twenty years after(二十年后)-第55章

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now；　whenever　he　wishes　　〃
〃Well；　whenever　he　wishes？〃
Planchet　began　to　sing：

〃Un　vent　de　fronde
S'est　leve　ce　matin；
Je　crois　qu'il　gronde
Contre　le　Mazarin。
Un　vent　de　fronde
S'est　leve　ce　matin。〃

〃It　doesn't　surprise　me；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　in　a　low　tone　to
Porthos；　〃that　Mazarin　would　have　been　much　better　satisfied
had　I　crushed　the　life　out　of　his　councillor。〃
〃You　understand；　then；　monsieur；〃　resumed　Planchet；　〃that　if
it　were　for　some　enterprise　like　that　undertaken　against
Monsieur　Broussel　that　you　should　ask　me　to　take　my　carbine
　〃
〃No；　don't　be　alarmed；　but　where　did　you　get　all　these
details？〃
〃From　a　good　source；　sir；　I　heard　it　from　Friquet。〃
〃From　Friquet？　I　know　that　name　　〃
〃A　son　of　Monsieur　de　Broussel's　servant；　and　a　lad　that；　I
promise　you；　in　a　revolt　will　not　give　away　his　share　to　the
dogs。〃
〃Is　he　not　a　singing　boy　at　Notre　Dame？〃　asked　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　that　is　the　very　boy；　he's　patronized　by　Bazin。〃
〃Ah；　yes；　I　know。〃
〃Of　what　importance　is　this　little　reptile　to　you？〃　asked
Porthos。
〃Gad！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃he　has　already　given　me　good
information　and　he　may　do　the　same　again。〃
Whilst　all　this　was　going　on；　Athos　and　Aramis　were　entering
Paris　by　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine。　They　had　taken　some
refreshment　on　the　road　and　hastened　on；　that　they　might　not
fail　at　the　appointed　place。　Bazin　was　their　only　attendant；
for　Grimaud　had　stayed　behind　to　take　care　of　Musqueton。　As
they　were　passing　onward；　Athos　proposed　that　they　should
lay　aside　their　arms　and　military　costume；　and　assume　a
dress　more　suited　to　the　city。
〃Oh；　no；　dear　count！〃　cried　Aramis；　〃is　it　not　a　warlike
encounter　that　we　are　going　to？〃
〃What　do　you　mean；　Aramis？〃
〃That　the　Place　Royale　is　the　termination　to　the　main　road
to　Vendomois；　and　nothing　else。〃
〃What！　our　friends？〃
〃Are　become　our　most　dangerous　enemies；　Athos。　Let　us　be　on
our　guard。〃
〃Oh！　my　dear　D'Herblay！〃
〃Who　can　say　whether　D'Artagnan　may　not　have　betrayed　us　to
the　cardinal？　who　can　tell　whether　Mazarin　may　not　take
advantage　of　this　rendezvous　to　seize　us？〃
〃What！　Aramis；　you　think　that　D'Artagnan；　that　Porthos；
would　lend　their　hands　to　such　an　infamy？〃
〃Among　friends；　my　dear　Athos；　no；　you　are　right；　but　among
enemies　it　would　be　only　a　stratagem。〃
Athos　crossed　his　arms　and　bowed　his　noble　head。
〃What　can　you　expect；　Athos？　Men　are　so　made；　and　we　are　not
always　twenty　years　old。　We　have　cruelly　wounded；　as　you
know；　that　personal　pride　by　which　D'Artagnan　is　blindly
governed。　He　has　been　beaten。　Did　you　not　observe　his
despair　on　the　journey？　As　to　Porthos；　his　barony　was
perhaps　dependent　on　that　affair。　Well；　he　found　us　on　his
road　and　will　not　be　baron　this　time。　Perhaps　that　famous
barony　will　have　something　to　do　with　our　interview　this
evening。　Let　us　take　our　precautions；　Athos。〃
〃But　suppose　they　come　unarmed？　What　a　disgrace　to　us。〃
〃Oh；　never　fear！　besides；　if　they　do；　we　can　easily　make　an
excuse；　we　came　straight　off　a　journey　and　are　insurgents；
too。〃
〃An　excuse　for　us！　to　meet　D'Artagnan　with　a　false　excuse！
to　have　to　make　a　false　excuse　to　Porthos！　Oh；　Aramis！〃
continued　Athos；　shaking　his　head　mournfully；　〃upon　my　soul；
you　make　me　the　most　miserable　of　men；　you　disenchant　a
heart　not　wholly　dead　to　friendship。　Go　in　whatever　guise
you　choose；　for　my　part；　I　shall　go　unarmed。〃
〃No；　for　I　will　not　allow　you　to　do　so。　'Tis　not　one　man；
not　Athos　only；　not　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　whom　you　will　ruin
by　this　amiable　weakness；　but　a　whole　party　to　whom　you
belong　and　who　depend　upon　you。〃
〃Be　it　so　then；〃　replied　Athos；　sorrowfully。
And　they　pursued　their　road　in　mournful　silence。
Scarcely　had　they　reached　by　the　Rue　de　la　Mule　the　iron
gate　of　the　Place　Royale；　when　they　perceived　three
cavaliers；　D'Artagnan；　Porthos；　and　Planchet；　the　two　former
wrapped　up　in　their　military　cloaks　under　which　their　swords
were　hidden；　and　Planchet；　his　musket　by　his　side。　They　were
waiting　at　the　entrance　of　the　Rue　Sainte　Catharine；　and
their　horses　were　fastened　to　the　rings　of　the　arcade。
Athos；　therefore；　commanded　Bazin　to　fasten　up　his　horse　and
that　of　Aramis　in　the　same　manner。
They　then　advanced　two　and　two；　and　saluted　each　other
politely。
〃Now　where　will　it　be　agreeable　to　you　that　we　hold　our
conference？〃　inquired　Aramis；　perceiving　that　people　were
stopping　to　look　at　them；　supposing　that　they　were　going　to
engage　in　one　of　those　far…famed　duels　still　extant　in　the
memory　of　the　Parisians；　and　especially　the　inhabitants　of
the　Place　Royale。
〃The　gate　is　shut；〃　said　Aramis；　〃but　if　these　gentlemen
like　a　cool　retreat　under　the　trees；　and　perfect　seclusion；
I　will　get　the　key　from　the　Hotel　de　Rohan　and　we　shall　be
well　suited。〃
D'Artagnan　darted　a　look　into　the　obscurity　of　the　Place。
Porthos　ventured　to　put　his　head　between　the　railings；　to
try　if　his　glance　could　penetrate　the　gloom。
〃If　you　prefer　any　other　place；〃　said　Athos；　in　his
persuasive　voice；　〃choose　for　yourselves。〃
〃This　place；　if　Monsieur　d'Herblay　can　procure　the　key；　is
the　best　that　we　can　have；〃　was　the　answer。
Aramis　went　off　at　once；　begging　Athos　not　to　remain　alone
within　reach　of　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos；　a　piece　of　advice
which　was　received　with　a　contemptuous　smile。
Aramis　returned　soon　with　a　man　from　the　Hotel　de　Rohan；　who
was　saying　to　him：
〃You　swear；　sir；　that　it　is　not　so？〃
〃Stop；〃　and　Aramis　gave　him　a　louis　d'or。
〃Ah！　you　will　not　swear；　my　master；〃　said　the　concierge；
shaking　his　head。
〃Well；　one　can　never　say　what　may　happen；　at　present　we　and
these　gentlemen　are　excellent　friends。〃
〃Yes；　certainly；〃　added　Athos　and　the　other　two。
D'Artagnan　had　heard　the　conversation　and　had　understood　it。
〃You　see？〃　he　said　to　Porthos。
〃What　do　I　see？〃
〃That　he　wouldn't　swear。〃
〃Swear　what？〃
〃That　man　wanted　Aramis　to　swear　that　we　are　not　going　to
the　Place　Royale　to　fight。〃
〃And　Aramis　wouldn't　swear？〃
〃No。〃
〃Attention；　then！〃
Athos　did　not　lose　sight　of　the　two　speakers。　Aramis　opened
the　gate　and　faced　around　in　order　that　D'Artagnan　and
Porthos　might　enter。　In　passing　through　the　gate；　the　hilt
of　the　lieutenant's　sword　was　caught　in　the　grating　and　he
was　obliged　to　pull　off　his　cloak；　in　doing　so　he　showed　the
butt　end　of　his　pistols　and　a　ray　of　the　moon　was　reflected
on　the　shining　metal。
〃Do　you　see？〃　whispered　Aramis　to　Athos；　touching　his
shoulder　with　one　hand　and　pointing　with　the　other　to　the
arms　which　the　Gascon　wore　under　his　belt。
〃Alas！　I　do！〃　replied　Athos；　with　a　deep　sigh。
He　entered　third；　and　Aramis；　who　shut　the　gate　after　him；
last。　The　two　serving…men　waited　without；　but　as　if　they
likewise　mistrusted　each　other；　they　kept　their　respective
distances。

