twenty years after(二十年后)-第130章

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die。　Swear；　my　son。〃
The　child　stretched　out　his　little　hand　toward　that　of　his
father　and　said；　〃I　swear　to　your　majesty。〃
〃Henry；〃　said　Charles；　〃call　me　your　father。〃
〃Father；〃　replied　the　child；　〃I　swear　to　you　that　they　shall
kill　me　sooner　than　make　me　king。〃
〃Good；　my　child。　Now　kiss　me；　and　you；　too；　Charlotte。　Never
forget　me。〃
〃Oh！　never；　never！〃　cried　both　the　children；　throwing　their
arms　around　their　father's　neck。
〃Farewell；〃　said　Charles；　〃farewell；　my　children。　Take　them
away；　Juxon；　their　tears　will　deprive　me　of　the　courage　to
die。〃
Juxon　led　them　away；　and　this　time　the　doors　were　left　open。
Meanwhile；　Athos；　in　his　concealment；　waited　in　vain　the
signal　to　recommence　his　work。　Two　long　hours　he　waited　in
terrible　inaction。　A　deathlike　silence　reigned　in　the　room
above。　At　last　he　determined　to　discover　the　cause　of　this
stillness。　He　crept　from　his　hole　and　stood；　hidden　by　the
black　drapery；　beneath　the　scaffold。　Peeping　out　from　the
drapery；　he　could　see　the　rows　of　halberdiers　and　musketeers
around　the　scaffold　and　the　first　ranks　of　the　populace
swaying　and　groaning　like　the　sea。
〃What　is　the　matter；　then？〃　he　asked　himself；　trembling　more
than　the　wind…swayed　cloth　he　was　holding　back。　〃The　people
are　hurrying　on；　the　soldiers　under　arms；　and　among　the
spectators　I　see　D'Artagnan。　What　is　he　waiting　for？　What　is
he　looking　at？　Good　God！　have　they　allowed　the　headsman　to
escape？〃
Suddenly　the　dull　beating　of　muffled　drums　filled　the
square。　The　sound　of　heavy　steps　was　heard　above　his　head。
The　next　moment　the　very　planks　of　the　scaffold　creaked　with
the　weight　of　an　advancing　procession；　and　the　eager　faces
of　the　spectators　confirmed　what　a　last　hope　at　the　bottom
of　his　heart　had　prevented　him　till　then　believing。　At　the
same　moment　a　well…known　voice　above　him　pronounced　these
words：
〃Colonel；　I　want　to　speak　to　the　people。〃
Athos　shuddered　from　head　to　foot。　It　was　the　king　speaking
on　the　scaffold。
In　fact；　after　taking　a　few　drops　of　wine　and　a　piece　of
bread；　Charles；　weary　of　waiting　for　death；　had　suddenly
decided　to　go　to　meet　it　and　had　given　the　signal　for
movement。　Then　the　two　wings　of　the　window　facing　the　square
had　been　thrown　open；　and　the　people　had　seen　silently
advancing　from　the　interior　of　the　vast　chamber；　first；　a
masked　man；　who；　carrying　an　axe　in　his　hand；　was　recognized
as　the　executioner。　He　approached　the　block　and　laid　his　axe
upon　it。　Behind　him；　pale　indeed；　but　marching　with　a　firm
step；　was　Charles　Stuart；　who　advanced　between　two　priests；
followed　by　a　few　superior　officers　appointed　to　preside　at
the　execution　and　attended　by　two　files　of　partisans　who
took　their　places　on　opposite　sides　of　the　scaffold。
The　sight　of　the　masked　man　gave　rise　to　a　prolonged
sensation。　Every　one　was　full　of　curiosity　as　to　who　that
unknown　executioner　could　be　who　presented　himself　so
opportunely　to　assure　to　the　people　the　promised　spectacle；
when　the　people　believed　it　had　been　postponed　until　the
following　day。　All　gazed　at　him　searchingly。
But　they　could　discern　nothing　but　a　man　of　middle　height；
dressed　in　black；　apparently　of　a　certain　age；　for　the　end
of　a　gray　beard　peeped　out　from　the　bottom　of　the　mask　that
hid　his　features。
The　king's　request　had　undoubtedly　been　acceded　to　by　an
affirmative　sign；　for　in　firm；　sonorous　accents；　which
vibrated　in　the　depths　of　Athos's　heart；　the　king　began　his
speech；　explaining　his　conduct　and　counseling　the　welfare　of
the　kingdom。
〃Oh！〃　said　Athos　to　himself；　〃is　it　indeed　possible　that　I
hear　what　I　hear　and　that　I　see　what　I　see？　Is　it　possible
that　God　has　abandoned　His　representative　on　earth　and　left
him　to　die　thus　miserably？　And　I　have　not　seen　him！　I　have
not　said　adieu　to　him！〃
A　noise　was　heard　like　that　the　instrument　of　death　would
make　if　moved　upon　the　block。
〃Do　not　touch　the　axe；〃　said　the　king；　and　resumed　his
speech。
At　the　end　of　his　speech　the　king　looked　tenderly　around
upon　the　people。　Then　unfastening　the　diamond　ornament　which
the　queen　had　sent　him；　he　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the
priest　who　accompanied　Juxon。　Then　he　drew　from　his　breast　a
