twenty years after(二十年后)-第89章

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He　started　on　seeing　the　cavalier　with　the　curate。　The
latter　and　the　coadjutor　touched　the　brush　with　the　tips　of
their　fingers　and　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　the　coadjutor
threw　a　piece　of　money　into　the　hat；　which　was　on　the
ground。
〃Maillard；〃　began　the　curate；　〃this　gentleman　and　I　have
come　to　talk　with　you　a　little。〃
〃With　me！〃　said　the　mendicant；　〃it　is　a　great　honor　for　a
poor　distributor　of　holy　water。〃
There　was　an　ironical　tone　in　his　voice　which　he　could　not
quite　disguise　and　which　astonished　the　coadjutor。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　curate；　apparently　accustomed　to　this
tone；　〃yes；　we　wish　to　know　your　opinion　of　the　events　of
to…day　and　what　you　have　heard　said　by　people　going　in　and
out　of　the　church。〃
The　mendicant　shook　his　head。
〃These　are　melancholy　doings；　your　reverence；　which　always
fall　again　upon　the　poor。　As　to　what　is　said；　everybody　is
discontented；　everybody　complains；　but　‘everybody'　means
‘nobody。'〃
〃Explain　yourself；　my　good　friend；〃　said　the　coadjutor。
〃I　mean　that　all　these　cries；　all　these　complaints；　these
curses；　produce　nothing　but　storms　and　flashes　and　that　is
all；　but　the　lightning　will　not　strike　until　there　is　a　hand
to　guide　it。〃
〃My　friend；〃　said　Gondy；　〃you　seem　to　be　a　clever　and　a
thoughtful　man；　are　you　disposed　to　take　a　part　in　a　little
civil　war；　should　we　have　one；　and　put　at　the　command　of　the
leader；　should　we　find　one；　your　personal　influence　and　the
influence　you　have　acquired　over　your　comrades？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　provided　this　war　were　approved　of　by　the　church
and　would　advance　the　end　I　wish　to　attain　　I　mean；　the
remission　of　my　sins。〃
〃The　war　will　not　only　be　approved　of；　but　directed　by　the
church。　As　for　the　remission　of　your　sins；　we　have　the
archbishop　of　Paris；　who　has　the　very　greatest　power　at　the
court　of　Rome；　and　even　the　coadjutor；　who　possesses　some
plenary　indulgences；　we　will　recommend　you　to　him。〃
〃Consider；　Maillard；〃　said　the　curate；　〃that　I　have
recommended　you　to　this　gentleman；　who　is　a　powerful　lord；
and　that　I　have　made　myself　responsible　for　you。〃
〃I　know；　monsieur　le　cure；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃that　you　have
always　been　very　kind　to　me；　and　therefore　I；　in　my　turn；
will　be　serviceable　to　you。〃
〃And　do　you　think　your　power　as　great　with　the　fraternity　as
monsieur　le　cure　told　me　it　was　just　now？〃
〃I　think　they　have　some　esteem　for　me；〃　said　the　mendicant
with　pride；　〃and　that　not　only　will　they　obey　me；　but
wherever　I　go　they　will　follow　me。〃
〃And　could　you　count　on　fifty　resolute　men；　good；
unemployed；　but　active　souls；　brawlers；　capable　of　bringing
down　the　walls　of　the　Palais　Royal　by　crying；　‘Down　with
Mazarin；'　as　fell　those　at　Jericho？〃
〃I　think；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃I　can　undertake　things　more
difficult　and　more　important　than　that。〃
〃Ah；　ah；〃　said　Gondy；　〃you　will　undertake；　then；　some　night；
to　throw　up　some　ten　barricades？〃
〃I　will　undertake　to　throw　up　fifty；　and　when　the　day　comes；
to　defend　them。〃
〃I'faith！〃　exclaimed　Gondy；　〃you　speak　with　a　certainty　that
gives　me　pleasure；　and　since　monsieur　le　cure　can　answer　for
you　　〃
〃I　answer　for　him；〃　said　the　curate。
〃Here　is　a　bag　containing　five　hundred　pistoles　in　gold；
make　all　your　arrangements；　and　tell　me　where　I　shall　be
able　to　find　you　this　evening　at　ten　o'clock。〃
〃It　must　be　on　some　elevated　place；　whence　a　given　signal
may　be　seen　in　every　part　of　Paris。〃
〃Shall　I　give　you　a　line　for　the　vicar　of　St。　Jacques　de　la
Boucherie？　he　will　let　you　into　the　rooms　in　his　tower；〃
said　the　curate。
〃Capital；〃　answered　the　mendicant。
〃Then；〃　said　the　coadjutor；　〃this　evening；　at　ten　o'clock；
and　if　I　am　pleased　with　you　another　bag　of　five　hundred
pistoles　will　be　at　your　disposal。〃
The　eyes　of　the　mendicant　dashed　with　cupidity；　but　he
quickly　suppressed　his　emotion。
〃This　evening；　sir；〃　he　replied；　〃all　will　be　ready。〃


