twenty years after(二十年后)-第69章

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〃You　told　him　that？〃　said　Porthos；　a　broad　smile　spreading
over　his　honest　face。　〃Bravo！　and　you　are　not　afraid　of
that；　Athos？〃
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃it　is　not　the　search　of　Mazarin　that　I
fear。〃
〃Now；〃　said　Aramis；　〃tell　me　a　little　what　you　do　fear。〃
〃Nothing　for　the　present；　at　least；　nothing　in　good
earnest。〃
〃And　with　regard　to　the　past？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃Oh！　the　past　is　another　thing；〃　said　Athos；　sighing；　〃the
past　and　the　future。〃
〃Are　you　afraid　for　your　young　Raoul？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃one　is　never　killed　in　a　first
engagement。〃
〃Nor　in　the　second；〃　said　Aramis
〃Nor　in　the　third；〃　returned　Porthos；　〃and　even　when　one　is
killed；　one　rises　again；　the　proof　of　which　is；　that　here　we
are！〃
〃No；〃　said　Athos；　〃it　is　not　Raoul　about　whom　I　am　anxious；
for　I　trust　he　will　conduct　himself　like　a　gentleman；　and　if
he　is　killed　　well；　he　will　die　bravely；　but　hold　
should　such　a　misfortune　happen　　well　　〃　Athos　passed
his　hand　across　his　pale　brow。
〃Well？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Well；　I　shall　look　upon　it　as　an　expiation。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　know　what　you　mean。〃
〃And　I；　too；〃　added　Aramis；　〃but　you　must　not　think　of　that；
Athos；　what　is　past；　is　past。〃
〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃The　affair　at　Armentieres；〃　whispered　D'Artagnan。
〃The　affair　at　Armentieres？〃　asked　he　again。
〃Milady。〃
〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Porthos；　〃true；　I　had　forgotten　it！〃
Athos　looked　at　him　intently。
〃You　have　forgotten　it；　Porthos？〃　said　he。
〃Faith！　yes；　it　is　so　long　ago；〃　answered　Porthos。
〃This　affair　does　not；　then；　weigh　upon　your　conscience？〃
〃Faith；　no。〃
〃And　you；　D'Artagnan？〃
〃I　　I　own　that　when　my　mind　returns　to　that　terrible
period　I　have　no　recollection　of　anything　but　the　rigid
corpse　of　poor　Madame　Bonancieux。　Yes；　yes；〃　murmured　he；　〃I
have　often　felt　regret　for　the　victim；　but　never　the　very
slightest　remorse　for　the　assassin。〃
Athos　shook　his　dead　doubtfully。
〃Consider；〃　said　Aramis；　〃if　you　admit　divine　justice　and
its　participation　in　the　things　of　this　world；　that　woman
was　punished　by　the　will　of　heaven。　We　were　but　the
instruments；　that　is　all。〃
〃But　as　to　free　will；　Aramis？〃
〃How　acts　the　judge？　He　has　a　free　will；　yet　he　fearlessly
condemns。　What　does　the　executioner？　He　is　master　of　his
arm；　yet　he　strikes　without　remorse。〃
〃The　executioner！〃　muttered　Athos；　as　if　arrested　by　some
recollection。
〃I　know　that　it　is　terrible；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃but　when　I
reflect　that　we　have　killed　English；　Rochellais；　Spaniards；
nay；　even　French；　who　never　did　us　any　other　harm　but　to　aim
at　and　to　miss　us；　whose　only　fault　was　to　cross　swords　with
us　and　to　be　unable　to　ward　off　our　blows　　I　can；　on　my
honor；　find　an　excuse　for　my　share　in　the　murder　of　that
woman。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　said　Porthos；　〃now　that　you　have　reminded　me　of
it；　Athos；　I　have　the　scene　again　before　me；　as　if　I　now
were　there。　Milady　was　there；　as　it　were；　where　you　sit。〃
（Athos　changed　color。）　〃I　　I　was　where　D'Artagnan　stands。
I　wore　a　long　sword　which　cut　like　a　Damascus　　you
remember　it；　Aramis　for　you　always　called　it　Balizarde。
Well；　I　swear　to　you；　all　three；　that　had　the　executioner　of
Bethune　　was　he　not　of　Bethune？　　yes；　egad！　of　Bethune！
　not　been　there；　I　would　have　cut　off　the　head　of　that
infamous　being　without　thinking　of　it；　or　even　after
thinking　of　it。　She　was　a　most　atrocious　woman。〃
〃And　then；〃　said　Aramis；　with　the　tone　of　philosophical
indifference　which　he　had　assumed　since　he　had　belonged　to
the　church　and　in　which　there　was　more　atheism　than
confidence　in　God；　〃what　is　the　use　of　thinking　of　it　all？
At　the　last　hour　we　must　confess　this　action　and　God　knows
better　than　we　can　whether　it　is　a　crime；　a　fault；　or　a
meritorious　deed。　I　repent　of　it？　Egad！　no。　Upon　my　honor
and　by　the　holy　cross；　I　only　regret　it　because　she　was　a
woman。〃
〃The　most　satisfactory　part　of　the　matter；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃is　that　there　remains　no　trace　of　it。〃
〃She　had　a　son；〃　observed　Athos。
〃Oh！　yes；　I　know　that；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　you　mentioned
