twenty years after(二十年后)-第50章

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well　as　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　one　of　my　old　friends；　who　used
to　conceal　his　nobility　under　the　name　of　Porthos。〃
Porthos　bowed　to　the　cardinal。
〃A　magnificent　cavalier；〃　remarked　Mazarin。
Porthos　turned　his　head　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　and
drew　himself　up　with　a　movement　full　of　dignity。
〃The　best　swordsman　in　the　kingdom；　my　lord；〃　said
D'Artagnan。
Porthos　bowed　to　his　friend。
Mazarin　was　as　fond　of　fine　soldiers　as；　in　later　times；
Frederick　of　Prussia　used　to　be。　He　admired　the　strong
hands；　the　broad　shoulders　and　the　steady　eye　of　Porthos。　He
seemed　to　see　before　him　the　salvation　of　his　administration
and　of　the　kingdom；　sculptured　in　flesh　and　bone。　He
remembered　that　the　old　association　of　musketeers　was
composed　of　four　persons。
〃And　your　two　other　friends？〃　he　asked。
Porthos　opened　his　mouth；　thinking　it　a　good　opportunity　to
put　in　a　word　in　his　turn；　D'Artagnan　checked　him　by　a
glance　from　the　corner　of　his　eye。
〃They　are　prevented　at　this　moment；　but　will　join　us　later。〃
Mazarin　coughed　a　little。
〃And　this　gentleman；　being　disengaged；　takes　to　the　service
willingly？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes；　my　lord；　and　from　pure　devotion　to　the　cause；　for
Monsieur　de　Bracieux　is　rich。〃
〃Rich！〃　said　Mazarin；　whom　that　single　word　always　inspired
with　a　great　respect。
〃Fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　said　Porthos。
These　were　the　first　words　he　had　spoken。
〃From　pure　zeal？〃　resumed　Mazarin；　with　his　artful　smile；
〃from　pure　zeal　and　devotion　then？〃
〃My　lord　has；　perhaps；　no　faith　in　those　words？〃　said
D'Artagnan。
〃Have　you；　Monsieur　le　Gascon？〃　asked　Mazarin；　supporting
his　elbows　on　his　desk　and　his　chin　on　his　hands。
〃I；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　〃I　believe　in　devotion　as　a　word　at
one's　baptism；　for　instance；　which　naturally　comes　before
one's　proper　name；　every　one　is　naturally　more　or　less
devout；　certainly；　but　there　should　be　at　the　end　of　one's
devotion　something　to　gain。〃
〃And　your　friend；　for　instance；　what　does　he　expect　to　have
at　the　end　of　his　devotion？〃
〃Well；　my　lord；　my　friend　has　three　magnificent　estates：
that　of　Vallon；　at　Corbeil；　that　of　Bracieux；　in　the
Soissonais；　and　that　of　Pierrefonds；　in　the　Valois。　Now；　my
lord；　he　would　like　to　have　one　of　his　three　estates　erected
into　a　barony。〃
〃Only　that？〃　said　Mazarin；　his　eyes　twinkling　with　joy　on
seeing　that　he　could　pay　for　Porthos's　devotion　without
opening　his　purse；　〃only　that？　That　can　be　managed。〃
〃I　shall　be　baron！〃　explained　Porthos；　stepping　forward。
〃I　told　you　so；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　checking　him　with　his
hand；　〃and　now　his　eminence　confirms　it。〃
〃And　you；　Monsieur　D'Artagnan；　what　do　you　want？〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃it　is　twenty　years　since
Cardinal　de　Richelieu　made　me　lieutenant。〃
〃Yes；　and　you　would　be　gratified　if　Cardinal　Mazarin　should
make　you　captain。〃
D'Artagnan　bowed。
〃Well；　that　is　not　impossible。　We　will　see；　gentlemen；　we
will　see。　Now；　Monsieur　de　Vallon；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃what
service　do　you　prefer；　in　the　town　or　in　the　country？〃
Porthos　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃Monsieur　de　Vallon　is　like　me；
he　prefers　service　extraordinary　　that　is　to　say；
enterprises　that　are　considered　mad　and　impossible。〃
That　boastfulness　was　not　displeasing　to　Mazarin；　he　fell
into　meditation。
〃And　yet；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　admit　that　I　sent　for　you　to
appoint　you　to　quiet　service；　I　have　certain　apprehensions
　well；　what　is　the　meaning　of　that？〃
In　fact；　a　great　noise　was　heard　in　the　ante…chamber；　at　the
same　time　the　door　of　the　study　was　burst　open　and　a　man；
covered　with　dust；　rushed　into　it；　exclaiming：
〃My　lord　the　cardinal！　my　lord　the　cardinal！〃
Mazarin　thought　that　some　one　was　going　to　assassinate　him
and　he　drew　back；　pushing　his　chair　on　the　castors。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　moved　so　as　to　plant　themselves
between　the　person　entering　and　the　cardinal。
〃Well；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Mazarin；　〃what's　the　matter？　and　why
do　you　rush　in　here；　as　if　you　were　about　to　penetrate　a
crowded　market…place？〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　the　messenger；　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　your
