twenty years after(二十年后)-第48章

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La　Ramee；　I　am　ungrateful　for　having　ever　thought　of　leaving
this　place？〃
〃Oh！　my　lord　duke；　'tis　the　height　of　ingratitude；　but　your
highness　has　never　seriously　thought　of　it？〃
〃Yes；〃　returned　the　duke；　〃I　must　confess　I　sometimes　think
of　it。〃
〃Still　by　one　of　your　forty　methods；　your　highness？〃
〃Yes；　yes；　indeed。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃now　we　are　quite　at　our　ease　and
enjoying　ourselves；　pray　tell　me　one　of　those　forty　ways
invented　by　your　highness。〃
〃Willingly；〃　answered　the　duke；　〃give　me　the　pie！〃
〃I　am　listening；〃　said　La　Ramee；　leaning　back　in　his
armchair　and　raising　his　glass　of　Madeira　to　his　lips；　and
winking　his　eye　that　he　might　see　the　sun　through　the　rich
liquid　that　he　was　about　to　taste。
The　duke　glanced　at　the　clock。　In　ten　minutes　it　would
strike　seven。
Grimaud　placed　the　pie　before　the　duke；　who　took　a　knife
with　a　silver　blade　to　raise　the　upper　crust；　but　La　Ramee；
who　was　afraid　of　any　harm　happening　to　this　fine　work　of
art；　passed　his　knife；　which　had　an　iron　blade；　to　the　duke。
〃Thank　you；　La　Ramee；〃　said　the　prisoner。
〃Well；　my　lord！　this　famous　invention　of　yours？〃
〃Must　I　tell　you；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃on　what　I　most　reckon
and　what　I　determine　to　try　first？〃
〃Yes；　that's　the　thing；　my　lord！〃　cried　his　custodian；
gaily。
〃Well；　I　should　hope；　in　the　first　instance；　to　have　for
keeper　an　honest　fellow　like　you。〃
〃And　you　have　me；　my　lord。　Well？〃
〃Having；　then；　a　keeper　like　La　Ramee；　I　should　try　also　to
have　introduced　to　him　by　some　friend　or　other　a　man　who
would　be　devoted　to　me；　who　would　assist　me　in　my　flight。〃
〃Come；　come；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃that's　not　a　bad　idea。〃
〃Capital；　isn't　it？　for　instance；　the　former　servingman　of
some　brave　gentleman；　an　enemy　himself　to　Mazarin；　as　every
gentleman　ought　to　be。〃
〃Hush！　don't　let　us　talk　politics；　my　lord。〃
〃Then　my　keeper　would　begin　to　trust　this　man　and　to　depend
upon　him；　and　I　should　have　news　from　those　without　the
prison　walls。〃
〃Ah；　yes！　but　how　can　the　news　be　brought　to　you？〃
〃Nothing　easier；　in　a　game　of　tennis；　for　example。〃
〃In　a　game　of　tennis？〃　asked　La　Ramee；　giving　more　serious
attention　to　the　duke's　words。
〃Yes；　see；　I　send　a　ball　into　the　moat；　a　man　is　there　who
picks　it　up；　the　ball　contains　a　letter。　Instead　of
returning　the　ball　to　me　when　I　call　for　it　from　the　top　of
the　wall；　he　throws　me　another；　that　other　ball　contains　a
letter。　Thus　we　have　exchanged　ideas　and　no　one　has　seen　us
do　it。〃
〃The　devil　it　does！　The　devil　it　does！〃　said　La　Ramee；
scratching　his　head；　〃you　are　in　the　wrong　to　tell　me　that；
my　lord。　I　shall　have　to　watch　the　men　who　pick　up　balls。〃
The　duke　smiled。
〃But；〃　resumed　La　Ramee；　〃that　is　only　a　way　of
corresponding。〃
〃And　that　is　a　great　deal；　it　seems　to　me。〃
〃But　not　enough。〃
〃Pardon　me；　for　instance；　I　say　to　my　friends；　Be　on　a
certain　day；　on　a　certain　hour；　at　the　other　side　of　the
moat　with　two　horses。〃
〃Well；　what　then？〃　La　Ramee　began　to　be　uneasy；　〃unless　the
horses　have　wings　to　mount　the　ramparts　and　come　and　fetch
you。〃
〃That's　not　needed。　I　have；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃a　way　of
descending　from　the　ramparts。〃
〃What？〃
〃A　rope　ladder。〃
〃Yes；　but；〃　answered　La　Ramee；　trying　to　laugh；　〃a　ladder　of
ropes　can't　be　sent　around　a　ball；　like　a　letter。〃
〃No；　but　it　may　be　sent　in　something　else。〃
〃In　something　else　　in　something　else？　In　what？〃
〃In　a　pate；　for　example。〃
〃In　a　pate？〃　said　La　Ramee。
〃Yes。　Let　us　suppose　one　thing；〃　replied　the　duke　〃let　us
suppose；　for　instance；　that　my　maitre　d'hotel；　Noirmont；　has
purchased　the　shop　of　Pere　Marteau　　〃
〃Well？〃　said　La　Ramee；　shuddering。
〃Well；　La　Ramee；　who　is　a　gourmand；　sees　his　pates；　thinks
them　more　attractive　than　those　of　Pere　Marteau　and　proposes
to　me　that　I　shall　try　them。　I　consent　on　condition　that　La
Ramee　tries　them　with　me。　That　we　may　be　more　at　our　ease；
La　Ramee　removes　the　guards；　keeping　only　Grimaud　to　wait　on
us。　Grimaud　is　the　man　whom　a　friend　has　sent　to　second　me
