twenty years after(二十年后)-第138章

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Musqueton　smiled　disdainfully。
〃I　suppose　that　you　think　it　necessary　that　I　should　disturb
the　repose　of　these　illustrious　lords　to　say；　‘Gentlemen；
your　servant；　Musqueton；　is　thirsty。'　What　does　Monsieur
Bracieux　care；　think　you；　whether　I　am　thirsty　or　not？〃
〃'Tis　a　very　expensive　wine；〃　said　Blaisois；　shaking　his
head。
〃Were　it　liquid　gold；　Monsieur　Blaisois；　our　masters　would
not　deny　themselves　this　wine。　Know　that　Monsieur　de
Bracieux　is　rich　enough　to　drink　a　tun　of　port　wine；　even　if
obliged　to　pay　a　pistole　for　every　drop。〃　His　manner　became
more　and　more　lofty　every　instant；　then　he　arose　and　after
finishing　off　the　beer　at　one　draught　he　advanced
majestically　to　the　door　of　the　compartment　where　the　wine
was。　〃Ah！　locked！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃these　devils　of　English；
how　suspicious　they　are！〃
〃Locked！〃　said　Blaisois；　〃ah！　the　deuce　it　is；　unlucky；　for
my　stomach　is　getting　more　and　more　upset。〃
〃Locked！〃　repeated　Musqueton。
〃But；〃　Blaisois　ventured　to　say；　〃I　have　heard　you　relate；
Monsieur　Musqueton；　that　once　on　a　time；　at　Chantilly；　you
fed　your　master　and　yourself　by　taking　partridges　in　a
snare；　carp　with　a　line；　and　bottles　with　a　slipnoose。〃
〃Perfectly　true；　but　there　was　an　airhole　in　the　cellar　and
the　wine　was　in　bottles。　I　cannot　throw　the　loop　through
this　partition　nor　move　with　a　pack…thread　a　cask　of　wine
which　may　perhaps　weigh　two　hundred　pounds。〃
〃No；　but　you　can　take　out　two　or　three　boards　of　the
partition；〃　answered　Blaisois；　〃and　make　a　hole　in　the　cask
with　a　gimlet。〃
Musqueton　opened　his　great　round　eyes　to　the　utmost；
astonished　to　find　in　Blaisois　qualities　for　which　he　did
not　give　him　credit。
〃'Tis　true；〃　he　said；　〃but　where　can　I　get　a　chisel　to　take
the　planks　out；　a　gimlet　to　pierce　the　cask？〃
〃Trousers；〃　said　Grimaud；　still　squaring　his　accounts。
〃Ah；　yes！〃　said　Musqueton。
Grimaud；　in　fact；　was　not　only　the　accountant；　but　the
armorer　of　the　party；　and　as　he　was　a　man　full　of
forethought；　these　trousers；　carefully　rolled　up　in　his
valise；　contained　every　sort　of　tool　for　immediate　use。
Musqueton；　therefore；　was　soon　provided　with　tools　and　he
began　his　task。　In　a　few　minutes　he　had　extracted　three
boards。　He　tried　to　pass　his　body　through　the　aperture；　but
not　being　like　the　frog　in　the　fable；　who　thought　he　was
larger　than　he　really　was；　he　found　he　must　take　out　three
or　four　more　before　he　could　get　through。
He　sighed　and　set　to　work　again。
Grimaud　had　now　finished　his　accounts。　He　arose　and　stood
near　Musqueton。
〃I；〃　he　said。
〃What？〃　said　Musqueton。
〃I　can　pass。〃
〃That　is　true；〃　said　Musqueton；　glancing　at　his　friend's
long　and　thin　body；　〃you　will　pass　easily。〃
〃And　he　knows　the　full　casks；〃　said　Blaisois；　〃for　he　has
already　been　in　the　hold　with　Monsieur　le　Chevalier
d'Artagnan。　Let　Monsieur　Grimaud　go　in；　Monsieur　Mouston。〃
〃I　could　go　in　as　well　as　Grimaud；〃　said　Musqueton；　a　little
piqued。
〃Yes；　but　that　would　take　too　much　time　and　I　am　thirsty。　I
am　getting　more　and　more　seasick。〃
〃Go　in；　then；　Grimaud；〃　said　Musqueton；　handing　him　the　beer
pot　and　gimlet。
〃Rinse　the　glasses；〃　said　Grimaud。　Then　with　a　friendly
gesture　toward　Musqueton；　that　he　might　forgive　him　for
finishing　an　enterprise　so　brilliantly　begun　by　another；　he
glided　like　a　serpent　through　the　opening　and　disappeared。
Blaisois　was　in　a　state　of　great　excitement；　he　was　in
ecstasies。　Of　all　the　exploits　performed　since　their　arrival
in　England　by　the　extraordinary　men　with　whom　he　had　the
honor　to　be　associated；　this　seemed　without　question　to　be
the　most　wonderful。
〃You　are　about　to　see〃　said　Musqueton；　looking　at　Blaisois
with　an　expression　of　superiority　which　the　latter　did　not
even　think　of　questioning；　〃you　are　about　to　see；　Blaisois；
how　we　old　soldiers　drink　when　we　are　thirsty。〃
〃My　cloak；〃　said　Grimaud；　from　the　bottom　of　the　hold。
〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　Blaisois。
〃My　cloak　　stop　up　the　aperture　with　it。〃
〃Why？〃　asked　Blaisois。
〃Simpleton！〃　exclaimed　Musqueton；　〃suppose　any　one　came　into
the　room。〃
