twenty years after(二十年后)-第77章

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the　step　of　the　horse　going　away　he　fell　back　on　a　chair；
saying：
〃My　God；　I　thank　Thee　that　he　knows　me　only。〃

41
Paternal　Affection。

Whilst　this　terrible　scene　was　passing　at　Lord　de　Winter's；
Athos；　seated　near　his　window；　his　elbow　on　the　table　and
his　head　supported　on　his　hand；　was　listening　intently　to
Raoul's　account　of　the　adventures　he　met　with　on　his　journey
and　the　details　of　the　battle。
Listening　to　the　relation　of　those　emotions　so　fresh　and
pure；　the　fine；　noble　face　of　Athos　betrayed　indescribable
pleasure；　he　inhaled　the　tones　of　that　young　voice；　as
harmonious　music。　He　forgot　all　that　was　dark　in　the　past
and　that　was　cloudy　in　the　future。　It　almost　seemed　as　if
the　return　of　this　much　loved　boy　had　changed　his　fears　to
hopes。　Athos　was　happy　　happy　as　he　had　never　been　before。
〃And　you　assisted　and　took　part　in　this　great　battle；
Bragelonne！〃　cried　the　former　musketeer。
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃And　it　was　a　fierce　one？〃
〃His　highness　the　prince　charged　eleven　times　in　person。〃
〃He　is　a　great　commander；　Bragelonne。〃
〃He　is　a　hero；　sir。　I　did　not　lose　sight　of　him　for　an
instant。　Oh！　how　fine　it　is　to　be　called　Conde　and　to　be　so
worthy　of　such　a　name！〃
〃He　was　calm　and　radiant；　was　he　not？〃
〃As　calm　as　at　parade；　radiant　as　at　a　fete。　When　we　went　up
to　the　enemy　it　was　slowly；　we　were　forbidden　to　draw　first
and　we　were　marching　toward　the　Spaniards；　who　were　on　a
height　with　lowered　muskets。　When　we　arrived　about　thirty
paces　from　them　the　prince　turned　around　to　the　soldiers：
‘Comrades；'　he　said；　‘you　are　about　to　suffer　a　furious
discharge；　but　after　that　you　will　make　short　work　with
those　fellows。'　There　was　such　dead　silence　that　friends　and
enemies　could　have　heard　these　words；　then　raising　his
sword；　‘Sound　trumpets！'　he　cried。〃
〃Well；　very　good；　you　will　do　as　much　when　the　opportunity
occurs；　will　you；　Raoul？〃
〃I　know　not；　sir；　but　I　thought　it　really　very　fine　and
grand！〃
〃Were　you　afraid；　Raoul？〃　asked　the　count。
〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　man　naively；　〃I　felt　a　great
chill　at　my　heart；　and　at　the　word　‘fire；'　which　resounded
in　Spanish　from　the　enemy's　ranks；　I　closed　my　eyes　and
thought　of　you。〃
〃In　honest　truth；　Raoul？〃　said　Athos；　pressing　his　hand。
〃Yes；　sir；　at　that　instant　there　was　such　a　rataplan　of
musketry　that　one　might　have　imagined　the　infernal　regions
had　opened。　Those　who　were　not　killed　felt　the　heat　of　the
flames。　I　opened　my　eyes；　astonished　to　find　myself　alive
and　even　unhurt；　a　third　of　the　squadron　were　lying　on　the
ground；　wounded；　dead　or　dying。　At　that　moment　I　encountered
the　eye　of　the　prince。　I　had　but　one　thought　and　that　was
that　he　was　observing　me。　I　spurred　on　and　found　myself　in
the　enemy's　ranks。〃
〃And　the　prince　was　pleased　with　you？〃
〃He　told　me　so；　at　least；　sir；　when　he　desired　me　to　return
to　Paris　with　Monsieur　de　Chatillon；　who　was　charged　to
carry　the　news　to　the　queen　and　to　bring　the　colors　we　had
taken。　‘Go；'　said　he；　‘the　enemy　will　not　rally　for　fifteen
days　and　until　that　time　I　have　no　need　of　your　service。　Go
and　see　those　whom　you　love　and　who　love　you；　and　tell　my
sister　De　Longueville　that　I　thank　her　for　the　present　that
she　made　me　of　you。'　And　I　came；　sir；〃　added　Raoul；　gazing
at　the　count　with　a　smile　of　real　affection；　〃for　I　thought
you　would　be　glad　to　see　me　again。〃
Athos　drew　the　young　man　toward　him　and　pressed　his　lips　to
his　brow；　as　he　would　have　done　to　a　young　daughter。
〃And　now；　Raoul；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　launched；　you　have　dukes
for　friends；　a　marshal　of　France　for　godfather；　a　prince　of
the　blood　as　commander；　and　on　the　day　of　your　return　you
have　been　received　by　two　queens；　it　is　not　so　bad　for　a
novice。〃
〃Oh　sir；〃　said　Raoul；　suddenly；　〃you　recall　something；
which；　in　my　haste　to　relate　my　exploits；　I　had　forgotten；
it　is　that　there　was　with　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England；
a　gentleman　who；　when　I　pronounced　your　name；　uttered　a　cry
of　surprise　and　joy；　he　said　he　was　a　friend　of　yours；　asked
your　address；　and　is　coming　to　see　you。〃
〃What　is　his　name？〃
〃I　did　not　venture　to　ask；　sir；　he　spoke　elegantly；　although