in　everything。　The　moment　for　my　escape　is　fixed　　seven
o'clock。　Well；　at　a　few　minutes　to　seven　　〃
〃At　a　few　minutes　to　seven？〃　cried　La　Ramee；　cold　sweat　upon
his　brow。
〃At　a　few　minutes　to　seven；〃　returned　the　duke　（suiting　the
action　to　the　words）；　〃I　raise　the　crust　of　the　pie；　I　find
in　it　two　poniards；　a　ladder　of　rope；　and　a　gag。　I　point　one
of　the　poniards　at　La　Ramee's　breast　and　I　say　to　him；　‘My
friend；　I　am　sorry　for　it；　but　if　thou　stirrest；　if　thou
utterest　one　cry；　thou　art　a　dead　man！'〃
The　duke；　in　pronouncing　these　words；　suited；　as　we　have
said；　the　action　to　the　words。　He　was　standing　near　the
officer　and　he　directed　the　point　of　the　poniard　in　such　a
manner；　close　to　La　Ramee's　heart；　that　there　could　be　no
doubt　in　the　mind　of　that　individual　as　to　his
determination。　Meanwhile；　Grimaud；　still　mute　as　ever；　drew
from　the　pie　the　other　poniard；　the　rope　ladder　and　the　gag。
La　Ramee　followed　all　these　objects　with　his　eyes；　his　alarm
every　moment　increasing。
〃Oh；　my　lord；〃　he　cried；　with　an　expression　of　stupefaction
in　his　face；　〃you　haven't　the　heart　to　kill　me！〃
〃No；　not　if　thou　dost　not　oppose　my　flight。〃
〃But；　my　lord；　if　I　allow　you　to　escape　I　am　a　ruined　man。〃
〃I　will　compensate　thee　for　the　loss　of　thy　place。〃
〃You　are　determined　to　leave　the　chateau？〃
〃By　Heaven　and　earth！　This　night　I　am　determined　to　be
free。〃
〃And　if　I　defend　myself；　or　call；　or　cry　out？〃
〃I　will　kill　thee；　on　the　honor　of　a　gentleman。〃
At　this　moment　the　clock　struck。
〃Seven　o'clock！〃　said　Grimaud；　who　had　not　spoken　a　word。
La　Ramee　made　one　movement；　in　order　to　satisfy　his
conscience。　The　duke　frowned；　the　officer　felt　the　point　of
the　poniard；　which；　having　penetrated　through　his　clothes；
was　close　to　his　heart。
〃Let　us　dispatch；〃　said　the　duke。
〃My　lord；　one　last　favor。〃
〃What？　speak；　make　haste。〃
〃Bind　my　arms；　my　lord；　fast。〃
〃Why　bind　thee？〃
〃That　I　may　not　be　considered　as　your　accomplice。〃
〃Your　hands？〃　asked　Grimaud。
〃Not　before　me；　behind　me。〃
〃But　with　what？〃　asked　the　duke。
〃With　your　belt；　my　lord！〃　replied　La　Ramee。
The　duke　undid　his　belt　and　gave　it　to　Grimaud；　who　tied　La
Ramee　in　such　a　way　as　to　satisfy　him。
〃Your　feet；　too；〃　said　Grimaud。
La　Ramee　stretched　out　his　legs；　Grimaud　took　a　table…cloth；
tore　it　into　strips　and　tied　La　Ramee's　feet　together。
〃Now；　my　lord；〃　said　the　poor　man；　〃let　me　have　the　poire
d'angoisse。　I　ask　for　it；　without　it　I　should　be　tried　in　a
court　of　justice　because　I　did　not　raise　the　alarm。　Thrust
it　into　my　mouth；　my　lord；　thrust　it　in。〃
Grimaud　prepared　to　comply　with　this　request；　when　the
officer　made　a　sign　as　if　he　had　something　to　say。
〃Speak；〃　said　the　duke。
〃Now；　my　lord；　do　not　forget；　if　any　harm　happens　to　me　on
your　account；　that　I　have　a　wife　and　four　children。〃
〃Rest　assured；　put　the　gag　in；　Grimaud。〃
In　a　second　La　Ramee　was　gagged　and　laid　prostrate。　Two　or
three　chairs　were　thrown　down　as　if　there　had　been　a
struggle。　Grimaud　then　took　from　the　pocket　of　the　officer
all　the　keys　it　contained　and　first　opened　the　door　of　the
room　in　which　they　were；　then　shut　it　and　double…locked　it；
and　both　he　and　the　duke　proceeded　rapidly　down　the　gallery
which　led　to　the　little　inclosure。　At　last　they　reached　the
tennis　court。　It　was　completely　deserted。　No　sentinels；　no
one　at　any　of　the　windows。　The　duke　ran　to　the　rampart　and
perceived　on　the　other　side　of　the　ditch；　three　cavaliers
with　two　riding　horses。　The　duke　exchanged　a　signal　with
them。　It　was　indeed　for　him　that　they　were　there。
Grimaud；　meantime；　undid　the　means　of　escape。
This　was　not；　however；　a　rope　ladder；　but　a　ball　of　silk
cord；　with　a　narrow　board　which　was　to　pass　between　the
legs；　the　ball　to　unwind　itself　by　the　weight　of　the　person
who　sat　astride　upon　the　board。
〃Go！〃　said　the　duke。
〃First；　my　lord？〃　inquired　Grimaud。
〃Certainly。　If　I　am　caught；　I　risk　nothing　but　being　taken
back　again　to　prison。　If　they　catch　thee；　thou　wilt　be
hung。〃
〃True；〃　replied　Grimaud。
And　instantly；　Grimaud；　sitting　upon　the　board　as　if　on
horseback；　commenced　his　perilous　descent。
The　duke　followed　him　with　his　eyes；　with　involuntary
terror。　He　had　gone　down　about　three…quarters　of　the　length