twenty years after(二十年后)-第59章

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bottom。
〃Saved！〃　mechanically　repeated　the　young　gentleman；
releasing　the　mane　and　sliding　from　the　saddle　into　Raoul's
arms；　Raoul　was　but　ten　yards　from　the　shore；　there　he　bore
the　fainting　man；　and　laying　him　down　upon　the　grass；
unfastened　the　buttons　of　his　collar　and　unhooked　his
doublet。　A　moment　later　the　gray…headed　man　was　beside　him。
Olivain　managed　in　his　turn　to　land；　after　crossing　himself
repeatedly；　and　the　people　in　the　ferryboat　guided
themselves　as　well　as　they　were　able　toward　the　bank；　with
the　aid　of　a　pole　which　chanced　to　be　in　the　boat。
Thanks　to　the　attentions　of　Raoul　and　the　man　who
accompanied　the　young　gentleman；　the　color　gradually
returned　to　the　pale　cheeks　of　the　dying　man；　who　opened　his
eyes；　at　first　entirely　bewildered；　but　who　soon　fixed　his
gaze　upon　the　person　who　had　saved　him。
〃Ah；　sir；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　was　you！　Without　you　I　was　a
dead　man　　thrice　dead。〃
〃But　one　recovers；　sir；　as　you　perceive；〃　replied　Raoul；
〃and　we　have　but　had　a　little　bath。〃
〃Oh！　sir；　what　gratitude　I　feel！〃　exclaimed　the　man　with
gray　hair。
〃Ah；　there　you　are；　my　good　D'Arminges；　I　have　given　you　a
great　fright；　have　I　not？　but　it　is　your　own　fault。　You　were
my　tutor；　why　did　you　not　teach　me　to　swim？〃
〃Oh；　monsieur　le　comte；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃had　any
misfortune　happened　to　you；　I　should　never　have　dared　to
show　myself　to　the　marshal　again。〃
〃But　how　did　the　accident　happen？〃　asked　Raoul。
〃Oh；　sir；　in　the　most　natural　way　possible；〃　replied　he　to
whom　they　had　given　the　title　of　count。　〃We　were　about　a
third　of　the　way　across　the　river　when　the　cord　of　the
ferryboat　broke。　Alarmed　by　the　cries　and　gestures　of　the
boatmen；　my　horse　sprang　into　the　water。　I　cannot　swim；　and
dared　not　throw　myself　into　the　river。　Instead　of　aiding　the
movements　of　my　horse；　I　paralyzed　them；　and　I　was　just
going　to　drown　myself　with　the　best　grace　in　the　world；　when
you　arrived　just　in　time　to　pull　me　out　of　the　water；
therefore；　sir；　if　you　will　agree；　henceforward　we　are
friends　until　death。〃
〃Sir；〃　replied　Raoul；　bowing；　〃I　am　entirely　at　your
service；　I　assure　you。〃
〃I　am　called　the　Count　de　Guiche；〃　continued　the　young　man；
〃my　father　is　the　Marechal　de　Grammont；　and　now　that　you
know　who　I　am；　do　me　the　honor　to　inform　me　who　you　are。〃
〃I　am　the　Viscount　de　Bragelonne；〃　answered　Raoul；　blushing
at　being　unable　to　name　his　father；　as　the　Count　de　Guiche
had　done。
〃Viscount；　your　countenance；　your　goodness　and　your　courage
incline　me　toward　you；　my　gratitude　is　already　due。　Shake
hands　　I　crave　your　friendship。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Raoul；　returning　the　count's　pressure　of　the
hand；　〃I　like　you　already；　from　my　heart；　pray　regard　me　as
a　devoted　friend；　I　beseech　you。〃
And　now；　where　are　you　going；　viscount？〃　inquired　De　Guiche。
〃To　join　the　army；　under　the　prince；　count。〃
〃And　I；　too！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　in　a　transport　of
joy。　〃Oh；　so　much　the　better；　we　will　fire　the　first　shot
together。〃
〃It　is　well；　be　friends；〃　said　the　tutor；　〃young　as　you　both
are；　you　were　perhaps　born　under　the　same　star　and　were
destined　to　meet。　And　now；〃　continued　he；　〃you　must　change
your　clothes；　your　servants；　to　whom　I　gave　directions　the
moment　they　had　left　the　ferryboat；　ought　to　be　already　at
the　inn。　Linen　and　wine　are　both　being　warmed；　come。〃
The　young　men　had　no　objection　to　this　proposition；　on　the
contrary；　they　thought　it　very　timely。
They　mounted　again　at　once；　whilst　looks　of　admiration
passed　between　them。　They　were　indeed　two　elegant　horsemen；
with　figures　slight　and　upright；　noble　faces；　bright　and
proud　looks；　loyal　and　intelligent　smiles。
De　Guiche　might　have　been　about　eighteen　years　of　age；　but
he　was　scarcely　taller　than　Raoul；　who　was　only　fifteen。

