twenty years after(二十年后)-第37章

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〃Here　is　what　you　are　looking　for；〃　he　said。
The　duke　opened　the　purse　and　wanted　to　empty　it　into
Grimaud's　hands；　but　Grimaud　shook　his　head。
〃Thank　you；　monseigneur；〃　he　said；　drawing　back；　〃I　am
paid。〃
The　duke　went　from　one　surprise　to　another。　He　held　out　his
hand。　Grimaud　drew　near　and　kissed　it　respectfully。　The
grand　manner　of　Athos　had　left　its　mark　on　Grimaud。
〃What　shall　we　do？　and　when？　and　how　proceed？〃
〃It　is　now　eleven；〃　answered　Grimaud。　〃Let　my　lord　at　two
o'clock　ask　leave　to　make　up　a　game　at　tennis　with　La　Ramee
and　let　him　send　two　or　three　balls　over　the　ramparts。〃
〃And　then？〃
〃Your　highness　will　approach　the　walls　and　call　out　to　a　man
who　works　in　the　moat　to　send　them　back　again。〃
〃I　understand；〃　said　the　duke。
Grimaud　made　a　sign　that　he　was　going　away。
〃Ah！〃　cried　the　duke；　〃will　you　not　accept　any　money　from
me？〃
〃I　wish　my　lord　would　make　me　one　promise。〃
〃What！　speak！〃
〃'Tis　this：　when　we　escape　together；　that　I　shall　go
everywhere　and　be　always　first；　for　if　my　lord　should　be
overtaken　and　caught；　there's　every　chance　of　his　being
brought　back　to　prison；　whereas　if　I　am　caught　the　least
that　can　befall　me　is　to　be　　hung。〃
〃True；　on　my　honor　as　a　gentleman　it　shall　be　as　thou　dost
suggest。〃
〃Now；〃　resumed　Grimaud；　〃I've　only　one　thing　more　to　ask　
that　your　highness　will　continue　to　detest　me。〃
〃I'll　try；〃　said　the　duke。
At　this　moment　La　Ramee；　after　the　interview　we　have
described　with　the　cardinal；　entered　the　room。　The　duke　had
thrown　himself；　as　he　was　wont　to　do　in　moments　of　dullness
and　vexation；　on　his　bed。　La　Ramee　cast　an　inquiring　look
around　him　and　observing　the　same　signs　of　antipathy　between
the　prisoner　and　his　guardian　he　smiled　in　token　of　his
inward　satisfaction。　Then　turning　to　Grimaud：
〃Very　good；　my　friend；　very　good。　You　have　been　spoken　of　in
a　promising　quarter　and　you　will　soon；　I　hope；　have　news
that　will　be　agreeable　to　you。〃
Grimaud　saluted　in　his　politest　manner　and　withdrew；　as　was
his　custom　on　the　entrance　of　his　superior。
〃Well；　my　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　with　his　rude　laugh；　〃you
still　set　yourself　against　this　poor　fellow？〃
〃So！　'tis　you；　La　Ramee；　in　faith；　'tis　time　you　came　back
again。　I　threw　myself　on　the　bed　and　turned　my　nose　to　the
wall；　that　I　mightn't　break　my　promise　and　strangle
Grimaud。〃
〃I　doubt；　however；〃　said　La　Ramee；　in　sprightly　allusion　to
the　silence　of　his　subordinate；　〃if　he　has　said　anything
disagreeable　to　your　highness。〃
〃Pardieu！　you　are　right　　a　mute　from　the　East！　I　swear　it
was　time　for　you　to　come　back；　La　Ramee；　and　I　was　eager　to
see　you　again。〃
〃Monseigneur　is　too　good；〃　said　La　Ramee；　flattered　by　the
compliment。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　duke；　〃really；　I　feel　bored　today
beyond　the　power　of　description。〃
〃Then　let　us　have　a　match　in　the　tennis　court；〃　exclaimed　La
Ramee。
〃If　you　wish　it。〃
〃I　am　at　your　service；　my　lord。〃
〃I　protest；　my　dear　La　Ramee；〃　said　the　duke；　〃that　you　are
a　charming　fellow　and　that　I　would　stay　forever　at　Vincennes
to　have　the　pleasure　of　your　society。〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　La　Ramee；　〃I　think　if　it　depended　on　the
cardinal　your　wishes　would　be　fulfilled。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？　Have　you　seen　him　lately？〃
〃He　sent　for　me　to…day。〃
〃Really！　to　speak　to　you　about　me？〃
〃Of　what　else　do　you　imagine　he　would　speak　to　me？　Really；
my　lord；　you　are　his　nightmare。〃
The　duke　smiled　with　bitterness。
〃Ah；　La　Ramee！　if　you　would　but　accept　my　offers！　I　would
make　your　fortune。〃
〃How？　you　would　no　sooner　have　left　prison　than　your　goods
would　be　confiscated。〃
〃I　shall　no　sooner　be　out　of　prison　than　I　shall　be　master
of　Paris。〃
〃Pshaw！　pshaw！　I　cannot　hear　such　things　said　as　that；　this
is　a　fine　conversation　with　an　officer　of　the　king！　I　see；
my　lord；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　fetch　a　second　Grimaud！〃
〃Very　well；　let　us　say　no　more　about　it。　So　you　and　the
cardinal　have　been　talking　about　me？　La　Ramee；　some　day　when
he　sends　for　you；　you　must　let　me　put　on　your　clothes；　I
will　go　in　your　stead；　I　will　strangle　him；　and　upon　my
honor；　if　that　is　made　a　condition　I　will　return　to　prison。〃
