twenty years after(二十年后)-第131节

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Every　door　was　opened　to　him。　Monsieur　de　Beaufort　was　at
supper；　but　he　rose　quickly　on　hearing　the　two　friends
announced。
〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　〃by　Jove！　you're　welcome；　sirs。　You　are
coming　to　sup　with　me；　are　you　not？　Boisgoli；　tell　Noirmont
that　I　have　two　guests。　You　know　Noirmont；　do　you　not？　The
successor　of　Father　Marteau　who　makes　the　excellent　pies　you
know　of。　Boisgoli；　let　him　send　one　of　his　best；　but　not
such　a　one　as　he　made　for　La　Ramee。　Thank　God！　we　don't　want
either　rope　ladders　or　gag…pears　now。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃do　not　let　us　disturb　you。　We　came
merely　to　inquire　after　your　health　and　to　take　your
orders。〃
〃As　to　my　health；　since　it　has　stood　five　years　of　prison；
with　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　to　boot；　'tis　excellent！　As　to　my
orders；　since　every　one　gives　his　own　commands　in　our　party；
I　shall　end；　if　this　goes　on；　by　giving　none　at　all。〃
〃In　short；　my　lord；〃　said　Athos；　glancing　at　Aramis；　〃your
highness　is　discontented　with　your　party？〃
〃Discontented；　sir！　say　my　highness　is　furious！　To　such　a
degree；　I　assure　you；　though　I　would　not　say　so　to　others；
that　if　the　queen；　acknowledging　the　injuries　she　has　done
me；　would　recall　my　mother　and　give　me　the　reversion　of　the
admiralty；　which　belonged　to　my　father　and　was　promised　me
at　his　death；　well！　it　would　not　be　long　before　I　should　be
training　dogs　to　say　that　there　were　greater　traitors　in
France　than　the　Cardinal　Mazarin！〃
At　this　Athos　and　Aramis　could　not　help　exchanging　not　only
a　look　but　a　smile；　and　had　they　not　known　it　for　a　fact；
this　would　have　told　them　that　De　Chatillon　and　De　Flamarens
had　been　there。
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃we　are　satisfied；　we　came　here　only
to　express　our　loyalty　and　to　say　that　we　are　at　your
lordship's　service　and　his　most　faithful　servants。〃
〃My　most　faithful　friends；　gentlemen；　my　most　faithful
friends；　you　have　proved　it。　And　if　ever　I　am　reconciled
with　the　court　I　shall　prove　to　you；　I　hope；　that　I　remain
your　friend；　as　well　as　that　of　　what　the　devil　are　their
names　　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos？〃
〃D'Artagnan　and　Porthos。〃
〃Ah；　yes。　You　understand；　then；　Comte　de　la　Fere；　you
understand；　Chevalier　d'Herblay；　that　I　am　altogether　and
always　at　your　service。〃
Athos　and　Aramis　bowed　and　went　out。
〃My　dear　Athos；〃　cried　Aramis；　〃I　think　you　consented　to
accompany　me　only　to　give　me　a　lesson　　God　forgive　me！〃
〃Wait　a　little；　Aramis；　it　will　be　time　for　you　to　perceive
my　motive　when　we　have　paid　our　visit　to　the　coadjutor。〃
〃Let　us　then　go　to　the　archiepiscopal　palace；〃　said　Aramis。
They　directed　their　horses　to　the　city。　On　arriving　at　the
cradle　from　which　Paris　sprang　they　found　it　inundated　with
water；　and　it　was　again　necessary　to　take　a　boat。　The　palace
rose　from　the　bosom　of　the　water；　and　to　see　the　number　of
boats　around　it　one　would　have　fancied　one's　self　not　in
Paris；　but　in　Venice。　Some　of　these　boats　were　dark　and
mysterious；　others　noisy　and　lighted　up　with　torches。　The
