twenty years after(二十年后)-第49章

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terror。　He　had　gone　down　about　three…quarters　of　the　length
of　the　wall　when　the　cord　broke。　Grimaud　fell　
precipitated　into　the　moat。
The　duke　uttered　a　cry；　but　Grimaud　did　not　give　a　single
moan。　He　must　have　been　dreadfully　hurt；　for　he　did　not　stir
from　the　place　where　he　fell。
Immediately　one　of　the　men　who　were　waiting　slipped　down
into　the　moat；　tied　under　Grimaud's　shoulders　the　end　of　a
cord；　and　the　remaining　two；　who　held　the　other　end；　drew
Grimaud　to　them。
〃Descend；　my　lord；〃　said　the　man　in　the　moat。　〃There　are
only　fifteen　feet　more　from　the　top　down　here；　and　the　grass
is　soft。〃
The　duke　had　already　begun　to　descend。　His　task　was　the　more
difficult；　as　there　was　no　board　to　support　him。　He　was
obliged　to　let　himself　down　by　his　hands　and　from　a　height
of　fifty　feet。　But　as　we　have　said　he　was　active；　strong；
and　full　of　presence　of　mind。　In　less　than　five　minutes　he
arrived　at　the　end　of　the　cord。　He　was　then　only　fifteen
feet　from　the　ground；　as　the　gentlemen　below　had　told　him。
He　let　go　the　rope　and　fell　upon　his　feet；　without　receiving
any　injury。
He　instantly　began　to　climb　up　the　slope　of　the　moat；　on　the
top　of　which　he　met　De　Rochefort。　The　other　two　gentlemen
were　unknown　to　him。　Grimaud；　in　a　swoon；　was　tied　securely
to　a　horse。
〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　duke；　〃I　will　thank　you　later；　now　we
have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　On；　then！　on！　those　who　love　me；
follow　me！〃
And　he　jumped　on　his　horse　and　set　off　at　full　gallop；
snuffing　the　fresh　air　in　his　triumph　and　shouting　out；　with
an　expression　of　face　which　it　would　be　impossible　to
describe：
〃Free！　free！　free！〃

