twenty years after(二十年后)-第78章

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〃No；〃　said　Athos；　〃Monsieur　Aramis　does　me　the　honor　to
share　my　opinions。〃
〃Could　you　put　me　in　communication　with　your　witty　and
agreeable　friend？　Is　he　much　changed？〃
〃He　has　become　an　abbe；　that　is　all。〃
〃You　alarm　me；　his　profession　must　have　made　him　renounce
any　great　undertakings。〃
〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Athos；　smiling；　〃he　has　never　been
so　much　a　musketeer　as　since　he　became　an　abbe；　and　you　will
find　him　a　veritable　soldier。〃
〃Could　you　engage　to　bring　him　to　me　to…morrow　morning　at
ten　o'clock；　on　the　Pont　du　Louvre？〃
〃Oh；　oh！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　smiling；　〃you　have　a　duel　in
prospect。〃
〃Yes；　count；　and　a　splendid　duel；　too；　a　duel　in　which　I
hope　you　will　take　your　part。〃
〃Where　are　we　to　go；　my　lord？〃
〃To　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England；　who　has　desired　me　to
present　you　to　her。〃
〃This　is　an　enigma；〃　said　Athos；　〃but　it　matters　not；　since
you　know　the　solution　of　it　I　ask　no　further。　Will　your
lordship　do　me　the　honor　to　sup　with　me？〃
〃Thanks；　count；　no；〃　replied　De　Winter。　〃I　own　to　you　that
that　young　man's　visit　has　subdued　my　appetite　and　probably
will　rob　me　of　my　sleep。　What　undertaking　can　have　brought
him　to　Paris？　It　was　not　to　meet　me　that　he　came；　for　he　was
ignorant　of　my　journey。　This　young　man　terrifies　me；　my
lord；　there　lies　in　him　a　sanguinary　predisposition。〃
〃What　occupies　him　in　England？〃
〃He　is　one　of　Cromwell's　most　enthusiastic　disciples。〃
〃But　what　attached　him　to　the　cause？　His　father　and　mother
were　Catholics；　I　believe？〃
〃His　hatred　of　the　king；　who　deprived　him　of　his　estates　and
forbade　him　to　bear　the　name　of　De　Winter。〃
〃And　what　name　does　he　now　bear？〃
〃Mordaunt。〃
〃A　Puritan；　yet　disguised　as　a　monk　he　travels　alone　in
France。〃
〃Do　you　say　as　a　monk？〃
〃It　was　thus；　and　by　mere　accident　　may　God　pardon　me　if　I
blaspheme　　that　he　heard　the　confession　of　the　executioner
of　Bethune。〃
〃Then　I　understand　it　all！　he　has　been　sent　by　Cromwell　to
Mazarin；　and　the　queen　guessed　rightly；　we　have　been
forestalled。　Everything　is　clear　to　me　now。　Adieu；　count；
till　to…morrow。〃
〃But　the　night　is　dark；〃　said　Athos；　perceiving　that　Lord　de
Winter　seemed　more　uneasy　than　he　wished　to　appear；　〃and　you
have　no　servant。〃
〃I　have　Tony；　a　safe　if　simple　youth。〃
〃Halloo；　there；　Grimaud；　Olivain；　and　Blaisois！　call　the
viscount　and　take　the　musket　with　you。〃
Blaisois　was　the　tall　youth；　half　groom；　half　peasant；　whom
we　saw　at　the　Chateau　de　Bragelonne；　whom　Athos　had
christened　by　the　name　of　his　province。
〃Viscount；〃　said　Athos　to　Raoul；　as　he　entered；　〃you　will
conduct　my　lord　as　far　as　his　hotel　and　permit　no　one　to
approach　him。〃
〃Oh！　count；〃　said　De　Winter；　〃for　whom　do　you　take　me？〃
〃For　a　stranger　who　does　not　know　Paris；〃　said　Athos；　〃and
to　whom　the　viscount　will　show　the　way。〃
De　Winter　shook　him　by　the　hand。
〃Grimaud；〃　said　Athos；　〃put　yourself　at　the　head　of　the
troop　and　beware　of　the　monk。〃
Grimaud　shuddered；　and　nodding；　awaited　the　departure；
regarding　the　butt　of　his　musket　with　silent　eloquence。　Then
obeying　the　orders　given　him　by　Athos；　he　headed　the　small
procession；　bearing　the　torch　in　one　hand　and　the　musket　in
the　other；　until　it　reached　De　Winter's　inn；　when　pounding
on　the　portal　with　his　fist；　he　bowed　to　my　lord　and　faced
about　without　a　word。
The　same　order　was　followed　in　returning；　nor　did　Grimaud's
searching　glance　discover　anything　of　a　suspicious
appearance；　save　a　dark　shadow；　as　it　were；　in　ambuscade；　at
the　corner　of　the　Rue　Guenegaud　and　of　the　Quai。　He　fancied；
also；　that　in　going　he　had　already　observed　the　street
watcher　who　had　attracted　his　attention。　He　pushed　on　toward
him；　but　before　he　could　reach　it　the　shadow　had　disappeared
into　an　alley；　into　which　Grimaud　deemed　it　scarcely　prudent
to　pursue　it。
The　next　day；　on　awaking；　the　count　perceived　Raoul　by　his
bedside。　The　young　man　was　already　dressed　and　was　reading　a
new　book　by　M。　Chapelain。
〃Already　up；　Raoul？〃　exclaimed　the　count。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Raoul；　with　slight　hesitation；　〃I　did
not　sleep　well。〃
〃You；　Raoul；　not　sleep　well！　then　you　must　have　something　on
your　mind！〃　said　Athos。
〃Sir；　you　will　perhaps　think　that　I　am　in　a　great　hurry　to
leave　you　when　I　have　only　just　arrived；　but　　〃
〃Have　you　only　two　days　of　leave；　Raoul？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　sir；　I　have　ten；　nor　is　it　to　the　camp　I
wish　to　go。〃
〃Where；　then？〃　said　Athos；　smiling；　〃if　it　be　not　a　secret。
You　are　now　almost　a　man；　since　you　have　made　your　first
passage　of　arms；　and　have　acquired　the　right　to　go　where　you
will　without　consulting　me。〃
〃Never；　sir；〃　said　Raoul；　〃as　long　as　I　possess　the
happiness　of　having　you　for　a　protector；　shall　I　deem　I　have
the　right　of　freeing　myself　from　a　guardianship　so　valuable
to　me。　I　have；　however；　a　wish　to　go　and　pass　a　day　at
Blois。　You　look　at　me　and　you　are　going　to　laugh　at　me。〃
〃No；　on　the　contrary；　I　am　not　inclined　to　laugh；〃　said
Athos；　suppressing　a　sigh。　〃You　wish　to　see　Blois　again；　it
is　but　natural。〃
〃Then　you　permit　me　to　go；　you　are　not　angry　in　your　heart？〃
exclaimed　Raoul；　joyously。
〃Certainly；　and　why　should　I　regret　what　gives　you
pleasure？〃
〃Oh！　how　kind　you　are；〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　pressing
his　guardian's　hand；　〃and　I　can　set　out　immediately？〃
〃When　you　like；　Raoul。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Raoul；　as　he　turned　to　leave　the　room；　〃I　have
thought　of　one　thing；　and　that　is　about　the　Duchess　of
Chevreuse；　who　was　so　kind　to　me　and　to　whom　I　owe　my
introduction　to　the　prince。〃
〃And　you　ought　to　thank　her；　Raoul。　Well；　try　the　Hotel　de
Luynes；　Raoul；　and　ask　if　the　duchess　can　receive　you。　I　am
glad　to　see　you　pay　attention　to　the　usages　of　the　world。
You　must　take　Grimaud　and　Olivain。〃
〃Both；　sir？〃　asked　Raoul；　astonished。
〃Both。〃
Raoul　went　out；　and　when　Athos　heard　his　young；　joyous　voice
calling　to　Grimaud　and　Olivain；　he　sighed。
〃It　is　very　soon　to　leave　me；〃　he　thought；　〃but　he　follows
the　common　custom。　Nature　has　made　us　thus；　she　makes　the
young　look　ever　forward；　not　behind。　He　certainly　likes　the
child；　but　will　he　love　me　less　as　his　affection　grows　for
her？〃
And　Athos　confessed　to　himself　that；　he　was　unprepared　for
so　prompt　a　departure；　but　Raoul　was　so　happy　that　this
reflection　effaced　everything　else　from　the　consideration　of
his　guardian。
Everything　was　ready　at　ten　o'clock　for　the　departure；　and
as　Athos　was　watching　Raoul　mount；　a　groom　rode　up　from　the
Duchess　de　Chevreuse。　He　was　charged　to　tell　the　Comte　de　la
Fere；　that　she　had　learned　of　the　return　of　her　youthful
protege；　and　also　the　manner　he　had　conducted　himself　on　the
field；　and　she　added　that　she　should　be　very　glad　to　offer
him　her　congratulations。
〃Tell　her　grace；〃　replied　Athos；　〃that　the　viscount　has　just
mounted　his　horse　to　proceed　to　the　Hotel　de　Luynes。〃
Then；　with　renewed　instructions　to　Grimaud；　Athos　signified
to　Raoul　that　he　could　set　out；　and　ended　by　reflecting　that
it　was　perhaps　better　that　Raoul　should　be　away　from　Paris
at　that　moment。

