twenty years after(二十年后)-第85章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


guards　had　till　then　kept　clear　between　them　and　the
carriage。　The　soldiers；　pushed　back　by　these　living　walls；
were　in　danger　of　being　crushed　against　the　spokes　of　the
wheels　and　the　panels　of　the　carriages。　The　cries　which　the
police　officer　repeated　twenty　times：　〃In　the　king's　name；〃
were　powerless　against　this　formidable　multitude　　seemed；
on　the　contrary；　to　exasperate　it　still　more；　when；　at　the
shout；　〃In　the　name　of　the　king；〃　an　officer　ran　up；　and
seeing　the　uniforms　ill…treated；　he　sprang　into　the　scuffle
sword　in　hand；　and　brought　unexpected　help　to　the　guards。
This　gentleman　was　a　young　man；　scarcely　sixteen　years　of
age；　now　white　with　anger。　He　leaped　from　his　charger；
placed　his　back　against　the　shaft　of　the　carriage；　making　a
rampart　of　his　horse；　drew　his　pistols　from　their　holsters
and　fastened　them　to　his　belt；　and　began　to　fight　with　the
back　sword；　like　a　man　accustomed　to　the　handling　of　his
weapon。
During　ten　minutes　he　alone　kept　the　crowd　at　bay；　at　last
Comminges　appeared；　pushing　Broussel　before　him。
〃Let　us　break　the　carriage！〃　cried　the　people。
〃In　the　king's　name！〃　cried　Comminges。
〃The　first　who　advances　is　a　dead　man！〃　cried　Raoul；　for　it
was　in　fact　he；　who；　feeling　himself　pressed　and　almost
crushed　by　a　gigantic　citizen；　pricked　him　with　the　point　of
his　sword　and　sent　him　howling　back。
Comminges；　so　to　speak；　threw　Broussel　into　the　carriage　and
sprang　in　after　him。　At　this　moment　a　shot　was　fired　and　a
ball　passed　through　the　hat　of　Comminges　and　broke　the　arm
of　one　of　the　guards。　Comminges　looked　up　and　saw　amidst　the
smoke　the　threatening　face　of　Louvieres　appearing　at　the
window　of　the　second　floor。
〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　Comminges；　〃you　shall　hear　of　this
anon。〃
〃And　you　of　me；　sir；〃　said　Louvieres；　〃and　we　shall　see　then
who　can　speak　the　loudest。〃
Friquet　and　Nanette　continued　to　shout；　the　cries；　the　noise
of　the　shot　and　the　intoxicating　smell　of　powder　produced
their　usual　maddening　effects。
〃Down　with　the　officer！　down　with　him！〃　was　the　cry。
〃One　step　nearer；〃　said　Comminges；　putting　down　the　sashes；
that　the　interior　of　the　carriage　might　be　well　seen；　and
placing　his　sword　on　his　prisoner's　breast；　〃one　step
nearer；　and　I　kill　the　prisoner；　my　orders　were　to　carry　him
off　alive　or　dead。　I　will　take　him　dead；　that's　all。〃
A　terrible　cry　was　heard；　and　the　wife　and　daughters　of
Broussel　held　up　their　hands　in　supplication　to　the　people；
the　latter　knew　that　this　officer；　who　was　so　pale；　but　who
appeared　so　determined；　would　keep　his　word；　they　continued
to　threaten；　but　they　began　to　disperse。
〃Drive　to　the　palace；〃　said　Comminges　to　the　coachman；　who
was　by　then　more　dead　than　alive。
The　man　whipped　his　animals；　which　cleared　a　way　through　the
crowd；　but　on　arriving　on　the　Quai　they　were　obliged　to
stop；　the　carriage　was　upset；　the　horses　carried　off；
stifled；　mangled　by　the　crowd。　Raoul；　on　foot；　for　he　had
not　time　to　mount　his　horse　again；　tired；　like　the　guards；
of　distributing　blows　with　the　flat　of　his　sword；　had
recourse　to　its　point。　But　this　last　and　dreaded　resource
served　only　to　exasperate　the　multitude。　From　time　to　time　a
shot　from　a　musket　or　the　blade　of　a　rapier　flashed　among
the　crowd；　projectiles　continued　to　hail　down　from　the
windows　and　some　shots　were　heard；　the　echo　of　which；　though
they　were　probably　fired　in　the　air；　made　all　hearts
vibrate。　Voices；　unheard　except　on　days　of　revolution；　were
distinguished；　faces　were　seen　that　only　appeared　on　days　of
bloodshed。　Cries　of　〃Death！　death　to　the　guards！　to　the
Seine　with　the　officer！〃　were　heard　above　all　the　noise；
deafening　as　it　was。　Raoul；　his　hat　in　ribbons；　his　face
bleeding；　felt　not　only　his　strength　but　also　his　reason
going；　a　red　mist　covered　his　sight；　and　through　this　mist
he　saw　a　hundred　threatening　arms　stretched　over　him；　ready
to　seize　upon　him　when　he　fell。　The　guards　were　unable　to
help　any　one　　each　one　was　occupied　with　his
self…preservation。　All　was　over；　carriages；　horses；　guards；
and　perhaps　even　the　prisoner　were　about　to　be　torn　to
shreds；　when　all　at　once　a　voice　well　known　to　Raoul　was
heard；　and　suddenly　a　great　sword　glittered　in　the　air；　at