friends　slid　in　through　this　congestion　of　embarkation　and
landed　in　their　turn。　The　palace　was　surrounded　with　water；
but　a　kind　of　staircase　had　been　fixed　to　the　lower　walls；
and　the　only　difference　was；　that　instead　of　entering　by　the
doors；　people　entered　by　the　windows。
Thus　did　Athos　and　Aramis　make　their　appearance　in　the
ante…chamber；　where　about　a　dozen　noblemen　were　collected　in
waiting。
〃Good　heavens！〃　said　Aramis　to　Athos；　〃does　the　coadjutor
intend　to　indulge　himself　in　the　pleasure　of　making　us　cool
our　hearts　off　in　his　ante…chamber？〃
〃My　dear　friend；　we　must　take　people　as　we　find　them。　The
coadjutor　is　at　this　moment　one　of　the　seven　kings　of　Paris；
and　has　a　court。　Let　us　send　in　our　names；　and　if　he　does
not　send　us　a　suitable　message　we　will　leave　him　to　his　own
affairs　or　those　of　France。　Let　us　call　one　of　these
lackeys；　with　a　demi…pistole　in　the　left　hand。〃
〃Exactly　so；〃　cried　Aramis。　〃Ah！　if　I'm　not　mistaken　here's
Bazin。　Come　here；　fellow。〃
Bazin；　who　was　crossing　the　ante…chamber　majestically　in　his
clerical　dress；　turned　around　to　see　who　the　impertinent
gentleman　was　who　thus　addressed　him；　but　seeing　his　friends
he　went　up　to　them　quickly　and　expressed　delight　at　seeing
them。
〃A　truce　to　compliments；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　want　to　see　the
coadjutor；　and　instantly；　as　we　are　in　haste。〃
〃Certainly；　sir　　it　is　not　such　lords　as　you　are　who　are
allowed　to　wait　in　the　ante…chamber；　only　just　now　he　has　a
secret　conference　with　Monsieur　de　Bruy。〃
〃De　Bruy！〃　cried　the　friends；　〃'tis　then　useless　our　seeing
monsieur　the　coadjutor　this　evening；〃　said　Aramis；　〃so　we
give　it　up。〃
And　they　hastened　to　quit　the　palace；　followed　by　Bazin；　who
was　lavish　of　bows　and　compliments。
〃Well；〃　said　Athos；　when　Aramis　and　he　were　in　the　boat
again；　〃are　you　beginning　to　be　convinced　that　we　should
have　done　a　bad　turn　to　all　these　people　in　arresting
Mazarin？〃
〃You　are　wisdom　incarnate；　Athos；〃　Aramis　replied。
What　had　especially　been　observed　by　the　two　friends　was　the
little　interest　taken　by　the　court　of　France　in　the　terrible
events　which　had　occurred　in　England；　which　they　thought
should　have　arrested　the　attention　of　all　Europe。
In　fact；　aside　from　a　poor　widow　and　a　royal　orphan　who　wept
in　the　corner　of　the　Louvre；　no　one　appeared　to　be　aware
that　Charles　I。　had　ever　lived　and　that　he　had　perished　on
the　scaffold。
The　two　friends　made　an　appointment　for　ten　o'clock　on　the
following　day；　for　though　the　night　was　well　advanced　when
they　reached　the　door　of　the　hotel；　Aramis　said　that　he　had
certain　important　visits　to　make　and　left　Athos　to　enter
alone。
At　ten　o'clock　the　next　day　they　met　again。　Athos　had　been
out　since　six　o'clock。
〃Well；　have　you　any　news？〃　Athos　asked。
〃Nothing。　No　one　has　seen　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　has；　not
appeared。　Have　you　anything？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃The　devil！〃　said　Aramis。
〃In　fact；〃　said　Athos；　〃this　delay　is　not　natural；　they　took
the　shortest　route　and　should　have　arrived　before　we　did。〃
〃Add　to　that　D'Artagnan's　rapidity　in　action　and　that　he　is
not　the　man　to　lose　an　hour；　knowing　that　we　were　expecting
