twenty years after(二十年后)-第105章

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to　the　chateau；　where　everybody；　freezing　with　cold　and　more
than　half　asleep；　envied　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　Duke
of　Orleans；　on　their　camp　beds。　The　lieutenant's　entrance
produced　a　burst　of　laughter　in　the　great　drawing…room；　but
he　did　not　appear　to　notice　that　he　was　the　object　of
general　attention；　but　began　to　arrange；　with　so　much
cleverness；　nicety　and　gayety；　his　straw　bed；　that　the
mouths　of　all　these　poor　creatures；　who　could　not　go　to
sleep；　began　to　water。
〃Straw！〃　they　all　cried　out；　〃straw！　where　is　there　any　to
be　found？〃
〃I　can　show　you；〃　answered　the　Gascon。
And　he　conducted　them　to　Musqueton；　who　freely　distributed
the　trusses　at　the　rate　of　a　louis　apiece。　It　was　thought
rather　dear；　but　people　wanted　to　sleep；　and　who　would　not
give　even　two　or　three　louis　for　a　few　hours　of　sound　sleep？
D'Artagnan　gave　up　his　bed　to　any　one　who　wanted　it；　making
it　over　about　a　dozen　times；　and　since　he　was　supposed　to
have　paid；　like　the　others；　a　louis　for　his　truss　of　straw；
he　pocketed　in　that　way　thirty　louis　in　less　than　half　an
hour。　At　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　straw　was　worth
eighty　francs　a　truss　and　there　was　no　more　to　be　had。
D'Artagnan　had　taken　the　precaution　to　set　apart　four
trusses　for　his　own　use。　He　put　in　his　pocket　the　key　of　the
room　where　he　had　hidden　them；　and　accompanied　by　Porthos
returned　to　settle　with　Musqueton；　who；　naively；　and　like
the　worthy　steward　that　he　was；　handed　them　four　hundred　and
thirty　louis　and　kept　one　hundred　for　himself。
Musqueton；　who　knew　nothing　of　what　was　going　on　in　the
chateau；　wondered　that　the　idea　had　not　occurred　to　him
sooner。　D'Artagnan　put　the　gold　in　his　hat；　and　in　going
back　to　the　chateau　settled　the　reckoning　with　Porthos；　each
of　them　had　cleared　two　hundred　and　fifteen　louis。
Porthos；　however；　found　that　he　had　no　straw　left　for
himself。　He　returned　to　Musqueton；　but　the　steward　had　sold
the　last　wisp。　He　then　repaired　to　D'Artagnan；　who；　thanks
to　his　four　trusses　of　straw；　was　in　the　act　of　making　up
and　tasting；　by　anticipation；　the　luxury　of　a　bed　so　soft；
so　well　stuffed　at　the　head；　so　well　covered　at　the　foot；
that　it　would　have　excited　the　envy　of　the　king　himself；　if
his　majesty　had　not　been　fast　asleep　in　his　own。　D'Artagnan
could　on　no　account　consent　to　pull　his　bed　to　pieces　again
for　Porthos；　but　for　a　consideration　of　four　louis　that　the
latter　paid　him　for　it；　he　consented　that　Porthos　should
share　his　couch　with　him。　He　laid　his　sword　at　the　head；　his
pistols　by　his　side；　stretched　his　cloak　over　his　feet；
placed　his　felt　hat　on　the　top　of　his　cloak　and　extended
himself　luxuriously　on　the　straw；　which　rustled　under　him。
He　was　already　enjoying　the　sweet　dream　engendered　by　the
possession　of　two　hundred　and　nineteen　louis；　made　in　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　when　a　voice　was　heard　at　the　door　of
the　hall；　which　made　him　stir。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　it　cried。
〃Here！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃here！〃
Porthos　foresaw　that　if　D'Artagnan　was　called　away　he　should
remain　the　sole　possessor　of　the　bed。　An　officer　approached。
〃I　am　come　to　fetch　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
〃From　whom？〃
〃His　eminence　sent　me。〃
〃Tell　my　lord　that　I'm　going　to　sleep；　and　I　advise　him；　as
a　friend；　to　do　the　same。〃
〃His　eminence　is　not　gone　to　bed　and　will　not　go　to　bed；　and
wants　you　instantly。〃
〃The　devil　take　Mazarin；　who　does　not　know　when　to　sleep　at
the　proper　time。　What　does　he　want　with　me？　Is　it　to　make　me
a　captain？　In　that　case　I　will　forgive　him。〃
And　the　musketeer　rose；　grumbling；　took　his　sword；　hat；
pistols；　and　cloak；　and　followed　the　officer；　whilst
Porthos；　alone　and　sole　possessor　of　the　bed；　endeavored　to
follow　the　good　example　of　falling　asleep；　which　his
predecessor　had　set　him。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　said　the　cardinal；　on　perceiving　him；
〃I　have　not　forgotten　with　what　zeal　you　have　served　me。　I
am　going　to　prove　to　you　that　I　have　not。〃
〃Good；〃　thought　the　Gascon；　〃this　is　a　promising　beginning。〃
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　resumed；　〃do　you　wish　to　become　a
captain？〃
〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
