twenty years after(二十年后)-第118章

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And　the　four　friends；　guided　by　Musqueton；　took　up　the　way
toward　the　house；　already　almost　restored　to　their　former
gayety；　for　they　were　now；　as　Athos　had　said；　all　four　once
more　united　and　of　single　mind。

60
Respect　to　Fallen　Majesty。

As　our　fugitives　approached　the　house；　they　found　the　ground
cut　up；　as　if　a　considerable　body　of　horsemen　had　preceded
them。　Before　the　door　the　traces　were　yet　more　apparent；
these　horsemen；　whoever　they　might　be；　had　halted　there。
〃Egad！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃it's　quite　clear　that　the　king
and　his　escort　have　been　by　here。〃
〃The　devil！〃　said　Porthos；　〃in　that　case　they　have　eaten
everything。〃
〃Bah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃they　will　have　left　a　chicken；　at
least。〃　He　dismounted　and　knocked　on　the　door。　There　was　no
response。
He　pushed　open　the　door　and　found　the　first　room　empty　and
deserted。
〃Well？〃　cried　Porthos。
〃I　can　see　nobody；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃Aha！〃
〃What？〃
〃Blood！〃
At　this　word　the　three　friends　leaped　from　their　horses　and
entered。　D'Artagnan　had　already　opened　the　door　of　the
second　room；　and　from　the　expression　of　his　face　it　was
clear　that　he　there　beheld　some　extraordinary　object。
The　three　friends　drew　near　and　discovered　a　young　man
stretched　on　the　ground；　bathed　in　a　pool　of　blood。　It　was
evident　that　he　had　attempted　to　regain　his　bed；　but　had　not
had　sufficient　strength　to　do　so。
Athos；　who　imagined　that　he　saw　him　move；　was　the　first　to
go　up　to　him。
〃Well？〃　inquired　D'Artagnan。
〃Well；　if　he　is　dead；〃　said　Athos；　〃he　has　not　been　so　long；
for　he　is　still　warm。　But　no；　his　heart　is　beating。　Ho；
there；　my　friend！〃
The　wounded　man　heaved　a　sigh。　D'Artagnan　took　some　water　in
the　hollow　of　his　hand　and　threw　it　upon　his　face。　The　man
opened　his　eyes；　made　an　effort　to　raise　his　head；　and　fell
back　again。　The　wound　was　in　the　top　of　his　skull　and　blood
was　flawing　copiously。
Aramis　dipped　a　cloth　into　some　water　and　applied　it　to　the
gash。　Again　the　wounded　man　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　in
astonishment　at　these　strangers；　who　appeared　to　pity　him。
〃You　are　among　friends；〃　said　Athos；　in　English；　〃so　cheer
up；　and　tell　us；　if　you　have　the　strength　to　do　so；　what　has
happened？〃
〃The　king；〃　muttered　the　wounded　man；　〃the　king　is　a
prisoner。〃
〃You　have　seen　him？〃　asked　Aramis；　in　the　same　language。
The　man　made　no　reply。
〃Make　your　mind　easy；〃　resumed　Athos；　〃we　are　all　faithful
servants　of　his　majesty。〃
〃Is　what　you　tell　me　true？〃　asked　the　wounded　man。
〃On　our　honor　as　gentlemen。〃
〃Then　I　may　tell　you　all。　I　am　brother　to　Parry；　his
majesty's　lackey。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　remembered　that　this　was　the　name　by　which
De　Winter　had　called　the　man　they　had　found　in　the　passage
of　the　king's　tent。
〃We　know　him；〃　said　Athos；　〃he　never　left　the　king。〃
〃Yes；　that　is　he。　Well；　he　thought　of　me；　when　he　saw　the
king　was　taken；　and　as　they　were　passing　before　the　house　he
begged　in　the　king's　name　that　they　would　stop；　as　the　king
was　hungry。　They　brought　him　into　this　room　and　placed
sentinels　at　the　doors　and　windows。　Parry　knew　this　room；　as
he　had　often　been　to　see　me　when　the　king　was　at　Newcastle。
He　knew　that　there　was　a　trap…door　communicating　with　a
cellar；　from　which　one　could　get　into　the　orchard。　He　made　a
sign；　which　I　understood；　but　the　king's　guards　must　have
noticed　it　and　held　themselves　on　guard。　I　went　out　as　if　to
fetch　wood；　passed　through　the　subterranean　passage　into　the
cellar；　and　whilst　Parry　was　gently　bolting　the　door；　pushed
up　the　board　and　beckoned　to　the　king　to　follow　me。　Alas！　he
would　not。　But　Parry　clasped　his　hands　and　implored　him；　and
at　last　he　agreed。　I　went　on　first；　fortunately。　The　king
was　a　few　steps　behind　me；　when　suddenly　I　saw　something
rise　up　in　front　of　me　like　a　huge　shadow。　I　wanted　to　cry
out　to　warn　the　king；　but　that　very　moment　I　felt　a　blow　as
if　the　house　was　falling　on　my　head；　and　fell　insensible。
When　I　came　to　myself　again；　I　was　stretched　in　the　same
place。　I　dragged　myself　as　far　as　the　yard。　The　king　and　his
escort　were　no　longer　there。　I　spent　perhaps　an　hour　in
coming　from　the　yard　to　this　place；　then　my　strength　gave