it　to　me；　but　who　knows　what　has　become　of　him？　If　the
serpent　be　dead；　why　not　its　brood？　Do　you　think　his　uncle
De　Winter　would　have　brought　up　that　young　viper？　De　Winter
probably　condemned　the　son　as　he　had　done　the　mother。〃
〃Then；〃　said　Athos；　〃woe　to　De　Winter；　for　the　child　had
done　no　harm。〃
〃May　the　devil　take　me；　if　the　child　be　not　dead；〃　said
Porthos。　〃There　is　so　much　fog　in　that　detestable　country；
at　least　so　D'Artagnan　declares。〃
Just　as　the　quaint　conclusion　reached　by　Porthos　was　about
to　bring　back　hilarity　to　faces　now　more　or　less　clouded；
hasty　footsteps　were　heard　upon　the　stair　and　some　one
knocked　at　the　door。
〃Come　in；〃　cried　Athos。
〃Please　your　honors；〃　said　the　host；　〃a　person　in　a　great
hurry　wishes　to　speak　to　one　of　you。〃
〃To　which　of　us？〃　asked　all　the　four　friends。
〃To　him　who　is　called　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。〃
〃It　is　I；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　what　is　the　name　of　the　person？〃
〃Grimaud。〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　turning　pale。　〃Back　already！　What　can
have　happened；　then；　to　Bragelonne？〃
〃Let　him　enter；〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃let　him　come　up。〃
But　Grimaud　had　already　mounted　the　staircase　and　was
waiting　on　the　last　step；　so　springing　into　the　room　he
motioned　the　host　to　leave　it。　The　door　being　closed；　the
four　friends　waited　in　expectation。　Grimaud's　agitation；　his
pallor；　the　sweat　which　covered　his　face；　the　dust　which
soiled　his　clothes；　all　indicated　that　he　was　the　messenger
of　some　important　and　terrible　news。
〃Your　honors；〃　said　he；　〃that　woman　had　a　child；　that　child
has　become　a　man；　the　tigress　had　a　little　one；　the　tiger
has　roused　himself；　he　is　ready　to　spring　upon　you　
beware！〃
Athos　glanced　around　at　his　friends　with　a　melancholy　smile。
Porthos　turned　to　look　at　his　sword；　which　was　hanging　on
the　wall；　Aramis　seized　his　knife；　D'Artagnan　arose。
〃What　do　you　mean；　Grimaud？〃　he　exclaimed。
〃That　Milady's　son　has　left　England；　that　he　is　in　France；
on　his　road　to　Paris；　if　he　be　not　here　already。〃
〃The　devil　he　is！〃　said　Porthos。　〃Are　you　sure　of　it？〃
〃Certain；〃　replied　Grimaud。
This　announcement　was　received　in　silence。　Grimaud　was　so
breathless；　so　exhausted；　that　he　had　fallen　back　upon　a
chair。　Athos　filled　a　beaker　with　champagne　and　gave　it　to
him。
〃Well；　after　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃supposing　that　he
lives；　that　he　comes　to　Paris；　we　have　seen　many　other　such。
Let　him　come。〃
〃Yes；〃　echoed　Porthos；　glancing　affectionately　at　his　sword；
still　hanging　on　the　wall；　〃we　can　wait　for　him；　let　him
come。〃
〃Moreover；　he　is　but　a　child；〃　said　Aramis。
Grimaud　rose。
〃A　child！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Do　you　know　what　he　has　done；　this
child？　Disguised　as　a　monk　he　discovered　the　whole　history
in　confession　from　the　executioner　of　Bethune；　and　having
confessed　him；　after　having　learned　everything　from　him；　he
gave　him　absolution　by　planting　this　dagger　into　his　heart。
See；　it　is　on　fire　yet　with　his　hot　blood；　for　it　is　not
thirty　hours　since　it　was　drawn　from　the　wound。〃
And　Grimaud　threw　the　dagger　on　the　table。
D'Artagnan；　Porthos　and　Aramis　rose　and　in　one　spontaneous
motion　rushed　to　their　swords。　Athos　alone　remained　seated；
calm　and　thoughtful。
〃And　you　say　he　is　dressed　as　a　monk；　Grimaud？〃
〃Yes；　as　an　Augustine　monk。〃
〃What　sized　man　is　he？〃
〃About　my　height；　thin；　pale；　with　light　blue　eyes　and　tawny
flaxen　hair。〃
〃And　he　did　not　see　Raoul？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Yes；　on　the　contrary；　they　met；　and　it　was　the　viscount
himself　who　conducted　him　to　the　bed　of　the　dying　man。〃
Athos；　in　his　turn；　rising　without　speaking；　went　and
unhooked　his　sword。
〃Heigh；　sir；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　trying　to　laugh；　〃do　you　know
we　look　very　much　like　a　flock　of　silly；　mouse…evading
women！　How　is　it　that　we；　four　men　who　have　faced　armies
without　blinking；　begin　to　tremble　at　the　mention　of　a
child？〃
〃It　is　true；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　this　child　comes　in　the　name
of　Heaven。〃
And　very　soon　they　left　the　inn。

36
A　Letter　from　Charles　the　First。

The　reader　must　now　cross　the　Seine　with　us　and　follow　us　to
the　door　of　the　Carmelite　Convent　in　the　Rue　Saint　Jacques。
It　is　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　the　pious　sisters
have　just　finished　saying　mass　for　the