twenty years after(二十年后)-第97章

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read　rapidly；　whilst　Porthos　looked　at　him　with　starting
eyes；　not　daring　to　ask　a　single　question。
〃Friend　Porthos；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　handing　the　letter　to
him；　〃this　time；　at　least；　you　are　sure　of　your　title　of
baron；　and　I　of　my　captaincy。　Read　for　yourself　and　judge。〃
Porthos　took　the　letter　and　with　a　trembling　voice　read　the
following　words：
〃The　queen　wishes　to　speak　to　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　who　must
follow　the　bearer。〃
〃Well！〃　exclaimed　Porthos；　〃I　see　nothing　in　that　very
extraordinary。〃
〃But　I　see　much　that　is　very　extraordinary　in　it；〃　replied
D'Artagnan。　〃It　is　evident；　by　their　sending　for　me；　that
matters　are　becoming　complicated。　Just　reflect　a　little　what
an　agitation　the　queen's　mind　must　be　in　for　her　to　have
remembered　me　after　twenty　years。〃
〃It　is　true；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Sharpen　your　sword；　baron；　load　your　pistols；　and　give　some
corn　to　the　horses；　for　I　will　answer　for　it；
something　lightning…like　will　happen　ere　to…morrow。〃
〃But；　stop；　do　you　think　it　can　be　a　trap　that　they　are
laying　for　us？〃　suggested　Porthos；　incessantly　thinking　how
his　greatness　must　be　irksome　to　inferior　people。
〃If　it　is　a　snare；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃I　shall　scent　it
out；　be　assured。　If　Mazarin　is　an　Italian；　I　am　a　Gascon。〃
And　D'Artagnan　dressed　himself　in　an　instant。
Whilst　Porthos；　still　in　bed；　was　hooking　on　his　cloak　for
him；　a　second　knock　at　the　door　was　heard。
〃Come　in；〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　and　another　servant
entered。
〃From　His　Eminence；　Cardinal　Mazarin；〃　presenting　a　letter。
D'Artagnan　looked　at　Porthos。
〃A　complicated　affair；〃　said　Porthos；　〃where　will　you
begin？〃
〃It　is　arranged　capitally；　his　eminence　expects　me　in　half
an　hour。〃
〃Good。〃
〃My　friend；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　turning　to　the　servant；　〃tell
his　eminence　that　in　half　an　hour　I　shall　be　at　his
command。〃
〃It　is　very　fortunate；〃　resumed　the　Gascon；　when　the　valet
had　retired；　〃that　he　did　not　meet　the　other　one。〃
〃Do　you　not　think　that　they　have　sent　for　you；　both　for　the
same　thing？〃
〃I　do　not　think　it；　I　am　certain　of　it。〃
〃Quick；　quick；　D'Artagnan。　Remember　that　the　queen　awaits
you；　and　after　the　queen；　the　cardinal；　and　after　the
cardinal；　myself。〃
D'Artagnan　summoned　Anne　of　Austria's　servant　and　signified
that　he　was　ready　to　follow　him　into　the　queen's　presence。
The　servant　conducted　him　by　the　Rue　des　Petits　Champs　and
turning　to　the　left　entered　the　little　garden　gate　leading
into　the　Rue　Richelieu；　then　they　gained　the　private
staircase　and　D'Artagnan　was　ushered　into　the　oratory。　A
certain　emotion；　for　which　he　could　not　account；　made　the
lieutenant's　heart　beat：　he　had　no　longer　the　assurance　of
youth；　experience　had　taught　him　the　importance　of　past
events。　Formerly　he　would　have　approached　the　queen　as　a
young　man　who　bends　before　a　woman；　but　now　it　was　a
different　thing；　he　answered　her　summons　as　an　humble
soldier　obeys　an　illustrious　general。
The　silence　of　the　oratory　was　at　last　disturbed　by　the
slight　rustling　of　silk；　and　D'Artagnan　started　when　he
perceived　the　tapestry　raised　by　a　white　hand；　which；　by　its
form；　its　color　and　its　beauty　he　recognized　as　that　royal
hand　which　had　one　day　been　presented　to　him　to　kiss。　The
queen　entered。
〃It　is　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　she　said；　fixing　a　gaze
full　of　melancholy　interest　on　the　countenance　of　the
officer；　〃and　I　know　you　well。　Look　at　me　well　in　your　turn。
I　am　the　queen；　do　you　recognize　me？〃

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
〃But　are　you　no　longer　aware；〃　continued　Anne；　giving　that
sweet　expression　to　her　voice　which　she　could　do　at　will；
〃that　in　former　days　the　queen　had　once　need　of　a　young；
brave　and　devoted　cavalier　　that　she　found　this　cavalier
　and　that；　although　he　might　have　thought　that　she　had
forgotten　him；　she　had　kept　a　place　for　him　in　the　depths　of
her　heart？〃
〃No；　madame；　I　was　ignorant　of　that；〃　said　the　musketeer。
〃So　much　the　worse；　sir；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria；　〃so　much　the
worse；　at　least　for　the　queen；　for　to…day　she　has　need　of
