twenty years after(二十年后)-第56章

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〃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　sincerity　to
show　you；　if　you　wish；　Monsieur　d'Herblay；　I　acted　in　a
similar　way　to　you　and　you　also　deceived　me。〃
〃Really；　monsieur；　you　say　strange　things；〃　said　Aramis。
〃You　came　seeking　me　to　make　to　me　certain　proposals；　but
did　you　make　them？　No；　you　sounded　me；　nothing　more。　Very
well　what　did　I　say　to　you？　that　Mazarin　was　contemptible
and　that　I　wouldn't　serve　Mazarin。　But　that　is　all。　Did　I
tell　you　that　I　wouldn't　serve　any　other？　On　the　contrary；　I
gave　you　to　understand；　I　think；　that　I　adhered　to　the
princes。　We　even　joked　very　pleasantly；　if　I　remember
rightly；　on　the　very　probable　contingency　of　your　being
charged　by　the　cardinal　with　my　arrest。　Were　you　a　party
man？　There　is　no　doubt　of　that。　Well；　why　should　not　we；
too；　belong　to　a　party？　You　had　your　secret　and　we　had　ours；
we　didn't　exchange　them。　So　much　the　better；　it　proves　that
we　know　how　to　keep　our　secrets。〃
〃I　do　not　reproach　you；　monsieur；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃'tis
only　because　Monsieur　de　la　Fere　has　spoken　of　friendship
that　I　question　your　conduct。〃
〃And　what　do　you　find　in　it　that　is　worthy　of　blame？〃　asked
Aramis；　haughtily。
The　blood　mounted　instantly　to　the　temples　of　D'Artagnan；
who　arose；　and　replied：
〃I　consider　it　worthy　conduct　of　a　pupil　of　Jesuits。〃
On　seeing　D'Artagnan　rise；　Porthos　rose　also；　these　four　men
were　therefore　all　standing　at　the　same　time；　with　a
menacing　aspect；　opposite　to　each　other。
Upon　hearing　D'Artagnan's　reply；　Aramis　seemed　about　to　draw
his　sword；　when　Athos　prevented　him。
〃D'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　here　to…night；　still
infuriated　by　yesterday's　adventure。　I　believed　your　heart
noble　enough　to　enable　a　friendship　of　twenty　years　to
overcome　an　affront　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　Come；　do　you
really　think　you　have　anything　to　say　against　me？　Say　it
then；　if　I　am　in　fault　I　will　avow　the　error。〃
The　grave　and　harmonious　tones　of　that　beloved　voice　seemed
to　have　still　its　ancient　influence；　whilst　that　of　Aramis；
which　had　become　harsh　and　tuneless　in　his　moments　of
ill…humor；　irritated　him。　He　answered　therefore：
〃I　think；　monsieur　le　comte；　that　you　had　something　to
communicate　to　me　at　your　chateau　of　Bragelonne；　and　that
gentleman〃　　he　pointed　to　Aramis　　〃had　also　something　to
tell　me　when　I　was　in　his　convent。　At　that　time　I　was　not
concerned　in　the　adventure；　in　the　course　of　which　you　have
so　successfully　estopped　me！　However；　because　I　was　prudent
you　must　not　take　me　for　a　fool。　If　I　had　wished　to　widen
the　breach　between　those　whom　Monsieur　d'Herblay　chooses　to
receive　with　a　rope　ladder　and　those　whom　he　receives　with　a
wooden　ladder；　I　could　have　spoken　out。〃
〃What　are　you　meddling　with？〃　cried　Aramis；　pale　with　anger；
suspecting　that　D'Artagnan　had　acted　as　a　spy　on　him　and　had
seen　him　with　Madame　de　Longueville。
〃I　never　meddle　save　with　what　concerns　me；　and　I　know　how
to　make　believe　that　I　haven't　seen　what　does　not　concern
me；　but　I　hate　hypocrites；　and　among　that　number　I　place
musketeers　who　are　abbes　and　abbes　who　are　musketeers；　and；〃
he　added；　turning　to　Porthos　〃here's　a　gentleman　who's　of
the　same　opinion　as　myself。〃
Porthos；　who　had　not　spoken　one　word；　answered　merely　by　a
word　and　a　gesture。
He　said　〃yes〃　and　he　put　his　hand　on　his　sword。
Aramis　started　back　and　drew　his。　D'Artagnan　bent　forward；
ready　either　to　attack　or　to　stand　on　his　defense。
Athos　at　that　moment　extended　his　hand　with　the　air　of
supreme　command　which　characterized　him　alone；　drew　out　his
sword　and　the　scabbard　at　the　same　time；　broke　the　blade　in
the　sheath　on　his　knee　and　threw　the　pieces　to　his　right。
Then　turning　to　Aramis：
〃Aramis；〃　he　said；　〃break　your　sword。〃
Aramis　hesitated。
〃It　must　be　done；〃　said　Athos；　then　in　a　lower　and　more
gentle　voice；　he　added。　〃I　wish　it。〃
Then　Aramis；　paler　than　before；　but　subdued　by　these　words；
snapped　the　serpent　blade　between　his　hands；　and　then
folding　his　arms；　stood　trembling　with　rage。
These　proceedings　made　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　draw　back。
