twenty years after(二十年后)-第75章

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children　call　me　‘mother'　instead　of　‘madame。'〃
Then　turning　toward　her　daughter：
〃What　do　you　want；　Henrietta？〃　she　demanded。
〃My　mother；〃　replied　the　young　princess；　〃a　cavalier　has
just　entered　the　Louvre　and　wishes　to　present　his　respects
to　your　majesty；　he　arrives　from　the　army　and　has；　he　says；
a　letter　to　remit　to　you；　on　the　part　of　the　Marechal　de
Grammont；　I　think。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　the　queen　to　De　Winter；　〃he　is　one　of　my　faithful
adherents；　but　do　you　not　observe；　my　dear　lord；　that　we　are
so　poorly　served　that　it　is　left　to　my　daughter　to　fill　the
office　of　doorkeeper？〃
〃Madame；　have　pity　on　me；〃　exclaimed　De　Winter；　〃you　wring
my　heart！〃
〃And　who　is　this　cavalier；　Henrietta？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃I　saw　him　from　the　window；　madame；　he　is　a　young　man　that
appears　scarce　sixteen　years　of　age；　and　is　called　the
Viscount　de　Bragelonne。〃
The　queen；　smiling；　made　a　sign　with　her　head；　the　young
princess　opened　the　door　and　Raoul　appeared　on　the
threshold。
Advancing　a　few　steps　toward　the　queen；　he　knelt　down。
〃Madame；〃　said　he；　〃I　bear　to　your　majesty　a　letter　from　my
friend　the　Count　de　Guiche；　who　told　me　he　had　the　honor　of
being　your　servant；　this　letter　contains　important　news　and
the　expression　of　his　respect。〃
At　the　name　of　the　Count　de　Guiche　a　blush　spread　over　the
cheeks　of　the　young　princess　and　the　queen　glanced　at　her
with　some　degree　of　severity。
〃You　told　me　that　the　letter　was　from　the　Marechal　de
Grammont；　Henrietta！〃　said　the　queen。
〃I　thought　so；　madame；〃　stammered　the　young　girl。
〃It　is　my　fault；　madame；〃　said　Raoul。　〃I　did　announce
myself；　in　truth；　as　coming　on　the　part　of　the　Marechal　de
Grammont；　but　being　wounded　in　the　right　arm　he　was　unable
to　write　and　therefore　the　Count　de　Guiche　acted　as　his
secretary。〃
〃There　has　been　fighting；　then？〃　asked　the　queen；　motioning
to　Raoul　to　rise。
〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　the　young　man。
At　this　announcement　of　a　battle　having　taken　place；　the
princess　opened　her　mouth　as　though　to　ask　a　question　of
interest；　but　her　lips　closed　again　without　articulating　a
word；　while　the　color　gradually　faded　from　her　cheeks。
The　queen　saw　this；　and　doubtless　her　maternal　heart
translated　the　emotion；　for　addressing　Raoul　again：
〃And　no　evil　has　happened　to　the　young　Count　de　Guiche？〃　she
asked；　〃for　not　only　is　he　our　servant；　as　you　say；　sir；　but
more　　he　is　one　of　our　friends。〃
〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Raoul；　〃on　the　contrary；　he　gained
great　glory　and　had　the　honor　of　being　embraced　by　his
highness；　the　prince；　on　the　field　of　battle。〃
The　young　princess　clapped　her　hands；　and　then；　ashamed　of
having　been　betrayed　into　such　a　demonstration　of　joy；　she
half　turned　away　and　bent　over　a　vase　of　roses；　as　if　to
inhale　their　odor。
〃Let　us　see；〃　said　the　queen；　〃what　the　count　says。〃　And　she
opened　the　letter　and　read：

〃Madame；　　Being　unable　to　have　the　honor　of　writing　to　you
myself；　by　reason　of　a　wound　I　have　received　in　my　right
hand；　I　have　commanded　my　son；　the　Count　de　Guiche；　who；
with　his　father；　is　equally　your　humble　servant；　to　write　to
tell　you　that　we　have　just　gained　the　battle　of　Lens；　and
that　this　victory　cannot　fail　to　give　great　power　to
Cardinal　Mazarin　and　to　the　queen　over　the　affairs　of
Europe。　If　her　majesty　will　have　faith　in　my　counsels　she
ought　to　profit　by　this　event　to　address　at　this　moment；　in
favor　of　her　august　husband；　the　court　of　France。　The
Vicomte　de　Bragelonne；　who　will　have　the　honor　of　remitting
this　letter　to　your　majesty；　is　the　friend　of　my　son；　who
owes　to　him　his　life；　he　is　a　gentleman　in　whom　your　majesty
may　confide　entirely；　in　case　your　majesty　may　have　some
verbal　or　written　order　to　remit　to　me。
〃I　have　the　honor　to　be；　with　respect；　etc。；
〃Marechal　de　Grammont。〃

