twenty years after(二十年后)-第67章

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highness　will　swear　that　my　life　shall　be　safe。〃
〃Upon　my　honor；〃　said　the　prince。
〃Question；　then；　my　lord。〃
〃Where　did　the　army　cross　the　Lys？〃
〃Between　Saint…Venant　and　Aire。〃
〃By　whom　is　it　commanded？〃
〃By　Count　de　Fuonsaldagna；　General　Beck　and　the　archduke。〃
〃Of　how　many　does　it　consist？〃
〃Eighteen　thousand　men　and　thirty…six　cannon。〃
〃And　its　aim　is？〃
〃Lens。〃
〃You　see；　gentlemen！〃　said　the　prince；　turning　with　a
triumphant　air　toward　Marshal　de　Grammont　and　the　other
officers。
〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　said　the　marshal；　〃you　have　divined　all　that
was　possible　to　human　genius。〃
〃Recall　Le　Plessis；　Bellievre；　Villequier　and　D'Erlac；〃　said
the　prince；　〃recall　all　the　troops　that　are　on　this　side　of
the　Lys。　Let　them　hold　themselves　in　readiness　to　march
to…night。　To…morrow；　according　to　all　probability；　we　shall
attack　the　enemy。〃
〃But；　my　lord；〃　said　Marshal　de　Grammont；　〃consider　that
when　we　have　collected　all　our　forces　we　shall　have　hardly
thirteen　thousand　men。〃
〃Monsieur　le　marechal；〃　said　the　prince；　with　that　wonderful
glance　that　was　peculiar　to　him；　〃it　is　with　small　armies
that　great　battles　are　won。〃
Then　turning　toward　the　prisoner；　〃Take　away　that　man；〃　he
said；　〃and　keep　him　carefully　in　sight。　His　life　is
dependent　on　the　information　he　has　given　us；　if　it　is　true；
he　shall　be　free；　if　false；　let　him　be　shot。〃
The　prisoner　was　led　away。
〃Count　de　Guiche；〃　said　the　prince；　〃it　is　a　long　time　since
you　saw　your　father；　remain　here　with　him。　Monsieur；〃　he
continued；　addressing　Raoul；　〃if　you　are　not　too　tired；
follow　me。〃
〃To　the　end　of　the　world；　my　lord！〃　cried　Raoul；　feeling　an
unknown　enthusiasm　for　that　young　general；　who　seemed　to　him
so　worthy　of　his　renown。
The　prince　smiled；　he　despised　flatterers；　but　he
appreciated　enthusiasts。
〃Come；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　good　in　council；　as　we
have　already　discovered；　to…morrow　we　shall　know　if　you　are
good　in　action。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　the　marshal；　〃what　am　I　to　do？〃
〃Wait　here　to　receive　the　troops。　I　shall　either　return　for
them　myself　or　shall　send　a　courier　directing　you　to　bring
them　to　me。　Twenty　guards；　well　mounted；　are　all　that　I
shall　need　for　my　escort。〃
〃That　is　very　few；〃　said　the　marshal。
〃It　is　enough；〃　replied　the　prince。　〃Have　you　a　good　horse；
Monsieur　de　Bragelonne？〃
〃My　horse　was　killed　this　morning；　my　lord；　and　I　am　mounted
provisionally　on　my　lackey's。〃
〃Choose　for　yourself　in　my　stables　the　horse　you　like　best。
No　false　modesty；　take　the　best　horse　you　can　find。　You　will
need　it　this　evening；　perhaps；　you　will　certainly　need　it
to…morrow。〃
Raoul　didn't　wait　to　be　told　twice；　he　knew　that　with
superiors；　especially　when　those　superiors　are　princes；　the
highest　politeness　is　to　obey　without　delay　or　argument；　he
went　down　to　the　stables；　picked　out　a　pie…bald　Andalusian
horse；　saddled　and　bridled　it　himself；　for　Athos　had　advised
him　to　trust　no　one　with　those　important　offices　at　a　time
of　danger；　and　went　to　rejoin　the　prince；　who　at　that　moment
mounted　his　horse。
〃Now；　monsieur；〃　he　said　to　Raoul；　〃will　you　give　me　the
letter　you　have　brought？〃
Raoul　handed　the　letter　to　the　prince。
〃Keep　near　me；〃　said　the　latter。
The　prince　threw　his　bridle　over　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；
as　he　was　wont　to　do　when　he　wished　to　have　both　hands　free；
unsealed　the　letter　of　Madame　de　Longueville　and　started　at
a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Lens；　attended　by　Raoul　and　his
small　escort；　whilst　messengers　sent　to　recall　the　troops
set　out　with　a　loose　rein　in　other　directions。　The　prince
read　as　he　hastened　on。
〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃they　tell　me　great
things　of　you。　I　have　only　to　say；　after　the　little　that　I
have　seen　and　heard；　that　I　think　even　better　of　you　than　I
have　been　told。'
Raoul　bowed。
Meanwhile；　as　the　little　troop　drew　nearer　to　Lens；　the
noise　of　the　cannon　sounded　louder。　The　prince　kept　his　gaze
fixed　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　with　the　steadfastness
of　a　bird　of　prey。　One　would　have　said　that　his　gaze　could
pierce　the　branches　of　trees　which　limited　his　horizon。　From
time　to　time　his　nostrils　dilated　as　if　eager　for　the　smell
of　powder；　and　he　panted　like　a　horse。
At　length　they　heard　the　cannon　so　near　that　it　was　evident
they　were　within　a　league　of　the　field　of　battle；　and　at　a
turn　of　the　road　they　perceived　the　little　village　of　Aunay。
The　peasants　were　in　great　commotion。　The　report　of　Spanish
cruelty　had　gone　out　and　every　one　was　frightened。　The　women
had　already　fled；　taking　refuge　in　Vitry；　only　a　few　men
remained。　On　seeing　the　prince　they　hastened　to　meet　him。
One　of　them　recognized　him。
〃Ah；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　come　to　drive　away　those
rascal　Spaniards　and　those　Lorraine　robbers？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　the　prince；　〃if　you　will　serve　me　as　guide。〃
〃Willingly；　my　lord。　Where　does　your　highness　wish　to　go？〃
〃To　some　elevated　spot　whence　I　can　look　down　on　Lens　and
the　surrounding　country　　〃
〃In　that　case；　I'm　your　man。〃
〃I　can　trust　you　　you　are　a　true　Frenchman？〃
〃I　am　an　old　soldier　of　Rocroy；　my　lord。〃
〃Here；〃　said　the　prince；　handing　him　a　purse；　〃here　is　for
Rocroy。　Now；　do　you　want　a　horse；　or　will　you　go　afoot？〃
〃Afoot；　my　lord；　I　have　served　always　in　the　infantry。
Besides；　I　expect　to　lead　your　highness　into　places　where
you　will　have　to　walk。〃
〃Come；　then；〃　said　the　prince；　〃let　us　lose　no　time。〃
The　peasant　started　off；　running　before　the　prince's　horse；
then；　a　hundred　steps　from　the　village；　he　took　a　narrow
road　hidden　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley。　For　a　half　league
they　proceeded　thus；　the　cannon…shot　sounding　so　near　that
they　expected　at　each　discharge　to　hear　the　hum　of　the
balls。　At　length　they　entered　a　path　which；　going　out　from
the　road；　skirted　the　mountainside。　The　prince　dismounted；
ordered　one　of　his　aids　and　Raoul　to　follow　his　example；　and
directed　the　others　to　await　his　orders；　keeping　themselves
meanwhile　on　the　alert。　He　then　began　to　ascend　the　path。
In　about　ten　minutes　they　reached　the　ruins　of　an　old
chateau；　those　ruins　crowned　the　summit　of　a　hill　which
overlooked　the　surrounding　country。　At　a　distance　of　hardly
a　quarter　of　a　league　they　looked　down　on　Lens；　at　bay；　and
before　Lens　the　enemy's　entire　army。
With　a　single　glance　the　prince　took　in　the　extent　of
country　that　lay　before　him；　from　Lens　as　far　as　Vimy。　In　a
moment　the　plan　of　the　battle　which　on　the　following　day　was
to　save　France　the　second　time　from　invasion　was　unrolled　in
his　mind。　He　took　a　pencil；　tore　a　page　from　his　tablets　and
wrote：