I　thought　from　his　accent　he　was　an　Englishman。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Athos；　leaning　down　his　head　as　if　to　remember
who　it　could　be。　Then；　when　he　raised　it　again；　he　was
struck　by　the　presence　of　a　man　who　was　standing　at　the　open
door　and　was　gazing　at　him　with　a　compassionate　air。
〃Lord　de　Winter！〃　exclaimed　the　count。
〃Athos；　my　friend！〃
And　the　two　gentlemen　were　for　an　instant　locked　in　each
other's　arms；　then　Athos；　looking　into　his　friend's　face　and
taking　him　by　both　hands；　said：
〃What　ails　you；　my　lord？　you　appear　as　unhappy　as　I　am　the
reverse。〃
〃Yes；　truly；　dear　friend；　and　I　may　even　say　the　sight　of
you　increases　my　dismay。〃
And　De　Winter　glancing　around　him；　Raoul　quickly　understood
that　the　two　friends　wished　to　be　alone　and　he　therefore
left　the　room　unaffectedly。
〃Come；　now　that　we　are　alone；〃　said　Athos；　〃let　us　talk　of
yourself。〃
〃Whilst　we　are　alone　let　us　speak　of　ourselves；〃　replied　De
Winter。　〃He　is　here。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Milady's　son。〃
Athos；　again　struck　by　this　name；　which　seemed　to　pursue　him
like　an　echo；　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　slightly　knitting
his　brows；　he　calmly　said：
〃I　know　it；　Grimaud　met　him　between　Bethune　and　Arras　and
then　came　here　to　warn　me　of　his　presence。〃
〃Does　Grimaud　know　him；　then？〃
〃No；　but　he　was　present　at　the　deathbed　of　a　man　who　knew
him。〃
〃The　headsman　of　Bethune？〃　exclaimed　De　Winter。
〃You　know　about　that？〃　cried　Athos；　astonished。
〃He　has　just　left　me；〃　replied　De　Winter；　〃after　telling　me
all。　Ah！　my　friend！　what　a　horrible　scene！　Why　did　we　not
destroy　the　child　with　the　mother？〃
〃What　need　you　fear？〃　said　Athos；　recovering　from　the
instinctive　fear　he　had　at　first　experienced；　by　the　aid　of
reason；　〃are　we　not　men　accustomed　to　defend　ourselves？　Is
this　young　man　an　assassin　by　profession　　a　murderer　in
cold　blood？　He　has　killed　the　executioner　of　Bethune　in　an
access　of　passion；　but　now　his　fury　is　assuaged。〃
De　Winter　smiled　sorrowfully　and　shook　his　head。
〃Do　you　not　know　the　race？〃　said　he。
〃Pooh！〃　said　Athos；　trying　to　smile　in　his　turn。　〃It　must
have　lost　its　ferocity　in　the　second　generation。　Besides；　my
friend；　Providence　has　warned　us；　that　we　may　be　on　our
guard。　All　we　can　now　do　is　to　wait。　Let　us　wait；　and；　as　I
said　before；　let　us　speak　of　yourself。　What　brings　you　to
Paris？〃
〃Affairs　of　importance　which　you　shall　know　later。　But　what
is　this　that　I　hear　from　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　England？
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　sides　with　Mazarin！　Pardon　my　frankness；
dear　friend。　I　neither　hate　nor　blame　the　cardinal；　and　your
opinions　will　be　held　ever　sacred　by　me。　But　do　you　happen
to　belong　to　him？〃
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　replied　Athos；　〃is　in　the　service；　he
is　a　soldier　and　obeys　all　constitutional　authority。
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　not　rich　and　has　need　of　his　position
as　lieutenant　to　enable　him　to　live。　Millionaires　like
yourself；　my　lord；　are　rare　in　France。〃
〃Alas！〃　said　De　Winter；　〃I　am　at　this　moment　as　poor　as　he
is；　if　not　poorer。　But　to　return　to　our　subject。〃
〃Well；　then；　you　wish　to　know　if　I　am　of　Mazarin's　party？
No。　Pardon　my　frankness；　too；　my　lord。〃
〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　count；　for　this　pleasing　intelligence！
You　make　me　young　and　happy　again　by　it。　Ah！　so　you　are　not
a　Mazarinist？　Delightful！　Indeed；　you　could　not　belong　to
him。　But　pardon　me；　are　you　free？　I　mean　to　ask　if　you　are
married？〃
〃Ah！　as　to　that；　no；〃　replied　Athos；　laughing。
〃Because　that　young　man；　so　handsome；　so　elegant；　so
polished　　〃
〃Is　a　child　I　have　adopted　and　who　does　not　even　know　who
was　his　father。〃
〃Very　well；　you　are　always　the　same；　Athos；　great　and
generous。　Are　you　still　friends　with　Monsieur　Porthos　and
Monsieur　Aramis？〃
〃Add　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　my　lord。　We　still　remain　four
friends　devoted　to　each　other；　but　when　it　becomes　a
question　of　serving　the　cardinal　or　of　fighting　him；　of
being　Mazarinists　or　Frondists；　then　we　are　only　two。〃
〃Is　Monsieur　Aramis　with　D'Artagnan？〃　asked　Lord　de　Winter。
〃No；〃　said　Athos；　〃Monsieur　Aramis　does　me　the　honor　to
share　my　opinions。〃
〃Could　you　put　me　in　communication　with