〃Ah；　true；〃　cried　Blaisois；　with　evident　admiration；　〃but　it
will　be　dark　in　the　cellar。〃
〃Grimaud　always　sees；　dark　or　light；　night　as　well　as　day；〃
answered　Musqueton。
〃That　is　lucky；〃　said　Blaisois。　〃As　for　me；　when　I　have　no
candle　I　can't　take　two　steps　without　knocking　against
something。〃
〃That's　because　you　haven't　served；〃　said　Musqueton。　〃Had
you　been　in　the　army　you　would　have　been　able　to　pick　up　a
needle　on　the　floor　of　a　closed　oven。　But　hark！　I　think　some
one　is　coming。〃
Musqueton　made；　with　a　low　whistling　sound；　the　sign　of
alarm　well　known　to　the　lackeys　in　the　days　of　their　youth；
resumed　his　place　at　the　table　and　made　a　sign　to　Blaisois
to　follow　his　example。
Blaisois　obeyed。
The　door　of　their　cabin　was　opened。　Two　men；　wrapped　in
their　cloaks；　appeared。
〃Oho！〃　said　they；　〃not　in　bed　at　a　quarter　past　eleven。
That's　against　all　rules。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　let　every
one　be　in　bed　and　snoring。〃
These　two　men　then　went　toward　the　compartment　in　which
Grimaud　was　secreted；　opened　the　door；　entered　and　shut　it
after　them。
〃Ah！〃　cried　Blaisois；　〃he　is　lost！〃
〃Grimaud's　a　cunning　fellow；〃　murmured　Musqueton。
They　waited　for　ten　minutes；　during　which　time　no　noise　was
heard　that　might　indicate　that　Grimaud　was　discovered；　and
at　the　expiration　of　that　anxious　interval　the　two　men
returned；　closed　the　door　after　them；　and　repeating　their
orders　that　the　servants　should　go　to　bed　and　extinguish
their　lights；　disappeared。
〃Shall　we　obey？〃　asked　Blaisois。　〃All　this　looks
suspicious。〃
〃They　said　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　We　still　have　five
minutes；〃　replied　Musqueton。
〃Suppose　we　warn　the　masters。〃
〃Let's　wait　for　Grimaud。〃
〃But　perhaps　they　have　killed　him。〃
〃Grimaud　would　have　cried　out。〃
〃You　know　he　is　almost　dumb。〃
〃We　should　have　heard　the　blow；　then。〃
〃But　if　he　doesn't　return？〃
〃Here　he　is。〃
At　that　very　moment　Grimaud　drew　back　the　cloak　which　hid
the　aperture　and　came　in　with　his　face　livid；　his　eyes
staring　wide　open　with　terror；　so　that　the　pupils　were
contracted　almost　to　nothing；　with　a　large　circle　of　white
around　them。　He　held　in　his　hand　a　tankard　full　of　a　dark
substance；　and　approaching　the　gleam　of　light　shed　by　the
lamp　he　uttered　this　single　monosyllable：　〃Oh！〃　with　such　an
expression　of　extreme　terror　that　Musqueton　started；
alarmed；　and　Blaisois　was　near　fainting　from　fright。
Both；　however；　cast　an　inquisitive　glance　into　the　tankard
　it　was　full　of　gunpowder。
Convinced　that　the　ship　was　full　of　powder　instead　of　having
a　cargo　of　wine；　Grimaud　hastened　to　awake　D'Artagnan；　who
had　no　sooner　beheld　him　than　he　perceived　that　something
extraordinary　had　taken　place。　Imposing　silence；　Grimaud　put
out　the　little　night　lamp；　then　knelt　down　and　poured　into
the　lieutenant's　ear　a　recital　melodramatic　enough　not　to
require　play　of　feature　to　give　it　pith。
This　was　the　gist　of　his　strange　story：
The　first　barrel　that　Grimaud　had　found　on　passing　into　the
compartment　he　struck　　it　was　empty。　He　passed　on　to
another　　it；　also；　was　empty；　but　the　third　which　he　tried
was；　from　the　dull　sound　it　gave　out；　evidently　full。　At
this　point　Grimaud　stopped　and　was　preparing　to　make　a　hole
with　his　gimlet；　when　he　found　a　spigot；　he　therefore　placed
his　tankard　under　it　and　turned　the　spout；　something；
whatever　it　was　the　cask　contained；　fell　silently　into　the
tankard。
Whilst　he　was　thinking　that　he　should　first　taste　the　liquor
which　the　tankard　contained　before　taking　it　to　his
companions；　the　door　of　the　cellar　opened　and　a　man　with　a
lantern　in　his　hands　and　enveloped　in　a　cloak；　came　and
stood　just　before　the　hogshead；　behind　which　Grimaud；　on
hearing　him　come　in；　instantly　crept。　This　was　Groslow。　He
was　accompanied　by　another　man；　who　carried　in　his　hand
something　long　and　flexible　rolled　up；　resembling　a　washing
line。　His　face　was　hidden　under　the　wide　brim　of　his　hat。
Grimaud；　thinking　that　they　had　come；　as　he　had；　to　try　the
port　wine；　effaced　himself　behind　his　cask　and　consoled
himself　with　the　reflection　that　if　he　were　discovered　the
crime　was　not　a　great　one。
〃Have　you　the　wick？〃　asked　the　one　who　carried　the　lantern。
〃