twenty years after(二十年后)-第5章

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and　know　each　other　too　well　ever　to　trust　what　any　one　of
them　may　say　of　himself；　so　in　reaching　the　walls　which
surrounded　the　Palais　Royal；　the　cardinal　knocked　at　a
little　door；　and　after　thanking　D'Artagnan　and　requesting
him　to　wait　in　the　court　of　the　Palais　Royal；　he　made　a　sign
to　Guitant　to　follow　him。
They　both　dismounted；　consigned　their　horses　to　the　lackey
who　had　opened　the　door；　and　disappeared　in　the　garden。
〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　cardinal；　leaning；　as　they　walked
through　the　garden；　on　his　friend's　arm；　〃you　told　me　just
now　that　you　had　been　twenty　years　in　the　queen's　service。〃
〃Yes；　it's　true。　I　have；〃　returned　Guitant。
〃Now；　my　dear　Guitant；　I　have　often　remarked　that　in
addition　to　your　courage；　which　is　indisputable；　and　your
fidelity；　which　is　invincible；　you　possess　an　admirable
memory。〃
〃You　have　found　that　out；　have　you；　my　lord？　Deuce　take　it
　all　the　worse　for　me！〃
〃How？〃
〃There　is　no　doubt　but　that　one　of　the　chief　accomplishments
of　a　courtier　is　to　know　when　to　forget。〃
〃But　you；　Guitant；　are　not　a　courtier。　You　are　a　brave
soldier；　one　of　the　few　remaining　veterans　of　the　days　of
Henry　IV。　Alas！　how　few　to…day　exist！〃
〃Plague　on't；　my　lord；　have　you　brought　me　here　to　get　my
horoscope　out　of　me？〃
〃No；　I　only　brought　you　here　to　ask　you；〃　returned　Mazarin；
smiling；　〃if　you　have　taken　any　particular　notice　of　our
lieutenant　of　musketeers？〃
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan？　I　have　had　no　occasion　to　notice　him
particularly；　he's　an　old　acquaintance。　He's　a　Gascon。　De
Treville　knows　him　and　esteems　him　very　highly；　and　De
Treville；　as　you　know；　is　one　of　the　queen's　greatest
friends。　As　a　soldier　the　man　ranks　well；　he　did　his　whole
duty　and　even　more；　at　the　siege　of　Rochelle　　as　at　Suze
and　Perpignan。〃
〃But　you　know；　Guitant；　we　poor　ministers　often　want　men
with　other　qualities　besides　courage；　we　want　men　of　talent。
Pray；　was　not　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　in　the　time　of　the
cardinal；　mixed　up　in　some　intrigue　from　which　he　came　out；
according　to　report；　quite　cleverly？〃
〃My　lord；　as　to　the　report　you　allude　to〃　　Guitant
perceived　that　the　cardinal　wished　to　make　him　speak　out　
〃I　know　nothing　but　what　the　public　knows。　I　never　meddle　in
intrigues；　and　if　I　occasionally　become　a　confidant　of　the
intrigues　of　others　I　am　sure　your　eminence　will　approve　of
my　keeping　them　secret。〃
Mazarin　shook　his　head。
〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃some　ministers　are　fortunate　and　find　out
all　that　they　wish　to　know。〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　Guitant；　〃such　ministers　do　not　weigh　men
in　the　same　balance；　they　get　their　information　on　war　from
warriors；　on　intrigues；　from　intriguers。　Consult　some
politician　of　the　period　of　which　you　speak；　and　if　you　pay
well　for　it　you　will　certainly　get　to　know　all　you　want。〃
〃Eh；　pardieu！〃　said　Mazarin；　with　a　grimace　which　he　always
made　when　spoken　to　about　money。　〃They　will　be　paid；　if
there　is　no　way　of　getting　out　of　it。〃
〃Does　my　lord　seriously　wish　me　to　name　any　one　who　was
mixed　up　in　the　cabals　of　that　day？〃
〃By　Bacchus！〃　rejoined　Mazarin；　impatiently；　〃it's　about　an
hour　since　I　asked　you　for　that　very　thing；　wooden…head　that
you　are。〃
〃There　is　one　man　for　whom　I　can　answer；　if　he　will　speak
out。〃
〃That's　my　concern；　I　will　make　him　speak。〃
〃Ah；　my　lord；　'tis　not　easy　to　make　people　say　what　they
don't　wish　to　let　out。〃
〃Pooh！　with　patience　one　must　succeed。　Well；　this　man。　Who
is　he？〃
〃The　Comte　de　Rochefort。〃
〃The　Comte　de　Rochefort！〃
〃Unfortunately　he　has　disappeared　these　four　or　five　years
and　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃
〃I　know；　Guitant；〃　said　Mazarin。
〃Well；　then；　how　is　it　that　your　eminence　complained　just
now　of　want　of　information？〃
〃You　think；〃　resumed　Mazarin；　〃that　Rochefort　　〃
〃He　was　Cardinal　Richelieu's　creature；　my　lord。　I　warn　you；
however；　his　services　will　cost　you　something。　The　cardinal
was　lavish　to　his　underlings。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　Guitant；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃Richelieu　was　a　great
man；　a　very　great　man；　but　he　had　that　defect。　Thanks；
Guitant；　I　shall　benefit　by　your　advice　this　very　evening。〃
Here　they　separated　and　bidding　adieu　to　Guitant　in　the
court　of　the　Palais　Royal；　Mazarin　approached　an　officer　who
was　walking　up　and　down　within　that　inclosure。
It　was　D'Artagnan；　who　was　waiting　for　him。
〃Cane　hither；〃　said　Mazarin　in　his　softest　voice；　〃I　have　an
order　to　give　you。〃
D'Artagnan　bent　low　and　following　the　cardinal　up　the　secret
staircase；　soon　found　himself　in　the　study　whence　they　had
first　set　out。
The　cardinal　seated　himself　before　his　bureau　and　taking　a
sheet　of　paper　wrote　some　lines　upon　it；　whilst　D'Artagnan
stood　imperturbable；　without　showing　either　impatience　or
curiosity。　He　was　like　a　soldierly　automaton；　or　rather；
like　a　magnificent　marionette。
The　cardinal　folded　and　sealed　his　letter。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　to　take　this
dispatch　to　the　Bastile　and　bring　back　here　the　person　it
concerns。　You　must　take　a　carriage　and　an　escort；　and　guard
the　prisoner　with　the　greatest　care。〃
D'Artagnan　took　the　letter；　touched　his　hat　with　his　hand；
turned　round　upon　his　heel　like　a　drill…sergeant；　and　a
moment　afterward　was　heard；　in　his　dry　and　monotonous　tone；
commanding　〃Four　men　and　an　escort；　a　carriage　and　a　horse。〃
Five　minutes　afterward　the　wheels　of　the　carriage　and　the
horses'　shoes　were　heard　resounding　on　the　pavement　of　the
courtyard。