28
The　Place　Royale。

They　proceeded　silently　to　the　centre　of　the　Place；　but　as
at　this　very　moment　the　moon　had　just　emerged　from　behind　a
cloud；　they　thought　they　might　be　observed　if　they　remained
on　that　spot　and　therefore　regained　the　shade　of　the
lime…trees。
There　were　benches　here　and　there；　the　four　gentlemen
stopped　near　them；　at　a　sign　from　Athos；　Porthos　and
D'Artagnan　sat　down；　the　two　others　stood　in　front　of　them。
After　a　few　minutes　of　silent　embarrassment；　Athos　spoke。
〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃our　presence　here　is　the　best　proof
of　former　friendship；　not　one　of　us　has　failed　the　others　at
this　rendezvous；　not　one　has；　therefore；　to　reproach
himself。〃
〃Hear　me；　count；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃instead　of　making
compliments　to　each　other；　let　us　explain　our　conduct　to
each　other；　like　men　of　right　and　honest　hearts。〃
〃I　wish　for　nothing　more；　have　you　any　cause　of　complaint
against　me　or　Monsieur　d'Herblay？　If　so；　speak　out；〃
answered　Athos。
〃I　have；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。　〃When　I　saw　you　at　your
chateau　at　Bragelonne；　I　made　certain　proposals　to　you　which
you　perfectly　understood；　instead　of　answering　me　as　a
friend；　you　played　with　me　as　a　child；　the　friendship；
therefore；　that　you　boast　of　was　not　broken　yesterday　by　the
shock　of　swords；　but　by　your　dissimulation　at　your　castle。〃
〃D'Artagnan！〃　said　Athos；　reproachfully。
〃You　asked　for　candor　and　you　have　it。　You　ask　what　I　have
against　you；　I　tell　you。　And　I　have　the　same　since