twenty years after(二十年后)-第14章

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hotel　of　the　Roe　he　found；　however；　that　it　was　in　front　of
the　next　house　the　mob　was　collected。　The　people　were
shouting　and　running　about　with　torches。　By　the　light　of　one
of　these　torches　D'Artagnan　perceived　men　in　uniform。
He　asked　what　was　going　on。
He　was　told　that　twenty　citizens；　headed　by　one　man；　had
attacked　a　carriage　which　was　escorted　by　a　troop　of　the
cardinal's　bodyguard；　but　a　reinforcement　having　come　up；
the　assailants　had　been　put　to　flight　and　the　leader　had
taken　refuge　in　the　hotel　next　to　his　lodgings；　the　house
was　now　being　searched。
In　his　youth　D'Artagnan　had　often　headed　the　bourgeoisie
against　the　military；　but　he　was　cured　of　all　those
hot…headed　propensities；　besides；　he　had　the　cardinal's
hundred　pistoles　in　his　pocket；　so　he　went　into　the　hotel
without　a　word。　There　he　found　Madeleine　alarmed　for　his
safety　and　anxious　to　tell　him　all　the　events　of　the
evening；　but　he　cut　her　short　by　ordering　her　to　put　his
supper　in　his　room　and　give　him　with　it　a　bottle　of　good
Burgundy。
He　took　his　key　and　candle　and　went　upstairs　to　his　bedroom。
He　had　been　contented；　for　the　convenience　of　the　house；　to
lodge　in　the　fourth　story；　and　truth　obliges　us　even　to
confess　that　his　chamber　was　just　above　the　gutter　and　below
the　roof。　His　first　care　on　entering　it　was　to　lock　up　in　an
old　bureau　with　a　new　lock　his　bag　of　money；　and　then　as
soon　as　supper　was　ready　he　sent　away　the　waiter　who　brought
it　up　and　sat　down　to　table。
Not　to　reflect　on　what　had　passed；　as　one　might　fancy。　No；
D'Artagnan　considered　that　things　are　never　well　done　when
they　are　not　reserved　to　their　proper　time。　He　was　hungry；
he　supped；　he　went　to　bed。　Neither　was　he　one　of　those　who
think　that　the　necessary　silence　of　the　night　brings　counsel
with　it。　In　the　night　he　slept；　but　in　the　morning；
refreshed　and　calm；　he　was　inspired　with　his　clearest　views
of　everything。　It　was　long　since　he　had　any　reason　for　his
morning's　inspiration；　but　he　always　slept　all　night　long。
At　daybreak　he　awoke　and　took　a　turn　around　his　room。
〃In　'43；〃　he　said；　〃just　before　the　death　of　the　late
cardinal；　I　received　a　letter　from　Athos。　Where　was　I　then？
Let　me　see。　Oh！　at　the　siege　of　Besancon　I　was　in　the
trenches。　He　told　me　　let　me　think　　what　was　it？　That　he
was　living　on　a　small　estate　　but　where？　I　was　just
reading　the　name　of　the　place　when　the　wind　blew　my　letter
away；　I　suppose　to　the　Spaniards；　there's　no　use　in　thinking
any　more　about　Athos。　Let　me　see：　with　regard　to　Porthos；　I
received　a　letter　from　him；　too。　He　invited　me　to　a　hunting
party　on　his　property　in　the　month　of　September；　1646。
Unluckily；　as　I　was　then　in　Bearn；　on　account　of　my　father's
death；　the　letter　followed　me　there。　I　had　left　Bearn　when
it　arrived　and　I　never　received　it　until　the　month　of　April；
1647；　and　as　the　invitation　was　for　September；　1646；　I
couldn't　accept　it。　Let　me　look　for　this　letter；　it　must　be
with　my　title　deeds。〃
D'Artagnan　opened　an　old　casket　which　stood　in　a　corner　of
the　room；　and　which　was　full　of　parchments　referring　to　an
estate　during　a　period　of　two　hundred　years　lost　to　his
family。　He　uttered　an　exclamation　of　delight；　for　the　large
handwriting　of　Porthos　was　discernible；　and　underneath　some
lines　traced　by　his　worthy　spouse。
D'Artagnan　eagerly　searched　for　the　heading　of　this　letter；
it　was　dated　from　the　Chateau　du　Vallon。
Porthos　had　forgotten　that　any　other　address　was　necessary；
in　his　pride　he　fancied　that　every　one　must　know　the　Chateau
du　Vallon。
〃Devil　take　the　vain　fellow；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃However；　I
had　better　find　him　out　first；　since　he　can't　want　money。
Athos　must　have　become　an　idiot　by　this　time　from　drinking。
Aramis　must　have　worn　himself　to　a　shadow　of　his　former　self
by　constant　genuflexion。〃
He　cast　his　eyes　again　on　the　letter。　There　was　a
postscript：
〃I　write　by　the　same　courier　to　our　worthy　friend　Aramis　in
his　convent。〃
〃In　his　convent！　What　convent？　There　are　about　two　hundred
in　Paris　and　three　thousand　in　France；　and　then；　perhaps；　on
entering　the　convent　he　changed　his　name。　Ah！　if　I　were　but
learned　in　theology　I　should　recollect　what　it　was　he　used
to　dispute　about　with　the　curate　of　Montdidier　and　the
superior　of　the　Jesuits；　when　we　were　at　Crevecoeur；　I
should　know　what　doctrine　he　leans　to　and　I　should　glean
from　that　what　saint　he　has　adopted　as　his　patron。
〃Well；　suppose　I　go　back　to　the　cardinal　and　ask　him　for　a
passport　into　all　the　convents　one　can　find；　even　into　the
nunneries？　It　would　be　a　curious　idea；　and　maybe　I　should
find　my　friend　under　the　name　of　Achilles。　But；　no！　I　should
lose　myself　in　the　cardinal's　opinion。　Great　people　only
thank　you　for　doing　the　impossible；　what's　possible；　they
say；　they　can　effect　themselves；　and　they　are　right。　But　let
us　wait　a　little　and　reflect。　I　received　a　letter　from　him；
the　dear　fellow；　in　which　he　even　asked　me　for　some　small
service；　which；　in　fact；　I　rendered　him。　Yes；　yes；　but　now
what　did　I　do　with　that　letter？〃
D'Artagnan　thought　a　moment　and　then　went　to　the　wardrobe　in
which　hung　his　old　clothes。　He　looked　for　his　doublet　of　the
year　1648　and　as　he　had　orderly　habits；　he　found　it　hanging
on　its　nail。　He　felt　in　the　pocket　and　drew　from　it　a　paper；
it　was　the　letter　of　Aramis：