D'Artagnan　did　not　draw　his　sword；　Porthos　put　his　back　into
the　sheath。
〃Never！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　raising　his　right　hand　to　Heaven；
〃never！　I　swear　before　God；　who　seeth　us；　and　who；　in　the
darkness　of　this　night　heareth　us；　never　shall　my　sword
cross　yours；　never　my　eye　express　a　glance　of　anger；　nor　my
heart　a　throb　of　hatred；　at　you。　We　lived　together；　we
loved；　we　hated　together；　we　shed；　we　mingled　our　blood
together；　and　too　probably；　I　may　still　add；　that　there　may
be　yet　a　bond　between　us　closer　even　than　that　of
friendship；　perhaps　there　may　be　the　bond　of　crime；　for　we
four；　we　once　did　condemn；　judge　and　slay　a　human　being　whom
we　had　not　any　right　to　cut　off　from　this　world；　although
apparently　fitter　for　hell　than　for　this　life。　D'Artagnan；　I
have　always　loved　you　as　my　son；　Porthos；　we　slept　six　years
side　by　side；　Aramis　is　your　brother　as　well　as　mine；　and
Aramis　has　once　loved　you；　as　I　love　you　now　and　as　I　have
ever　loved　you。　What　can　Cardinal　Mazarin　be　to　us；　to　four
men　who　compelled　such　a　man　as　Richelieu　to　act　as　we
pleased？　What　is　such　or　such　a　prince　to　us；　who　fixed　the
diadem　upon　a　great　queen's　head？　D'Artagnan；　I　ask　your
pardon　for　having　yesterday　crossed　swords　with　you；　Aramis
does　the　same　to　Porthos；　now　hate　me　if　you　can；　but　for　my
own　part；　I　shall　ever；　even　if　you　do　hate　me；　retain
esteem　and　friendship　for　you。　I　repeat　my　words；　Aramis；
and　then；　if　you　desire　it；　and　if　they　desire　it；　let　us
separate　forever　from　our　old　friends。〃
There　was　a　solemn；　though　momentary　silence；　which　was
broken　by　Aramis。
〃I　swear；〃　he　said；　with　a　calm　brow　and　kindly　glance；　but
in　a　voice　still　trembling　with　recent　emotion；　〃I　swear
that　I　no　longer　bear　animosity　to　those　who　were　once　my
friends。　I　regret　that　I　ever　crossed　swords　with　you；
Porthos；　I　swear　not　only　that　it　shall　never　again　be
pointed　at　your　breast；　but　that　in　the　bottom　of　my　heart
there　will　never　in　future　be　the　slightest　hostile
sentiment；　now；　Athos；　come。〃
Athos　was　about　to　retire。
〃Oh！　no！　no！　do　not　go　away！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　impelled
by　one　of　those　irresistible　impulses　which　showed　the
nobility　of　his　nature；　the　native　brightness　of　his
character；　〃I　swear　that　I　would　give　the　last　drop　of　my
blood　and　the　last　fragment　of　my　limbs　to　preserve　the
friendship　of　such　a　friend　as　you；　Athos　　of　such　a　man
as　you；　Aramis。〃　And　he　threw　himself　into　the　arms　of
Athos。
〃My　son！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　pressing　him　in　his　arms。
〃And　as　for　me；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　swear　nothing；　but　I'm
choked。　Forsooth！　If　I　were　obliged　to　fight　against　you；　I
think　I　should　allow　myself　to　be　pierced　through　and
through；　for　I　never　loved　any　one　but　you　in　the　wide
world；〃　and　honest　Porthos　burst　into　tears　as　he　embraced
Athos。
〃My　friends；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　is　what　I　expected　from　such
hearts　as　yours。　Yes；　I　have　said　it　and　I　now　repeat　it：
our　destinies　are　irrevocably　united；　although　we　now　pursue
divergent　roads。　I　respect　your　convictions；　and　whilst　we
fight　for　opposite　sides；　let　us　remain　friends。　Ministers；
princes；　kings；　will　pass　away　like　mountain　torrents；　civil
war；　like　a　forest　flame；　but　we　　we　shall　remain；　I　have
a　presentiment　that　we　shall。〃
〃Yes；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　still　be　musketeers；　and
let　us　retain　as　our　battle…standard　that　famous　napkin　of
the　bastion　St。　Gervais；　on　which　the　great　cardinal　had
three　fleurs…de…lis　embroidered。〃
〃Be　it　so；〃　cried　Aramis。　〃Cardinalists　or　Frondeurs；　what
matters　it？　Let　us　meet　again　as　capital　seconds　in　a　duel；
devoted　friends　in　business；　merry　companions　in　our　ancient
pleasures。〃
〃And　whenever；〃　added　Athos；　〃we　meet　in　battle；　at　this
word；　‘Place　Royale！'　let　us　put　our　swords　into　our　left
hands　and　shake　hands　with　the　right；　even　in　the　very　lust
and　music　of　the　hottest　carnage。〃
〃You　speak　charmingly；〃　said　Porthos。
〃And　are　the　first　of　men！〃　added　D'Artagnan。　〃You　excel　us
all。〃
Athos　smiled　with　ineffable　pleasure。
〃'Tis　then　all　settled。　Gentle