out　and　I　fainted　again。〃
〃And　now　how　are　you　feeling？〃
〃Very　ill；〃　replied　the　wounded　man。
〃Can　we　do　anything　for　you？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Help　to　put　me　on　the　bed；　I　think　I　shall　feel　better
there。〃
〃Have　you　any　one　to　depend　on　for　assistance？〃
〃My　wife　is　at　Durham　and　may　return　at　any　moment。　But　you
　is　there　nothing　that　you　want？〃
〃We　came　here　with　the　intention　of　asking　for　something　to
eat。〃
〃Alas；　they　have　taken　everything；　there　isn't　a　morsel　of
bread　in　the　house。〃
〃You　hear；　D'Artagnan？〃　said　Athos；　〃we　shall　have　to　look
elsewhere　for　our　dinner。〃
〃It　is　all　one　to　me　now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　no　longer
hungry。〃
〃Faith！　neither　am　I；〃　said　Porthos。
They　carried　the　man　to　his　bed　and　called　Grimaud　to　dress
the　wound。　In　the　service　of　the　four　friends　Grimaud　had
had　so　frequent　occasion　to　make　lint　and　bandages　that　he
had　become　something　of　a　surgeon。
In　the　meantime　the　fugitives　had　returned　to　the　first
room；　where　they　took　counsel　together。
〃Now；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　know　how　the　matter　stands。　The　king
and　his　escort　have　gone　this　way；　we　had　better　take　the
opposite　direction；　eh？〃
Athos　did　not　reply；　he　reflected。
〃Yes；〃　said　Porthos；　〃let　us　take　the　opposite　direction；　if
we　follow　the　escort　we　shall　find　everything　devoured　and
die　of　hunger。　What　a　confounded　country　this　England　is！
This　is　the　first　time　I　have　gone　without　my　dinner　for　ten
years；　and　it　is　generally　my　best　meal。〃
〃What　do　you　think；　D'Artagnan？〃　asked　Athos。　〃Do　you　agree
with　Aramis？〃
〃Not　at　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　precisely　of　the
contrary　opinion。〃
〃What！　you　would　follow　the　escort？〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　in
dismay。
〃No；　I　would　join　the　escort。〃
Athos's　eyes　shone　with　joy。
〃Join　the　escort！〃　cried　Aramis。
〃Let　D'Artagnan　speak；〃　said　Athos；　〃you　know　he　always　has
wise　advice　to　give。〃
〃Clearly；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃we　must　go　where　they　will　not
look　for　us。　Now；　they　will　be　far　from　looking　for　us　among
the　Puritans；　therefore；　with　the　Puritans　we　must　go。〃
〃Good；　my　friend；　good！〃　said　Athos。　〃It　is　excellent
advice。　I　was　about　to　give　it　when　you　anticipated　me。〃
〃That；　then；　is　your　opinion？〃　asked　Aramis。
〃Yes。　They　will　think　we　are　trying　to　leave　England　and
will　search　for　us　at　the　ports；　meanwhile　we　shall　reach
London　with　the　king。　Once　in　London　we　shall　be　hard　to
find　　without　considering；〃　continued　Athos；　throwing　a
glance　at　Aramis；　〃the　chances　that　may　come　to　us　on　the
way。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　understand。〃
〃I；　however；　do　not　understand；〃　said　Porthos。　〃But　no
matter；　since　it　is　at　the　same　time　the　opinion　of
D'Artagnan　and　of　Athos；　it　must　be　the　best。〃
〃But；〃　said　Aramis；　〃shall　we　not　be　suspected　by　Colonel
Harrison？〃
〃Egad！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃he's　just　the　man　I　count　upon。
Colonel　Harrison　is　one　of　our　friends。　We　have　met　him
twice　at　General　Cromwell's。　He　knows　that　we　were　sent　from
France　by　Monsieur　Mazarin；　he　will　consider　us　as　brothers。
Besides；　is　he　not　a　butcher's　son？　Well；　then；　Porthos
shall　show　him　how　to　knock　down　an　ox　with　a　blow　of　the
fist；　and　I　how　to　trip　up　a　bull　by　taking　him　by　the
horns。　That　will　insure　his　confidence。〃
Athos　smiled。　〃You　are　the　best　companion　that　I　know；
D'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　offering　his　hand　to　the　Gascon；　〃and
I　am　very　happy　in　having　found　you　again；　my　dear　son。〃
This　was；　as　we　have　seen；　the　term　which　Athos　applied　to
D'Artagnan　in　his　more　expansive　moods。
At　this　moment　Grimaud　came　in。　He　had　stanched　the　wound
and　the　man　was　better。
The　four　friends　took　leave　of　him　and　asked　if　they　could
deliver　any　message　for　him　to　his　brother。
〃Tell　him；〃　answered　the　brave　man；　〃to　let　the　king　know
that　they　have　not　killed　me　outright。　However　insignificant
I　am；　I　am　sure　that　his　majesty　is　concerned　for　me　and
blames　himself　for　my　death。〃
〃Be　easy；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃he　will　know　all　before　night。〃
The　little　troop　recommenced　their　march；　and　at　the　end　of
two　hours　perceived　a　considerable　body　of　horsemen　about
half　a　league