　got　loose？〃
〃Not　likely；〃　answered　the　Gascon；　〃these　marks　are
regular。〃
〃Where　is　Raoul？〃　asked　Athos；　〃how　is　it　that　I　have　not
seen　him？〃
〃Hush！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　putting　his　finger　on　his
lips；　and　he　related　what　he　had　seen；　watching　Athos　all
the　while。
〃Ah；　he's　gone　to　Blois；　the　poor　boy　　〃
〃Wherefore？〃
〃Ah；　to　inquire　after　the　little　La　Valliere；　she　has
sprained　her　foot；　you　know。〃
〃You　think　he　has？〃
〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said　Athos；　〃don't　you　see　that　Raoul　is
in　love？〃
〃Indeed！　with　whom　　with　a　child　seven　years　old？〃
〃Dear　friend；　at　Raoul's　age　the　heart　is　so　expansive　that
it　must　encircle　one　object　or　another；　fancied　or　real。
Well；　his　love　is　half　real；　half　fanciful。　She　is　the
prettiest　little　creature　in　the　world；　with　flaxen　hair；
blue　eyes；　　at　once　saucy　and　languishing。〃
〃But　what　say　you　to　Raoul's　fancy？〃
〃Nothing　　I　laugh　at　Raoul；　but　this　first　desire　of　the
heart　is　imperious。　I　remember；　just　at　his　age；　how　deep　in
love　I　was　with　a　Grecian　statue　which　our　good　king；　then
Henry　IV。；　gave　my　father；　insomuch　that　I　was　mad　with
grief　when　they　told　me　that　the　story　of　Pygmalion　was
nothing　but　a　fable。〃
〃It　is　mere　want　of　occupation。　You　do　not　make　Raoul　work；
so　he　takes　his　own　way　of　employing　himself。〃
〃Exactly；　therefore　I　think　of　sending　him　away　from　here。〃
〃You　will　be　wise　to　do　so。〃
〃No　doubt　of　it；　but　it　will　break　his　heart。　So　long　as
three　or　four　years　ago　he　used　to　adorn　and　adore　his
little　idol；　whom　he　will　some　day　fall　in　love　with　in
right　earnest　if　he　remains　here。　The　parents　of　little　La
Valliere　have　for　a　long　time　perceived　and　been　amused　at
it；　now　they　begin　to　look　concerned。〃
〃Nonsense！　However；　Raoul　must　be　diverted　from　this　fancy。
Send　him　away　or　you　will　never　make　a　man　of　him。〃
〃I　think　I　shall　send　him　to　Paris。〃
〃So！〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the
moment　for　attack　had　arrived。
〃Suppose；〃　he　said；　〃we　roughly　chalk　out　a　career　for　this
young　man。　I　wish　to　consult　you　about　some　thing。〃
〃Do　so。〃
〃Do　you　think　it　is　time　for　us　to　enter　the　service？〃
〃But　are　you　not　still　in　the　service　　you；　D'Artagnan？〃
〃I　mean　active　service。　Our　former　life；　has　it　still　no
attractions　for　you？　would　you　not　be　happy　to　begin　anew　in
my　society　and　in　that　of　Porthos；　the　exploits　of　our
youth？〃
〃Do　you　propose　to　me　to　do　so；　D'Artagnan？〃
〃Decidedly　and　honestly。〃
〃On　whose　side？〃　asked　Athos；　fixing　his　clear；　benevolent
glance　on　the　countenance　of　the　Gascon。
〃Ah；　devil　take　it；　you　speak　in　earnest　　〃
〃And　must　have　a　definite　answer。　Listen；　D'Artagnan。　There
is　but　one　person；　or　rather；　one　cause；　to　whom　a　man　like
me　can　be　useful　　that　of　the　king。〃
〃Exactly；〃　answered　the　musketeer。
〃Yes；　but　let　us　understand　each　other；〃　returned　Athos；
seriously。　〃If　by　the　cause　of　the　king　you　mean　that　of
Monsieur　de　Mazarin；　we　do　not　understand　each　other。〃
〃I　don't　say　exactly；〃　answered　the　Gascon；　confused。
〃Come；　D'Artagnan；　don't　let　us　play　a　sidelong　game；　your