24
The　timely　Arrival　of　D'Artagnan　in　Paris。

At　Blois；　D'Artagnan　received　the　money　paid　to　him　by
Mazarin　for　any　future　service　he　might　render　the　cardinal。
From　Blois　to　Paris　was　a　journey　of　four　days　for　ordinary
travelers；　but　D'Artagnan　arrived　on　the　third　day　at　the
Barriere　Saint　Denis。　In　turning　the　corner　of　the　Rue
Montmartre；　in　order　to　reach　the　Rue　Tiquetonne　and　the
Hotel　de　la　Chevrette；　where　he　had　appointed　Porthos　to
meet　him；　he　saw　at　one　of　the　windows　of　the　hotel；　that
friend　himself　dressed　in　a　sky…blue　waistcoat；　embroidered
with　silver；　and　gaping；　till　he　showed　every　one　of　his
white　teeth；　whilst　the　people　passing　by　admiringly　gazed
at　this　gentleman；　so　handsome　and　so　rich；　who　seemed　to
weary　of　his　riches　and　his　greatness。
D'Artagnan　and　Planchet　had　hardly　turned　the　corner　when
Porthos　recognized　them。
〃Eh！　D'Artagnan！〃　he　cried。　〃Thank　God　you　have　come！〃
〃Eh！　good…day；　dear　friend！〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
Porthos　came　down　at　once　to　the　threshold　of　the　hotel。
〃Ah；　my　dear　friend！〃　he　cried；　〃what　bad　stabling　for　my
horses　here。〃
〃Indeed！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　am　most　unhappy　to　hear　it；　on
account　of　those　fine　animals。〃
〃And　I；　also　　I　was　also　wretchedly　off；〃　he　answered；
moving　backward　and　forward　as　he　spoke；　〃and　had　it　not
been　for　the　hostess；〃　he　added；　with　his　air　of　vulgar
self…complacency；　〃who　is　very　agreeable　and　understands　a
joke；　I　should　have　got　a　lodging　elsewhere。〃
The　pretty　Madeleine；　who　had　approached　during　this
colloquy；　stepped　back　and　turned　pale　as　death　on　hearing
Porthos's　words；　for　she　thought　the　scene　with　the　Swiss
was　about　to　be　repeated。　But　to　her　great　surprise
D'Artagnan　remained　perfectly　calm；　and　instead　of　being
angry　he　laughed；　and　said　to　Porthos：
〃Yes；　I　understand；　the　air　of　La　Rue　Tiquetonne　is　not　like
that　of　Pierrefonds；　but　console　yourself；　I　will　soon
conduct　you　to　one　much　better。〃
〃When　will　you　do　that？〃
〃Immediately；　I　hope。〃
〃Ah！　so　much　the　better！〃
To　that　exclamation　of　Porthos's　succeeded　a　groaning；　low
and　profound；　which　seemed　to　come　from　behind　a　door。
D'Artagnan；　who　had　just　dismounted；　then　saw；　outlined
against　the　wall；　the　enormous　stomach　of　Musqueton；　whose
down…drawn　mouth　emitted　sounds　of　distress。
〃And　you；　too；　my　poor　Monsieur　Mouston；　are　out　of　place　in
this　poor　hotel；　are　you　not？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；　in　that
rallying　tone　which　may　indicate　either　compassion　or
mockery。
〃He　finds　the　cooking　detestable；〃　replied　Porthos。
〃Why；　then；　doesn't　he　attend　to　it　himself；　as　at
Chantilly？〃
〃Ah；　monsieur；　I　have　not　here；　as　I　had　there；　the　ponds　of
monsieur　le　prince；　where　I　could　catch　those　beautiful
carp；　nor　the　forests　of　his　highness　to　provide　me　with
partridges。　As　for　the　cellar；　I　have　searched　every　part
and　poor　stuff　I　found。〃
〃Monsieur　Mouston；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　should　indeed
condole　with　you　had　I　not　at　this　moment　something　very
pressing　to　attend　to。〃
Then　taking　Porthos　aside：
〃My　dear　Du　Vallon；〃　he　said；　〃here　you　are　in　full　dress
most　fortunately；　for　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　the
cardinal's。〃
〃Gracious　me！　really！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　opening　his　great
wondering　eyes。
〃Yes；　my　friend。〃
〃A　presentation？　indeed！〃
〃Does　that　alarm　you？〃
〃No；　but　it　agitates　me。〃
〃Oh！　don't　be　distressed；　you　have　to　deal　with　a　cardinal
of　another　kind。　This　one　will　not　oppress　you　by　his
dignity。〃
〃'Tis　the　same　thing　　you　understand　me；　D'Artagnan　　a
court。〃
〃There's　no　court　now。　Alas！〃
〃The　queen！〃
〃I　was　going　to　say；　there's　no　longer　a　queen。　The　queen！
Rest　assured；　we　shall　not　see　her。〃
〃And　you　say　that　we　are　going　from　here　to　the　Palais
Royal？〃
〃Immediately。　Only；　that　there　may　be　no　delay；　I　shall
borrow　one　of　your　horses。〃
〃Certainly；　all　the　four　are　at　your　service。〃
〃Oh；　I　need　only　one　of　them　for　the　time　being。〃
〃Shall　we　take　our　valets？〃
〃Yes；　you　may　as　well　take　Musqueton。　As　to　Planchet；　he　has
certain　reasons　for　not　going　to　court。〃
〃And　what　are　they？〃
〃Oh；　he　doesn't　stand　well　with　his　eminence。〃
〃Mouston；〃　said　Porthos；　〃saddle　Vulcan　and　Bayard。〃
〃And　for　myself；　monsieur；　shall　I　saddle　Rustaud？〃
〃No；　take　a　more　stylish　horse；　Phoebus　or　Superbe；　we　are
going　with　some　ceremony。〃
〃Ah；〃　said　Musqueton；　breathing　more　freely；　〃you　are　only
going；　then；　to　make　a　visit？〃
〃Oh！　yes；　of　course；　Mouston；　nothing　else。　But　to　avoid
risk；　put　the　pistols　in　the　holsters。　You　will　find　mine　on
my　saddle；　already　loaded。〃
Mouston　breathed　a　sigh；　he　couldn't　understand　visits　of
ceremony　made　under　arms。
〃Indeed；〃　said　Porthos；　looking　complacently　at　his　old
lackey　as　he　went　away；　〃you　are　right；　D'Artagnan；　Mouston
will　do；　Mouston　has　a　very　fine　appearance。〃
D'Artagnan　smiled。
〃But　you；　my　friend　　are　you　not　going　to　change　your
dress？〃
〃No；　I　shall　go　as　I　am。　This　traveling　dress　will　serve　to
show　the　cardinal　my　haste　to　obey　his　commands。〃
They　set　out　on　Vulcan　and　Bayard；　followed　by　Musqueton　on
Phoebus；　and　arrived　at　the　Palais　Royal　at　about　a　quarter
to　seven。　The　streets　were　crowded；　for　it　was　the　day　of
Pentecost；　and　the　crowd　looked　in　wonder　at　these　two
cavaliers；　one　as　fresh　as　if　he　had　come　out　of　a　bandbox；
the　other　so　covered　with　dust　that　he　looked　as　if　he　had
but　just　come　off　a　field　of　battle。
Musqueton　also　attracted　attention；　and　as　the　romance　of
Don　Quixote　was　then　the　fashion；　they　said　that　he　was
Sancho；　who；　after　having　lost　one　master；　had　found　two。
On　reaching　the　palace；　D'Artagnan　sent　to　his　eminence　the
letter　in　which　he　had　been　ordered　to　return　without　delay。
He　was　soon　ordered　to　the　presence　of　the　cardinal。
〃Courage！〃　he　whispered　to　Porthos；　as　they　proceeded。　〃Do
not　be　intimidated。　Believe　me；　the　eye　of　the　eagle　is
closed　forever。　We　have　only　the　vulture　to　deal　with。　Hold
yourself　as　bolt　upright　as　on　the　day　of　the　bastion　of　St。
Gervais；　and　do　not　bow　too　low　to　this　Italian；　that　might
give　him　a　poor　idea　of　you。〃
〃Good！〃　answered　Porthos。　〃Good！〃
Mazarin　was　in　his　study；　working　at　a　list　of　pensions　and
benefices；　of　which　he　was　trying　to　reduce　the　number。　He
saw　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　enter　with　internal　pleasure；　yet
showed　no　joy　in　his　countenance。
〃Ah！　you；　is　it？　Monsieur　le　lieutenant；　you　have　been　very
prompt。　'Tis　well。　Welcome　to　ye。〃
〃Thanks；　my　lord。　Here　I　am　at　your　eminence's　service；　as
well　as　Monsieur　du　Vallon；　one　of　my　old　friends；　who　used
to　conceal　his　nobility　under　the　name　of　Porthos。〃
Porthos　bowed　to