little　cross　set　in　diamonds；　which；　like　the　order；　had
been　the　gift　of　Henrietta　Maria。
〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　priest；　〃I　shall　keep　this　cross　in　my
hand　till　the　last　moment。　Take　it　from　me　when　I　am　
dead。〃
〃Yes；　sire；〃　said　a　voice；　which　Athos　recognized　as　that　of
Aramis。
He　then　took　his　hat　from　his　head　and　threw　it　on　the
ground。　One　by　one　he　undid　the　buttons　of　his　doublet；　took
it　off　and　deposited　it　by　the　side　of　his　hat。　Then；　as　it
was　cold；　he　asked　for　his　gown；　which　was　brought　to　him。
All　the　preparations　were　made　with　a　frightful　calmness。
One　would　have　thought　the　king　was　going　to　bed　and　not　to
his　coffin。
〃Will　these　be　in　your　way？〃　he　said　to　the　executioner；
raising　his　long　locks；　〃if　so；　they　can　be　tied　up。〃
Charles　accompanied　these　words　with　a　look　designed　to
penetrate　the　mask　of　the　unknown　headsman。　His　cake；　noble
gaze　forced　the　man　to　turn　away　his　head。　But　after　the
searching　look　of　the　king　he　encountered　the　burning　eyes
of　Aramis。
The　king；　seeing　that　he　did　not　reply；　repeated　his
question。
〃It　will　do；〃　replied　the　man；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　〃if　you
separate　them　across　the　neck。〃
The　king　parted　his　hair　with　his　hands；　and　looking　at　the
block　he　said：
〃This　block　is　very　low；　is　there　no　other　to　be　had？〃
〃It　is　the　usual　block；〃　answered　the　man　in　the　mask。
〃Do　you　think　you　can　behead　me　with　a　single　blow？〃　asked
the　king。
〃I　hope　so；〃　was　the　reply。　There　was　something　so　strange
in　these　three　words　that　everybody；　except　the　king；
shuddered。
〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　taken　by　surprise；〃　added　the　king。　〃I
shall　kneel　down　to　pray；　do　not　strike　then。〃
〃When　shall　I　strike？〃
〃When　I　shall　lay　my　head　on　the　block　and　say　‘Remember！'
then　strike　boldly。〃
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　king　to　those　around　him；　〃I　leave　you
to　brave　the　tempest；　I　go　before　you　to　a　kingdom　which
knows　no　storms。　Farewell。〃
He　looked　at　Aramis　and　made　a　special　sign　to　him　with　his
head。
〃Now；〃　he　continued；　〃withdraw　a　little　and　let　me　say　my
prayer；　I　beseech　you。　You；　also；　stand　aside；〃　he　said　to
the　masked　man。　〃It　is　only　for　a　moment　and　I　know　that　I
belong　to　you；　but　remember　that　you　are　not　to　strike　till
I　give　the　signal。〃
Then　he　knelt　down；　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and　lowering
his　face　to　the　planks；　as　if　he　would　have　kissed　them；
said　in　a　low　tone；　in　French；　〃Comte　de　la　Fere；　are　you
there？〃
〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　he　answered；　trembling。
〃Faithful　friend；　noble　heart！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　should　not
have　been　rescued。　I　have　addressed　my　people　and　I　have
spoken　to　God；　last　of　all　I　speak　to　you。　To　maintain　a
cause　which　I　believed　sacred　I　have　lost　the　throne　and　my
children　their　inheritance。　A　million　in　gold　remains；　it　is
buried　in　the　cellars　of　Newcastle　Keep。　You　only　know　that
this　money　exists。　Make　use　of　it；　then；　whenever　you　think
it　will　be　most　useful；　for　my　eldest　son's　welfare。　And
now；　farewell。〃
〃Farewell；　saintly；　martyred　majesty；〃　lisped　Athos；　chilled
with　terror。
A　moment's　silence　ensued　and　then；　in　a　full；　sonorous
voice；　the　king　exclaimed：　〃Remember！〃
He　had　scarcely　uttered　the　word　when　a　heavy　blow　shook　the
scaffold　and　where　Athos　stood　immovable　a　warm　drop　fell
upon　his　brow。　He　reeled　back　with　a　shudder　and　the　same
moment　the　drops　became　a　crimson　cataract。
Athos　fell　on　his　knees　and　remained　some　minutes　as　if
bewildered　or　stunned。　At　last　he　rose　and　taking　his
handkerchief　steeped　it　in　the　blood　of　the　martyred　king。
Then　as　the　crowd　gradually　dispersed　he　leaped　down；　crept
from　behind　the　drapery；　glided　between　two　horses；　mingled
with　the　crowd　and　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　inn。
Having　gained　his　room　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　face；　and
observing　that　his　fingers　were　covered　with　the　monarch's
blood；　fell　down　insensible。


67
The　Man　in　the　Mask。

The　snow　was　falling　thick　and　icy。　Aramis　was　the　next　to
come　in　and　to　discover　Athos　almost　insensible。　But　at　the
first　words　he　uttered　the　comte　r