twenty years after(二十年后)-第149章

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〃And　Monsieur　de　Bragelonne；　a　young　man　fifteen　years　of
age；　attached　to　the　Prince　de　Conde　　has　he　the　honor　of
being　known　to　you？〃　diffident　in　allowing　the　sarcastic
Aramis　to　perceive　how　strong　were　his　paternal　feelings。
〃Yes；　surely；　he　came　with　the　prince；　a　charming　young　man；
he　is　one　of　your　friends　then；　monsieur　le　comte？〃
〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Athos；　agitated；　〃so　much　so　that　I
wish　to　see　him　if　possible。〃
〃Quite　possible；　sir；　do　me　the　favor　to　accompany　me　and　I
will　conduct　you　to　headquarters。〃
〃Halloo；　there！〃　cried　Aramis；　turning　around；　〃what　a　noise
behind　us！〃
〃A　body　of　cavaliers　is　coming　toward　us；〃　said　Chatillon。
〃I　recognize　the　coadjutor　by　his　Frondist　hat。〃
〃And　I　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　by　his　white　plume　of　ostrich
feathers。〃
〃They　are　coming；　full　gallop；　the　prince　is　with　them　
ah！　he　is　leaving　them！〃
〃They　are　beating　the　rappel！〃　cried　Chatillon；　〃we　must
discover　what　is　going　on。〃
In　fact；　they　saw　the　soldiers　running　to　their　arms；　the
trumpets　sounded；　the　drums　beat；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　drew
his　sword。　On　his　side　the　prince　sounded　a　rappel　and　all
the　officers　of　the　royalist　army；　mingling　momentarily　with
the　Parisian　troops；　ran　to　him。
〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　Chatillon；　〃the　truce　is　broken；　that　is
evident；　they　are　going　to　fight；　go；　then；　into　Charenton；
for　I　shall　begin　in　a　short　time　　there's　a　signal　from
the　prince！〃
The　cornet　of　a　troop　had　in　fact　just　raised　the　standard
of　the　prince。
〃Farewell；　till　the　next　time　we　meet；〃　cried　Chatillon；　and
he　set　off；　full　gallop。
Athos　and　Aramis　turned　also　and　went　to　salute　the
coadjutor　and　the　Duc　de　Beaufort。　As　to　the　Duc　de
Bouillon；　he　had　such　a　fit　of　gout　as　obliged　him　to　return
to　Paris　in　a　litter；　but　his　place　was　well　filled　by　the
Duc　d'Elbeuf　and　his　four　sons；　ranged　around　him　like　a
staff。　Meantime；　between　Charenton　and　the　royal　army　was
left　a　space　which　looked　ready　to　serve　as　a　last　resting
place　for　the　dead。
〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　the　coadjutor；　tightening　his　sash；　which
he　wore；　after　the　fashion　of　the　ancient　military　prelates；
over　his　archiepiscopal　simar；　〃there's　the　enemy
approaching。　Let　us　save　them　half　of　their　journey。〃
And　without　caring　whether　he　were　followed　or　not　he　set
off；　his　regiment；　which　bore　the　name　of　the　regiment　of
Corinth；　from　the　name　of　his　archbishopric；　darted　after
him　and　began　the　fight。　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　sent　his
cavalry；　toward　Etampes　and　Monsieur　de　Chanleu；　who
defended　the　place；　was　ready　to　resist　an　assault；　or　if
the　enemy　were　repulsed；　to　attempt　a　sortie。
The　battle　soon　became　general　and　the　coadjutor　performed
miracles　of　valor。　His　proper　vocation　had　always　been　the
sword　and　he　was　delighted　whenever　he　could　draw　it　from
the　scabbard；　no　matter　for　whom　or　against　whom。
Chanleu；　whose　fire　at　one　time　repulsed　the　royal　regiment；
thought　that　the　moment　was　come　to　pursue　it；　but　it　was
reformed　and　led　again　to　the　charge　by　the　Duc　de　Chatillon
in　person。　This　charge　was　so　fierce；　so　skillfully
conducted；　that　Chanleu　was　almost　surrounded。　He　commanded
a　retreat；　which　began；　step　by　step；　foot　by　foot；
unhappily；　in　an　instant　he　fell；　mortally　wounded。　De
Chatillon　saw　him　fall　and　announced　it　in　a　loud　voice　to
his　men；　which　raised　their　spirits　and　completely
disheartened　their　enemies；　so　that　every　man　thought　only
of　his　own　safety　and　tried　to　gain　the　trenches；　where　the
coadjutor　was　trying　to　reform　his　disorganized　regiment。
Suddenly　a　squadron　of　cavalry　galloped　up　to　encounter　the
royal　troops；　who　were　entering；　pele…mele；　the
intrenchments　with　the　fugitives。　Athos　and　Aramis　charged
at　the　head　of　their　squadrons；　Aramis　with　sword　and　pistol
in　his　hands；　Athos　with　his　sword　in　his　scabbard；　his
pistol　in　his　saddle…bags；　calm　and　cool　as　if　on　the
parade；　except　that　his　noble　and　beautiful　countenance
became　sad　as　he　saw　slaughtered　so　many　men　who　were
sacrificed　on　the　one　side　to　the　obstinacy　of　royalty　and
