twenty years after(二十年后)-第74章

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until　the　queen　had　finished　her　negotiation。
At　this　sight　the　young　man　stopped　short；　not　in　admiration
of　Raphael's　picture；　but　as　if　fascinated　at　the　sight　of
some　terrible　object。　His　eyes　dilated　and　a　shudder　ran
through　his　body。　One　would　have　said　that　he　longed　to
break　through　the　wall　of　glass　which　separated　him　from　his
enemy；　for　if　Comminges　had　seen　with　what　an　expression　of
hatred　the　eyes　of　this　young　man　were　fixed　upon　De　Winter；
he　would　not　have　doubted　for　an　instant　that　the　Englishman
was　his　eternal　foe。
But　he　stopped；　doubtless　to　reflect；　for　instead　of
allowing　his　first　impulse；　which　had　been　to　go　straight　to
Lord　de　Winter；　to　carry　him　away；　he　leisurely　descended
the　staircase；　left　the　palace　with　his　head　down；　mounted
his　horse；　which　he　reined　in　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue
Richelieu；　and　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　gate；　waited　until
the　queen's　carriage　had　left　the　court。
He　had　not　long　to　wait；　for　the　queen　scarcely　remained　a
quarter　of　an　hour　with　Mazarin；　but　this　quarter　of　an　hour
of　expectation　appeared　a　century　to　him。　At　last　the　heavy
machine；　which　was　called　a　chariot　in　those　days；　came　out；
rumbling　against　the　gates；　and　De　Winter；　still　on
horseback；　bent　again　to　the　door　to　converse　with　her
majesty。
The　horses　started　on　a　trot　and　took　the　road　to　the
Louvre；　which　they　entered。　Before　leaving　the　convent　of
the　Carmelites；　Henrietta　had　desired　her　daughter　to　attend
her　at　the　palace；　which　she　had　inhabited　for　a　long　time
and　which　she　had　only　left　because　their　poverty　seemed　to
them　more　difficult　to　bear　in　gilded　chambers。
Mordaunt　followed　the　carriage；　and　when　he　had　watched　it
drive　beneath　the　sombre　arches　he　went　and　stationed
himself　under　a　wall　over　which　the　shadow　was　extended；　and
remained　motionless；　amidst　the　moldings　of　Jean　Goujon；
like　a　bas…relievo；　representing　an　equestrian　statue。


