twenty years after(二十年后)-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃No；　don't　be　alarmed；　although　it　is　to　a　lady　that　I　am
going　to　present　you；　and　I　am　anxious　that　you　should　love
her　　〃
The　young　man　looked　at　the　count　with　a　certain　uneasiness；
but　at　a　smile　from　Athos　he　was　quickly　reassured。
〃How　old　is　she？〃　inquired　the　Vicomte　de　Bragelonne。
〃My　dear　Raoul；　learn；　once　for　all；　that　that　is　a　question
which　is　never　asked。　When　you　can　find　out　a　woman's　age　by
her　face；　it　is　useless　to　ask　it；　when　you　cannot　do　so；　it
is　indiscreet。〃
〃Is　she　beautiful？〃
〃Sixteen　years　ago　she　was　deemed　not　only　the　prettiest；
but　the　most　graceful　woman　in　France。〃
This　reply　reassured　the　vicomte。　A　woman　who　had　been　a
reigning　beauty　a　year　before　he　was　born　could　not　be　the
subject　of　any　scheme　for　him。　He　retired　to　his　toilet。
When　he　reappeared；　Athos　received　him　with　the　same
paternal　smile　as　that　which　he　had　often　bestowed　on
D'Artagnan；　but　a　more　profound　tenderness　for　Raoul　was　now
visibly　impressed　upon　his　face。
Athos　cast　a　glance　at　his　feet；　hands　and　hair　　those
three　marks　of　race。　The　youth's　dark　hair　was　neatly　parted
and　hung　in　curls；　forming　a　sort　of　dark　frame　around　his
face；　such　was　the　fashion　of　the　day。　Gloves　of　gray　kid；
matching　the　hat；　well　displayed　the　form　of　a　slender　and
elegant　hand；　whilst　his　boots；　similar　in　color　to　the　hat
and　gloves；　confined　feet　small　as　those　of　a　boy　twelve
years　old。
〃Come；〃　murmured　Athos；　〃if　she　is　not　proud　of　him；　she
must　be　hard　to　please。〃
It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　The　two　travelers
proceeded　to　the　Rue　Saint　Dominique　and　stopped　at　the　door
of　a　magnificent　hotel；　surmounted　with　the　arms　of　De
Luynes。
〃'Tis　here；〃　said　Athos。
He　entered　the　hotel　and　ascended　the　front　steps；　and
addressing　a　footman　who　waited　there　in　a　grand　livery；
asked　if　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse　was　visible　and　if　she
could　receive　the　Comte　de　la　Fere？
The　servant　returned　with　a　message　to　say；　that；　though　the
duchess　had　not　the　honor　of　knowing　Monsieur　de　la　Fere；
she　would　receive　him。
Athos　followed　the　footman；　who　led　him　through　a　long
succession　of　apartments　and　paused　at　length　before　a
closed　door。　Athos　made　a　sign　to　the　Vicomte　de　Bragelonne
to　remain　where　he　was。
The　footman　opened　the　door　and　announced　Monsieur　le　Comte
de　la　Fere。
Madame　de　Chevreuse；　whose　name　appears　so　often　in　our
story　〃The　Three　Musketeers；〃　without　her　actually　having
appeared　in　any　scene；　was　still　a　beautiful　woman。　Although
about　forty…four　or　forty…five　years　old；　she　might　have
passed　for　thirty…five。　She　still　had　her　rich　fair　hair；
her　large；　animated；　intelligent　eyes；　so　often　opened　by
intrigue；　so　often　closed　by　the　blindness　of　love。　She　had
still　her　nymph…like　form；　so　that　when　her　back　was　turned
she　still　was　not　unlike　the　girl　who　had　jumped；　with　Anne
of　Austria；　over　the　moat　of　the　Tuileries　in　1563。　In　all
other　respects　she　was　the　same　mad　creature　who　threw　over
her　amours　such　an　air　of　originality　as　to　make　them
proverbial　for　eccentricity　in　her　family。
She　was　in　a　little　boudoir；　hung　with　blue　damask；　adorned
by　red　flowers；　with　a　foliage　of　gold；　looking　upon　a
garden；　and　reclined　upon　a　sofa；　her　head　supported　on　the
rich　tapestry　which　covered　it。　She　held　a　book　in　her　hand
and　her　arm　was　supported　by　a　cushion。
At　the　footman's　announcement　she　raised　herself　a　little
and　peeped　out；　with　some　curiosity。
Athos　appeared。
He　was　dressed　in　violet…tinted　velvet；　trimmed　with　silk　of
the　same　color。　His　shoulder…knots　were　of　burnished　silver；
his　mantle　had　no　gold　nor　embroidery　on　it；　a　simple　plume
of　violet　feathers　adorned　his　hat；　his　boots　were　of　black
leather；　and　at　his　girdle　hung　that　sword　with　a
magnificent　hilt　that　Porthos　had　so　often　admired　in　the
Rue　Feron。　Splendid　lace　adorned　the　falling　collar　of　his
shirt；　and　lace　fell　also　over　the　top　of　his　boots。
In　his　whole　person　he　bore　such　an　impress　of　high　degree；
that　Madame　de　Chevreuse　half　rose　from　her　seat　when　she
saw　him　and　made　him　a　sign　to　sit　down　near　her。
Athos　bowed　and　obeyed。　The　footman　was　withdrawing；　but
