twenty years after(二十年后)-第116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！


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
Athos　and　Aramis　rushed　out。　The　coast；　owing　to　the
Gascon's　stratagem；　was　clear。
〃The　prisoners　are　escaping！　the　prisoners　are　escaping！〃
cried　the　sergeant。
〃Stop！　stop！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　giving　rein　to　his　famous
steed；　who；　darting　forth；　overturned　several　men。
〃Stop！　stop！〃　cried　the　soldiers；　and　ran　for　their　arms。
But　the　prisoners　were　in　their　saddles　and　lost　no　time
hastening　to　the　nearest　gate。
In　the　middle　of　the　street　they　saw　Grimaud　and　Blaisois；
who　were　coming　to　find　their　masters。　With　one　wave　of　his
hand　Athos　made　Grimaud；　who　followed　the　little　troop；
understand　everything；　and　they　passed　on　like　a　whirlwind；
D'Artagnan　still　directing　them　from　behind　with　his　voice。
They　passed　through　the　gate　like　apparitions；　without　the
guards　thinking　of　detaining　them；　and　reached　the　open
country。
All　this　time　the　soldiers　were　calling　out；　〃Stop！　stop！〃
and　the　sergeant；　who　began　to　see　that　he　was　the　victim　of
an　artifice；　was　almost　in　a　frenzy　of　despair。　Whilst　all
this　was　going　on；　a　cavalier　in　full　gallop　was　seen
approaching。　It　was　Mordaunt　with　the　order　in　his　hand。
〃The　prisoners！〃　he　exclaimed；　jumping　off　his　horse。
The　sergeant　had　not　the　courage　to　reply；　he　showed　him　the
open　door；　the　empty　room。　Mordaunt　darted　to　the　steps；
understood　all；　uttered　a　cry；　as　if　his　very　heart　was
pierced；　and　fell　fainting　on　the　stone　steps。

59
In　which　it　is　shown　that　under　the　most　trying
Circumstances　noble　Natures　never　lose　their　Courage；　nor
good　Stomachs　their　Appetites。