My　Dear　Marshal；　　In　an　hour　Lens　will　be　in　the　enemy's
possession。　Come　and　rejoin　me；　bring　with　you　the　whole
army。　I　shall　be　at　Vendin　to　place　it　in　position。
To…morrow　we　shall　retake　Lens　and　beat　the　enemy。〃

Then；　turning　toward　Raoul：　〃Go；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃ride
fast　and　give　this　letter　to　Monsieur　de　Grammont。〃
Raoul　bowed；　took　the　letter；　went　hastily　down　the
mountain；　leaped　on　his　horse　and　set　out　at　a　gallop。　A
quarter　of　an　hour　later　he　was　with　the　marshal。
A　portion　of　the　troops　had　already　arrived　and　the
remainder　was　expected　from　moment　to　moment。　Marshal　de
Grammont　put　himself　at　the　head　of　all　the　available
cavalry　and　infantry　and　took　the　road　to　Vendin；　leaving
the　Duc　de　Chatillon　to　await　and　bring　on　the　rest。　All　the
artillery　was　ready　to　move；　and　started　off　at　a　moment's
notice。
It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　when　the　marshal　arrived
at　the　appointed　place。　The　prince　awaited　him　there。　As　he
had　foreseen；　Lens　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy
immediately　after　Raoul's　departure。　The　event　was　announced
by　the　cessation　of　the　firing。
As　the　shadows　of　night　deepened　the　troops　summoned　by　the
prince　arrived　in　successive　detachments。　Orders　were　given
that　no　drum　should　be　beaten；　no　trumpet　sounded。
At　nine　o'clock　the　night　had　fully　come。　Still　a　last　ray
of　twilight　lighted　the　plain。　The　army　marched　silently；
the　prince　at　the　head　of　the　column。　Presently　the　army
came　in　sight　of　Lens；　two　or　three　houses　were　in　flames
and　a　dull　noise　was　heard　which　indicated　what　suffering
was　endured　by　a　town　taken　by　assault。
The　prince　assigned　to　every　one　his　post。　Marshal