twenty years after(二十年后)-第32章

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was　the　cause　of　this　misfortune。〃
〃How　so？〃　asked　Athos。
〃It　was　to　run　to　meet　me　that　she　leaped　from　that　pile　of
wood。〃
〃There's　only　one　remedy；　dear　Raoul　　that　is；　to　marry
her　as　a　compensation　〃　remarked　D'Artagnan。
〃Ah；　sir！〃　answered　Raoul；　〃you　joke　about　a　real
misfortune；　that　is　cruel；　indeed。〃
The　good　understanding　between　the　two　friends　was　not　in
the　least　altered　by　the　morning's　skirmish。　They
breakfasted　with　a　good　appetite；　looking　now　and　then　at
poor　Raoul；　who　with　moist　eyes　and　a　full　heart；　scarcely
ate　at　all。
After　breakfast　two　letters　arrived　for　Athos；　who　read　them
with　profound　attention；　whilst　D'Artagnan　could　not
restrain　himself　from　jumping　up　several　times　on　seeing　him
read　these　epistles；　in　one　of　which；　there　being　at　the
time　a　very　strong　light；　he　perceived　the　fine　writing　of
Aramis。　The　other　was　in　a　feminine　hand；　long；　and　crossed。
〃Come；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Raoul；　seeing　that　Athos　wished
to　be　alone；　〃come；　let　us　take　a　turn　in　the　fencing
gallery；　that　will　amuse　you。〃
And　they　both　went　into　a　low　room　where　there　were　foils；
gloves；　masks；　breastplates；　and　all　the　accessories　for　a
fencing　match。
In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　Athos　joined　them　and　at　the　same
moment　Charles　brought　in　a　letter　for　D'Artagnan；　which　a
messenger　had　just　desired　might　be　instantly　delivered。
It　was　now　Athos's　turn　to　take　a　sly　look。
D'Artagnan　read　the　letter　with　apparent　calmness　and　said；
shaking　his　head：
〃See；　dear　friend；　what　it　is　to　belong　to　the　army。　Faith；
you　are　indeed　right　not　to　return　to　it。　Monsieur　de
Treville　is　ill；　so　my　company　can't　do　without　me；　there！
my　leave　is　at　an　end！〃
〃Do　you　return　to　Paris？〃　asked　Athos；　quickly。
〃Egad！　yes；　but　why　don't　you　come　there　also？〃
Athos　colored　a　little　and　answered：
〃Should　I　go；　I　shall　be　delighted　to　see　you　there。〃
〃Halloo；　Planchet！〃　cried　the　Gascon　from　the　door；　〃we　must
set　out　in　ten　minutes；　give　the　horses　some　hay。
Then　turning　to　Athos　he　added：
〃I　seem　to　miss　something　here。　I　am　really　sorry　to　go　away
without　having　seen　Grimaud。〃
〃Grimaud！〃　replied　Athos。　〃I'm　surprised　you　have　never　so
much　as　asked　after　him。　I　have　lent　him　to　a　friend　　〃
〃Who　will　understand　the　signs　he　makes？〃　returned
D'Artagnan。
〃I　hope　so。〃
The　friends　embraced　cordially；　D'Artagnan　pressed　Raoul's
hand。
〃Will　you　not　come　with　me？〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　pass　by
Blois。〃
Raoul　turned　toward　Athos；　who　showed　him　by　a　secret　sign
that　he　did　not　wish　him　to　go。
〃No；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　young　man；　〃I　will　remain　with
monsieur　le　comte。〃
〃Adieu；　then；　to　both；　my　good　friends；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃may　God　preserve　you！　as　we　used　to　say　when　we　said
good…bye　to　each　other　in　the　late　cardinal's　time。〃
Athos　waved　his　hand；　Raoul　bowed；　and　D'Artagnan　and
Planchet　set　out。
The　count　followed　them　with　his　eyes；　his　hands　resting　on
the　shoulders　of　the　youth；　whose　height　was　almost　equal　to
his　own；　but　as　soon　as　they　were　out　of　sight　he　said：
〃Raoul；　we　set　out　to…night　for　Paris。〃
〃Eh？〃　cried　the　young　man；　turning　pale。
〃You　may　go　and　offer　your　adieux　and　mine　to　Madame　de
Saint…Remy。　I　shall　wait　for　you　here　till　seven。〃
The　young　man　bent　low；　with　an　expression　of　sorrow　and
gratitude　mingled；　and　retired　in　order　to　saddle　his　horse。
As　to　D'Artagnan；　scarcely；　on　his　side；　was　he　out　of　sight
when　he　drew　from　his　pocket　a　letter；　which　he　read　over
again：

〃Return　immediately　to　Paris。　　J。　M　　。〃

〃The　epistle　is　laconic；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　if　there　had
not　been　a　postscript；　probably　I　should　not　have　understood
it；　but　happily　there　is　a　postscript。〃
And　he　read　that　welcome　postscript；　which　made　him　forget
the　abruptness　of　the　letter。

〃P。　S。　　Go　to　the　king's　treasurer；　at　Blois；　tell　him
your　name　and　show　him　this　letter；　you　will　receive　two
hundred　pistoles。〃

〃Assuredly；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　admire　this　piece　of　prose。
The　cardinal　writes　better　than　I　thought。　Come；　Planchet；
let　us　pay　a　visit　to　the　king's　treasurer　and　then　set
off。〃
〃Toward　Paris；　sir？〃
〃Toward　Paris。〃
And　they　set　out　at　as　hard　a　canter　as　their　horses　could
maintain。

