twenty years after(二十年后)-第98章

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〃The　devil！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃He　knows　that　we
overheard　his　conversation　yesterday　and　he　wants　to　get　us
away　from　Paris。〃
〃Do　you　hesitate？〃　asked　Mazarin。
〃No；　my　lord；　and　I　will　set　out　at　once。　There　is　one　thing
only　which　I　must　request。〃
〃What　is　it？　Speak。〃
〃That　your　eminence　will　go　at　once　to　the　queen。〃
〃What　for？〃
〃Merely　to　say　these　words：　‘I　am　going　to　send　Monsieur
d'Artagnan　away　and　I　wish　him　to　set　out　directly。'〃
〃I　told　you；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃that　you　had　seen　the　queen。〃
〃I　had　the　honor　of　saying　to　your　eminence　that　there　had
been　some　mistake。〃
〃What　is　the　meaning　of　that？〃
〃May　I　venture　to　repeat　my　prayer　to　your　eminence？〃
〃Very　well；　I　will　go。　Wait　here　for　me。〃　And　looking
attentively　around　him；　to　see　if　he　had　left　any　of　his
keys　in　his　closets；　Mazarin　went　out。　Ten　minutes　elapsed；
during　which　D'Artagnan　made　every　effort　to　read　through
the　first　envelope　what　was　written　on　the　second。　But　he
did　not　succeed。
Mazarin　returned；　pale；　and　evidently　thoughtful。　He　seated
himself　at　his　desk　and　D'Artagnan　proceeded　to　examine　his
face；　as　he　had　just　examined　the　letter　he　held；　but　the
envelope　which　covered　his　countenance　appeared　as
impenetrable　as　that　which　covered　the　letter。
〃Ah！〃　thought　the　Gascon；　〃he　looks　displeased。　Can　it　be
with　me？　He　meditates。　Is　it　about　sending　me　to　the
Bastile？　All　very　fine；　my　lord；　but　at　the　very　first　hint
you　give　of　such　a　thing　I　will　strangle　you　and　become
Frondist。　I　should　be　carried　home　in　triumph　like　Monsieur
Broussel　and　Athos　would　proclaim　me　the　French　Brutus。　It
would　be　exceedingly　droll。〃
The　Gascon；　with　his　vivid　imagination；　had　already　seen　the
advantage　to　be　derived　from　his　situation。　Mazarin　gave；
however；　no　order　of　the　kind；　but　on　the　contrary　began　to
be　insinuating。
〃You　were　right；〃　he　said；　〃my　dear　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　and
you　cannot　set　out　yet。　I　beg　you　to　return　me　that
dispatch。〃
D'Artagnan　obeyed；　and　Mazarin　ascertained　that　the　seal　was
intact。
〃I　shall　want　you　this　evening；〃　he　said　〃Return　in　two
hours。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　have　an　appointment　in　two
hours　which　I　cannot　miss。〃
〃Do　not　be　uneasy；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃it　is　the　same。〃
〃Good！〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃I　fancied　it　was　so。〃
〃Return；　then；　at　five　o'clock　and　bring　that　worthy
Monsieur　du　Vallon　with　you。　Only；　leave　him　in　the
ante…room；　as　I　wish　to　speak　to　you　alone。〃
D'Artagnan　bowed；　and　thought：　〃Both　at　the　same　hour；　both
commands　alike；　both　at　the　Palais　Royal。　Monsieur　de　Gondy
would　pay　a　hundred　thousand　francs　for　such　a　secret！〃
〃You　are　thoughtful；〃　said　Mazarin；　uneasily。
〃Yes；　I　was　thinking　whether　we　ought　to　come　armed　or　not。〃
〃Armed　to　the　teeth！〃　replied　Mazarin。
〃Very　well；　my　lord；　it　shall　be　so。〃
D'Artagnan　saluted；　went　out　and　hastened　to　repeat　to　his
friend　Mazarin's　flattering　promises；　which　gave　Porthos　an
indescribable　happiness。