eminence　in　secret。　I　am　Monsieur　du　Poins；　an　officer　in
the　guards；　on　duty　at　the　donjon　of　Vincennes。〃
Mazarin；　perceiving　by　the　paleness　and　agitation　of　the
messenger　that　he　had　something　of　importance　to　say；　made　a
sign　that　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　should　give　place。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　withdrew　to　a　corner　of　the　cabinet。
〃Speak；　monsieur；　speak　at　once！〃　said　Mazarin　〃What　is　the
matter？〃
〃The　matter　is；　my　lord；　that　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　has
contrived　to　escape　from　the　Chateau　of　Vincennes。〃
Mazarin　uttered　a　cry　and　became　paler　than　the　man　who　had
brought　the　news。　He　fell　back；　almost　fainting；　in　his
chair。
〃Escaped？　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　escaped？〃
〃My　lord；　I　saw　him　run　off　from　the　top　of　the　terrace。〃
〃And　you　did　not　fire　on　him？〃
〃He　was　out　of　range。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Chavigny　　where　was　he？〃
〃Absent。〃
〃And　La　Ramee？〃
〃Was　found　locked　up　in　the　prisoner's　room；　a　gag　in　his
mouth　and　a　poniard　near　him。〃
〃But　the　man　who　was　under　him？〃
〃Was　an　accomplice　of　the　duke's　and　escaped　along　with
him。〃
Mazarin　groaned。
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　advancing　toward　the　cardinal；
〃it　seems　to　me　that　your　eminence　is　losing　precious　time。
It　may　still　be　possible　to　overtake　the　prisoner。　France　is
large；　the　nearest　frontier　is　sixty　leagues　distant。〃
〃And　who　is　to　pursue　him？〃　cried　Mazarin。
〃I；　pardieu！〃
〃And　you　would　arrest　him？〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃You　would　arrest　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　armed；　in　the　field？〃
〃If　your　eminence　should　order　me　to　arrest　the　devil；　I
would　seize　him　by　the　horns　and　would　bring　him　in。〃
〃So　would　I；〃　said　Porthos。
〃So　would　you！〃　said　Mazarin；　looking　with　astonishment　at
those　two　men。　〃But　the　duke　will　not　yield　himself　without
a　furious　battle。〃
〃Very　well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　his　eyes　aflame；　〃battle！　It
is　a　long　time　since　we　have　had　a　battle；　eh；　Porthos？〃
〃Battle！〃　cried　Porthos。
〃And　you　think　you　can　catch　him？〃
〃Yes；　if　we　are　better　mounted　than　he。〃
〃Go　then；　take　what　guards　you　find　here；　and　pursue　him。〃
〃You　command　us；　my　lord；　to　do　so？〃
〃And　I　sign　my　orders；〃　said　Mazarin；　taking　a　piece　of
paper　and　writing　some　lines；　〃Monsieur　du　Vallon；　your
barony　is　on　the　back　of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort's　horse；　you
have　nothing　to　do　but　to　overtake　it。　As　for　you；　my　dear
lieutenant；　I　promise　you　nothing；　but　if　you　bring　him　back
to　me；　dead　or　alive；　you　may　ask　all　you　wish。〃
〃To　horse；　Porthos！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　taking　his　friend　by
the　hand。
〃Here　I　am；〃　smiled　Porthos；　with　his　sublime　composure。
They　descended　the　great　staircase；　taking　with　them　all　the
guards　they　found　on　their　road；　and　crying　out；　〃To　arms！
To　arms！〃　and　immediately　put　spur　to　horse；　which　set　off
along　the　Rue　Saint　Honore　with　the　speed　of　the　whirlwind。
〃Well；　baron；　I　promise　you　some　good　exercise！〃　said　the
Gascon。
〃Yes；　my　captain。〃
As　they　went；　the　citizens；　awakened；　left　their　doors　and
the　street　dogs　followed　the　cavaliers；　barking。　At　the
corner　of　the　Cimetiere　Saint　Jean；　D'Artagnan　upset　a　man；
it　was　too　insignificant　an　occurrence　to　delay　people　so
eager　to　get　on。　The　troop　continued　its　course　as　though
their　steeds　had　wings。
Alas！　there　are　no　unimportant　events　in　this　world　and　we
shall　see　that　this　apparently　slight　incident　came　near
endangering　the　monarchy。

25
An　Adventure　on　the　High　Road。

The　musketeers　rode　the　whole　length　of　the　Faubourg　Saint
Antoine　and　of　the　road　to　Vincennes；　and　soon　found
themselves　out　of　the　town；　then　in　a　forest　and　then　within
sight　of　a　village。
The　horses　seemed　to　become　more　lively　with　each　successive
step；　their　nostrils　reddened　like　glowing　furnaces。
D'Artagnan；　freely　applying　his　spurs；　was　in　advance　of
Porthos　two　feet　at　the　most；　Musqueton　followed　two　lengths
behind；　the　guards　were　scattered　according　to　the　varying
excellence　of　their　respective　mounts。
From　the　top　of　an　eminence　D'Artagnan　perceived　a　group　of
people　collected　on　the　other　side　of　the　moat；　in　front　of
that　part　of　the　donjon　which　looks　toward　Saint　Maur。　He
rode　on；　convinced　that　in　this　direction　he　would　gain
intelligence　of　the　fugi