〃Monseigneur；　I　see　well　that　I　must　call　Grimaud。〃
〃Well；　I　am　wrong。　And　what　did　the　cuistre　＇pettifogger＇
say　about　me？〃
〃I　admit　the　word；　monseigneur；　because　it　rhymes　with
ministre　＇minister＇。　What　did　he　say　to　me？　He　told　me　to
watch　you。〃
〃And　why　so？　why　watch　me？〃　asked　the　duke　uneasily。
〃Because　an　astrologer　had　predicted　that　you　would　escape。〃
〃Ah！　an　astrologer　predicted　that？〃　said　the　duke；　starting
in　spite　of　himself。
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！　yes！　those　imbeciles　of　magicians　can　only
imagine　things　to　torment　honest　people。〃
〃And　what　did　you　reply　to　his　most　illustrious　eminence？〃
〃That　if　the　astrologer　in　question　made　almanacs　I　would
advise　him　not　to　buy　one。〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃Because　before　you　could　escape　you　would　have　to　be　turned
into　a　bird。〃
〃Unfortunately；　that　is　true。　Let　us　go　and　have　a　game　at
tennis；　La　Ramee。〃
〃My　lord　　I　beg　your　highness's　pardon　　but　I　must　beg
for　half　an　hour's　leave　of　absence。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because　Monseigneur　Mazarin　is　a　prouder　man　than　his
highness；　though　not　of　such　high　birth：　he　forgot　to　ask　me
to　breakfast。〃
〃Well；　shall　I　send　for　some　breakfast　here？〃
〃No；　my　lord；　I　must　tell　you　that　the　confectioner　who
lived　opposite　the　castle　　Daddy　Marteau；　as　they　called
him　　〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well；　he　sold　his　business　a　week　ago　to　a　confectioner
from　Paris；　an　invalid；　ordered　country　air　for　his　health。〃
〃Well；　what　have　I　to　do　with　that？〃
〃Why；　good　Lord！　this　man；　your　highness；　when　he　saw　me
stop　before　his　shop；　where　he　has　a　display　of　things　which
would　make　your　mouth　water；　my　lord；　asked　me　to　get　him
the　custom　of　the　prisoners　in　the　donjon。　‘I　bought；'　said
he；　‘the　business　of　my　predecessor　on　the　strength　of　his
assurance　that　he　supplied　the　castle；　whereas；　on　my　honor；
Monsieur　de　Chavigny；　though　I've　been　here　a　week；　has　not
ordered　so　much　as　a　tartlet。'　‘But；'　I　then　replied；
‘probably　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is　afraid　your　pastry　is　not
good。'　‘My　pastry　not　good！　Well；　Monsieur　La　Ramee；　you
shall　judge　of　it　yourself　and　at　once。'　‘I　cannot；'　I
replied；　‘it　is　absolutely　necessary　for　me　to　return　to　the
chateau。'　‘Very　well；'　said　he；　‘go　and　attend　to　your
affairs；　since　you　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry；　but　come　back　in
half　an　hour。'　‘In　half　an　hour？'　‘Yes；　have　you
breakfasted？'　‘Faith；　no。'　‘Well；　here　is　a　pate　that　will
be　ready　for　you；　with　a　bottle　of　old　Burgundy。'　So；　you
see；　my　lord；　since　I　am　hungry；　I　would；　with　your
highness's　leave　　〃　And　La　Ramee　bent　low。
〃Go；　then；　animal；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　remember；　I　only
allow　you　half　an　hour。〃
〃May　I　promise　your　custom　to　the　successor　of　Father
Marteau；　my　lord？〃
〃Yes；　if　he　does　not　put　mushrooms　in　his　pies；　thou　knowest
that　mushrooms　from　the　wood　of　Vincennes　are　fatal　to　my
family。〃
La　Ramee　went　out；　but　in　five　minutes　one　of　the　officers
of　the　guard　entered　in　compliance　with　the　strict　orders　of
the　cardinal　that　the　prisoner　should　never　be　left　alone　a
moment。
But　during　these　five　minutes　the　duke　had　had　time　to　read
again　the　note　from　Madame　de　Montbazon；　which　proved　to　the
prisoner　that　his　friends　were　concerting　plans　for　his
deliverance；　but　in　what　way　he　knew　not。
But　his　confidence　in　Grimaud；　whose　petty　persecutions　he
now　perceived　were　only　a　blind；　increased；　and　he　conceived
the　highest　opinion　of　his　intellect　and　resolved　to　trust
entirely　to　his　guidance。

19
In　which　the　Contents　of　the　Pates　made　by　the　Successor　of
Father　Marteau　are　described。

In　half　an　hour　La　Ramee　returned；　full　of　glee；　like　most
men　who　have　eaten；　and　more　especially　drank　to　their
heart's　content。　The　pates　were　excellent；　the　wine
delicious。
The　weather　was　fine　and　the　game　at　tennis　took　place　in
the　open　air。
At　two　o'clock　the　tennis　balls　began；　according　to
Grimaud's　directions；　to　take　the　direction　of　the　moat；
much　to　the　joy　of　La　Ramee；　who　marked　fifteen　whenever　the
duke　sent　a　ball　into　the　moat；　and　very　soon　balls　were
wanting；　so　many　had　gone　over。　La　Ramee　then　proposed　to
send　some　one　to　pick　them　up；　but　the　duk