〃And　your　friend　still　longs　to　be　made　a　baron？〃
〃At　this　very　moment；　my　lord；　he　no　doubt　dreams　that　he　is
one　already。〃
〃Then；〃　said　Mazarin；　taking　from　his　portfolio　the　letter
which　he　had　already　shown　D'Artagnan；　〃take　this　dispatch
and　carry　it　to　England。〃
D'Artagnan　looked　at　the　envelope；　there　was　no　address　on
it。
〃Am　I　not　to　know　to　whom　to　present　it？〃
〃You　will　know　when　you　reach　London；　at　London　you　may　tear
off　the　outer　envelope。〃
〃And　what　are　my　instructions？〃
〃To　obey　in　every　particular　the　man　to　whom　this　letter　is
addressed。　You　must　set　out　for　Boulogne。　At　the　Royal　Arms
of　England　you　will　find　a　young　gentleman　named　Mordaunt。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　and　what　am　I　to　do　with　this　young
gentleman？〃
〃Follow　wherever　he　leads　you。〃
D'Artagnan　looked　at　the　cardinal　with　a　stupefied　air。
〃There　are　your　instructions；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃go！〃
〃Go！　'tis　easy　to　say　so；　but　that　requires　money；　and　I
haven't　any。〃
〃Ah！〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃so　you　have　no　money？〃
〃None；　my　lord。〃
〃But　the　diamond　I　gave　you　yesterday？〃
〃I　wish　to　keep　it　in　remembrance　of　your　eminence。〃
Mazarin　sighed。
〃'Tis　very　dear　living　in　England；　my　lord；　especially　as
envoy　extraordinary。〃
〃Zounds！〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃the　people　there　are　very
sedate；　and　their　habits；　since　the　revolution；　simple；　but
no　matter。〃
He　opened　a　drawer　and　took　out　a　purse。
〃What　do　you　say　to　a　thousand　crowns？〃
D'Artagnan　pouted　out　his　lower　lip　in　a　most　extraordinary
manner。
〃I　reply；　my　lord；　'tis　but　little；　as　certainly　I　shall　not
go　alone。〃
〃I　suppose　not。　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　that　worthy　gentleman；
for；　with　the　exception　of　yourself；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；
there's　not　a　man　in　France　that　I　esteem　and　love　so　much
as　him　　〃
〃Then；　my　lord；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　pointing　to　the　purse
which　Mazarin　still　held；　〃if　you　love　and　esteem　him　so
much；　you　　understand　me？〃
〃Be　it　so！　on　his　account　I　add　two　hundred　crowns。〃
〃Scoundrel！〃　muttered　D'Artagnan。　〃But　on　our　return；〃　he
said　aloud；　〃may　we；　that　is；　my　friend　and　I；　depend　on
having；　he　his　barony；　and　I　my　promotion？〃
〃On　the　honor　of　Mazarin。〃
〃I　should　like　another　sort　of　oath　better；〃　said　D'Artagnan
to　himself；　then　aloud；　〃May　I　not　offer　my　duty　to　her
majesty　the　queen？〃
〃Her　majesty　is　asleep　and　you　must　set　off　directly；〃
replied　Mazarin；　〃go；　pray；　sir　　〃
〃One　word　more；　my　lord；　if　there's　any　fighting　where　I'm
going；　must　I　fight？〃
〃You　are　to　obey　the　commands　of　the　personage　to　whom　I
have　addressed　the　inclosed　letter。〃
〃'Tis　well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　holding　out　his　hand　to
receive　the　money。　〃I　offer　my　best　respects　and　services　to
you；　my　lord。〃
D'Artagnan　then；　returning　to　the　officer；　said：
〃Sir；　have　the　kindness　also　to　awaken　Monsieur　du　Vallon
and　to　say　'tis　by　his　eminence's　order；　and　that　I　shall
await　him　at　the　stables。〃
The　officer　went　off　with　an　eagerness　that　showed　the
Gascon　that　he　had　some　personal　interest　in　the　matter。
Porthos　was　snoring　most　musically　when　some　one　touched　him
on　the　shoulder。
〃I　come　from　the　cardinal；〃　said　the　officer。
〃Heigho！〃　said　Porthos；　opening　his　large　eyes；　〃what　have
you　got　to　say？〃
〃That　his　eminence　has　ordered　you　to　England　and　that
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　waiting　for　you　in　the　stables。〃
Porthos　sighed　heavily；　arose；　took　his　hat；　his　pistols；
and　his　cloak；　and　departed；　casting　a　look　of　regret　upon
the　couch　where　he　had　hoped　to　sleep　so　well。
No　sooner　had　he　turned　his　back　than　the　officer　laid
himself　down　in　it；　and　he　had　scarcely　crossed　the
threshold　before　his　successor；　in　his　turn；　was　snoring
immoderately。　It　was　very　natural；　he　being　the　only　person
in　the　whole　assemblage；　except　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the
Duke　of　Orleans；　who　slept　gratuitously。

54
In　which　we　hear　Tidings　of　Aramis。

D'Artagnan　went　straight　to　the　stables；　day　was　just
dawning。　He　found　his　horse　and　that　of　Porthos　fastened　to
the　manger；　but　to　an　empty　manger。　He　took　pity　on　these
poor　animals　and　went　to　a　corner　of　the　stable；　where　he
saw　a　little　straw；　but　in　doing　so　he　struck　his　foot
against