the　same　time　the　crowd　opened；　upset；　trodden　down；　and　an
officer　of　the　musketeers；　striking　and　cutting　right　and
left；　rushed　up　to　Raoul　and　took　him　in　his　arms　just　as　he
was　about　to　fall。
〃God's　blood！〃　cried　the　officer；　〃have　they　killed　him？　Woe
to　them　if　it　be　so！〃
And　he　turned　around；　so　stern　with　anger；　strength　and
threat；　that　the　most　excited　rebels　hustled　back　on　one
another；　in　order　to　escape；　and　some　of　them　even　rolled
into　the　Seine。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　murmured　Raoul。
〃Yes；　'sdeath！　in　person；　and　fortunately　it　seems　for　you；
my　young　friend。　Come　on；　here；　you　others；〃　he　continued；
rising　in　his　stirrups；　raising　his　sword；　and　addressing
those　musketeers　who　had　not　been　able　to　follow　his　rapid
onslaught。　〃Come；　sweep　away　all　that　for　me！　Shoulder
muskets！　Present　arms！　Aim　　〃
At　this　command　the　mountain　of　populace　thinned　so　suddenly
that　D'Artagnan　could　not　repress　a　burst　of　Homeric
laughter。
〃Thank　you；　D'Artagnan；〃　said　Comminges；　showing　half　of　his
body　through　the　window　of　the　broken　vehicle；　〃thanks；　my
young　friend；　your　name　　that　I　may　mention　it　to　the
queen。〃
Raoul　was　about　to　reply　when　D'Artagnan　bent　down　to　his
ear。
〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　said　he；　〃and　let　me　answer。　Do　not　lose
time；　Comminges；〃　he　continued；　〃get　out　of　the　carriage　if
you　can　and　make　another　draw　up；　be　quick；　or　in　five
minutes　the　mob　will　be　on　us　again　with　swords　and　muskets
and　you　will　be　killed。　Hold！　there's　a　carriage　coming　over
yonder。〃
Then　bending　again　to　Raoul；　he　whispered：　〃Above　all　things
do　not　divulge　your　name。〃
〃That's　right。　I　will　go；〃　said　Comminges；　〃and　if　they　come
back；　fire！〃
〃Not　at　all　　not　at　all；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃let　no　one
move。　On　the　contrary；　one　shot　at　this　moment　would　be　paid
for　dearly　to…morrow。〃
Comminges　took　his　four　guards　and　as　many　musketeers　and
ran　to　the　carriage；　from　which　he　made　the　people　inside
dismount；　and　brought　them　to　the　vehicle　which　had　upset。
But　when　it　was　necessary　to　convey　the　prisoner　from　one
carriage　to　the　other；　the　people；　catching　sight　of　him
whom　they　called　their　liberator；　uttered　every　imaginable
cry　and　knotted　themselves　once　more　around　the　vehicle。
〃Start；　start！〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃There　are　ten　men　to
accompany　you。　I　will　keep　twenty　to　hold　in　check　the　mob；
go；　and　lose　not　a　moment。　Ten　men　for　Monsieur　de
Comminges。〃
As　the　carriage　started　off　the　cries　were　redoubled　and
more　than　ten　thousand　people　thronged　the　Quai　and
overflowed　the　Pont　Neuf　and　adjacent　streets。　A　few　shots
were　fired　and　one　musketeer　was　wounded。
〃Forward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　driven　to　extremities；　biting
his　moustache；　and　then　he　charged　with　his　twenty　men　and
dispersed　them　in　fear。　One　man　alone　remained　in　his　place；
gun　in　hand。
〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　is　thou　who　wouldst　have　him
assassinated？　Wait　an　instant。〃　And　he　pointed　his　gun　at
D'Artagnan；　who　was　riding　toward　him　at　full　speed。
D'Artagnan　bent　down　to　his　horse's　neck　the　young　man
fired；　and　the　ball　severed　the　feathers　from　the　hat。　The
horse　started；　brushed　against　the　imprudent　man；　who
thought　by　his　strength　alone　to　stay　the　tempest；　and　he
fell　against　the　wall。　D'Artagnan　pulled　up　his　horse；　and
whilst　his　musketeers　continued　to　charge；　he　returned　and
bent　with　drawn　sword　over　the　man　he　had　knocked　down。
〃Oh；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Raoul；　recognizing　the　young　man　as
having　seen　him　in　the　Rue　Cocatrix；　〃spare　him！　it　is　his
son！〃
D'Artagnan's　arm　dropped　to　his　side。　〃Ah；　you　are　his　son！〃
he　said；　〃that　is　a　different　thing。〃
〃Sir；　I　surrender；〃　said　Louvieres；　presenting　his　unloaded
musket　to　the　officer。
〃Eh；　no！　do　not　surrender；　egad！　On　the　contrary；　be　off；
and　quickly。　If　I　take　you；　you　will　be　hung！〃
The　young　man　did　not　wait　to　be　told　twice；　but　passing
under　the　horse's　head　disappeared　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue
Guenegaud。
〃I'faith！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　Raoul；　〃you　were　just　in　time
to　sta