The　little　troop；　without　looking　behind　them　or　exchanging
a　word；　fled　at　a　rapid　gallop；　fording　a　little　stream；　of
which　none　of　them　knew　the　name；　and　leaving　on　their　left
a　town　which　Athos　declared　to　be　Durham。　At　last　they　came
in　sight　of　a　small　wood；　and　spurring　their　horses　afresh；
rode　in　its　direction。
As　soon　as　they　had　disappeared　behind　a　green　curtain
sufficiently　thick　to　conceal　them　from　the　sight　of　any　one
who　might　be　in　pursuit　they　drew　up　to　hold　a　council
together。　The　two　grooms　held　the　horses；　that　they　might
take　a　little　rest　without　being　unsaddled；　and　Grimaud　was
posted　as　sentinel。
〃Come；　first　of　all；〃　said　Athos　to　D'Artagnan；　〃my　friend；
that　I　may　shake　hands　with　you　　you；　our　rescuer　　you；
the　true　hero　of　us　all。〃
〃Athos　is　right　　you　have　my　adoration；〃　said　Aramis；　in
his　turn　pressing　his　hand。　〃To　what　are　you　not　equal；　with
your　superior　intelligence；　infallible　eye；　your　arm　of　iron
and　your　enterprising　mind！〃
〃Now；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃that　is　all　well；　I　accept　for
Porthos　and　myself　everything　　thanks　and　compliments；　we
have　plenty　of　time　to　spare。〃
The　two　friends；　recalled　by　D'Artagnan　to　what　was　also　due
to　Porthos；　pressed　his　hand　in　their　turn。
〃And　now；〃　said　Athos；　〃it　is　not　our　plan　to　run　anywhere
and　like　madmen；　but　we　must　map　up　our　campaign。　What　shall
we　do？〃
〃What　are　we　going　to　do；　i'faith？　It　is　not　very　difficult
to　say。〃
〃Tell　us；　then；　D'Artagnan。〃
〃We　are　going　to　reach　the　nearest　seaport；　unite　our　little
resources；　hire　a　vessel　and　return　to　France。　As　for　me　I
will　give　my　last　sou　for　it。　Life　is　the　greatest　treasure；
and　speaking　candidly；　ours　hangs　by　a　thread。〃
〃What　do　you　say　to　this；　Du　Vallon？〃
〃I；〃　said　Porthos；　〃I　am　entirely　of　D'Artagnan's　opinion；
this　is　a　‘beastly'　country；　this　England。〃
〃You　are　quite　decided；　then；　to　leave　it？〃　asked　Athos　of
D'Artagnan。
〃Egad！　I　don't　see　what　is　to　keep　me　here。〃
A　glance　was　exchanged　between　Athos　and　Aramis。
〃Go；　then；　my　friends；〃　said　the　former；　sighing。
〃How；　go　then？〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan。　〃Let　us　go；　you　mean？〃
〃No；　my　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃you　must　leave　us。〃
〃Leave　you！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　quite　bewildered　at　this
unexpected　announcement。
〃Bah！〃　said　Porthos；　〃why　separate；　since　we　are　all
together？〃
〃Because　you　can　and　ought　to　return　to　France；　your　mission
is　accomplished；　but　ours　is　not。〃
〃Your　mission　is　not　accomplished？〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；
looking　in　astonishment　at　Athos。
〃No；　my　friend；〃　replied　Athos；　in　his　gentle　but　decided
voice；　〃we　came　here　to　defend　King　Charles；　we　have　but　ill
defended　him　　it　remains　for　us　to　save　him！〃
〃To　save　the　king？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　looking　at　Aramis　as　he
had　looked　at　Athos。
Aramis　contented　himself　by　making　a　sign　with　his　head。
D'Artagnan's　countenance　took　an　expression　of　the　deepest
compassion；　he　began　to　think　he　had　to　do　with　madmen。
〃You　cannot　be　speaking　seriously；　Athos！〃　said　he；　〃the
king　is　surrounded　by　an　army；　which　is　conducting　him　to
London。　This　army　is　commanded　by　a　butcher；　or　the　son　of　a
butcher　　it　matters　little　　Colonel　Harrison。　His
majesty；　I　can　assure　you；　will　be　tried　on　his　arrival　in
London；　I　have　heard　enough　from　the　lips　of　Oliver　Cromwell
to　know　what　to　expect。〃
A　second　look　was　exchanged　between　Athos　and　Aramis。
〃And　when　the　trial　is　ended　there　will　be　no　delay　in
putting　the　sentence　into　execution；〃　continued　D'Artagnan。
〃And　to　what　penalty　do　you　think　the　king　will　be
condemned？〃　asked　Athos。
〃The　penalty　of　death；　I　greatly　fear；　they　have　gone　too
far　for　him　to　pardon　them；　and　there　is　nothing　left　to
them　but　one　thing；　and　that　is　to　kill　him。　Have　you　never
heard　what　Oliver　Cromwell　said　when　he　came　to　Paris　and
was　shown　the　dungeon　at　Vincennes　where　Monsieur　de　Vendome
was　imprisoned？〃
〃What　did　he　say？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃‘Princes　must　be　knocked　on　the　head。'〃
〃I　remember　it；〃　said　Athos。
〃And　you　fancy　he　will　not　put　his　maxim　into　execution；　now
that　he　has　got　hold　of　the　king？〃
〃On　the　contrary；　I　am　certain　he　will　do　so。　But　then　that
is　all　the　more　reason　why　we　should　not　abandon　the　august
head　so　threatened。〃
〃Athos；　you　are　becoming　mad。〃
〃No；　my　friend；〃　Athos　gently　replied；　〃but　De　Winter　sought
us　out　in　France　and　introduced　us；　Monsieur　d'Herblay　and
myself；　to　Madame　Henrietta。　Her　majesty　did　us　the　honor　to
ask　our　aid　for　her　husband。　We　engaged　our　word；　our　word
included　everything。　It　was　our　strength；　our　intelligence；
our　life；　in　short；　that　we　promised。　It　remains　now　for　us
to　keep　our　word。　Is　that　your　opinion；　D'Herblay？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　have　promised。〃
〃Then；〃　continued　Athos；　〃we　have　another　reason；　it　is　this
　listen：　In　France　at　this　moment　everything　is　poor　and
paltry。　We　have　a　king　ten　years　old；　who　doesn't　yet　know
what　he　wants；　we　have　a　queen　blinded　by　a　belated　passion；
we　have　a　minister　who　governs　France　as　he　would　govern　a
great　farm　　that　is　to　say；　intent　only　on　turning　out　all
the　gold　he　can　by　the　exercise　of　Italian　cunning　and
invention；　we　have　princes　who　set　up　a　personal　and
egotistic　opposition；　who　will　draw　from　Mazarin's　hands
only　a　few　ingots　of　gold　or　some　shreds　of　power　granted　as
bribes。　I　have　served　them　without　enthusiasm　　God　knows
that　I　estimated　them　at　their　real　value；　and　that　they　are
not　high　in　my　esteem　　but　on　principle。　To…day　I　am
engaged　in　a　different　affair。　I　have　encountered　misfortune
in　a　high　place；　a　royal　misfortune；　a　European　misfortune；
I　attach　myself　to　it。　If　we　can　succeed　in　saving　the　king
it　will　be　good；　if　we　die　for　him　it　will　be　grand。〃
〃So　you　know　beforehand　you　must　perish！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃We　fear　so；　and　our　only　regret　is　to　die　so　far　from　both
of　you。〃
〃What　will　you　do　in　a　foreign　land；　an　enemy's　country？〃
〃I　traveled　in　England　when　I　was　young；　I　speak　English
like　an　Englishman；　and　Aramis；　too；　knows　something　of　the
language。　Ah！　if　we　had　you；　my　friends！　With　you；
D'Artagnan；　with　you；　Porthos　　all　four　reunited　for　the
first　time　for　twenty　years　　we　would　dare　not　only
England；　but　the　three　kingdoms　put　together！〃
〃And　did　you　promise　the　queen；〃　resumed　D'Artagnan；
petulantly；　〃to　storm　the　Tower　of　London；　to　kill　a　hundred
thousand　soldiers；　to　fight　victoriously　against　the　wishes
of　the　nation　and　the　ambition　of　a　man；　and　when　that　man
is　Cromwell？　Do　not　exaggerate　your　duty。　In