twenty years after(二十年后)-第41章

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notwithstanding　her　low　condition；　had　acquaintances　in　the
highest　rank；　she　called　the　grandest　ladies　of　the　court
her　friend；　and　the　queen　　proud　as　she　is；　in　her　double
character　as　Austrian　and　as　Spaniard　　called　her　her
sister。〃
〃Alas！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　with　a　slight　sigh　and　a
little　movement　of　her　eyebrows　that　was　peculiarly　her　own；
〃since　that　time　everything　has　changed。〃
〃And　the　queen　had　reason　for　her　affection；　for　Marie　was
devoted　to　her　　devoted　to　that　degree　that　she　served　her
as　medium　of　intercourse　with　her　brother；　the　king　of
Spain。〃
〃Which；〃　interrupted　the　duchess；　〃is　now　brought　up　against
her　as　a　great　crime。〃
〃And　therefore；〃　continued　Athos；　〃the　cardinal　　the　true
cardinal；　the　other　one　　determined　one　fine　morning　to
arrest　poor　Marie　Michon　and　send　her　to　the　Chateau　de
Loches。　Fortunately　the　affair　was　not　managed　so　secretly
but　that　it　became　known　to　the　queen。　The　case　had　been
provided　for：　if　Marie　Michon　should　be　threatened　with　any
danger　the　queen　was　to　send　her　a　prayer…book　bound　in
green　velvet。〃
〃That　is　true；　monsieur；　you　are　well　informed。〃
〃One　morning　the　green　book　was　brought　to　her　by　the　Prince
de　Marsillac。　There　was　no　time　to　lose。　Happily　Marie　and　a
follower　of　hers　named　Kitty　could　disguise　themselves
admirably　in　men's　clothes。　The　prince　procured　for　Marie
Michon　the　dress　of　a　cavalier　and　for　Kitty　that　of　a
lackey；　he　sent　them　two　excellent　horses；　and　the　fugitives
went　out　hastily　from　Tours；　shaping　their　course　toward
Spain；　trembling　at　the　least　noise；　following　unfrequented
roads；　and　asking　for　hospitality　when　they　found　themselves
where　there　was　no　inn。〃
〃Why；　really；　it　was　all　exactly　as　you　say！〃　cried　Madame
de　Chevreuse；　clapping　her　hands。　〃It　would　indeed　be
strange　if　　〃　she　checked　herself。
〃If　I　should　follow　the　two　fugitives　to　the　end　of　their
journey？〃　said　Athos。　〃No；　madame；　I　will　not　thus　waste
your　time。　We　will　accompany　them　only　to　a　little　village
in　Limousin；　lying　between　Tulle　and　Angouleme　　a　little
village　called　Roche…l'Abeille。〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise；　and　looked　at
Athos　with　an　expression　of　astonishment　that　made　the　old
musketeer　smile。
〃Wait；　madame；〃　continued　Athos；　〃what　remains　for　me　to
tell　you　is　even　more　strange　than　what　I　have　narrated。〃
〃Monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃I　believe　you　are　a
sorcerer；　I　am　prepared　for　anything。　But　really　　No
matter；　go　on。〃
〃The　journey　of　that　day　had　been　long　and　wearing；　it　was　a
cold　day；　the　eleventh　of　October；　there　was　no　inn　or
chateau　in　the　village　and　the　homes　of　the　peasants　were
poor　and　unattractive。　Marie　Michon　was　a　very　aristocratic
person；　like　her　sister　the　queen；　she　had　been　accustomed
to　pleasing　perfumes　and　fine　linen；　she　resolved；
therefore；　to　seek　hospitality　of　the　priest。〃
Athos　paused。
〃Oh；　continue！〃　said　the　duchess。　〃I　have　told　you　that　I　am
prepared　for　anything。〃
〃The　two　travelers　knocked　at　the　door。　It　was　late；　the
priest；　who　had　gone　to　bed；　cried　out　to　them　to　come　in。
They　entered；　for　the　door　was　not　locked　　there　is　much
confidence　among　villagers。　A　lamp　burned　in　the　chamber
occupied　by　the　priest。　Marie　Michon；　who　made　the　most
charming　cavalier　in　the　world；　pushed　open　the　door；　put
her　head　in　and　asked　for　hospitality。　‘Willingly；　my　young
cavalier；'　said　the　priest；　‘if　you　will　be　content　with　the
remains　of　my　supper　and　with　half　my　chamber。'
〃The　two　travelers　consulted　for　a　moment。　The　priest　heard
a　burst　of　laughter　and　then　the　master；　or　rather；　the
mistress；　replied：　‘Thank　you；　monsieur　le　cure；　I　accept。'
‘Sup；　then；　and　make　as　little　noise　as　possible；'　said　the
priest；　‘for　I；　too；　have　been　on　the　go　all　day　and　shall
not　be　sorry　to　sleep　to…night。'〃
Madame　de　Chevreuse　evidently　went　from　surprise　to
astonishment；　and　from　astonishment　to　stupefaction。　Her
face；　as　she　looked　at　Athos；　had　taken　on　an　expression
that　cannot　be　described。　It　could　be　seen　that　she　had
wished　to　speak；　but　she　had　remained　silent　through　fear　of