At　the　moment　mention　occurred　of　his　having　rendered　a
service　to　the　count；　Raoul　could　not　help　turning　his
glance　toward　the　young　princess；　and　then　he　saw　in　her
eyes　an　expression　of　infinite　gratitude　to　the　young　man；
he　no　longer　doubted　that　the　daughter　of　King　Charles　I。
loved　his　friend。
〃The　battle　of　Lens　gained！〃　said　the　queen；　〃they　are　lucky
here　indeed；　they　can　gain　battles！　Yes；　the　Marechal　de
Grammont　is　right；　this　will　change　the　aspect　of　French
affairs；　but　I　much　fear　it　will　do　nothing　for　English；
even　if　it　does　not　harm　them。　This　is　recent　news；　sir；〃
continued　she；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　having　made　such　haste
to　bring　it　to　me；　without　this　letter　I　should　not　have
heard　till　to…morrow；　perhaps　after　to…morrow　　the　last　of
all　Paris。〃
〃Madame；〃　said　Raoul；　〃the　Louvre　is　but　the　second　palace
this　news　has　reached；　it　is　as　yet　unknown　to　all；　and　I
had　sworn　to　the　Count　de　Guiche　to　remit　this　letter　to
your　majesty　before　even　I　should　embrace　my　guardian。〃
〃Your　guardian！　is　he；　too；　a　Bragelonne？〃　asked　Lord　de
Winter。　〃I　once　knew　a　Bragelonne　　is　he　still　alive？〃
〃No；　sir；　he　is　dead；　and　I　believe　it　is　from　him　my
guardian；　whose　near　relation　he　was；　inherited　the　estate
from　which　I　take　my　name。〃
〃And　your　guardian；　sir；〃　asked　the　queen；　who　could　not
help　feeling　some　interest　in　the　handsome　young　man　before
her；　〃what　is　his　name？〃
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere；　madame；〃　replied　the　young　man；
bowing。
De　Winter　made　a　gesture　of　surprise　and　the　queen　turned　to
him　with　a　start　of　joy。
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere！〃　she　cried。　〃Have　you　not　mentioned
that　name　to　me？〃
As　for　De　Winter　he　could　scarcely　believe　that　he　had　heard
aright。　〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere！〃　he　cried　in　his　turn。　〃Oh；
sir；　reply；　I　entreat　you　　is　not　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　a
noble　whom　I　remember；　handsome　and　brave；　a　musketeer　under
Louis　XIII。；　who　must　be　now　about　forty…seven　or
forty…eight　years　of　age？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　you　are　right　in　every　particular！〃
〃And　who　served　under　an　assumed　name？〃
〃Under　the　name　of　Athos。　Latterly　I　heard　his　friend；
Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　give　him　that　name。〃
〃That　is　it；　madame；　that　is　the　same。　God　be　praised！　And
he　is　in　Paris？〃　continued　he；　addressing　Raoul；　then
turning　to　the　queen：　〃We　may　still　hope。　Providence　has
declared　for　us；　since　I　have　found　this　brave　man　again　in
so　miraculous　a　manner。　And；　sir；　where　does　he　reside；
pray？〃
〃The　Comte　de　la　Fere　lodges　in　the　Rue　Guenegaud；　Hotel　du
Grand　Roi　Charlemagne。〃
〃Thanks；　sir。　Inform　this　dear　friend　that　he　may　remain
within；　that　I　shall　go　and　see　him　immediately。〃
〃Sir；　I　obey　with　pleasure；　if　her　majesty　will　permit　me　to
depart。〃
〃Go；　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne；〃　said　the　queen；　〃and　rest
assured　of　our　affection。〃
Raoul　bent　respectfully　before　the　two　princesses；　and
bowing　to　De　Winter；　departed。
The　queen　and　De　Winter　continued　to　converse　for　some　time
in　low　voices；　in　order　that　the　young　princess　should　not
overhear　them；　but　the　precaution　was　needless：　she　was　in
deep　converse　with　her　own　thoughts。
Then；　when　De　Winter　rose　to　take　leave：
〃Listen；　my　lord；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　have　preserved　this
diamond　cross　which　came　from　my　mother；　and　this　order　of
St。　Michael　which　came　from　my　husband。　They　are　worth　about
fifty　thousand　pounds。　I　had　sworn　to　die　of　hunger　rather
than　part　with　these　precious　pledges；　but　now　that　this
ornament　may　be　useful　to　him　or　his　defenders；　everything
must　be　sacrificed。　Take　them；　and　if　you　need　money　for
your　expedition；　sell　them　fearlessly；　my　lord。　But　should
you　find　the　means　of　retaining　them；　remember；　my　lord；
that　I　shall　esteem　you　as　having　rendered　the　greatest
service　that　a　gentleman　can　render　to　a　queen；　and　in　the
day　of　my　prosperity　he　who　brings　me　this　order　and　this
cross　shall　be　blessed　by　me　and　my　children。〃
〃Madame；〃　replied　De　Winter；　〃your　majesty　will　be　served　by
a　man　devoted　to　you。　I　hasten　to　deposit　these　two　objects
in　a　safe　place；　nor　should　I　accept　them　if　the　resources
of　our　ancient　fortune　were　left　to　us；　but　our　estates　are
confiscated；　our　ready　money　is　exhausted；　and　we　are
reduced　to　turn　to　service　everything　we　possess。　In　an　hour
hence　I　shall　be　with　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　and　to…morrow
your　majesty　shall　have　a　definite　reply。〃
The　queen　tendered　her　hand　to　Lord　de　Winter；　who；　kissing
it　respectfully；　went　out　and　tr