16
The　Duc　de　Beaufort。

The　circumstances　that　had　hastened　the　return　of　D'Artagnan
to　Paris　were　as　follows：
One　evening；　when　Mazarin；　according　to　custom；　went　to
visit　the　queen；　in　passing　the　guard…chamber　he　heard　loud
voices；　wishing　to　know　on　what　topic　the　soldiers　were
conversing；　he　approached　with　his　wonted　wolf…like　step；
pushed　open　the　door　and　put　his　head　close　to　the　chink。
There　was　a　dispute　among　the　guards。
〃I　tell　you；〃　one　of　them　was　saying；　〃that　if　Coysel
predicted　that；　'tis　as　good　as　true；　I　know　nothing　about
it；　but　I　have　heard　say　that　he's　not　only　an　astrologer；
but　a　magician。〃
〃Deuce　take　it；　friend；　if　he's　one　of　thy　friends　thou　wilt
ruin　him　in　saying　so。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because　he　may　be　tried　for　it。〃
〃Ah！　absurd！　they　don't　burn　sorcerers　nowadays。〃
〃No？　'Tis　not　a　long　time　since　the　late　cardinal　burnt
Urban　Grandier；　though。〃
〃My　friend；　Urban　Grandier　wasn't　a　sorcerer；　he　was　a
learned　man。　He　didn't　predict　the　future；　he　knew　the　past
　often　a　more　dangerous　thing。〃
Mazarin　nodded　an　assent；　but　wishing　to　know　what　this
prediction　was；　about　which　they　disputed；　he　remained　in
the　same　place。
〃I　don't　say；〃　resumed　the　guard；　〃that　Coysel　is　not　a
sorcerer；　but　I　say　that　if　his　prophecy　gets　wind；　it's　a
sure　way　to　prevent　it's　coming　true。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃Why；　in　this　way：　if　Coysel　says　loud　enough　for　the
cardinal　to　hear　him；　on　such　or　such　a　day　such　a　prisoner
will　escape；　'tis　plain　that　the　cardinal　will　take　measures
of　precaution　and　that　the　prisoner　will　not　escape。〃
〃Good　Lord！〃　said　another　guard；　who　might　have　been　thought
asleep　on　a　bench；　but　who　had　lost　not　a　syllable　of　the
conversation；　〃do　you　suppose　that　men　can　escape　their
destiny？　If　it　is　written　yonder；　in　Heaven；　that　the　Duc　de
Beaufort　is　to　escape；　he　will　escape；　and　all　the
precautions　of　the　cardinal　will　not　prevent　it。〃
Mazarin　started。　He　was　an　Italian　and　therefore
superstitious。　He　walked　straight　into　the　midst　of　the
guards；　who　on　seeing　him　were　silent。
〃What　were　you　saying？〃　he　asked　with　his　flattering　manner；
〃that　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　had　escaped；　were　you　not？〃
〃Oh；　no；　my　lord！〃　said　the　incredulous　soldier。　〃He's　well
guarded　now；　we　only　said　he　would　escape。〃
〃Who　said　so？〃
〃Repeat　your　story；　Saint　Laurent；〃　replied　the　man；　turning
to　the　originator　of　the　tale。
〃My　lord；〃　said　the　guard；　〃I　have　simply　mentioned　the
prophecy　I　heard　from　a　man　named　Coysel；　who　believes　that；
be　he　ever　so　closely　watched　and　guarded；　the　Duke　of
Beaufort　will　escape　before　Whitsuntide。〃
〃Coysel　is　a　madman！〃　returned　the　cardinal。
〃No；〃　replied　the　soldier；　tenacious　in　his　credulity；　〃he
has　foretold　many　things　which　have　come　to　pass；　for
instance；　that　the　queen　would　have　a　son；　that　Monsieur
Coligny　would　be　killed　in　a　duel　with　the　Duc　de　Guise；　and
finally；　that　the　coadjutor　would　be　made　cardinal。　Well！
the　queen　has　not　only　one　son；　but　two；　then；　Monsieur　de
Coligny　was　killed；　and　　〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃but　the　coadjutor　is　not　yet　made
cardinal！〃
〃No；　my　lord；　but　he　will　be；〃　answered　the　guard。
Mazarin　made　a　grimace；　as　if　he　meant　to　say；　〃But　he　does
not　wear　the　cardinal's　cap；〃　then　he　added：
〃So；　my　friend；　it's　your　opinion　that　Monsieur　de　Beaufort
will　escape？〃
〃That's　my　idea；　my　lord；　and　if　your　eminence　were　to　offer
to　make　me　at　this　moment　governor　of　the　castle　of
Vincennes；　I　should　refuse　it。　After　Whitsuntide　it　would　be
another　thing。〃
There　is　nothing　so　convincing　as　a　firm　conviction。　It　has
its　own　effect　upon　the　most　incredulous；　and　far　from　being
incredulous；　Mazarin　was　superstitious。　He　went　away
thoughtful　and　anxious　and　returned　to　his　own　room；　where
he　summoned　Bernouin　and　desired　him　to　fetch　thither　in　the
morning　the　special　guard　he　had　placed　over　Monsieur　de
Beaufort　and　to　awaken　him　whenever　he　should　arrive。
The　guard　had；　in　fact；　touched　the　cardinal　in　the
tenderest　point。　During　the　who