twenty years after(二十年后)-第101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！


direction　he　was　desired；　never　doubting　but　that　the　order
had　come　from　his　master。　The　porter　at　the　palace　was　about
to　close　the　gates；　but　seeing　such　a　handsome　equipage　he
fancied　that　it　was　some　visit　of　importance　and　the
carriage　was　allowed　to　pass　and　to　stop　beneath　the　porch。
It　was　then　only　the　coachman　perceived　the　grooms　were　not
behind　the　vehicle；　he　fancied　monsieur　le　coadjuteur　had
sent　them　back；　and　without　dropping　the　reins　he　sprang
from　his　box　to　open　the　door。　D'Artagnan；　in　his　turn；
sprang　to　the　ground；　and　just　at　the　moment　when　the
coachman；　alarmed　at　not　seeing　his　master；　fell　back　a
step；　he　seized　him　by　his　collar　with　the　left；　whilst　with
the　right　hand　he　placed　the　muzzle　of　a　pistol　at　his
breast。
〃Pronounce　one　single　word；〃　muttered　D'Artagnan；　〃and　you
are　a　dead　man。〃
The　coachman　perceived　at　once；　by　the　expression　of　the　man
who　thus　addressed　him；　that　he　had　fallen　into　a　trap；　and
he　remained　with　his　mouth　wide　open　and　his　eyes
portentously　staring。
Two　musketeers　were　pacing　the　court；　to　whom　D'Artagnan
called　by　their　names。
〃Monsieur　de　Belliere；〃　said　he　to　one　of　them；　〃do　me　the
favor　to　take　the　reins　from　the　hands　of　this　worthy　man；
mount　upon　the　box　and　drive　to　the　door　of　the　private
stair；　and　wait　for　me　there；　it　is　an　affair　of　importance
on　the　service　of　the　king。〃
The　musketeer；　who　knew　that　his　lieutenant　was　incapable　of
jesting　with　regard　to　the　service；　obeyed　without　a　word；
although　he　thought　the　order　strange。　Then　turning　toward
the　second　musketeer；　D'Artagnan　said：
〃Monsieur　du　Verger；　help　me　to　place　this　man　in　a　place　of
safety。〃
The　musketeer；　thinking　that　his　lieutenant　had　just
arrested　some　prince　in　disguise；　bowed；　and　drawing　his
sword；　signified　that　he　was　ready。　D'Artagnan　mounted　the
staircase；　followed　by　his　prisoner；　who　in　his　turn　was
followed　by　the　soldier；　and　entered　Mazarin's　ante…room。
Bernouin　was　waiting　there；　impatient　for　news　of　his
master。
〃Well；　sir？〃　he　said。
〃Everything　goes　on　capitally；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bernouin；
but　here　is　a　man　whom　I　must　beg　you　to　put　in　a　safe
place。〃
〃Where；　then；　sir？〃
〃Where　you　like；　provided　that　the　place　which　you　shall
choose　has　iron　shutters　secured　by　padlocks　and　a　door　that
can　be　locked。〃
〃We　have　that；　sir；〃　replied　Bernouin；　and　the　poor　coachman
was　conducted　to　a　closet；　the　windows　of　which　were　barred
and　which　looked　very　much　like　a　prison。
〃And　now；　my　good　friend；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　him；　〃I　must
invite　you　to　deprive　yourself；　for　my　sake；　of　your　hat　and
cloak。〃
The　coachman；　as　we　can　well　understand；　made　no　resistance；
in　fact；　he　was　so　astonished　at　what　had　happened　to　him
that　he　stammered　and　reeled　like　a　drunken　man；　D'Artagnan
deposited　his　clothes　under　the　arm　of　one　of　the　valets。
〃And　now；　Monsieur　du　Verger；〃　he　said；　〃shut　yourself　up
with　this　man　until　Monsieur　Bernouin　returns　to　open　the
door。　The　duty　will　be　tolerably　long　and　not　very　amusing；
I　know；　but；〃　added　he；　seriously；　〃you　understand；　it　is　on
the　king's　service。〃
〃At　your　command；　lieutenant；〃　replied　the　musketeer；　who
saw　the　business　was　a　serious　one。
〃By…the…bye；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃should　this　man　attempt
to　fly　or　to　call　out；　pass　your　sword　through　his　body。〃
The　musketeer　signified　by　a　nod　that　these　commands　should
be　obeyed　to　the　letter；　and　D'Artagnan　went　out；　followed
by　Bernouin。　Midnight　struck。
〃Lead　me　into　the　queen's　oratory；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃announce　to　her　I　am　here；　and　put　this　parcel；　with　a
well…loaded　musket；　under　the　seat　of　the　carriage　which　is
waiting　at　the　foot　of　the　private　stair。〃
Bernouin　conducted　D'Artagnan　to　the　oratory；　where　he　sat
down　pensively。　Everything　had　gone　on　as　usual　at　the
Palais　Royal。　As　we　said　before；　by　ten　o'clock　almost　all
the　guests　had　dispersed；　those　who　were　to　fly　with　the
court　had　the　word　of　command　and　they　were　each　severally
desired　to　be　from　twelve　o'clock　to　one　at　Cours　la　Reine。
