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第16节

twenty years after(二十年后)-第16节

小说: twenty years after(二十年后) 字数: 每页4000字

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fifteen years of separation had not destroyed。
They had traveled onward about half a mile when Planchet
came close up to D'Artagnan。
〃Stop; sir; look yonder;〃 he whispered; 〃don't you see in
the darkness something pass by; like shadows? I fancy I hear
horses' feet。〃
〃Impossible!〃 returned D'Artagnan。 〃The ground is soaking
wet; yet I fancy; as thou sayest; that I see something。〃
At this moment the neighing of a horse struck his ear;
coming through darkness and space。
〃There are men somewhere about; but that's of no consequence
to us;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃let us ride onward。〃
At about half…past eight o'clock they reached the first
houses in Noisy; every one was in bed and not a light was to
be seen in the village。 The obscurity was broken only now
and then by the still darker lines of the roofs of houses。
Here and there a dog barked behind a door or an affrighted
cat fled precipitately from the midst of the pavement to
take refuge behind a pile of faggots; from which retreat her
eyes would shine like peridores。 These were the only living
creatures that seemed to inhabit the village。
Toward the middle of the town; commanding the principal open
space; rose a dark mass; separated from the rest of the
world by two lanes and overshadowed in the front by enormous
lime…trees。 D'Artagnan looked attentively at the building。
〃This;〃 he said to Planchet; 〃must be the archbishop's
chateau; the abode of the fair Madame de Longueville; but
the convent; where is that?〃
〃The convent; your honor; is at the other end of the
village; I know it well。〃
〃Well; then; Planchet; gallop up to it whilst I tighten my
horse's girth; and come back and tell me if there is a light
in any of the Jesuits' windows。〃
In about five minutes Planchet returned。
〃Sir;〃 he said; 〃there is one window of the convent lighted
up。〃
〃Hem! If I were a ‘Frondeur;'〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃I should
knock here and should be sure of a good supper。 If I were a
monk I should knock yonder and should have a good supper
there; too; whereas; 'tis very possible that between the
castle and the convent we shall sleep on hard beds; dying
with hunger and thirst。〃
〃Yes;〃 added Planchet; 〃like the famous ass of Buridan。
Shall I knock?〃
〃Hush!〃 replied D'Artagnan; 〃the light no longer burns in
yonder window。〃
〃Do you hear nothing?〃 whispered Planchet。
〃What is that noise?〃
There came a sound like a whirlwind; at the same time two
troops of horsemen; each composed of ten men; sallied forth
from each of the lanes which encompassed the house and
surrounded D'Artagnan and Planchet。
〃Heyday!〃 cried D'Artagnan; drawing his sword and taking
refuge behind his horse; 〃are you not mistaken? is it really
for us that you mean your attack?〃
〃Here he is! we have him!〃 cried the horsemen; rushing on
D'Artagnan with naked swords。
〃Don't let him escape!〃 said a loud voice。
〃No; my lord; be assured we shall not。〃
D'Artagnan thought it was now time for him to join in the
conversation。
〃Halloo; gentlemen!〃 he called out in his Gascon accent;
〃what do you want? what do you demand?〃
〃That thou shalt soon know;〃 shouted a chorus of horsemen。
〃Stop; stop!〃 cried he whom they had addressed as 〃my lord;〃
〃'tis not his voice。〃
〃Ah! just so; gentlemen! pray; do people get into a passion
at random at Noisy? Take care; for I warn you that the first
man that comes within the length of my sword  and my sword
is long  I rip him up。〃
The chieftain of the party drew near。
〃What are you doing here?〃 he asked in a lofty tone; as that
of one accustomed to command。
〃And you  what are you doing here?〃 replied D'Artagnan。
〃Be civil; or I shall beat you; for although one may not
choose to proclaim oneself; one insists on respect suitable
to one's rank。〃
〃You don't choose to discover yourself; because you are the
leader of an ambuscade;〃 returned D'Artagnan; 〃but with
regard to myself; who am traveling quietly with my own
servant; I have not the same reasons as you have to conceal
my name。〃
〃Enough! enough! what is your name?〃
〃I shall tell you my name in order that you may know where
to find me; my lord; or my prince; as it may suit you best
to be called;〃 said our Gascon; who did not choose to seem
to yield to a threat。 〃Do you know Monsieur d'Artagnan?〃
〃Lieutenant in the king's musketeers?〃 said the voice; 〃you
are Monsieur d'Artagnan?〃
〃I am。〃
〃Then you came here to defend him?〃
〃Him? whom?〃
〃The man we are seeking。〃
〃It seems;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃that whilst I thought I was
coming to Noisy I have entered; without suspecting it; into
the kingdom of mysteries。〃
〃Come;〃 replied the same lofty tone; 〃answer! Are you
waiting for him underneath these windows? Did you come to
Noisy to defend him?〃
〃I am waiting for no one;〃 replied D'Artagnan; who was
beginning to be angry。 〃I propose to defend no one but
myself; and I shall defend myself vigorously; I give you
warning。〃
〃Very well;〃 said the voice; 〃go away from here and leave
the place to us。〃
〃Go away from here!〃 said D'Artagnan; whose purposes were in
conflict with that order; 〃that is not so easy; since I am
on the point of falling; and my horse; too; through fatigue;
unless; indeed; you are disposed to offer me a supper and a
bed in the neighborhood。〃
〃Rascal!〃
〃Eh! monsieur!〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃I beg you will have a care
what you say; for if you utter another word like that; be
you marquis; duke; prince or king; I will thrust it down
your throat! do you hear?〃
〃Well; well;〃 rejoined the leader; 〃there's no doubt 'tis a
Gascon who is speaking; and therefore not the man we are
looking for。 Our blow has failed for to…night; let us
withdraw。 We shall meet again; Master d'Artagnan;〃 continued
the leader; raising his voice。
〃Yes; but never with the same advantages;〃 said D'Artagnan;
in a tone of raillery; 〃for when you meet me again you will
perhaps be alone and there will be daylight。〃
〃Very good; very good;〃 said the voice。 〃En route;
gentlemen。〃
And the troop; grumbling angrily; disappeared in the
darkness and took the road to Paris。 D'Artagnan and Planchet
remained for some moments still on the defensive; then; as
the noise of the horsemen became more and more distant; they
sheathed their swords。
〃Thou seest; simpleton;〃 said D'Artagnan to his servant;
〃that they wished no harm to us。〃
〃But to whom; then?〃
〃I'faith! I neither know nor care。 What I do care for now;
is to make my way into the Jesuits' convent; so to horse and
let us knock at their door。 Happen what will; the devil take
them; they can't eat us。〃
And he mounted his horse。 Planchet had just done the same
when an unexpected weight fell upon the back of the horse;
which sank down。
〃Hey! your honor!〃 cried Planchet; 〃I've a man behind me。〃
D'Artagnan turned around and plainly saw two human forms on
Planchet's horse。
〃'Tis then the devil that pursues!〃 he cried; drawing his
sword and preparing to attack the new foe。
〃No; no; dear D'Artagnan;〃 said the figure; 〃'tis not the
devil; 'tis Aramis; gallop fast; Planchet; and when you come
to the end of the village turn swiftly to the left。〃
And Planchet; with Aramis behind him; set off at full
gallop; followed by D'Artagnan; who began to think he was in
the merry maze of some fantastic dream。

