twenty years after(二十年后)-第53章

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him。
Twice　or　thrice　thrusts　were　attempted　on　both　sides；
without　effect；　sparks　were　emitted　from　the　swords　like
water　spouting　forth。
At　last　D'Artagnan　thought　it　was　time　to　try　one　of　his
favorite　feints　in　fencing。　He　brought　it　to　bear；
skillfully　executed　it　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；　and
struck　the　blow　with　a　force　which　he　fancied　would　prove
irresistible。
The　blow　was　parried。
〃'Sdeath！〃　he　cried；　with　his　Gascon　accent。
At　this　exclamation　his　adversary　bounded　back　and；　bending
his　bare　head；　tried　to　distinguish　in　the　gloom　the
features　of　the　lieutenant。
As　to　D'Artagnan；　afraid　of　some　feint；　he　still　stood　on
the　defensive。
〃Have　a　care；〃　cried　Porthos　to　his　opponent；　〃I've　still
two　pistols　charged。〃
〃The　more　reason　you　should　fire　the　first！〃　cried　his　foe。
Porthos　fired；　the　flash　threw　a　gleam　of　light　over　the
field　of　battle。
As　the　light　shone　on　them　a　cry　was　heard　from　the　other
two　combatants。
〃Athos！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan。
〃D'Artagnan！〃　ejaculated　Athos。
Athos　raised　his　sword；　D'Artagnan　lowered　his。
〃Aramis！〃　cried　Athos；　〃don't　fire！〃
〃Ah！　ha！　is　it　you；　Aramis？〃　said　Porthos。
And　he　threw　away　his　pistol。
Aramis　pushed　his　back　into　his　saddle…bags　and　sheathed　his
sword。
〃My　son！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　extending　his　hand　to　D'Artagnan。
This　was　the　name　which　he　gave　him　in　former　days；　in　their
moments　of　tender　intimacy。
〃Athos！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　wringing　his　hands。　〃So　you
defend　him！　And　I；　who　have　sworn　to　take　him　dead　or　alive；
I　am　dishonored　　and　by　you！〃
〃Kill　me！〃　replied　Athos；　uncovering　his　breast；　〃if　your
honor　requires　my　death。〃
〃Oh！　woe　is　me！　woe　is　me！〃　cried　the　lieutenant；　〃there's
only　one　man　in　the　world　who　could　stay　my　hand；　by　a
fatality　that　very　man　bars　my　way。　What　shall　I　say　to　the
cardinal？〃
〃You　can　tell　him；　sir；〃　answered　a　voice　which　was　the
voice　of　high　command　in　the　battle…field；　〃that　he　sent
against　me　the　only　two　men　capable　of　getting　the　better　of
four　men；　of　fighting　man　to　man；　without　discomfiture；
against　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　and　the　Chevalier　d'Herblay；
and　of　surrendering　only　to　fifty　men！
〃The　prince！〃　exclaimed　at　the　same　moment　Athos　and　Aramis；
unmasking　as　they　addressed　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　whilst
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　stepped　backward。
〃Fifty　cavaliers！〃　cried　the　Gascon　and　Porthos。
〃Look　around　you；　gentlemen；　if　you　doubt　the　fact；〃　said
the　duke。
The　two　friends　looked　to　the　right；　to　the　left；　they　were
encompassed　by　a　troop　of　horsemen。
〃Hearing　the　noise　of　the　fight；〃　resumed　the　duke；　〃I
fancied　you　had　about　twenty　men　with　you；　so　I　came　back
with　those　around　me；　tired　of　always　running　away；　and
wishing　to　draw　my　sword　in　my　own　cause；　but　you　are　only
two。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　but；　as　you　have　said；　two　that　are　a　match
for　twenty；〃　said　Athos。
〃Come；　gentlemen；　your　swords；〃　said　the　duke。
〃Our　swords！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　raising　his　head　and
regaining　his　self…possession。　〃Never！〃
〃Never！〃　added　Porthos。
Some　of　the　men　moved　toward　them。
〃One　moment；　my　lord；〃　whispered　Athos；　and　he　said
something　in　a　low　voice。
〃As　you　will；〃　replied　the　duke。　〃I　am　too　much　indebted　to
you　to　refuse　your　first　request。　Gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　his
escort；　〃withdraw。　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　Monsieur　du　Vallon；
you　are　free。〃
The　order　was　obeyed；　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　then　found
themselves　in　the　centre　of　a　large　circle。
〃Now；　D'Herblay；〃　said　Athos；　〃dismount　and　come　here。〃
Aramis　dismounted　and　went　to　Porthos；　whilst　Athos
approached　D'Artagnan。
All　four　once　more　together。
〃Friends！〃　said　Athos；　〃do　you　regret　you　have　not　shed　our
blood？〃
〃No；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　regret　to　see　that　we；　hitherto
united；　are　opposed　to　each　other。　Ah！　nothing　will　ever　go
well　with　us　hereafter！〃
〃Oh；　Heaven！　No；　all　is　over！〃　said　Porthos。
〃Well；　be　on　our　side　now；〃　resumed　Aramis。
〃Silence；　D'Herblay！〃　cried　Athos；　〃such　proposals　are　not
to　be　made　to　gentlemen　such　as　these。　'Tis　a　matter　of
conscience　with　them；　as　with　us。〃