At　ten　o'clock　Anne　of　Austria　had　entered　the　king's　room。
Monsieur　had　just　retired；　and　the　youthful　Louis；　remaining
the　last；　was　amusing　himself　by　placing　some　lead　soldiers
in　a　line　of　battle；　a　game　which　delighted　him　much。　Two
royal　pages　were　playing　with　him。
〃Laporte；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　is　time　for　his　majesty　to　go
to　bed。〃
The　king　asked　to　remain　up；　having；　he　said；　no　wish　to
sleep；　but　the　queen　was　firm。
〃Are　you　not　going　to…morrow　morning　at　six　o'clock；　Louis；
to　bathe　at　Conflans？　I　think　you　wished　to　do　so　of　your
own　accord？〃
〃You　are　right；　madame；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　I　am　ready　to
retire　to　my　room　when　you　have　kissed　me。　Laporte；　give　the
light　to　Monsieur　the　Chevalier　de　Coislin。〃
The　queen　touched　with　her　lips　the　white；　smooth　brow　the
royal　child　presented　to　her　with　a　gravity　which　already
partook　of　etiquette。
〃Go　to　sleep　soon；　Louis；〃　said　the　queen；　〃for　you　must　be
awakened　very　early。〃
〃I　will　do　my　best　to　obey　you；　madame；〃　said　the　youthful
king；　〃but　I　have　no　inclination　to　sleep。〃
〃Laporte；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria；　in　an　undertone；　〃find　some
very　dull　book　to　read　to　his　majesty；　but　do　not　undress
yourself。〃
The　king　went　out；　accompanied　by　the　Chevalier　de　Coislin；
bearing　the　candlestick；　and　then　the　queen　returned　to　her
own　apartment。　Her　ladies　　that　is　to　say　Madame　de　Bregy；
Mademoiselle　de　Beaumont；　Madame　de　Motteville；　and
Socratine；　her　sister；　so　called　on　account　of　her　sense　
had　just　brought　into　her　dressing…room　the　remains　of　the
dinner；　on　which；　according　to　her　usual　custom；　she　supped。
The　queen　then　gave　her　orders；　spoke　of　a　banquet　which　the
Marquis　de　Villequier　was　to　give　to　her　on　the　day　after
the　morrow；　indicated　the　persons　she　would　admit　to　the
honor　of　partaking　of　it；　announced　another　visit　on　the
following　day　to　Val…de…Grace；　where　she　intended　to　pay　her
devotions；　and　gave　her　commands　to　her　senior　valet　to
accompany　her。　When　the　ladies　had　finished　their　supper　the
queen　feigned　extreme　fatigue　and　passed　into　her　bedroom。
Madame　de　Motteville；　who　was　on　especial　duty　that　evening；
followed　to　aid　and　undress　her。　The　queen　then　began　to
read；　and　after　conversing　with　her　affectionately　for　a　few
minutes；　dismissed　her。
It　was　at　this　moment　D'Artagnan　entered　the　courtyard　of
the　palace；　in　the　coadjutor's　carriage；　and　a　few　seconds
later　the　carriages　of　the　ladies…in…waiting　drove　out　and
the　gates　were　shut　after　them。
A　few　minutes　after　twelve　o'clock　Bernouin　knocked　at　the
queen's　bedroom　door；　having　come　by　the　cardinal's　secret
corridor。　Anne　of　Austria　opened　the　door　to　him　herself。
She　was　dressed；　that　is　to　say；　in　dishabille；　wrapped　in　a
long；　warm　dressing…gown。
〃It　is　you；　Bernouin；〃　she　said。　〃Is　Monsieur　d'Artagnan
there？〃
〃Yes；　madame；　in　your　oratory。　He　is　waiting　till　your
majesty　is　ready。〃
〃I　am。　Go　and　tell　Laporte　to　wake　and　dress　the　king；　and
then　pass　on　to　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　and　summon　him　to
me。〃
Bernouin　bowed　and　retired。
The　queen　entered　her　oratory；　which　was　lighted　by　a　single
lamp　of　Venetian　crystal；　She　saw　D'Artagnan；　who　stood
expecting　her。
〃Is　it　you？〃　she　said。
〃Yes；　madame。〃
〃Are　you　ready？〃
〃I　am。〃
〃And　his　eminence；　the　cardinal？〃
〃Has　got　off　without　any　accident。　He　is　awaiting　your
majesty　at　Cours　la　Reine。〃
〃But　in　what　carriage　do　we　start？〃
〃I　have　provided　for　everything；　a　carriage　below　is　waiting
for　your　majesty。〃
〃Let　us　go　to　the　king。〃
D'Artagnan　bowed　and　followed　the　queen。　The　young　Louis　was
already　dressed；　with　the　exception　of　his　shoes　and
doublet；　he　had　allowed　himself　to　be　dressed；　in　great
astonishment；　overwhelming　Laporte　with　questions；　who
replied　only　in　these　words；　〃Sire；　it　is　by　the　queen's
commands。〃
The　bedclothes　were　thrown　back；　exposing　the　king's　bed
linen；　which　was　so　worn　that　here　and　there　holes　could　be
seen。　It　was　one　of　the　results　of　Mazarin's　niggardliness。
The　queen　entered　and　D'Artagnan　remained　at　the　door。　As
soon　as　the　child　perceived　the　queen　he　escaped　from
Laporte　and　ran　to　meet　her。　Anne　then　motioned　to
D'Ar