twenty years after(二十年后)-第115章

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bit　of　paper　which　may　show　that　you　come　in　his　name。　Be
pleased　to　give　me　that　scrap　of　paper　so　that　I　may
justify；　by　a　pretext　at　least；　my　abandoning　my　countrymen。
Otherwise；　you　see；　although　I　am　sure　that　General　Oliver
Cromwell　can　intend　them　no　harm；　it　would　have　a　bad
appearance。〃
Mordaunt　recoiled；　he　felt　the　blow　and　discharged　a
terrible　look　at　D'Artagnan；　who　responded　by　the　most
amiable　expression　that　ever　graced　a　human　countenance。
〃When　I　tell　you　a　thing；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt；　〃you　insult
me　by　doubting　it。〃
〃I！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃I　doubt　what　you　say！〃　God　keep　me
from　it；　my　dear　Monsieur　Mordaunt！　On　the　contrary；　I　take
you　to　be　a　worthy　and　accomplished　gentleman。　And　then；
sir；　do　you　wish　me　to　speak　freely　to　you？〃　continued
D'Artagnan；　with　his　frank　expression。
〃Speak　out；　sir；〃　said　Mordaunt。
〃Monsieur　du　Vallon；　yonder；　is　rich　and　has　forty　thousand
francs　yearly；　so　he　does　not　care　about　money。　I　do　not
speak　for　him；　but　for　myself。〃
〃Well；　sir？　What　more？〃
〃Well　　I　　I'm　not　rich。　In　Gascony　'tis　no　dishonor；
sir；　nobody　is　rich；　and　Henry　IV。；　of　glorious　memory；　who
was　the　king　of　the　Gascons；　as　His　Majesty　Philip　IV。　is
the　king　of　the　Spaniards；　never　had　a　penny　in　his　pocket。〃
〃Go　on；　sir；　I　see　what　you　wish　to　get　at；　and　if　it　is
simply　what　I　think　that　stops　you；　I　can　obviate　the
difficulty。〃
〃Ah；　I　knew　well；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃that　you　were　a　man　of
talent。　Well；　here's　the　case；　here's　where　the　saddle　hurts
me；　as　we　French　say。　I　am　an　officer　of　fortune；　nothing
else；　I　have　nothing　but　what　my　sword　brings　me　in　　that
is　to　say；　more　blows　than　banknotes。　Now；　on　taking
prisoners；　this　morning；　two　Frenchmen；　who　seemed　to　me　of
high　birth　　in　short；　two　knights　of　the　Garter　　I　said
to　myself；　my　fortune　is　made。　I　say　two；　because　in　such
circumstances；　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　who　is　rich；　always　gives
me　his　prisoners。〃
Mordaunt；　completely　deceived　by　the　wordy　civility　of
D'Artagnan；　smiled　like　a　man　who　understands　perfectly　the
reasons　given　him；　and　said：
〃I　shall　have　the　order　signed　directly；　sir；　and　with　it
two　thousand　pistoles；　meanwhile；　let　me　take　these　men
away。〃
〃No；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃what　signifies　a　delay　of　half　an
hour？　I　am　a　man　of　order；　sir；　let　us　do　things　in　order。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　replied　Mordaunt；　〃I　could　compel　you；　I
command　here。〃
〃Ah；　sir！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　see　that　although　we　have　had
the　honor　of　traveling　in　your　company　you　do　not　know　us。
We　are　gentlemen；　we　are；　both　of　us；　able　to　kill　you　and
your　eight　men　　we　two　only。　For　Heaven's　sake　don't　be
obstinate；　for　when　others　are　obstinate　I　am　obstinate
likewise；　and　then　I　become　ferocious　and　headstrong；　and
there's　my　friend；　who　is　even　more　headstrong　and　ferocious
than　myself。　Besides；　we　are　sent　here　by　Cardinal　Mazarin；
and　at　this　moment　represent　both　the　king　and　the　cardinal；
and　are；　therefore；　as　ambassadors；　able　to　act　with
impunity；　a　thing　that　General　Oliver　Cromwell；　who　is
assuredly　as　great　a　politician　as　he　is　a　general；　is　quite
the　man　to　understand。　Ask　him　then；　for　the　written　order。
What　will　that　cost　you　my　dear　Monsieur　Mordaunt？〃
〃Yes；　the　written　order；〃　said　Porthos；　who　now　began　to
comprehend　what　D'Artagnan　was　aiming　at；　〃we　ask　only　for
that。〃
However　inclined　Mordaunt　was　to　have　recourse　to　violence；
he　understood　the　reasons　D'Artagnan　had　given　him；　besides；
completely　ignorant　of　the　friendship　which　existed　between
the　four　Frenchmen；　all　his　uneasiness　disappeared　when　he
heard　of　the　plausible　motive　of　the　ransom。　He　decided；
therefore；　not　only　to　fetch　the　order；　but　the　two　thousand
pistoles；　at　which　he　estimated　the　prisoners。　He　therefore
mounted　his　horse　and　disappeared。
〃Good！〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　go　to
the　tent；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　return；　it　is　more　than　we
need。〃　Then　turning；　without　the　least　change　of
countenance；　to　Porthos；　he　said；　looking　him　full　in　the