Athos　stopped　him　by　a　sign。
〃Madame；〃　he　said　to　the　duchess；　〃I　have　had　the　boldness
to　present　myself　at　your　hotel　without　being　known　to　you；
it　has　succeeded；　since　you　deign　to　receive　me。　I　have　now
the　boldness　to　ask　you　for　an　interview　of　half　an　hour。〃
〃I　grant　it；　monsieur；〃　replied　Madame　de　Chevreuse　with　her
most　gracious　smile。
〃But　that　is　not　all；　madame。　Oh；　I　am　very　presuming；　I　am
aware。　The　interview　for　which　I　ask　is　of　us　two　alone；　and
I　very　earnestly　wish　that　it　may　not　be　interrupted。〃
〃I　am　not　at　home　to　any　one；〃　said　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse
to　the　footman。　〃You　may　go。〃
The　footman　went　out
There　ensued　a　brief　silence；　during　which　these　two
persons；　who　at　first　sight　recognized　each　other　so　clearly
as　of　noble　race；　examined　each　other　without　embarrassment
on　either　side。
The　duchess　was　the　first　to　speak。
〃Well；　sir；　I　am　waiting　with　impatience　to　hear　what　you
wish　to　say　to　me。〃
〃And　I；　madame；〃　replied　Athos；　〃am　looking　with
admiration。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃you　must　excuse　me；　but　I
long　to　know　to　whom　I　am　talking。　You　belong　to　the　court；
doubtless；　yet　I　have　never　seen　you　at　court。　Have　you；　by
any　chance；　been　in　the　Bastile？〃
〃No；　madame；　I　have　not；　but　very　likely　I　am　on　the　road　to
it。〃
〃Ah！　then　tell　me　who　you　are；　and　get　along　with　you　upon
your　journey；〃　replied　the　duchess；　with　the　gayety　which
made　her　so　charming；　〃for　I　am　sufficiently　in　bad　odor
already；　without　compromising　myself　still　more。〃
〃Who　I　am；　madame？　My　name　has　been　mentioned　to　you　　the
Comte　de　la　Fere；　you　do　not　know　that　name。　I　once　bore
another；　which　you　knew；　but　you　have　certainly　forgotten
it。〃
〃Tell　it　me；　sir。〃
〃Formerly；〃　said　the　count；　〃I　was　Athos。〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　looked　astonished。　The　name　was　not
wholly　forgotten；　but　mixed　up　and　confused　with　ancient
recollections。
〃Athos？〃　said　she；　〃wait　a　moment。〃
And　she　placed　her　hands　on　her　brow；　as　if　to　force　the
fugitive　ideas　it　contained　to　concentration　in　a　moment。
〃Shall　I　help　you；　madame？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Yes；　do；〃　said　the　duchess。
〃This　Athos　was　connected　with　three　young　musketeers；　named
Porthos；　D'Artagnan；　and　　〃
He　stopped　short。
〃And　Aramis；〃　said　the　duchess；　quickly。
〃And　Aramis；　I　see　you　have　not　forgotten　the　name。〃
〃No；〃　she　said；　〃poor　Aramis；　a　charming　man；　elegant；
discreet；　and　a　writer　of　poetical　verses。　I　am　afraid　he
has　turned　out　ill；〃　she　added。
〃He　has；　he　is　an　abbe。〃
〃Ah；　what　a　misfortune！〃　exclaimed　the　duchess；　playing
carelessly　with　her　fan。　〃Indeed；　sir；　I　thank　you；　you　have
recalled　one　of　the　most　agreeable　recollections　of　my
youth。〃
〃Will　you　permit　me；　then；　to　recall　another　to　you？〃
〃Relating　to　him？〃
〃Yes　and　no。〃
〃Faith！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃say　on。　With　a　man　like
you　I　fear　nothing。〃

Athos　bowed。　〃Aramis；〃　he　continued；　〃was　intimate　with　a
young　needlewoman　from　Tours；　a　cousin　of　his；　named　Marie
Michon。〃
〃Ah；　I　knew　her！〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃It　was　to　her　he　wrote
from　the　siege　of　Rochelle；　to　warn　her　of　a　plot　against
the　Duke　of　Buckingham。〃
〃Exactly　so；　will　you　allow　me　to　speak　to　you　of　her？〃
〃If；〃　replied　the　duchess；　with　a　meaning　look；　〃you　do　not
say　too　much　against　her。〃
〃I　should　be　ungrateful；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　I　regard
ingratitude；　not　as　a　fault　or　a　crime；　but　as　a　vice；　which
is　much　worse。〃
〃You　ungrateful　to　Marie　Michon；　monsieur？〃　said　Madame　de
Chevreuse；　trying　to　read　in　Athos's　eyes。　〃But　how　can　that
be？　You　never　knew　her。〃
〃Eh；　madame；　who　knows？〃　said　Athos。　〃There　is　a　popular
proverb　to　the　effect　that　it　is　only　mountains　that　never
meet；　and　popular　proverbs　contain　sometimes　a　wonderful
amount　of　truth。〃
〃Oh；　go　on；　monsieur；　go　on！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse
eagerly；　〃you　can't　imagine　how　much　this　conversation
interests　me。〃
〃You　encourage　me；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　will　continue；　then。　That
cousin　of　Aramis；　that　Marie　Michon；　that　needlewoman；
notwithstanding　her　low　condition；　had　acquaintances　in　the
high