〃Meantime；　here　we　are；　enemies！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Gramercy！
who　would　ever　have　thought　it？〃
D'Artagnan　only　sighed。
Athos　looked　at　them　both　and　took　their　hands　in　his。
〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　a　serious　business　and　my
heart　bleeds　as　if　you　had　pierced　it　through　and　through。
Yes；　we　are　severed；　there　is　the　great；　the　distressing
truth！　But　we　have　not　as　yet　declared　war；　perhaps　we　shall
have　to　make　certain　conditions；　therefore　a　solemn
conference　is　indispensable。〃
〃For　my　own　part；　I　demand　it；〃　said　Aramis。
〃I　accept　it；〃　interposed　D'Artagnan；　proudly。
Porthos　bowed；　as　if　in　assent。
〃Let　us　choose　a　place　of　rendezvous；〃　continued　Athos；　〃and
in　a　last　interview　arrange　our　mutual　position　and　the
conduct　we　are　to　maintain　toward　each　other。〃
〃Good！〃　the　other　three　exclaimed。
〃Well；　then；　the　place？〃
〃Will　the　Place　Royale　suit　you？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃In　Paris？〃
〃Yes。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　looked　at　each　other。
〃The　Place　Royale　　be　it　so！〃　replied　Athos。
〃When？〃
〃To…morrow　evening；　if　you　like！〃
〃At　what　hour？〃
〃At　ten　in　the　evening；　if　that　suits　you；　by　that　time　we
shall　have　returned。〃
〃Good。〃
〃There；〃　continued　Athos；　〃either　peace　or　war　will　be
decided；　honor；　at　all　events；　will　be　maintained！〃
〃Alas！〃　murmured　D'Artagnan；　〃our　honor　as　soldiers　is　lost
to　us　forever！〃
〃D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　gravely；　〃I　assure　you　that　you　do
me　wrong　in　dwelling　so　upon　that。　What　I　think　of　is；　that
we　have　crossed　swords　as　enemies。　Yes；〃　he　continued；　sadly
shaking　his　head；　〃Yes；　it　is　as　you　said；　misfortune；
indeed；　has　overtaken　us。　Come；　Aramis。〃
〃And　we；　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃will　return；　carrying
our　shame　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃And　tell　him；〃　cried　a　voice；　〃that　I　am　not　too　old　yet
for　a　man　of　action。〃
D'Artagnan　recognized　the　voice　of　De　Rochefort。
〃Can　I　do　anything　for　you；　gentlemen？〃　asked　the　duke。
〃Bear　witness　that　we　have　done　all　that　we　could。〃
〃That　shall　be　testified　to；　rest　assured。　Adieu！　we　shall
meet　soon；　I　trust；　in　Paris；　where　you　shall　have　your
revenge。〃　The　duke；　as　he　spoke；　kissed　his　hand；　spurred
his　horse　into　a　gallop　and　disappeared；　followed　by　his
troop；　who　were　soon　lost　in　distance　and　darkness。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　were　now　alone　with　a　man　who　held　by
the　bridles　two　horses；　they　thought　it　was　Musqueton　and
went　up　to　him。
〃What　do　I　see？〃　cried　the　lieutenant。　〃Grimaud；　is　it
thou？〃
Grimaud　signified　that　he　was　not　mistaken。
〃And　whose　horses　are　these？〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃Who　has　given　them　to　us？〃　said　Porthos。
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃Athos！　Athos！〃　muttered　D'Artagnan；　〃you　think　of　every
one；　you　are　indeed　a　nobleman！　Whither　art　thou　going；
Grimaud？〃
〃To　join　the　Vicomte　de　Bragelonne　in　Flanders；　your　honor。〃
They　were　taking　the　road　toward　Paris；　when　groans；　which
seemed　to　proceed　from　a　ditch；　attracted　their　attention。
〃What　is　that？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃It　is　I　　Musqueton；〃　said　a　mournful　voice；　whilst　a　sort
of　shadow　arose　out　of　the　side　of　the　road。
Porthos　ran　to　him。　〃Art　thou　dangerously　wounded；　my　dear
Musqueton？〃　he　said。
〃No；　sir；　but　I　am　severely。〃
〃What　can　we　do？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　must　return　to
Paris。〃
〃I　will　take　care　of　Musqueton；〃　said　Grimaud；　and　he　gave
his　arm　to　his　old　comrade；　whose　eyes　were　full　of　tears；
nor　could　Grimaud　tell　whether　the　tears　were　caused　by
wounds　or　by　the　pleasure　of　seeing　him　again。
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　went　on；　meantime；　to　Paris。　They
were　passed　by　a　sort　of　courier；　covered　with　dust；　the
bearer　of　a　letter　from　the　duke　to　the　cardinal；　giving
testimony　to　the　valor　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。
Mazarin　had　passed　a　very　bad　night　when　this　letter　was
brought　to　him；　announcing　that　the　duke　was　free　and　that
he　would　henceforth　raise　up　mortal　strife　against　him。
〃What　consoles　me；〃　said　the　cardinal　after　reading　the
letter；　〃is　that；　at　least；　in　this　chase；　D'Artagnan　has
done　me　one　good　turn　　he　has　destroyed　Broussel。　This
Gascon　is　a　precious　fellow；　even　his　misadventures　are　of
use。〃
The　cardinal　referred　to　that　man　whom　D'Artagnan　upset　at
the　corner　of　the　Cimetiere　Sai