51
The　Flight。

When　D'Artagnan　returned　to　the　Palais　Royal　at　five
o'clock；　it　presented；　in　spite　of　the　excitement　which
reigned　in　the　town；　a　spectacle　of　the　greatest　rejoicing。
Nor　was　that　surprising。　The　queen　had　restored　Broussel　and
Blancmesnil　to　the　people　and　had　therefore　nothing　to　fear；
since　the　people　had　nothing　more　just　then　to　ask　for。　The
return；　also；　of　the　conqueror　of　Lens　was　the　pretext　for
giving　a　grand　banquet。　The　princes　and　princesses　were
invited　and　their　carriages　had　crowded　the　court　since
noon；　then　after　dinner　the　queen　was　to　have　a　play　in　her
apartment。　Anne　of　Austria　had　never　appeared　more　brilliant
than　on　that　day　　radiant　with　grace　and　wit。　Mazarin
disappeared　as　they　rose　from　table。　He　found　D'Artagnan
waiting　for　him　already　at　his　post　in　the　ante…room。
The　cardinal　advanced　to　him　with　a　smile　and　taking　him　by
the　hand　led　him　into　his　study。
〃My　dear　M。　d'Artagnan；〃　said　the　minister；　sitting　down；　〃I
am　about　to　give　you　the　greatest　proof　of　confidence　that　a
minister　can　give　an　officer。〃
〃I　hope；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　bowing；　〃that　you　give　it；　my
lord；　without　hesitation　and　with　the　conviction　that　I　am
worthy　of　it。〃
〃More　worthy　than　any　one　in　Paris　my　dear　friend；　therefore
I　apply　to　you。　We　are　about　to　leave　this　evening；〃
continued　Mazarin。　〃My　dear　M。　d'Artagnan；　the　welfare　of
the　state　is　deposited　in　your　hands。〃　He　paused。
〃Explain　yourself；　my　lord；　I　am　listening。〃
〃The　queen　has　resolved　to　make　a　little　excursion　with　the
king　to　Saint　Germain。〃
〃Aha！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　is　to　say；　the　queen　wishes　to
leave　Paris。〃
〃A　woman's　caprice　　you　understand。〃
〃Yes；　I　understand　perfectly；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃It　was　for　this　she　summoned　you　this　morning　and　that　she
told　you　to　return　at　five　o'clock。〃
〃Was　it　worth　while　to　wish　me　to　swear　this　morning　that　I
would　mention　the　appointment　to　no　one？〃　muttered
D'Artagnan。　〃Oh；　women！　women！　whether　queens　or　not；　they
are　always　the　same。〃
〃Do　you　disapprove　of　this　journey；　my　dear　M。　d'Artagnan？〃
asked　Mazarin；　anxiously。
〃I；　my　lord？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃why　should　I？〃
〃Because　you　shrug　your　shoulders。〃
〃It　is　a　way　I　have　of　speaking　to　myself。　I　neither　approve
nor　disapprove；　my　lord；　I　merely　await　your　commands。〃
〃Good；　it　is　you；　accordingly；　that　I　have　pitched　upon　to
conduct　the　king　and　the　queen　to　Saint　Germain。〃
〃Liar！〃　thought　D'Artagnan。
〃You　see；　therefore；〃　continued　the　cardinal；　perceiving
D'Artagnan's　composure；　〃that；　as　I　have　told　you；　the
welfare　of　the　state　is　placed　in　your　hands。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　and　I　feel　the　whole　responsibility　of　such　a
charge。〃
〃You　accept；　however？〃
〃I　always　accept。〃
〃Do　you　think　the　thing　possible？〃
〃Everything　is　possible。〃
〃Shall　you　be　attacked　on　the　road？〃
〃Probably。〃
〃And　what　will　you　do　in　that　case？〃
〃I　shall　pass　through　those　who　attack　me。〃
〃And　suppose　you　cannot　pass　through　them？〃
〃So　much　the　worse　for　them；　I　shall　pass　over　them。〃
〃And　you　will　place　the　king　and　queen　in　safety　also；　at
Saint　Germain？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃On　your　life？〃
〃On　my　life。〃
〃You　are　a　hero；　my　friend；〃　said　Mazarin；　gazing　at　the
musketeer　with　admiration。
D'Artagnan　smiled。
〃And　I？〃　asked　Mazarin；　after　a　moment's　silence。
〃How？　and　you；　my　lord？〃
〃If　I　wish　to　leave？〃
〃That　would　be　much　more　difficult。〃
〃Why　so？〃
〃Your　eminence　might　be　recognized。〃
〃Even　under　this　disguise？〃　asked　Mazarin；　raising　a　cloak
which　covered　an　arm…chair；　upon　which　lay　a　complete　dress
for　an　officer；　of　pearl…gray　and　red；　entirely　embroidered
with　silver。
〃If　your　eminence　is　disguised　it　will　be　almost　easy。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Mazarin；　breathing　more　freely。
〃But　it　will　be　necessary　for　your　eminence　to　do　what　the
other　day　you　declared　you　should　have　done　in　our　place　
cry；　‘Down　with　Mazarin！'〃
〃I　will：　‘Down　with　Mazarin'〃
〃In　French；　in　good　French；　my　lord；　take　care　of　your
accent；　they　killed　six　thousand　Angevins　in　Sicily　because
they　pronounced　Italian　badly。　Take　care　that　the　French　do
not　take　their　revenge　on　you　for　the　Sicilian　vespers。〃
〃I　will　do　my　best。〃
〃The　streets　are　full　of　armed　men；〃　continued　D'Artagnan。
〃Are　you　sure　that　no　one　is　aware　of　the　queen's　project？〃
Mazarin　reflected。
〃This　affair　would　give　a　fine　opportunity　for　a　traitor；　my
lord；　the　chance　of　being　attacked　would　be　an　excuse　for
everything。〃
Mazarin　shuddered；　but　he　reflected　that　a　man　who　had　the
least　intention　to　betray　would　not　warn　first。
〃And　therefore；〃　added　he；　quietly；　〃I　have　not　confidence
in　every　one；　the　proof　of　which　is；　that　I　have　fixed　upon
you　to　escort　me。〃
〃Shall　you　not　go　with　the　queen？〃
〃No；〃　replied　Mazarin。
〃Then　you　will　start　after　the　queen？〃
〃No；〃　said　Mazarin　again。
〃Ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　who　began　to　understand。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　cardinal。　〃I　have　my　plan。　With　the
queen　I　double　her　risk；　after　the　queen　her　departure　would
double　mine；　then；　the　court　once　safe；　I　might　be
forgotten。　The　great　are　often　ungrateful。〃
〃Very　true；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　fixing　his　eyes；　in　spite　of
himself；　on　the　queen's　diamond；　which　Mazarin　wore　on　his
finger。　Mazarin　followed　the　direction　of　his　eyes　and
gently　turned