二十年后-第122章

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diamond；　so　that　we　are　like　those　misers　who　are　unable　to　absent　themselves　from　their　treasures。　We　have　made　ourselves　the　constant　guardians　of　our　men；　and　while　I　sleep　Monsieur　du　Vallon　watches。〃
　　〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　Groslow。
　　〃You　see；　then；　why　I　must　decline　your　polite　invitation；　which　is　especially　attractive　to　me；　because　nothing　is　so　wearisome　as　to　play　night　after　night　with　the　same　person；　the　chances　always　balance　and　at　the　month's　end　nothing　is　gained　or　lost。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　said　Groslow；　sighing；　〃there　is　something　still　more　wearisome；　and　that　is　not　to　play　at　all。〃
　　〃I　can　understand　that；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃But；　e；〃　resumed　the　Englishman；　〃are　these　men　of　yours　dangerous？〃
　　〃In　what　respect？〃
　　〃Are　they　capable　of　attempting　violence？〃
　　D'Artagnan　burst　out　laughing　at　the　idea。
　　〃Jesus　Dieu！〃　he　cried；　〃one　of　them　is　trembling　with　fever；　having　failed　to　adapt　himself　to　this　charming　country　of　yours；　and　the　other　is　a　knight　of　Malta；　as　timid　as　a　young　girl；　and　for　greater　security　we　have　taken　from　them　even　their　penknives　and　pocket　scissors。〃
　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　Groslow；　〃bring　them　with　you。〃
　　〃But　really　　〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃I　have　eight　men　on　guard；　you　know。　Four　of　them　can　guard　the　king　and　the　other　four　your　prisoners。　I'll　manage　it　somehow；　you　will　see。〃
　　〃But；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃now　I　think　of　it　　what　is　to　prevent　our　beginning　to…night？〃
　　〃Nothing　at　all；〃　said　Groslow。
　　〃Just　so。　e　to　us　this　evening　and　to…morrow　we'll　return　your　visit。〃
　　〃Capital！　This　evening　with　you；　to…morrow　at　Stuart's；　the　next　day　with　me。〃
　　〃You　see；　that　with　a　little　forethought　one　can　lead　a　merry　life　anywhere　and　everywhere；〃　said　D'Artagnan。
　　〃Yes；　with　Frenchmen；　and　Frenchmen　like　you。〃
　　〃And　Monsieur　du　Vallon；〃　added　the　other。　〃You　will　see　what　a　fellow　he　is；　a　man　who　nearly　killed　Mazarin　between　two　doors。　They　employ　him　because　they　are　afraid　of　him。　Ah；　there　he　is　calling　me　now。　You'll　excuse　me；　I　know。〃
　　They　exchanged　bows　and　D'Artagnan　returned　to　his　panions。
　　〃What　on　earth　can　you　have　been　saying　to　that　bulldog？〃　exclaimed　Porthos。
　　〃My　dear　fellow；　don't　speak　like　that　of　Monsieur　Groslow。　He's　one　of　my　most　intimate　friends。〃
　　〃One　of　your　friends！〃　cried　Porthos；　〃this　butcher　of　unarmed　farmers！〃
　　〃Hush！　my　dear　Porthos。　Monsieur　Groslow　is　perhaps　rather　hasty；　it's　true；　but　at　bottom　I　have　discovered　two　good　qualities　in　him　　he　is　conceited　and　stupid。〃
　　Porthos　opened　his　eyes　in　amazement；　Athos　and　Aramis　looked　at　one　another　and　smiled；　they　knew　D'Artagnan；　and　knew　that　he　did　nothing　without　a　purpose。
　　〃But；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃you　shall　judge　of　him　for　yourself。　He　is　ing　to　play　with　us　this　evening。〃
　　〃Oho！〃　said　Porthos；　his　eyes　glistening　at　the　news。　〃Is　he　rich？〃
　　〃He's　the　son　of　one　of　the　wealthiest　merchants　in　London。〃
　　〃And　knows　lansquenet？〃
　　〃Adores　it。〃
　　〃Basset？〃
　　〃His　mania。'
　　〃Biribi？〃
　　〃Revels　in　it。〃
　　〃Good；〃　said　Porthos；　〃we　shall　pass　an　agreeable　evening。〃
　　〃The　more　so；　as　it　will　be　the　prelude　to　a　better。〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　〃We　invite　him　to　play　to…night；　he　has　invited　us　in　return　to…morrow。　But　wait。　To…night　we　stop　at　Derby；　and　if　there　is　a　bottle　of　wine　in　the　town　let　Musqueton　buy　it。　It　will　be　well　to　prepare　a　light　supper；　of　which　you；　Athos　and　Aramis；　are　not　to　partake　　Athos；　because　I　told　him　you　had　a　fever；　Aramis；　because　you　are　a　knight　of　Malta　and　won't　mix　with　fellows　like　us。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃That's　no　doubt　very　fine；〃　said　Porthos；　〃but　deuce　take　me　if　I　understand　at　all。〃
　　〃Porthos；　my　friend；　you　know　I　am　descended　on　the　father's　side　from　the　Prophets　and　on　the　mother's　from　the　Sybils；　and　that　I　only　speak　in　parables　and　riddles。　Let　those　who　have　ears　hear　and　those　who　have　eyes　see；　I　can　tell　you　nothing　more　at　present。〃
　　〃Go　ahead；　my　friend；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　am　sure　that　whatever　you　do　is　well　done。〃