39
How；　sometimes；　the　Unhappy　mistake　Chance　for　Providence。

〃Well；　madame；〃　said　De　Winter；　when　the　queen　had　dismissed
her　attendants。
〃Well；　my　lord；　what　I　foresaw　has　come　to　pass。〃
〃What？　does　the　cardinal　refuse　to　receive　the　king？　France
refuse　hospitality　to　an　unfortunate　prince？　Ay；　but　it　is
for　the　first　time；　madame！〃
〃I　did　not　say　France；　my　lord；　I　said　the　cardinal；　and　the
cardinal　is　not　even　a　Frenchman。〃
〃But　did　you　see　the　queen？〃
〃It　is　useless；〃　replied　Henrietta；　〃the　queen　will　not　say
yes　when　the　cardinal　says　no。　Are　you　not　aware　that　this
Italian　directs　everything；　both　indoors　and　out？　And
moreover；　I　should　not　be　surprised　had　we　been　forestalled
by　Cromwell。　He　was　embarrassed　whilst　speaking　to　me　and
yet　quite　firm　in　his　determination　to　refuse。　Then　did　you
not　observe　the　agitation　in　the　Palais　Royal；　the　passing
to　and　fro　of　busy　people？　Can　they　have　received　any　news；
my　lord？〃
〃Not　from　England；　madame。　I　made　such　haste　that　I　am
certain　of　not　having　been　forestalled。　I　set　out　three　days
ago；　passing　miraculously　through　the　Puritan　army；　and　I
took　post　horses　with　my　servant　Tony；　the　horses　upon　which
we　were　mounted　were　bought　in　Paris。　Besides；　the　king；　I
am　certain；　awaits　your　majesty's　reply　before　risking
anything。〃
〃You　will　tell　him；　my　lord；〃　resumed　the　queen；
despairingly；　〃that　I　can　do　nothing；　that　I　have　suffered
as　much　as　himself　　more　than　he　has　　obliged　as　I　am　to
eat　the　bread　of　exile　and　to　ask　hospitality　from　false
friends　who　smile　at　my　tears；　and　as　regards　his　royal
person；　he　must　sacrifice　it　generously　and　die　like　a　king。
I　shall　go　and　die　by　his　side。〃
〃Madame；　madame；〃　exclaimed　De　Winter；　〃your　majesty
abandons　yourself　to　despair；　and　yet；　perhaps；　there　still
remains　some　hope。〃
〃No　friends　left；　my　lord；　no　other　friends　left　in　the　wide
world　but　yourself！　Oh；　God！〃　exclaimed　the　poor　queen；
raising　her　eyes　to　Heaven；　〃have　You　indeed　taken　back　all
the　generous　hearts　that　once　existed　in　the　world？〃
〃I　hope　not；　madame；〃　replied　De　Winter；　thoughtfully；　〃I
once　spoke　to　you　of　four　men。〃
〃What　can　be　done　with　four？〃
〃Four　devoted；　resolute　men　can　do　much？　assure　yourself；
madame；　and　those　of　whom　I　speak　performed　great　things　at
one　time。〃
〃And　where　are　these　four　men？〃
〃Ah；　that　is　what　I　do　not　know。　It　is　twenty　years　since　I
saw　them；　and　yet　whenever　I　have　seen　the　king　in　danger　I
have　thought　of　them。〃
〃And　these　men　were　your　friends？〃
〃One　of　them　held　my　life　in　his　hands　and　gave　it　to　me。　I
know　not　whether　he　is　still　my　friend；　but　since　that　time
I　have　remained　his。〃
〃And　these　men　are　in　France；　my　lord？〃
〃I　believe　so。〃
〃Tell　me　their　names；　perhaps　I　may　have　heard　them
mentioned　and　might　be　able　to　aid　you　in　finding　them。〃
〃One　of　them　was　called　the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan。〃
〃Ah；　my　lord；　if　I　mistake　not；　the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan　is
lieutenant　of　royal　guards；　but　take　care；　for　I　fear　that
this　man　is　entirely　devoted　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃That　would　be　a　misfortune；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃and　I　shall
begin　to　think　that　we　are　really　doomed。〃
〃But　the　others；〃　said　the　queen；　who　clung　to　this　last
hope　as　a　shipwrecked　man　clings　to　the　hull　of　his　vessel。
〃The　others；　my　lord！〃
〃The　second　　I　heard　his　name　by　chance；　for　before
fighting　us；　these　four　gentlemen　told　us　their　names；　the
second　was　called　the　Comte　de　la　Fere。　As　for　the　two
others；　I　had　so　much　the　habit　of　calling　them　by　nicknames
that　I　have　forgotten　their　real　ones。〃
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu；　it　is　a　matter　of　the　greatest　urgency　to
find　them　out；〃　said　the　queen；　〃since　you　think　these
worthy　gentlemen　might　be　so　useful　to　the　king。〃
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃for　they　are　the　same　men。
Listen；　madame；　and　recall　your　remembrances。　Have　you　never
heard　that　Queen　Anne　of　Austria　was　once　saved　from　the
greatest　danger　ever　incurred　by　a　queen？〃
〃Yes；　at　the　time　of　her　relations　with　Monsieur　de
Buckingham；　it　had　to　do　in　some　way　with　certain　studs　and
diamonds。〃
〃Well；　it　was　that　affair；　madame；　these　men　are　the　ones
who　saved　her；　and　I　smile　with　pity　when　I　reflect　that　if
the　names　of　those　gentlemen　are　unknown　to　you　it　is
because　the　queen　has　forgotten　them；　who　ought　to　have　made
them　the　first　noblemen　of　the　realm。〃
〃Well；　then；　my　lord；　they　must　be　found；　but　what　can　four
men；　or　rather　three　men　do　　for　I　tell　you；　you　must　not
count　on　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
〃It　will　be　one　valiant　sword　the　less；　but　there　will
remain　still　three；　without　reckoning　my　own；　now　four
devoted　men　around　the　king　to　protect　him　from　his　enemies；
to　be　at　his　side　in　battle；　to　aid　him　with　counsel；　to
escort　him　in　flight；　are　sufficient；　not　to　make　the　king　a
conqueror；　but　to　save　him　if　conquered；　and　whatever
Mazarin　may　say；　once　on　the　shores　of　France　your　royal
husband　may　find　as　many　retreats　and　asylums　as　the　seabird
finds　in　a　storm。〃
〃Seek；　then；　my　lord；　seek　these　gentlemen；　and　if　they　will
consent　to　go　with　you　to　England；　I　will　give　to　each　a
duchy　the　day　that　we　reascend　the　throne；　besides　as　much
gold　as　would　pave　Whitehall。　Seek　them；　my　lord；　and　find
them；　I　conjure　you。〃
〃I　will　search　for　them；　madame；〃　said　De　Winter　〃and
doubtless　I　shall　find　them；　but　time　fails　me。　Has　your
majesty　forgotten　that　the　king　expects　your　reply　and
awaits　it　in　agony？〃
〃Then　indeed　we　are　lost！〃　cried　the　queen；　in　the　fullness
of　a　broken　heart。
At　this　moment　the　door　opened　and　the　young　Henrietta
appeared；　then　the　queen；　with　that　wonderful　strength　which
is　the　privilege　of　parents；　repressed　her　tears　and
motioned　to　De　Winter　to　change　the　subject。
But　that　act　of　self…control；　effective　as　it　was；　did　not
escape　the　eyes　of　the　young　princess。　She　stopped　on　the
threshold；　breathed　a　sigh；　and　addressing　the　queen：
〃Why；　then；　do　you　always　weep；　mother；　when　I　am　away　from
you？〃　she　said。
The　queen　smiled；　but　instead　of　answering：
〃See；　De　Winter；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　at　least　gained　one
thing　in　being　only　half　a　queen；　and　that　is　that　my
children　call　me　‘mother'　instead　of　‘madame。'〃
Then　turning　toward　her　daughter：
〃What　do　you　want；　Henrietta？〃　she　demanded。
〃My　mother；〃　r