the　same　courage　and　the　same　devotion。〃
〃What！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　〃does　the　queen；　surrounded　as
she　is　by　such　devoted　servants；　such　wise　counselors；　men；
in　short；　so　great　by　merit　or　position　　does　she　deign　to
cast　her　eyes　on　an　obscure　soldier？〃
Anne　understood　this　covert　reproach　and　was　more　moved　than
irritated　by　it。　She　had　many　a　time　felt　humiliated　by　the
self…sacrifice　and　disinterestedness　shown　by　the　Gascon
gentleman。　She　had　allowed　herself　to　be　exceeded　in
generosity。
〃All　that　you　tell　me　of　those　by　whom　I　am　surrounded；
Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　is　doubtless　true；〃　said　the　queen；
〃but　I　have　confidence　in　you　alone。　I　know　that　you　belong
to　the　cardinal；　but　belong　to　me　as　well；　and　I　will　take
upon　myself　the　making　of　your　fortune。　Come；　will　you　do
to…day　what　formerly　the　gentleman　you　do　not　know　did　for
the　queen？〃
〃I　will　do　everything　your　majesty　commands；〃　replied
D'Artagnan。
The　queen　reflected　for　a　moment　and　then；　seeing　the
cautious　demeanor　of　the　musketeer：
〃Perhaps　you　like　repose？〃　she　said。
〃I　do　not　know；　for　I　have　never　had　it；　madame。〃
〃Have　you　any　friends？〃
〃I　had　three；　two　of　whom　have　left　Paris；　to　go　I　know　not
where。　One　alone　is　left　to　me；　but　he　is　one　of　those
known；　I　believe；　to　the　cavalier　of　whom　your　majesty　did
me　the　honor　to　speak。〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　and　your　friend　are　worth
an　army。〃
〃What　am　I　to　do；　madame？〃
〃Return　at　five　o'clock　and　I　will　tell　you；　but　do　not
breathe　to　a　living　soul；　sir；　the　rendezvous　which　I　give
you。〃
〃No；　madame。〃
〃Swear　it　upon　the　cross。〃
〃Madame；　I　have　never　been　false　to　my　word；　when　I　say　I
will　not　do　a　thing；　I　mean　it。〃
The　queen；　although　astonished　at　this　language；　to　which
she　was　not　accustomed　from　her　courtiers；　argued　from　it　a
happy　omen　of　the　zeal　with　which　D'Artagnan　would　serve　her
in　the　accomplishment　of　her　project。　It　was　one　of　the
Gascon's　artifices　to　hide　his　deep　cunning　occasionally
under　an　appearance　of　rough　loyalty。
〃Has　the　queen　any　further　commands　for　me　now？〃　asked
D'Artagnan。
〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Anne　of　Austria；　〃and　you　may　retire
until　the　time　that　I　mentioned　to　you。〃
D'Artagnan　bowed　and　went　out。
〃Diable！〃　he　exclaimed　when　the　door　was　shut；　〃they　seem　to
have　the　greatest　need　of　me　just　now。〃
Then；　as　the　half　hour　had　already　glided　by；　he　crossed　the
gallery　and　knocked　at　the　cardinal's　door。
Bernouin　introduced　him。
〃I　come　for　your　commands；　my　lord；〃　he　said。
And　according　to　his　custom　D'Artagnan　glanced　rapidly
around　and　remarked　that　Mazarin　had　a　sealed　letter　before
him。　But　it　was　so　placed　on　the　desk　that　he　could　not　see
to　whom　it　was　addressed。
〃You　come　from　the　queen？〃　said　Mazarin；　looking　fixedly　at
D'Artagnan。
〃I！　my　lord　　who　told　you　that？〃
〃Nobody；　but　I　know　it。〃
〃I　regret　infinitely　to　tell　you；　my　lord；　that　you　are
mistaken；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　impudently；　firm　to　the
promise　he　had　just　made　to　Anne　of　Austria。
〃I　opened　the　door　of　the　ante…room　myself　and　I　saw　you
enter　at　the　end　of　the　corridor。〃
〃Because　I　was　shown　up　the　private　stairs。〃
〃How　so？〃
〃I　know　not；　it　must　have　been　a　mistake。〃
Mazarin　was　aware　that　it　was　not　easy　to　make　D'Artagnan
reveal　anything　he　was　desirous　of　hiding；　so　he　gave　up；
for　the　time；　the　discovery　of　the　mystery　the　Gascon　was
concealing。
〃Let　us　speak　of　my　affairs；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃since　you　will
tell　me　naught　of　yours。　Are　you　fond　of　traveling？〃
〃My　life　has　been　passed　on　the　high　road。〃
〃Would　anything　retain　you　particularly　in　Paris？〃
〃Nothing　but　an　order　from　a　superior　would　retain　me　in
Paris。〃
〃Very　well。　Here　is　a　letter；　which　must　be　taken　to　its
address。〃
〃To　its　address；　my　lord？　But　it　has　none。〃
In　fact；　the　side　of　the　letter　opposite　the　seal　was　blank。
〃I　must　tell　you；〃　resumed　Mazarin；　〃that　it　is　in　a　double
envelope。〃
〃I　understand；　and　I　am　to　take　off　the　first　one　when　I
have　reached　a　certain　place？〃
〃Just　so；　take　it　and　go。　You　have　a　friend；　Monsieur　du
Vallon；　whom　I　like　much；　let　him　accompany　you。〃
〃The　devil！〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself。　〃He　knows　that　we
overheard　his　conversation　yesterday