twenty years after(二十年后)-第157章

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say　that　you　four　were　anthropaphagi！　The　count　is　an
affable　man；　besides；　be　is　unarmed；　at　the　first　word　from
his　eminence　the　two　soldiers　about　him　would　run　to　his
assistance。〃
〃Two　soldiers；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　seeming　to　remember
something；　〃two　soldiers；　yes；　that；　then；　is　why　I　hear　two
men　called　every　evening　and　see　them　walking　sometimes　for
half　an　hour；　under　my　window。〃
〃That　is　it；　they　are　waiting　for　the　cardinal；　or　rather
for　Bernouin；　who　comes　to　call　them　when　the　cardinal　goes
out。〃
〃Fine…looking　men；　upon　my　word！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃They　belong　to　the　regiment　that　was　at　Lens；　which　the
prince　assigned　to　the　cardinal。〃
〃Ah；　monsieur；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　as　if　to　sum　up　in　a　word
all　that　conversation；　〃if　only　his　eminence　would　relent
and　grant　to　Monsieur　de　la　Fere　our　liberty。〃
〃I　wish　it　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　Comminges。
〃Then；　if　he　should　forget　that　visit；　you　would　find　no
inconvenience　in　reminding　him　of　it？〃
〃Not　at　all。〃
〃Ah；　that　gives　me　more　confidence。〃
This　skillful　turn　of　the　conversation　would　have　seemed　a
sublime　manoeuvre　to　any　one　who　could　have　read　the
Gascon's　soul。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I've　one　last　favor　to　ask　of　you；
Monsieur　de　Comminges。〃
〃At　your　service；　sir。〃
〃You　will　see　the　count　again？〃
〃To…morrow　morning。〃
〃Will　you　remember　us　to　him　and　ask　him　to　solicit　for　me
the　same　favor　that　he　will　have　obtained？〃
〃You　want　the　cardinal　to　come　here？〃
〃No；　I　know　my　place　and　am　not　so　presumptuous。　Let　his
eminence　do　me　the　honor　to　give　me　a　hearing；　that　is　all　I
want。〃
〃Oh！〃　muttered　Porthos；　shaking　his　head；　〃never　should　I
have　thought　this　of　him！　How　misfortune　humbles　a　man！〃
〃I　promise　you　it　shall　be　done；〃　answered　De　Comminges。
〃Tell　the　count　that　I　am　well；　that　you　found　me　sad；　but
resigned。〃
〃I　am　pleased；　sir；　to　hear　that。〃
〃And　the　same；　also；　for　Monsieur　du　Vallon　　〃
〃Not　for　me　；〃　cried　Porthos；　〃I　am　not　by　any　means
resigned。〃
〃But　you　will　be　resigned；　my　friend。〃
〃Never！〃
〃He　will　become　so；　monsieur；　I　know　him　better　than　he
knows　himself。　Be　silent；　dear　Du　Vallon；　and　resign
yourself。〃
〃Adieu；　gentlemen；〃　said　De　Comminges；　〃sleep　well！〃
〃We　will　try。〃
De　Comminges　went　away；　D'Artagnan　remaining　apparently　in
the　same　attitude　of　humble　resignation；　but　scarcely　had　he
departed　when　he　turned　and　clasped　Porthos　in　his　arms　with
an　expression　not　to　be　doubted。
〃Oh！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃what's　the　matter　now？　Have　you　gone
mad；　my　dear　friend？〃
〃What　is　the　matter？〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　〃we　are　saved！〃
〃I　don't　see　that　at　all；〃　answered　Porthos。　〃I　think　we　are
all　taken　prisoners；　except　Aramis；　and　that　our　chances　of
getting　out　are　lessened　since　one　more　of　us　is　caught　in
Mazarin's　mousetrap。〃
〃Which　is　far　too　strong　for　two　of　us；　but　not　strong
enough　for　three　of　us；〃　returned　D'Artagnan。
〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Never　mind；　let's　sit　down　to　table　and　take　something　to
strengthen　us　for　the　night。〃
〃What　are　we　to　do；　then；　to…night？〃
〃To　travel　　perhaps。〃
〃But　　〃
〃Sit　down；　dear　friend；　to　table。　When　one　is　eating；　ideas
flow　easily。　After　supper；　when　they　are　perfected；　I　will
communicate　my　plans　to　you。〃
So　Porthos　sat　down　to　table　without　another　word　and　ate
with　an　appetite　that　did　honor　to　the　confidence　that　was
ever　inspired　in　him　by　D'Artagnan's　inventive　imagination。