30
Skirmishing。

The　halt　at　Noyon　was　but　brief；　every　one　there　being
wrapped　in　profound　sleep。　Raoul　had　desired　to　be　awakened
should　Grimaud　arrive；　but　Grimaud　did　not　arrive。
Doubtless；　too；　the　horses　on　their　part　appreciated　the
eight　hours　of　repose　and　the　abundant　stabling　which　was
granted　them。　The　Count　de　Guiche　was　awakened　at　five
o'clock　in　the　morning　by　Raoul；　who　came　to　wish　him
good…day。　They　breakfasted　in　haste；　and　at　six　o'clock　had
already　gone　ten　miles。
The　young　count's　conversation　was　most　interesting　to
Raoul；　therefore　he　listened　much；　whilst　the　count　talked
well　and　long。　Brought　up　in　Paris；　where　Raoul　had　been　but
once；　at　the　court；　which　Raoul　had　never　seen；　his　follies
as　page；　two　duels；　which　he　had　already　found　the　means　of
fighting；　in　spite　of　the　edicts　against　them　and；　more
especially；　in　spite　of　his　tutor's　vigilance　　these
things　excited　the　greatest　curiosity　in　Raoul。　Raoul　had
only　been　at　M。　Scarron's　house；　he　named　to　Guiche　the
people　whom　he　had　seen　there。　Guiche　knew　everybody　
Madame　de　Neuillan；　Mademoiselle　d'Aubigne；　Mademoiselle　de
Scudery；　Mademoiselle　Paulet；　Madame　de　Chevreuse。　He
criticised　everybody　humorously。　Raoul　trembled；　lest　he
should　laugh　among　the　rest　at　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　for　whom
he　entertained　deep　and　genuine　sympathy；　but　either
instinctively；　or　from　affection　for　the　duchess；　he　said
everything　in　her　favor。　His　praises　increased　Raoul's
friendship　twofold。　Then　came　the　question　of　gallantry　and
love　affairs。　Under　this　head；　also；　Bragelonne　had　much
more　to　hear　than　to　tell。　He　listened　attentively　and
fancied　that　he　discovered　through　three　or　four　rather
frivolous　adventures；　that　the　count；　like　himself；　had　a
secret　to　hide　in　the　depths　of　his　heart。
De　Guiche；　as　we　have　said　before；　had　been　educated　at　the
court；　and　the　intrigues　of　this　court　were　not　unknown　to
him。　It　was　the　same　court　of　which　Raoul　had　so　often　heard
the　Comte　de　la　Fere　speak；　except　that　its　aspect　had　much
changed　since　the　period　when　Athos　had　himself　been　part　of
it；　therefore　everything　which　the　Count　de　Guiche　related
was　new　to　his　traveling　companion。　The　young　count；　witty
and　caustic；　passed　all　the　world　in　review；　the　queen
herself　was　not　spared；　and　Cardinal　Mazarin　came　in　for　his
share　of　ridicule。
The　day　passed　away　as　rapidly　as　an　hour。　The　count's
tutor；　a　man　of　the　world　and　a　bon　vivant；　up　to　his　eyes
in　learning；　as　his　pupil　described　him；　often　recalled　the
profound　erudition；　the　witty　and　caustic　satire　of　Athos　to
Raoul；　but　as　regarded　grace；　delicacy；　and　nobility　of
external　appearance；　no　one　in　these　points　was　to　be
compared　to　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。
The　horses；　which　were　more　kindly　used　than　on　the　previous
day；　stopped　at　Arras　at　four　o'clock　in　the　evening。　They
were　approaching　the　scene　of　war；　and　as　bands　of　Spaniards
sometimes　took　advantage　of　the　night　to　make　expeditions
even　as　far　as　the　neighborhood　of　Arras；　they　determined　to
remain　in　the　town　until　the　morrow。　The　French　army　held
all　between　Pont…a…Marc　as　far　as　Valenciennes；　falling　back
upon　Douai。　The　prince　was　said　to　be　in　person　at　Bethune。
The　enemy's　army　extended　from　Cassel　to　Courtray；　and　as
there　was　no　species　of　violence　or　pillage　it　did　not
commit；　the　poor　people　on　the　frontier　quitted　their
isolated　dwellings　and　fled　for　refuge　into　the　strong
cities　which　held　out　a　shelter　to　them。　Arras　was
encumbered　with　fugitives。　An　approaching　battle　was　much
spoken　of；　the　prince　having　manoeuvred；　until　that
movement；　only　in　order　to　await　a　reinforcement　that　had
just　reached　him。
The　young　men　congratulated　themselves　on　having　arrived　so
opportunely。　The　evening　was　employed　in　discussing　the　war；
the　grooms　polished　their　arms；　the　young　men　loaded　the
pistols　in　case　of　a　skirmish；　and　they　awoke　in　despair；
having　both　dreamed　that　they　had　arrived　too　late　to
participate　in　the　battle。　In　the　morning　it　was　rumored
that　Prince　de　Conde　had　evacuated　Bethune　and　fallen　back
on　Carvin；　leaving；　however；　a　strong　garrison　in　the　former
city。
But　as　there　was　nothing　positively　certain　in　this　report；
the　young　warriors　decided　to　continue　their　way　toward
Bethune；　free　on　the　road　to　diverge　to　the　right　and　march
to　Carvin　if　necessary。
The　count's　tutor　was　well　acquainted　with　the　country；　he
consequently　pr