9
The Abbe D'Herblay。

At the extremity of the village Planchet turned to the left
in obedience to the orders of Aramis; and stopped underneath
the window which had light in it。 Aramis alighted and
clapped his hands three times。 Immediately the window was
opened and a ladder of rope was let down from it。
〃My friend;〃 said Aramis; 〃if you like to ascend I shall be
delighted to receive you。〃
〃Ah;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃is that the way you return to your
apartment?〃
〃After nine at night; pardieu!〃 said Aramis; 〃the rule of
the convent is very severe。〃
〃Pardon me; my dear friend;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃I think you
said ‘pardieu!'〃
〃Do you think so?〃 said Aramis; smiling; 〃it is possible。
You have no idea; my dear fellow; how one acquires bad
habits in these cursed convents; or what evil ways all these
men of the church have; with whom I am obliged to live。 But
will you not go up?〃
〃Pass on before me; I beg of you。〃
〃As the late cardinal used to say to the late king; ‘only to
show you the way; sire。'〃 And Aramis ascended the ladder
quickly and reached the window in an instant。
D'Artagnan followed; but less nimbly; showing plainly that
this mode of ascent was not one to which he was accustomed。
〃I beg your pardon;〃 said Aramis; noticing his awkwardness;
〃if I had known that I was to have the honor of your visit I
should have procured the gardener's ladder; but for me alone
this is good enough。〃
〃Sir;〃 said Planchet when he saw D'Artagnan on the summit of
the ladder; 〃this way is easy for Monsieur Aramis and even
for you; in case of necessity I might also climb up; but my
two horses cannot mount the ladder。〃
〃Take them to yonder shed; my friend;〃 said Aramis; pointing
to a low building on the plain; 〃there you will find hay and
straw for them; then come back here and clap your hands
three times; and we will give you wine and food。 Marry;
forsooth; people don't die of hunger here。'
And Aramis; drawing in the ladder; closed the window。
D'A

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