hesitation；　your　evasion；　tells　me　at　once　on　whose　side　you
are；　for　that　party　no　one　dares　openly　to　recruit；　and　when
people　recruit　for　it；　it　is　with　averted　eyes　and　humble
voice。〃
〃Ah！　my　dear　Athos！〃
〃You　know　that　I　am　not　alluding　to　you；　you　are　the　pearl
of　brave；　bold　men。　I　speak　of　that　spiteful　and　intriguing
Italian　　of　the　pedant　who　has　tried　to　put　on　his　own
head　a　crown　which　he　stole　from　under　a　pillow　　of　the
scoundrel　who　calls　his　party　the　party　of　the　king　　who
wants　to　send　the　princes　of　the　blood　to　prison；　not　daring
to　kill　them；　as　our　great　cardinal　　our　cardinal　did　
of　the　miser；　who　weighs　his　gold　pieces　and　keeps　the
clipped　ones　for　fear；　though　he　is　rich；　of　losing　them　at
play　next　morning　　of　the　impudent　fellow　who　insults　the
queen；　as　they　say　　so　much　the　worse　for　her　　and　who
is　going　in　three　months　to　make　war　upon　us；　in　order　that
he　may　retain　his　pensions；　is　that　the　master　whom　you
propose　to　me？　I　thank　you；　D'Artagnan。〃
〃You　are　more　impetuous　than　you　were；〃　returned　D'Artagnan。
〃Age　has　warmed；　not　chilled　your　blood。　Who　informed　you
this　was　the　master　I　propose　to　you？　Devil　take　it；〃　he
muttered　to　himself；　〃don't　let　me　betray　my　secrets　to　a
man　not　inclined　to　entertain　them。〃
〃Well；　then；〃　said　Athos；　〃what　are　your　schemes？　what　do
you　propose？〃
〃Zounds！　nothing　more　than　natural。　You　live　on　your　estate；
happy　in　golden　mediocrity。　Porthos　has；　perhaps；　sixty
thousand　francs　income。　Aramis　has　always　fifty　duchesses
quarreling　over　the　priest；　as　they　quarreled　formerly　over
the　musketeer；　but　I　　what　have　I　in　the　world？　I　have
worn　my　cuirass　these　twenty　years；　kept　down　in　this
inferior　rank；　without　going　forward　or　backward；　hardly
half　living。　In　fact；　I　am　dead。　Well！　when　there　is　some
idea　of　being　resuscitated；　you　say　he's　a　scoundrel；　an
impudent　fellow；　a　miser；　a　bad　master！　By　Jove！　I　am　of
your　opinion；　but　find　me　a　better　one　or　give　me　the　means
of　living。〃
Athos　was　for　a　few　moments　thoughtful。
〃Good！　D'Artagnan　is　for　Mazarin；〃　he　said　to　himself。
From　that　moment　he　grew　very　guarded。
On　his　side　D'Artagnan　became　more　cautious　also。
〃You　spoke　to　me；〃　Athos　resumed；　〃of　Porthos；　have　you
persuaded　him　to　seek　his　fortune？　But　he　has　wealth；　I
believe；　already。〃
〃Doubtless　he　has。　But　such　is　man；　we　always　want　something
more　than　we　already　have。〃
〃What　does　Porthos　wish　for？〃
〃To　be　a　baron。〃
〃Ah；　true！　I　forgot；〃　said　Athos；　laughing。
〃'Tis　true！〃　thought　the　Gascon；　〃where　has　he　heard　it？
Does　he　correspond　with　Aramis？　Ah！　if　I　knew　that　he　did　I
should　know　all。〃
The　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Raoul。
〃Is　our　little　neighbor　worse？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；　seeing　a
look　of　vexation　on　the　face　of　the　youth。
〃Ah；　sir！〃　replied　Raoul；　〃her　fall　is　a　very　serious　one；
and　without　any　ostensible　injury；　the　physician　fears　she
will　be　lame　for　life。〃
〃This　is　terrible；〃　said　Athos。
〃And　what　makes　me　all　the　more　wretched；　sir；　is；　that　I
was　the　cause　of　this　misfortune。〃
〃How　so？〃　asked　Athos。
〃It　was　to　run　to　meet　me　that　she　leaped　from　that　pil