twenty years after(二十年后)-第36章

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creature？〃
Grimaud　did　not　answer；　but　bowed　a　second　time。
〃Art　thou　dumb？〃　cried　the　duke。
Grimaud　made　a　sign　that　he　was　not。
〃What　art　thou；　then？　Answer！　I　command　thee！〃　said　the
duke。
〃A　keeper；〃　replied　Grimaud。
〃A　keeper！〃　reiterated　the　duke；　〃there　was　nothing　wanting
in　my　collection；　except　this　gallows…bird。　Halloo！　La
Ramee！　some　one！〃
La　Ramee　ran　in　haste　to　obey　the　call。
〃Who　is　this　wretch　who　takes　my　comb　and　puts　it　in　his
pocket？〃　asked　the　duke。
〃One　of　your　guards；　my　prince；　a　man　of　talent　and　merit；
whom　you　will　like；　as　I　and　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　do；　I　am
sure。〃
〃Why　does　he　take　my　comb？〃
〃Why　do　you　take　my　lord's　comb？〃　asked　La　Ramee。
Grimaud　drew　the　comb　from　his　pocket　and　passing　his
fingers　over　the　largest　teeth；　pronounced　this　one　word；
〃Pointed。〃
〃True；〃　said　La　Ramee。
〃What　does　the　animal　say？〃　asked　the　duke。
〃That　the　king　has　forbidden　your　lordship　to　have　any
pointed　instrument。〃
〃Are　you　mad；　La　Ramee？　You　yourself　gave　me　this　comb。〃
〃I　was　very　wrong；　my　lord；　for　in　giving　it　to　you　I　acted
in　opposition　to　my　orders。〃
The　duke　looked　furiously　at　Grimaud。
〃I　perceive　that　this　creature　will　be　my　particular
aversion；〃　he　muttered。
Grimaud；　nevertheless；　was　resolved　for　certain　reasons　not
at　once　to　come　to　a　full　rupture　with　the　prisoner；　he
wanted　to　inspire；　not　a　sudden　repugnance；　but　a　good；
sound；　steady　hatred；　he　retired；　therefore；　and　gave　place
to　four　guards；　who；　having　breakfasted；　could　attend　on　the
prisoner。
A　fresh　practical　joke　now　occurred　to　the　duke。　He　had
asked　for　crawfish　for　his　breakfast　on　the　following
morning；　he　intended　to　pass　the　day　in　making　a　small
gallows　and　hang　one　of　the　finest　of　these　fish　in　the
middle　of　his　room　　the　red　color　evidently　conveying　an
allusion　to　the　cardinal　　so　that　he　might　have　the
pleasure　of　hanging　Mazarin　in　effigy　without　being　accused
of　having　hung　anything　more　significant　than　a　crawfish。
The　day　was　employed　in　preparations　for　the　execution。
Every　one　grows　childish　in　prison；　but　the　character　of
Monsieur　de　Beaufort　was　particularly　disposed　to　become　so。
In　the　course　of　his　morning's　walk　he　collected　two　or
three　small　branches　from　a　tree　and　found　a　small　piece　of
broken　glass；　a　discovery　that　quite　delighted　him。　When　he
came　home　he　formed　his　handkerchief　into　a　loop。
Nothing　of　all　this　escaped　Grimaud；　but　La　Ramee　looked　on
with　the　curiosity　of　a　father　who　thinks　that　he　may
perhaps　get　a　cheap　idea　concerning　a　new　toy　for　his
children。　The　guards　looked　on　it　with　indifference。　When
everything　was　ready；　the　gallows　hung　in　the　middle　of　the
room；　the　loop　made；　and　when　the　duke　had　cast　a　glance
upon　the　plate　of　crawfish；　in　order　to　select　the　finest
specimen　among　them；　he　looked　around　for　his　piece　of
glass；　it　had　disappeared。
〃Who　has　taken　my　piece　of　glass？〃　asked　the　duke；　frowning。
Grimaud　made　a　sign　to　denote　that　he　had　done　so。
〃What！　thou　again！　Why　didst　thou　take　it？〃
〃Yes　　why？〃　asked　La　Ramee。
Grimaud；　who　held　the　piece　of　glass　in　his　hand；　said：
〃Sharp。〃
〃True；　my　lord！〃　exclaimed　La　Ramee。　〃Ah！　deuce　take　it！　we
have　a　precious　fellow　here！〃
〃Monsieur　Grimaud！〃　said　the　duke；　〃for　your　sake　I　beg　of
you；　never　come　within　the　reach　of　my　fist！〃
〃Hush！　hush！〃　cried　La　Ramee；　〃give　me　your　gibbet；　my　lord。
I　will　shape　it　out　for　you　with　my　knife。〃
And　he　took　the　gibbet　and　shaped　it　out　as　neatly　as
possible。
〃That's　it；〃　said　the　duke；　〃now　make　me　a　little　hole　in
the　floor　whilst　I　go　and　fetch　the　culprit。〃
La　Ramee　knelt　down　and　made　a　hole　in　the　floor；　meanwhile
the　duke　hung　the　crawfish　up　by　a　thread。　Then　he　placed
the　gibbet　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　bursting　with
laughter。
La　Ramee　laughed　also　and　the　guards　laughed　in　chorus；
Grimaud；　however；　did　not　even　smile。　He　approached　La　Ramee
and　showing　him　the　crawfish　hung　up　by　the　thread：
〃Cardinal；〃　he　said。
〃Hung　by　order　of　his　Highness　the　Duc　de　Beaufort！〃　cried
the　prisoner；　laughing　violently；　〃and　by　Master　Jacques
Chrysostom　La　Ramee；　the　king's　commissioner。〃
La　Ramee　uttered　a　cry　of　horror　and　rushed　toward　the
gibbet；　which　he　broke　at　once　and　threw　the　pieces　out　of
the　window。　He　was　going　to　throw　the　crawfish　out　also；
when　Grimaud　snatched　it　from　his　hands。
〃Good　to　eat！〃　he　said；　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。
This　scene　so　enchanted　the　duke　that　at　the　moment　he
forgave　Grimaud　for　his　part　in　it；　but　on　reflection　he
hated　him　more　and　more；　being　convinced　he　had　some　evil
motive　for　his　conduct。
But　the　story　of　the　crab　made　a　great　noise　through　the
interior　of　the　donjon　and　even　outside。　Monsieur　de
Chavigny；　who　at　heart　detested　the　cardinal；　took　pains　to
tell　the　story　to　two　or　three　friends；　who　put　it　into
immediate　circulation。
The　prisoner　happened　to　remark　among　the　guards　one　man
with　a　very　good　countenance；　and　he　favored　this　man　the
more　as　Grimaud　became　the　more　and　more　odious　to　him。　One
morning　he　took　this　man　on　one　side　and　had　succeeded　in
speaking　to　him；　when　Grimaud　entered　and　seeing　what　was
going　on　approached　the　duke　respectfully；　but　took　the
guard　by　the　arm。
〃Go　away；〃　he　said。
The　guard　obeyed。
〃You　are　insupportable！〃　cried　the　duke；　〃I　shall　beat　you。〃
Grimaud　bowed。
〃I　will　break　every　bone　in　your　body！〃　cried　the　duke。
Grimaud　bowed；　but　stepped　back。
〃Mr。　Spy；〃　cried　the　duke；　more　and　more　enraged；　〃I　will
strangle　you　with　my　own　hands。〃
And　he　extended　his　hands　toward　Grimaud；　who　merely　thrust
the　guard　out　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。　At　the　same　time
he　felt　the　duke's　arms　on　his　shoulders　like　two　iron
claws；　but　instead　either　of　calling　out　or　defending
himself；　he　placed　his　forefinger　on　his　lips　and　said　in　a
low　tone：
〃Hush！〃　smiling　as　he　uttered　the　word。
A　gesture；　a　smile　and　a　word　from　Grimaud；　all　at　once；
were　so　unusual　that　his　highness　stopped　short；　astounded。
Grimaud　took　advantage　of　that　instant　to　draw　from　his　vest
a　charming　little　note　with　an　aristocratic　seal；　and
presented　it　to　the　duke　without　a　word。
The　duke；　more　and　more　bewildered；　let　Grimaud　loose　and
took　the　note。
〃From　Madame　de　Montbazon？〃　he　cried。
Grimaud　nodded　assent。
The　duke　tore　open　the　note；　passed　his　hands　over　his　eyes；
for　he　was　dazzled　and　confused；　and　read：