42
Another　Queen　in　Want　of　Help。

Athos　had　not　failed　to　send　early　to　Aramis　and　had　given
his　letter　to　Blaisois；　the　only　serving…man　whom　he　had
left。　Blaisois　found　Bazin　donning　his　beadle's　gown；　his
services　being　required　that　day　at　Notre　Dame。
Athos　had　desired　Blaisois　to　try　to　speak　to　Aramis
himself。　Blaisois；　a　tall；　simple　youth；　who　understood
nothing　but　what　he　was　expressly　told；　asked；　therefore　for
the　Abbe　d'Herblay；　and　in　spite　of　Bazin's　assurances　that
his　master　was　not　at　home；　he　persisted　in　such　a　manner　as
to　put　Bazin　into　a　passion。　Blaisois　seeing　Bazin　in
clerical　guise；　was　a　little　discomposed　at　his　denials　and
wanted　to　pass　at　all　risks；　believing　too；　that　the　man
with　whom　he　had　to　do　was　endowed　with　the　virtues　of　his
cloth；　namely；　patience　and　Christian　charity。
But　Bazin；　still　the　servant　of　a　musketeer；　when　once　the
blood　mounted　to　his　fat　cheeks；　seized　a　broomstick　and
began　belaboring　Blaisois；　saying：
〃You　have　insulted　the　church；　my　friend；　you　have　insulted
the　church！〃
At　this　moment　Aramis；　aroused　by　this　unusual　disturbance；
cautiously　opened　the　door　of　his　room；　and　Blaisois；
looking　reproachfully　at　the　Cerberus；　drew　the　letter