二十年后-第147章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


istening；　conceal　nothing；　gloss　over　nothing。　Since　his　majesty　still　lives；　since　the　honor　of　the　throne　is　safe；　everything　else　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me。〃
　　Athos　turned　pale　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart。
　　〃Well！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　who　remarked　this　movement　and　his　paleness。　〃Speak；　sir！　I　beg　you　to　do　so。〃
　　〃I　beg　you　to　excuse　me；　madame；　I　wish　to　add　nothing　to　the　recital　of　these　gentlemen　until　they　perceive　themselves　that　they　have　perhaps　been　mistaken。〃
　　〃Mistaken！〃　cried　the　queen；　almost　suffocated　by　emotion；　〃mistaken！　what　has　happened；　then？〃
　　〃Sir；〃　interposed　Monsieur　de　Flamarens　to　Athos；　〃if　we　are　mistaken　the　error　has　originated　with　the　queen。　I　do　not　suppose　you　will　have　the　presumption　to　set　it　to　rights　　that　would　be　to　accuse　Her　Majesty；　Queen　Anne；　of　falsehood。〃
　　〃With　the　queen；　sir？〃　replied　Athos；　in　his　calm；　vibrating　voice。
　　〃Yes；〃　murmured　Flamarens；　lowering　his　eyes。
　　Athos　sighed　deeply。
　　〃Or　rather；　sir；〃　said　Aramis；　with　his　peculiar　irritating　politeness；　〃the　error　of　the　person　who　was　with　you　when　we　met　you　in　the　guardroom；　for　if　the　te　de　la　Fere　and　I　are　not　mistaken；　we　saw　you　in　the　pany　of　a　third　gentleman。〃
　　Chatillon　and　Flamarens　started。
　　〃Explain　yourself；　count！〃　cried　the　queen；　whose　anxiety　grew　greater　every　moment。　〃On　your　brow　I　read　despair　　your　lips　falter　ere　you　announce　some　terrible　tidings　　your　hands　tremble。　Oh；　my　God！　my　God！　what　has　happened？〃
　　〃Lord！〃　ejaculated　the　young　princess；　falling　on　her　knees；　〃have　mercy　on　us！〃
　　〃Sir；〃　said　Chatillon；　〃if　you　bring　bad　tidings　it　will　be　cruel　in　you　to　announce　them　to　the　queen。〃
　　Aramis　went　so　close　to　Chatillon　as　almost　to　touch　him。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　with　pressed　lips　and　flashing　eyes；　〃you　have　not　the　presumption　to　instruct　the　te　de　la　Fere　and　myself　what　we　ought　to　say　here？〃
　　During　this　brief　altercation　Athos；　with　his　hands　on　his　heart；　his　head　bent　low；　approached　the　queen　and　in　a　voice　of　deepest　sorrow　said：
　　〃Madame；　princes　　who　by　nature　are　above　other　men　　receive　from　Heaven　courage　to　support　greater　misfortunes　than　those　of　lower　rank；　for　their　hearts　are　elevated　as　their　fortunes。　We　ought　not；　therefore；　I　think；　to　act　toward　a　queen　so　illustrious　as　your　majesty　as　we　should　act　toward　a　woman　of　our　lowlier　condition。　Queen；　destined　as　you　are　to　endure　every　sorrow　on　this　earth；　hear　the　result　of　our　unhappy　mission。〃
　　Athos；　kneeling　down　before　the　queen；　trembling　and　very　cold；　drew　from　his　bosom；　inclosed　in　the　same　case；　the　order　set　in　diamonds　which　the　queen　had　given　to　Lord　de　Winter　and　the　wedding　ring　which　Charles　I。　before　his　death　had　placed　in　the　hands　of　Aramis。　Since　the　moment　he　had　first　received　these　two　mementoes　Athos　had　never　parted　with　them。
　　He　opened　the　case　and　offered　them　to　the　queen　with　deep　and　silent　anguish。
　　The　queen　stretched　out　her　hand；　seized　the　ring；　pressed　it　convulsively　to　her　lips　　and　without　being　able　to　breathe　a　sigh；　to　give　vent　to　a　sob；　she　extended　her　arms；　became　deadly　pale；　and　fell　senseless　in　the　arms　of　her　attendants　and　her　daughter。
　　Athos　kissed　the　hem　of　the　robe　of　the　widowed　queen　and　rising；　with　a　dignity　that　made　a　deep　impression　on　those　around：
　　〃I；　the　te　de　la　Fere；　a　gentleman　who　has　never　deceived　any　human　being；　swear　before　God　and　before　this　unhappy　queen；　that　all　that　was　possible　to　save　the　king　of　England　was　done　whilst　we　were　on　English　ground。　Now；　chevalier；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Aramis；　〃let　us　go。　Our　duty　is　fulfilled。〃
　　〃Not　yet。〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　have　still　a　word　to　say　to　these　gentlemen。〃
　　And　turning　to　Chatillon：　〃Sir；　be　so　good　as　not　to　go　away　without　giving　me　an　opportunity　to　tell　you　something　I　cannot　say　before　the　queen。〃
　　Chatillon　bowed　in　token　of　assent　and　they　all　went　out；　stopping　at　the　window　of　a　gallery　on　the　ground　floor。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　Aramis；　〃you　allowed　yourself　just　now　to　treat　us　in　a　most　extraordinary　manner。　That　would　not　be　endurable　in　any　case；　and　is　still　less　so　on　the　part　of　those　who　came　to　bring　the　queen　the　message　of　a　liar。〃