face：　〃Friend　Porthos；　listen　to　this；　first；　not　a　syllable
to　either　of　our　friends　of　what　you　have　heard；　it　is
unnecessary　for　them　to　know　the　service　we　are　going　to
render　them。〃
〃Very　well；　I　understand。〃
〃Go　to　the　stable；　you　will　find　Musqueton　there；　saddle
your　horses；　put　your　pistols　in　your　saddle…bags；　take　out
the　horses　and　lead　them　to　the　street　below　this；　so　that
there　will　be　nothing　to　do　but　mount　them；　all　the　rest　is
my　business。〃
Porthos　made　no　remark；　but　obeyed；　with　the　sublime
confidence　he　had　in　his　friend。
〃I　go；〃　he　said；　〃only；　shall　I　enter　the　chamber　where
those　gentlemen　are？〃
〃No；　it　is　not　worth　while。〃
〃Well；　do　me　the　kindness　to　take　my　purse。　which　I　left　on
the　mantelpiece。〃
〃All　right。〃
He　then　proceeded；　with　his　usual　calm　gait；　to　the　stable
and　went　into　the　very　midst　of　the　soldiery；　who；　foreigner
as　he　was；　could　not　help　admiring　his　height　and　the
enormous　strength　of　his　great　limbs。
At　the　corner　of　the　street　he　met　Musqueton　and　took　him
with　him。
D'Artagnan；　meantime；　went　into　the　house；　whistling　a　tune
which　he　had　begun　before　Porthos　went　away。
〃My　dear　Athos；　I　have　reflected　on　your　arguments　and　I　am
convinced。　I　am　sorry　to　have　had　anything　to　do　with　this
matter。　As　you　say；　Mazarin　is　a　knave。　I　have　resolved　to
fly　with　you；　not　a　word　　be　ready。　Your　swords　are　in　the
corner；　do　not　forget　them；　they　are　in　many　circumstances
very　useful；　there　is　Porthos's　purse；　too。〃
He　put　it　into　his　pocket。　The　two　friends　were　perfectly
stupefied。
〃Well；　pray；　is　there　anything　to　be　so　surprised　at？〃　he
said。　〃I　was　blind；　Athos　has　made　me　see；　that's　all；　come
here。〃
The　two　friends　went　near　him。
〃Do　you　see　that　street？　There　are　the　horses。　Go　out　by　the
door；　turn　to　the　right；　jump　into　your　saddles；　all　will　be
right；　don't　be　uneasy　at　anything　except　mistaking　the
signal。　That　will　be　the　signal　when　I　call　out　　Jesus
Seigneur！〃
〃But　give　us　your　word　that　you　will　come　too；　D'Artagnan；〃
said　Athos。
〃I　swear　I　will；　by　Heaven。〃
〃'Tis　settled；〃　said　Aramis；　〃at　the　cry　‘Jesus　Seigneur'　we
go　out；　upset　all　that　stands　in　our　way；　run　to　our　horses；
jump　into　our　saddles；　spur　them；　is　that　all？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃See；　Aramis；　as　I　have　told　you；　D'Artagnan　is　first
amongst　us　all；〃　said　Athos。
〃Very　true；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　〃but　I　always　run　away　from
compliments。　Don't　forget　the　signal：　‘Jesus　Seigneur！'〃　and
he　went　out　as　he　came　in；　whistling　the　self…same　air。
The　soldiers　were　playing　or　sleeping；　two　of　them　were
singing　in　a　corner；　out　of　tune；　the　psalm：　〃On　the　rivers
of　Babylon。〃
D'Artagnan　called　the　sergeant。　〃My　dear　friend；　General
Cromwell　has　sent　Monsieur　Mordaunt　to　fetch　me。　Guard　the
prisoners　well；　I　beg　of　you。〃
The　sergeant　made　a　sign；　as　much　as　to　say　he　did　not
understand　French；　and　D'Artagnan　tried　to　make　him
comprehend　by　signs　and　gestures。　Then　he　went　into　the
stable；　he　found　the　five　horses　saddled；　his　own　amongst
the　rest。
〃Each　of　you　take　a　horse　by　the　bridle；〃　he　said　to　Porthos
and　Musqueton；　〃turn　to　the　left；　so　that　Athos　and　Aramis
may　see　you　clearly　from　the　window。〃
〃They　are　coming；　then？〃　said　Porthos。
〃In　a　moment。〃
〃You　didn't　forget　my　purse？〃
〃No；　be　easy。〃
〃Good。〃
Porthos　and　Musqueton　each　took　a　horse　by　the　bridle　and
proceeded　to　their　post。
Then　D'Artagnan；　being　alone；　struck　a　light　and　lighted　a
small　bit　of　tinder；　mounted　his　horse　and　stopped　at　the
door　in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers。　There；　caressing　as　he
pretended；　the　animal　with　his　hand；　he　put　this　bit　of
burning　tinder　in　his　ear。　It　was　necessary　to　be　as　good　a
horseman　as　he　was　to　risk　such　a　scheme；　for　no　sooner　had
the　animal　felt　the　burning　tinder　than　he　uttered　a　cry　of
pain　and　reared　and　jumped　as　if　he　had　been　mad。
The　soldiers；　whom　he　was　nearly　trampling；　ran　away。
〃Help！　help！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃stop　　my　horse　has　the
staggers。〃
In　an　instant　the　horse's　eyes　grew　bloodshot　and　he　was
white　with　foam。
〃Help！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃What！　will　you　let　me　be　killed？
Jesus　Seigneur！〃
No　sooner　had　he　uttered　this　cry　than　the　door　opened　and