〃Monsieur　D'Artagnan：　You　know　that　I　have　had　a　quarrel
with　a　certain　gentleman；　who　has　given　me　an　appointment
for　this　evening　in　the　Place　Royale。　As　I　am　of　the　church；
and　the　affair　might　injure　me　if　I　should　share　it　with　any
other　than　a　sure　friend　like　you；　I　write　to　beg　that　you
will　serve　me　as　second。
〃You　will　enter　by　the　Rue　Neuve　Sainte　Catherine；　under　the
second　lamp　on　the　right　you　will　find　your　adversary。　I
shall　be　with　mine　under　the　third。
〃Wholly　yours；
〃Aramis。〃

D'Artagnan　tried　to　recall　his　remembrances。　He　had　gone　to
the　rendezvous；　had　encountered　there　the　adversary
indicated；　whose　name　he　had　never　known；　had　given　him　a
pretty　sword…stroke　on　the　arm；　then　had　gone　toward　Aramis；
who　at　the　same　time　came　to　meet　him；　having　already
finished　his　affair。　〃It　is　over；〃　Aramis　had　said。　〃I　think
I　have　killed　the　insolent　fellow。　But；　dear　friend；　if　you
ever　need　me　you　know　that　I　am　entirely　devoted　to　you。〃
Thereupon　Aramis　had　given　him　a　clasp　of　the　hand　and　had
disappeared　under　the　arcades。
So；　then；　he　no　more　knew　where　Aramis　was　than　where　Athos
and　Porthos　were；　and　the　affair　was　becoming　a　matter　of
great　perplexity；　when　he　fancied　he　heard　a　pane　of　glass
break　in　his　room　window。　He　thought　directly　of　his　bag　and
rushed　from　the　inner　room　where　he　was　sleeping。　He　was　not
mistaken；　as　he　entered　his　bedroom　a　man　was　getting　in　by
the　window。
〃Ah！　you　scoundrel！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　taking　the　man　for　a
thief　and　seizing　his　sword。
〃Sir！〃　cried　the　man；　〃in　the　name　of　Heaven　put　your　sword
back　into　the　sheath　and　don't　kill　me　unheard。　I'm　no
thief；　but　an　honest　citizen；　well　off　in　the　world；　with　a
house　of　my　own。　My　name　is　　ah！　but　surely　you　are
Monsieur　d'Artagnan？〃
〃And　thou　　Planchet！〃　cried　the　lieutenant。
〃At　your　service；　sir；〃　said　Planchet；　overwhelmed　with　joy；
〃if　I　were　still　capable　of　serving　you。〃
〃Perhaps　so；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。　〃But　why　the　devil　dost
thou　run　about　the　tops　of　houses　at　seven　o'clock　of　the
morning　in　the　month　of　January？〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Planchet；　〃you　must　know；　but；　perhaps　you　ought
not　to　know　　〃
〃Tell　us　what；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　〃but　first　put　a　napkin
against　the　window　and　draw　the　curtains。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　the　prudent　Planchet；　〃in　the　first　place；　are
you　on　good　terms　with　Monsieur　de　Rochefort？〃
〃Perfectly；　one　of　my　dearest　friends。〃
〃Ah！　so　much　the　better！〃
〃But　what　has　De　Rochefort　to　do　with　this　manner　you　have
of　invading　my　room？〃
〃Ah；　sir！　I　must　first　tell　you　that　Monsieur　de　Rochefort
is　　〃
Planchet　hesitated。
〃Egad；　I　know　where　he　is；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃He's　in　the
Bastile。〃
〃That　is　to　say；　he　was　there；〃　replied　Planchet。　〃But　in
returning　thither　last　night；　when　fortunately　you　did　not
accompany　him；　as　his　carriage　was　crossing　the　Rue　de　la
Ferronnerie　his　guards　insulted　the　people；　who　began