3
Dead　Animosities。

D'Artagnan　arrived　at　the　Bastile　just　as　it　was　striking
half…past　eight。　His　visit　was　announced　to　the　governor；
who；　on　hearing　that　he　came　from　the　cardinal；　went　to　meet
him　and　received　him　at　the　top　of　the　great　flight　of　steps
outside　the　door。　The　governor　of　the　Bastile　was　Monsieur
du　Tremblay；　the　brother　of　the　famous　Capuchin；　Joseph；
that　fearful　favorite　of　Richelieu's；　who　went　by　the　name
of　the　Gray　Cardinal。
During　the　period　that　the　Duc　de　Bassompierre　passed　in　the
Bastile　　where　he　remained　for　twelve　long　years　　when
his　companions；　in　their　dreams　of　liberty；　said　to　each
other：　〃As　for　me；　I　shall　go　out　of　the　prison　at　such　a
time；〃　and　another；　at　such　and　such　a　time；　the　duke　used
to　answer；　〃As　for　me；　gentlemen；　I　shall　leave　only　when
Monsieur　du　Tremblay　leaves；〃　meaning　that　at　the　death　of
the　cardinal　Du　Tremblay　would　certainly　lose　his　place　at
the　Bastile　and　De　Bassompierre　regain　his　at　court。
His　prediction　was　nearly　fulfilled；　but　in　a　very　different
way　from　that　which　De　Bassompierre　supposed；　for　after　the
death　of　Richelieu　everything　went　on；　contrary　to
expectation；　in　the　same　way　as　before；　and　Bassompierre　had
little　chance　of　leaving　his　prison。
Monsieur　du　Tremblay　received　D'Artagnan　with　extreme
politeness　and　invited　him　to　sit　down　with　him　to　supper；
of　which　he　was　himself　about　to　partake。
〃I　should　be　delighted　to　do　so；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　if　I
am　not　mistaken；　the　words　‘In　haste；'　are　written　on　the
envelope　of　the　letter　which　I　brought。〃
〃You　are　right；〃　said　Du　Tremblay。　〃Halloo；　major！　tell　them
to　order　Number　25　to　come　downstairs。〃
The　unhappy　wretch　who　entered　the　Bastile　ceased；　as　he
crossed　the　threshold；　to　be　a　man　　he　became　a　number。
D'Artagnan　shuddered　at　the　noise　of　the　keys；　he　remained
on　horseback；　feeling　no　inclination　to　dismount；　and　sat
looking　at　the　bars；　at　the　buttressed　windows　and　the
immense　walls　he　had　hitherto　only　seen　from　the　other　side
of　the　moat；　but　by　which　he　had　for　twenty　years　been
awe…struck。
A　bell　resounded。
〃I　must　leave　you；〃　said　Du　Tremblay；　〃I　am　sent　for　to　sign
the　release　of　a　prisoner。　I　shall　be　happy　to　meet　you
again；　sir。〃
〃May　the　devil　annihilate　me　if　I　return　thy　wish！〃　murmured
D'Artagnan；　smiling　as　he　pronounced　the　imprecation；　〃I
declare　I　feel　quite　ill　after　only　being　five　minutes　in
the　courtyard。　Go　to！　go　to！　I　would　rather　die　on　straw
than　hoard　up　a　thousand　a　year　by　being　governor　of　the
Bastile。〃
He　had　scarcely　finished　this　soliloquy　before　the　prisoner
arrived。　On　seeing　him　D'Artagnan　could　hardly　suppress　an
exclamation　of　surprise。　The　prisoner　got　into　the　carriage
without　seeming　to　recognize　the　musketeer。
〃Gentlemen；〃　thus　D'Artagnan　addressed　the　four　musketeers；
〃I