〃My　Dear　Duke；　　You　may　entirely　confide　in　the　brave　lad
who　will　give　you　this　note；　he　has　consented　to　enter　the
service　of　your　keeper　and　to　shut　himself　up　at　Vincennes
with　you；　in　order　to　prepare　and　assist　your　escape；　which
we　are　contriving。　The　moment　of　your　deliverance　is　at
hand；　have　patience　and　courage　and　remember　that　in　spite
of　time　and　absence　all　your　friends　continue　to　cherish　for
you　the　sentiments　they　have　so　long　professed　and　truly
entertained。
〃Yours　wholly　and　most　affectionately
〃Marie　de　Montbazon。

〃P。S。　　I　sign　my　full　name；　for　I　should　be　vain　if　I
could　suppose　that　after　five　years　of　absence　you　would
remember　my　initials。〃

The　poor　duke　became　perfectly　giddy。　What　for　five　years　he
had　been　wanting　　a　faithful　servant；　a　friend；　a　helping
hand　　seemed　to　have　fallen　from　Heaven　just　when　he
expected　it　the　least。
〃Oh；　dearest　Marie！　she　thinks　of　me；　then；　after　five　years
of　separation！　Heavens！　there　is　constancy！〃　Then　turning　to
Grimaud；　he　said：
〃And　thou；　my　brave　fellow；　thou　consentest　thus　to　aid　me？〃
Grimaud　signified　his　assent。
〃And　you　have　come　here　with　that　purpose？〃
Grimaud　repeated　the　sign。
〃And　I　was　ready　to　strangle　you！〃　cried　the　duke。
Grimaud　smiled。
〃Wait；　then；〃　said　the　duke；　fumbling　in　his　pocket。　〃Wait；〃
he　continued；　renewing　his　fruitless　search；　〃it　shall　not
be　said　that　such　devotion　to　a　grandson　of　Henry　IV。　went
without　recompense。〃
The　duke's　endeavors　evinced　the　best　intention　in　the
world；　but　one　of　the　precautions　taken　at　Vincennes　was
that　of　allowing　prisoners　to　keep　no　money。　Whereupon
Grimaud；　observing　the　duke's　disappointment；　drew　from　his
pocket　a　purse　filled　with　gold　and　handed　it　to　him。
〃Here　is　what　you　are　looking　for；〃　he　said。
The　duke　opened　the　purse　and　wanted　to　empt