him。〃
〃He　expected；　you　will　remember；　to　be　here　on　the　fifth。〃
〃And　here　we　are　at　the　ninth。　This　evening　the　margin　of
possible　delay　expires。〃
〃What　do　you　think　should　be　done；〃　asked　Athos。　〃if　we　have
no　news　of　them　to…night？〃
〃Pardieu！　we　must　go　and　look　for　them。〃
〃All　right；〃　said　Athos。
〃But　Raoul？〃　said　Aramis。
A　light　cloud　passed　over　the　count's　face。
〃Raoul　gives　me　much　uneasiness；〃　he　said。　〃He　received
yesterday　a　message　from　the　Prince　de　Conde；　he　went　to
meet　him　at　Saint　Cloud　and　has　not　returned。〃
〃Have　you　seen　Madame　de　Chevreuse？〃
〃She　was　not　at　home。　And　you；　Aramis；　you　were　going；　I
think；　to　visit　Madame　de　Longueville。〃
〃I　did　go　there。〃
〃Well？〃
〃She　was　no　longer　there；　but　she　had　left　her　new　address。〃
〃Where　was　she？〃
〃Guess；　I　give　you　a　thousand　chances。〃
〃How　should　I　know　where　the　most　beautiful　and　active　of
the　Frondists　was　at　midnight？　for　I　presume　it　was　when　you
left　me　that　you　went　to　visit　her。〃
〃At　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　my　dear　fellow。〃
〃What！　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville？　Has　she；　then；　been　appointed
provost　of　merchants？〃
〃No；　but　she　has　become　queen　of　Paris；　ad　interim；　and
since　she　could　not　venture　at　once　to　establish　herself　in
the　Palais　Royal　or　the　Tuileries；　she　is　installed　at　the
Hotel　de　Ville；　where　she　is　on　the　point　of　giving　an　heir
or　an　heiress　to　that　dear　duke。〃
〃You　didn't　tell　me　of　that；　Aramis。〃
〃Really？　It　was　my　forgetfulness　then；　pardon　me。〃
〃Now；〃　asked　Athos；　〃what　are　we　to　do　with　ourselves　till
evening？　Here　we　are　without　occupation；　it　seems　to　me。〃
〃You　forget；　my　friend；　that　we　have　work　cut　out　for　us　in
the　direction　of　Charenton；　I　hope　to　see　Monsieur　de
Chatillon；　whom　I've　hated　for　a　long　time；　there。〃
〃Why　have　you　hated　him？〃
〃Because　he　is　the　brother　of　Coligny。〃
〃Ah；　true！　he　who　presumed　to　be　a　rival　of　yours；　for　which
he　was　severely　punished；　that　ought　to　satisfy　you。〃
〃'Yes；　but　it　does　not；　I　am　rancorous　　the　only　stigma
that　proves　me　to　be　a　churchman。　Do　you　understand？　You
understand　that　you　are　in　no　way　obliged　to　go　with　me。〃
〃Come；　now；〃　said　Athos；　〃you　are　joking。〃
〃In　that　case；　my　dear　friend；　if　you　are　resolved　to
accompany　me　there　is　no　time　to　lose；　the　drum　beats；　I
observed　cannon　on　the　road；　I　saw　the　citizens　in　order　of
battle　on　the　Place　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　certainly　the
fight　will　be　in　the　direction　of　Charenton；　as　the　Duc　de
Chatillon　said。〃
〃I　supposed；〃　said　Athos；　〃that　last　night's　conferences
would　modify　those　warlike　arrangements。〃
〃No　doubt；　but　they　will　fight；　none　the　less；　if　only　to
mask　the　conferences。〃
〃Poor　creatures！〃　said　Athos；　〃who　are　going　to　be　killed；
in　order　that　Monsieur　de　Bouillon　may　have　his　estate　at
Sedan　restored　to　him；　that　the　reversion　of　the　admiralty
may　be　given　to　the　Duc　de　Beaufort；　and　that　the　coadjutor
may　be　made　a　cardinal。〃
〃Come；　come；　dear　Athos；　confess　that　you　would　not　be　so
philosophical　if　your　Raoul　were　to　be　involved　in　this
affair。〃
〃Perhaps　you　speak　the　truth；　Aramis。〃
〃Well；　let　us　go；　then；　where　the　fighting　is；　for　that　is