84
Strength　and　Sagacity　　Continued。

Supper　was　eaten　in　silence；　but　not　in　sadness；　for　from
time　to　time　one　of　those　sweet　smiles　which　were　habitual
to　him　in　moments　of　good…humor　illumined　the　face　of
D'Artagnan。　Not　a　scintilla　of　these　was　lost　on　Porthos；
and　at　every　one　he　uttered　an　exclamation　which　betrayed　to
his　friend　that　he　had　not　lost　sight　of　the　idea　which
possessed　his　brain。
At　dessert　D'Artagnan　reposed　in　his　chair；　crossed　one　leg
over　the　other　and　lounged　about　like　a　man　perfectly　at　his
ease。
Porthos　rested　his　chin　on　his　hands；　placed　his　elbows　on
the　table　and　looked　at　D'Artagnan　with　an　expression　of
confidence　which　imparted　to　that　colossus　an　admirable
appearance　of　good…fellowship。
〃Well？〃　said　D'Artagnan；　at　last。
〃Well！〃　repeated　Porthos。
〃You　were　saying；　my　dear　friend　　〃
〃No；　I　said　nothing。〃
〃Yes；　you　were　saying　you　wished　to　leave　this　place。〃
〃Ah；　indeed！　the　will　was　never　wanting。〃
〃To　get　away　you　would　not　mind；　you　added；　knocking　down　a
door　or　a　wall。〃
〃'Tis　true　　I　said　so；　and　I　say　it　again。〃
〃And　I　answered　you；　Porthos；　that　it　was　not　a　good　plan；
that　we　couldn't　go　a　hundred　steps　without　being
recaptured；　because　we　were　without　clothes　to　disguise
ourselves　and　arms　to　defend　ourselves。〃
〃That　is　true；　we　should　need　clothes　and　arms。〃
〃Well；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　rising；　〃we　have　them；　friend
Porthos；　and　even　something　better。〃
〃Bah！〃　said　Porthos；　looking　around。
〃Useless　to　look；　everything　will　come　to　us　when　wanted。　At
about　what　time　did　we　see　the　two　Swiss　guards　walking
yesterday？〃
〃An　hour　after　sunset。〃
〃If　they　go　out　to…day　as　they　did　yesterday　we　shall　have
the　honor；　then；　of　seeing　them　in　half　an　hour？〃
〃In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　most。〃
〃Your　arm　is　still　strong　enough；　is　it　not；　Porthos？〃
Porthos　unbuttoned　his　sleeve；　raised　his　shirt　and　looked
complacently　on　his　strong　arm；　as　large　as　the　leg　of　any
ordinary　man。
〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　so。〃
〃So　that　you　could　without　trouble　convert　these　tongs　into
a　hoop　and　yonder　shovel　into　a　corkscrew？〃
〃Certainly。〃　And　the　giant　took　up　these　two　articles；　and
without　any　apparent　effort　produced　in　them　the
metamorphoses　suggested　by　his　companion。
〃There！〃　he　cried。
〃Capital！〃　exclaimed　the　Gascon。　〃Really；　Porthos；　you　are　a
gifted　individual！〃
〃I　have　heard　speak；〃　said　Porthos；　〃of　a　certain　Milo　of
Crotona；　who　performed　wonderful　feats；　such　as　binding　his
forehead　with　a　cord　and　bursting　it　　of　killing　an　ox
with　a　blow　of　his　fist　and　carrying　it　home　on　his
shoulders；　et　cetera。　I　used　to　learn　all　these　feat　by
heart　yonder；　down　at　Pierrefonds；　and　I　have　done　all　that
he　did　except　breaking　a　cord　by　the　corrugation　of　my
temples。〃
〃Because　your　strength　is　not　in　your　head；　Porthos；〃　said
his　friend。
〃No；　it　is　in　my　arms　and　shoulders；〃　answered　Porthos　with
gratified　naivete。
〃Well；　my　dear　friend；　let　us　approach　the　window　and　there
you　can　match　your　strength　against　that　of　an　iron　bar。〃
Porthos　went　to　the　window；　took　a　bar　in　his　hands；　clung
to　it　and　bent　it　like　a　bow；　so　that　the　two　ends　came　out
of　the　sockets　of　stone　in　which　for　thirty　years　they　had
been　fixed。
〃Well！　friend；　the　cardinal；　although　such　a　genius；　could
never　have　done　that。〃
〃Shall　I　take　out　any　more　of　them？〃　asked　Porthos。
〃No；　that　is　sufficient；　a　man　can　pass　through　that。〃
Porthos　tried；　and　passed　the　upper　portion　of　his　body
through。
〃Yes；〃　he　said。
〃Now　pass　your　arm　through　this　opening。〃
〃Why？〃
〃You　will　know　presently　　pass　it。〃
Porthos　obeyed　with　military　promptness　and　passed　his　arm
through　the　opening。
〃Admirable！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
〃The　scheme　goes　forward；　it　seems。〃
〃On　wheels；　dear　friend。〃
〃Good！　What　shall　I　do　now？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃It　is　finished；　then？〃
〃No；　not　yet。〃
〃I　should　like　to　understand；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Listen；　my　dear　friend；　in　two　words　you　will　know　all。　The
door　of　the　guardhouse　opens；　as　you　see。〃
〃Yes；　I　see。〃
〃They　are　about　to　send　into　our　court；　which　Monsieur　de
Mazarin　crosses　on　his　way　to　the　orangery；　the　two　guards
who　attend　him。〃
〃There　they　are；　coming　out。〃
〃If　only　they　close　the　guardhouse　door！　Good！　They　close
it。〃
〃What；　then？〃
〃Silence！　They　may　hear　us。〃
〃I　don't　understand　it　at　all。〃
〃As　you　execute　you　will　understand。〃
〃And　yet　I　should　have　preferred　　〃
〃You　will　have　the　pleasure　of　the　surprise。〃
〃Ah；　that　is　true。〃
〃Hush！〃
Porthos　remained　silent　and　motionless。
In　fact；　the　two　soldiers　advanced　on　the　side　where　the
window　was；　rubbing　their　hands；　for　it　was　cold；　it　being
the　month　of　February。
At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　guardhouse　was　opened　and　one
of　the　soldiers　was　summoned　away。
〃Now；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　going　to