losing　one　of　her　companion's　words。
〃What　happened　then？〃　she　asked。
〃Then？〃　said　Athos。　〃Ah；　I　have　come　now　to　what　is　most
difficult。〃
〃Speak；　speak！　One　can　say　anything　to　me。　Besides；　it
doesn't　concern　me；　it　relates　to　Mademoiselle　Marie
Michon。〃
〃Ah；　that　is　true；〃　said　Athos。　〃Well；　then；　Marie　Michon
had　supper　with　her　follower；　and　then；　in　accordance　with
the　permission　given　her；　she　entered　the　chamber　of　her
host；　Kitty　meanwhile　taking　possession　of　an　armchair　in
the　room　first　entered；　where　they　had　taken　their　supper。〃
〃Really；　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　〃unless　you
are　the　devil　in　person　I　don't　know　how　you　could　become
acquainted　with　all　these　details。〃
〃A　charming　woman　was　that　Marie　Michon；〃　resumed　Athos；
〃one　of　those　wild　creatures　who　are　constantly　conceiving
the　strangest　ideas。　Now；　thinking　that　her　host　was　a
priest；　that　coquette　took　it　into　her　head　that　it　would　be
a　happy　souvenir　for　her　old　age；　among　the　many　happy
souvenirs　she　already　possessed；　if　she　could　win　that　of
having　damned　an　abbe。〃
〃Count；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃upon　my　word；　you　frighten　me。〃
〃Alas！〃　continued　Athos；　〃the　poor　abbe　was　not　a　St。
Ambroise；　and　I　repeat；　Marie　Michon　was　an　adorable
creature。〃
〃Monsieur！〃　cried　the　duchess；　seizing　Athos's　hands；　〃tell
me　this　moment　how　you　know　all　these　details；　or　I　will
send　to　the　convent　of　the　Vieux　Augustins　for　a　monk　to
come　and　exorcise　you。〃
Athos　laughed。　〃Nothing　is　easier；　madame。　A　cavalier；
charged　with　an　important　mission；　had　come　an　hour　before
your　arrival；　seeking　hospitality；　at　the　very　moment　that
the　cure；　summoned　to　the　bedside　of　a　dying　person；　left
not　only　his　house　but　the　village；　for　the　entire　night。
The　priest　having　all　confidence　in　his　guest；　who；　besides；
was　a　nobleman；　had　left　to　him　his　house；　his　supper　and
his　chamber。　And　therefore　Marie　came　seeking　hospitality
from　the　guest　of　the　good　abbe　and　not　from　the　good　abbe
himself。〃
〃And　that　cavalier；　that　guest；　that　nobleman　who　arrived
before　she　came？〃
〃It　was　I；　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；〃　said　Athos；　rising　and
bowing　respectfully　to　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse。
The　duchess　remained　a　moment　stupefied；　then；　suddenly
bursting　into　laughter：
〃Ah！　upon　my　word；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　very　droll；　and　that
mad　Marie　Michon　fared　better　than　she　expected。　Sit　down；
dear　count；　and　go　on　with　your　story。〃
〃At　this　point　I　have　to　accuse　myself　of　a　fault；　madame。　I
have　told　you　that　I　was　traveling　on　an　important　mission。
At　daybreak　I　left　the　chamber　without　noise；　leaving　my
charming　companion　asleep。　In　the　front　room　the　follower
was　also　still　asleep；　her　head　leaning　back　on　the　chair；
in　all　respects　worthy　of　her　mistress。　Her　pretty　face
arrested　my　attention；　I　approached　and　recognized　that
little　Kitty　whom　our　friend　Aramis　had　placed　with　her。　In
that　way　I　discovered　that　the　charming　traveler　was　　〃
〃Marie　Michon！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　hastily。
〃Marie　Michon；〃　continued　Athos。　〃Then　I　went　out　of　the
house；　I　proceeded　to　the　stable　and　found　my　horse　saddled
and　my　lackey　ready。　We　set　forth　on　our　journey。〃
〃And　have　you　never　revisited　that　village？〃　eagerly　asked
Madame　de　Chevreuse。
〃A　year　after；　madame。〃
〃Well？〃
〃I　wanted　to　see　the　good　cure　again。　I　found　him　much
preoccupied　with　an　event　that　he　could　not　at　all
comprehend。　A　week　before　he　had　received；　in　a　cradle；　a
beautiful　little　boy　three　months　old；　with　a　purse　filled
with　gold　and　a　note　containing　these　simple　words：　‘11
October；　1633。'〃
〃It　was　the　date　of　that　strange　adventure；〃　interrupted
Madame　de　Chevreuse。
〃Yes；　but　he　couldn't　understand　what　it　meant；　for　he　had
spent　that　night　with　a　dying　person　and　Marie　Michon　had
left　his　house　before　his　return。〃
〃You　must　know；　monsieur；　that　Marie　Michon；　when　she
returned　to　France　in　1643；　immediately　sought　for
information　about　that　child；　as　a　fugitive　she　could　not
take　care　of　it；　but　on　her　return　she　wished　to　have　it
near　her。〃
〃And　what　said　the　abbe？〃　as