　　〃Sir！〃　cried　De　Chatillon。
　　〃What　have　you　done　with　Monsieur　de　Bruy？　Has　he　by　any　possibility　gone　to　change　his　face　which　was　too　like　that　of　Monsieur　de　Mazarin？　There　is　an　abundance　of　Italian　masks　at　the　Palais　Royal；　from　harlequin　even　to　pantaloon。〃
　　〃Chevalier！　chevalier！〃　said　Athos。
　　〃Leave　me　alone；〃　said　Aramis　impatiently。　〃You　know　well　that　I　don't　like　to　leave　things　half　finished。〃
　　〃Conclude；　then；　sir；〃　answered　De　Chatillon；　with　as　much　hauteur　as　Aramis。
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　resumed　Aramis；　〃any　one　but　the　te　de　la　Fere　and　myself　would　have　had　you　arrested　　for　we　have　friends　in　Paris　　but　we　are　contented　with　another　course。　e　and　converse　with　us　for　just　five　minutes；　sword　in　hand；　upon　this　deserted　terrace。〃
　　〃One　moment；　gentlemen；〃　cried　Flamarens。　〃I　know　well　that　the　proposition　is　tempting；　but　at　present　it　is　impossible　to　accept　it。〃
　　〃And　why　not？〃　said　Aramis；　in　his　tone　of　raillery。　〃Is　it　Mazarin's　proximity　that　makes　you　so　prudent？〃
　　〃Oh；　you　hear　that；　Flamarens！〃　said　Chatillon。　〃Not　to　reply　would　be　a　blot　on　my　name　and　my　honor。〃
　　〃That　is　my　opinion；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃You　will　not　reply；　however；　and　these　gentlemen；　I　am　sure；　will　presently　be　of　my　opinion。〃
　　Aramis　shook　his　head　with　a　motion　of　indescribable　insolence。
　　Chatillon　saw　the　motion　and　put　his　hand　to　his　sword。
　　〃Willingly；〃　replied　De　Chatillon。
　　〃Duke；〃　said　Flamarens；　〃you　forget　that　to…morrow　you　are　to　mand　an　expedition　of　the　greatest　importance；　projected　by　the　prince；　assented　to　by　the　queen。　Until　to…morrow　evening　you　are　not　at　your　own　disposal。〃
　　〃Let　it　be　then　the　day　after　to…morrow；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃To…morrow；　rather；〃　said　De　Chatillon；　〃if　you　will　take　the　trouble　of　ing　so　far　as　the　gates　of　Charenton。〃
　　〃How　can　you　doubt　it；　sir？　For　the　pleasure　of　a　meeting　with　you　I　would　go　to　the　end　of　the　world。〃
　　〃Very　well；　to…morrow；　sir。〃
　　〃I　shall　rely　on　it。　Are　you　going　to　rejoin　your　cardinal？　Swear　first；　on　your　honor；　not　to　inform　him　of　our　return。〃
　　〃Conditions？〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Because　it　is　for　victors　to　make　conditions；　and　you　are　not　yet　victors；　gentlemen。〃
　　〃Then　let　us　draw　on　the　spot。　It　is　all　one　to　us　　to　us　who　do　not　mand　to…morrow's　expedition。〃
　　Chatillon　and　Flamarens　looked　at　each　other。　There　was　such　irony　in　the　words　and　in　the　bearing　of　Aramis　that　the　duke　had　great　difficulty　in　bridling　his　anger；　but　at　a　word　from　Flamarens　he　restrained　himself　and　contented　himself　with　saying：
　　〃You　promise；　sir　　that's　agreed　　that　I　shall　find　you　to…morrow　at　Charenton？〃
　　〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid；　sir；〃　replied　Aramis；　and　the　two　gentlemen　shortly　afterward　left　the　Louvre。
　　〃For　what　reason　is　all　this　fume　and　fury？〃　asked　Athos。　〃What　have　they　done　to　you？〃
　　〃They　　did　you　not　see　what　they　did？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃They　laughed　when　we　swore　that　we　had　done　our　duty　in　England。　Now；　if　they　believed　us；　they　laughed　in　order　to　insult　us；　if　they　did　not　believe　it　they　insulted　us　all　the　more。　However；　I'm　glad　not　to　fight　them　until　to…morrow。　I　hope　we　shall　have　something　better　to　do　to…night　than　to　draw　the　sword。〃
　　〃What　have　we　to　do？〃
　　〃Egad！　to　take　Mazarin。〃
　　Athos　curled　his　lip　with　disdain。
　　〃These　undertakings　do　not　suit　me；　as　you　know；　Aramis。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　it　is　taking　people　unawares。〃
　　〃Really；　Athos；　you　would　make　a　singular　general。　You　would　fight　only　by　broad　daylight；　warn　your　foe　before　an　attack；　and　never　attempt　anything　by　night　lest　you　should　be　accused　of　taking　advantage　of　the　darkness。〃
　　Athos　smiled。
　　〃You　know　one　cannot　change　his　nature；〃　he　said。　〃Besides；　do　you　know　what　is　our　situation；　and　whether　Mazarin's　arrest　wouldn't　be　rather　an　encumbrance　than　an　advantage？〃
　　〃Say　at　once　you　disapprove　of　my　proposal。〃
　　〃I　think　you　ought　to　do　nothing；　s