on　the　other　to　the　personal　rancor　of　the　princes。　Aramis；
on　the　contrary；　struck　right　and　left　and　was　almost
delirious　with　excitement。　His　bright　eyes　kindled；　and　his
mouth；　so　finely　formed；　assumed　a　wicked　smile；　every　blow
he　aimed　was　sure；　and　his　pistol　finished　the　deed　
annihilated　the　wounded　wretch　who　tried　to　rise　again。
On　the　opposite　side　two　cavaliers；　one　covered　with　a　gilt
cuirass；　the　other　wearing　simply　a　buff　doublet；　from　which
fell　the　sleeves　of　a　vest　of　blue　velvet；　charged　in　front。
The　cavalier　in　the　gilt　cuirass　fell　upon　Aramis　and　struck
a　blow　that　Aramis　parried　with　his　wonted　skill。
〃Ah！　'tis　you；　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；〃　cried　the　chevalier；
〃welcome　to　you　　I　expected　you。〃
〃I　hope　I　have　not　made　you　wait　too　long；　sir；〃　said　the
duke；　〃at　all　events；　here　I　am。〃
〃Monsieur　de　Chatillon；〃　cried　Aramis；　taking　from　his
saddle…bags　a　second　pistol；　〃I　think　if　your　pistols　have
been　discharged　you　are　a　dead　man。〃
〃Thank　God；　sir；　they　are　not！〃
And　the　duke；　pointing　his　pistol　at　Aramis；　fired。　But
Aramis　bent　his　head　the　instant　he　saw　the　duke's　finger
press　the　trigger　and　the　ball　passed　without　touching　him。
〃Oh！　you've　missed　me；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃but　I　swear　to
Heaven！　I　will　not　miss　you。〃
〃If　I　give　you　time！〃　cried　the　duke；　spurring　on　his　horse
and　rushing　upon　him　with　his　drawn　sword。
Aramis　awaited　him　with　that　terrible　smile　which　was
peculiar　to　him　on　such　occasions；　and　Athos；　who　saw　the
duke　advancing　toward　Aramis　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；
was　just　going　to　cry　out；　〃Fire！　fire；　then！〃　when　the　shot
was　fired。　De　Chatillon　opened　his　arms　and　fell　back　on　the
crupper　of　his　horse。
The　ball　had　entered　his　breast　through　a　notch　in　the
cuirass。
〃I　am　a　dead　man；〃　he　said；　and　fell　from　his　horse　to　the
ground。
〃I　told　you　this；　I　am　now　grieved　I　have　kept　my　word。　Can
I　be　of　any　use　to　you？〃
Chatillon　made　a　sign　with　his　hand　and　Aramis　was　about　to
dismount　when　he　received　a　violent　shock；　'twas　a　thrust
from　a　sword；　but　his　cuirass　turned　aside　the　blow。
He　turned　around　and　seized　his　new　antagonist　by　the　wrist；
when　he　started　back；　exclaiming；　〃Raoul！〃
〃Raoul？〃　cried　Athos。
The　young　man　recognized　at　the　same　instant　the　voices　of
his　father　and　the　Chevalier　d'Herblay；　two　officers　in　the
Parisian　forces　rushed　at　that　instant　on　Raoul；　but　Aramis
protected　him　with　his　sword。
〃My　prisoner！〃　he　cried。
Athos　took　his　son's　horse　by　the　bridle　and　led　him　forth
out　of　the　melee。
At　this　crisis　of　the　battle；　the　prince；　who　had　been
seconding　De　Chatillon　in　the　second　line；　appeared　in　the
midst　of　the　fight；　his　eagle　eye　made　him　known　and　his
blows　proclaimed　the　hero。
On　seeing　him；　the　regiment　of　Corinth；　which　the　coadjutor
had　not　been　able　to　reorganize　in　spite　of　all　his　efforts；
threw　itself　into　the　midst　of　the　Parisian　forces；　put　them
into　confusion　and　re…entered　Charenton　flying。　The
coadjutor；　dragged　along　with　his　fugitive　forces；　passed
near　the　group　formed　by　Athos；　Raoul　and　Aramis。　Aramis
could　not　in　his　jealousy　avoid　being　pleased　at　the
coadjutor's　misfortune；　and　was　about　to　utter　some　bon　mot
more　witty　than　correct；　when　Athos　stopped　him。
〃On；　on！〃　he　cried；　〃this　is　no　moment　for　compliments；　or
rather；　back；　for　the　battle　seems　to　be　lost　by　the
Frondeurs。〃
〃It　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　came
here　only　to　meet　De　Chatillon；　I　have　met　him；　I　am
contented；　'tis　something　to　have　met　De　Chatillon　in　a
duel！〃
〃And　besides；　we　have　a　prisoner；〃　said　Athos；　pointing　to
Raoul。
The　three　cavaliers　continued　their　road　on　full　gallop。
〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　battle；　my　friend？〃　inquired
Athos　of　the　youth；　〃'twas　not　your　right　place；　I　think；　as
you　were　not　equipped　for　an　engagement！〃
〃I　had　no　intention　of　fighting　to…day；　sir；　I　was　charged；
indeed；　with　a　mission　to　the　cardinal　and　had　set　out　for
Rueil；　when；　seeing　Monsieur　de　Chatillon　charge；　an
invincible　desire　possessed　me　to　charge　at　his　side。　It　was
then　that　he　told　me　two　cavaliers　of　the　Parisian　army　were
seeking　me　and　named　the　Comt