46
The　Tower　of　St。　Jacques　de　la　Boucherie。

At　a　quarter　to　six　o'clock；　Monsieur　de　Gondy；　having
finished　his　business；　returned　to　the　archiepiscopal
palace。
At　six　o'clock　the　curate　of　St。　Merri　was　announced。
The　coadjutor　glanced　rapidly　behind　and　saw　that　he　was
followed　by　another　man。　The　curate　then　entered；　followed
by　Planchet。
〃Your　holiness；〃　said　the　curate；　〃here　is　the　person　of
whom　I　had　the　honor　to　speak　to　you。〃
Planchet　saluted　in　the　manner　of　one　accustomed　to　fine
houses。
〃And　you　are　disposed　to　serve　the　cause　of　the　people？〃
asked　Gondy。
〃Most　undoubtedly；〃　said　Planchet。　〃I　am　a　Frondist　from　my
heart。　You　see　in　me；　such　as　I　am；　a　person　sentenced　to　be
hung。〃
〃And　on　what　account？〃
〃I　rescued　from　the　hands　of　Mazarin's　police　a　noble　lord
whom　they　were　conducting　back　to　the　Bastile；　where　he　had
been　for　five　years。〃
〃Will　you　name　him？〃
〃Oh；　you　know　him　well；　my　lord　　it　is　Count　de
Rochefort。〃
〃Ah！　really；　yes；〃　said　the　coadjutor；　〃I　have　heard　this
affair　mentioned。　You　raised　the　whole　district；　so　they
told　me！〃
〃Very　nearly；〃　replied　Planchet；　with　a　self…satisfied　air。
〃And　your　business　is　　〃
〃That　of　a　confectioner；　in　the　Rue　des　Lombards。〃
〃Explain　to　me　how　it　happens　that；　following　so　peaceful　a
business；　you　had　such　warlike　inclinations。〃
〃Why　does　my　lord；　belonging　to　the　church；　now　receive　me
in　the　dress　of　an　officer；　with　a　sword　at　his　side　and
spurs　to　his　boots？〃
〃Not　badly　answered；　i'faith；〃　said　Gondy；　laughing；　〃but　I
have；　you　must　know；　always　had；　in　spite　of　my　bands；
warlike　inclinations。〃
〃Well；　my　lord；　before　I　became　a　confectioner　I　myself　was
three　years　sergeant　in　the　Piedmontese　regiment；　and　before
I　became　sergeant　I　was　for　eighteen　months　the　servant　of
Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
〃The　lieutenant　of　musketeers？〃　asked　Gondy。
〃Himself；　my　lord。〃
〃But　he　is　said　to　be　a　furious　Mazarinist。〃
〃Phew！〃　whistled　Planchet。
〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
〃Nothing；　my　lord；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　belongs　to　the
service；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan　makes　it　his　business　to　defend
the　cardinal；　who　pays　him；　as　much　as　we　make　it　ours；　we
citizens；　to　attack　him；　whom　he　robs。〃
〃You　are　an　intelligent　fellow；　my　friend；　can　we　count　upon
you？〃
〃You　may　count　upon　me；　my　lord；　provided　you　want　to　make　a
complete　upheaval　of　the　city。〃
〃'Tis　that　exactly。　How　many　men；　think　you；　you　could
collect　together　to…night？〃
〃Two　hundred　muskets　and　five　hundred　halberds。〃
〃Let　there　be　only　one　man　in　every　district　who　can　do　as
much　and　by　to…morrow　we　shall　have　quite　a　powerful　army。
Are　you　disposed　to　obey　Count　de　Rochefort？〃
〃I　would　follow　him　to　hell；　and　that　is　saying　not　a
little；　as　I　believe　him　entirely　capable　of　the　descent。〃
〃Bravo！〃
〃By　what　sign　to…morrow　shall　we　be　able　to　distinguish
friends　from　foes？〃
〃Every　Frondist　must　put　a　knot　of　straw　in　his　hat。〃
〃Good！　Give　the　watchword。〃
〃Do　you　want　money？〃
〃Money　never　comes　amiss　at　any　time；　my　lord；　if　one　has　it
not；　one　must　do　without　it；　with　it；　matters　go　on　much
better　and　more　rapidly。〃
Gondy　went　to　a　box　and　drew　forth　a　bag。
〃Here　are　five　hundred　pistoles；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　the
action　goes　off　well　you　may　reckon　upon　a　similar　sum
to…morrow。〃
〃I　will　give　a　faithful　account　of　the　sum　to　your
lordship；〃　said　Planchet；　putting　the　bag　under　his　arm。
〃That　is　right；　I　recommend　the　cardinal　to　your　attention。〃
〃Make　your　mind　easy；　he　is　in　good　hands。〃
Planchet　went　out；　the　curate　remaining　for　a　moment
〃Are　you　satisfied；　my　lord？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes；　he　appears　to　be　a　resolute　fellow。〃
〃Well；　he　will　do　more　than　he　has　promised。〃
〃He　will　do　wonders　then。〃
The　curate　rejoined　Planchet；　who　was　waiting　for　him　on　the
stairs。　Ten　minutes　later　the　curate　of　St。　Sulpice　was
announced。　As　soon　as　the　door　of　Gondy's　study　was　opened　a
man　rushed　in。　It　was　the　Count　de　Rochefort。
〃'Tis　you；　then；　my　dear　count；〃　cried　Gondy；　offering　his
hand。
〃You　have　made　up　your　mind　at　last；　my　lord？〃　said
Rochefort。
〃It　has　been　made　up　a　long　time；〃　said　Gondy。
〃Let　us　say　no　more　on　the　subject；　you　tell　me　so；　I
believe　you。　Well；　we　are　going　to　give　a　ball　to　Mazarin。〃
〃I　hope　so。〃
〃And　when　will　the　dance　begin？〃
〃The　invitations　are　given　for　this　evening；〃　said　the
coadjutor；　〃but　th