　　〃And　you；　Aramis；　are　you　of　that　opinion？〃
　　〃Entirely　so；　my　dear　D'Artagnan。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃here　indeed　are　true　believers；　it　is　a　pleasure　to　work　miracles　before　them；　they　are　not　like　that　unbelieving　Porthos；　who　must　see　and　touch　before　he　will　believe。〃
　　〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Porthos；　with　an　air　of　finesse；　〃I　am　rather　incredulous。〃
　　D'Artagnan　gave　him　playful　buffet　on　the　shoulder；　and　as　they　had　reached　the　station　where　they　were　to　breakfast；　the　conversation　ended　there。
　　At　five　in　the　evening　they　sent　Musqueton　on　before　as　agreed　upon。　Blaisois　went　with　him。
　　In　crossing　the　principal　street　in　Derby　the　four　friends　perceived　Blaisois　standing　in　the　doorway　of　a　handsome　house。　It　was　there　a　lodging　was　prepared　for　them。
　　At　the　hour　agreed　upon　Groslow　came。　D'Artagnan　received　him　as　he　would　have　done　a　friend　of　twenty　years'　standing。　Porthos　scanned　him　from　head　to　foot　and　smiled　when　he　discovered　that　in　spite　of　the　blow　he　had　administered　to　Parry's　brother；　he　was　not　nearly　so　strong　as　himself。　Athos　and　Aramis　suppressed　as　well　as　they　could　the　disgust　they　felt　in　the　presence　of　such　coarseness　and　brutality。
　　In　short；　Groslow　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　his　reception。
　　Athos　and　Aramis　kept　themselves　to　their　role。　At　midnight　they　withdrew　to　their　chamber；　the　door　of　which　was　left　open　on　the　pretext　of　kindly　consideration。　Furthermore；　D'Artagnan　went　with　them；　leaving　Porthos　at　play　with　Groslow。
　　Porthos　gained　fifty　pistoles　from　Groslow；　and　found　him　a　more　agreeable　panion　than　he　had　at　first　believed　him　to　be。
　　As　to　Groslow；　he　promised　himself　that　on　the　following　evening　he　would　recover　from　D'Artagnan　what　he　had　lost　to　Porthos；　and　on　leaving　reminded　the　Gascon　of　his　appointment。
　　The　next　day　was　spent　as　usual。　D'Artagnan　went　from　Captain　Groslow　to　Colonel　Harrison　and　from　Colonel　Harrison　to　his　friends。　To　any　one　not　acquainted　with　him　he　seemed　to　be　in　his　normal　condition；　but　to　his　friends　　to　Athos　and　Aramis　　was　apparent　a　certain　feverishness　in　his　gayety。
　　〃What　is　he　contriving？〃　asked　Aramis。
　　〃Wait；〃　said　Athos。
　　Porthos　said　nothing；　but　he　handled　in　his　pocket　the　fifty　pistoles　he　had　gained　from　Groslow　with　a　degree　of　satisfaction　which　betrayed　itself　in　his　whole　bearing。
　　Arrived　at　Ryston；　D'Artagnan　assembled　his　friends。　His　face　had　lost　the　expression　of　careless　gayety　it　had　worn　like　a　mask　the　whole　day。　Athos　pinched　Aramis's　hand。
　　〃The　moment　is　at　hand；〃　he　said。
　　〃Yes；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　who　had　overheard　him；　〃to…night；　gentlemen；　we　rescue　the　king。〃
　　〃D'Artagnan；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　is　no　joke；　I　trust？　It　would　quite　cut　me　up。〃
　　〃You　are　a　very　odd　man；　Athos；〃　he　replied；　〃to　doubt　me　thus。　Where　and　when　have　you　seen　me　trifle　with　a　friend's　heart　and　a　king's　life？　I　have　told　you；　and　I　repeat　it；　that　to…night　we　rescue　Charles　I。　You　left　it　to　me　to　discover　the　means　and　I　have　done　so。〃
　　Porthos　looked　at　D'Artagnan　with　an　expression　of　profound　admiration。　Aramis　smiled　as　one　who　hopes。　Athos　was　pale；　and　trembled　in　every　limb。
　　〃Speak；〃　said　Athos。
　　〃We　are　invited；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃to　pass　the　night　with　M。　Groslow。　But　do　you　know　where？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃In　the　king's　room。〃
　　〃The　king's　room？〃　cried　Athos。
　　〃Yes；　gentlemen；　in　the　king's　room。　Groslow　is　on　guard　there　this　evening；　and　to　pass　the　time　away　he　has　invited　us　to　keep　him　pany。〃
　　〃All　four　of　us？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Pardieu！　certainly；　all　four；　we　couldn't　leave　our　prisoners；　could　we？〃
　　〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Tell　us　about　it；〃　said　Athos；　palpitating。
　　〃We　are　going；　then；　we　two　with　our　swords；　you　with　daggers。　We　four　have　got　to　master　these　eight　fools　and　their　stupid　captain。　Monsieur　Porthos；　what　do　you　say　to　that？〃
　　〃I　say　it　is　easy　enough；〃　answered　Porthos。
　　〃We　dress　the　king　in　Groslow's　clothes。　Musqueton；　Grimaud　and　Blaisois　have　our　horses　saddled　at　the　end　of　the　first　street。　We　mount　them　and　before　daylight