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第32节

twenty years after(二十年后)-第32节

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

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〃Those are all?〃 asked Grimaud。
〃All now;〃 replied La Ramee。
〃Good;〃 answered Grimaud; and he went right to the prisoner。
The duke was in the act of combing his beard; which he had
allowed to grow; as well as his hair; in order to reproach
Mazarin with his wretched appearance and condition。 But
having some days previously seen from the top of the donjon
Madame de Montbazon pass in her carriage; and still
cherishing an affection for that beautiful woman; he did not
wish to be to her what he wished to be to Mazarin; and in
the hope of seeing her again; had asked for a leaden comb;
which was allowed him。 The comb was to be a leaden one;
because his beard; like that of most fair people; was rather
red; he therefore dyed it thus whilst combing it。
As Grimaud entered he saw this comb on the tea…table; he
took it up; and as he took it he made a low bow。
The duke looked at this strange figure with surprise。 The
figure put the comb in its pocket。
〃Ho! hey! what's that?〃 cried the duke。 〃Who is this
creature?〃
Grimaud did not answer; but bowed a second time。
〃Art thou dumb?〃 cried the duke。
Grimaud made a sign that he was not。
〃What art thou; then? Answer! I command thee!〃 said the
duke。
〃A keeper;〃 replied Grimaud。
〃A keeper!〃 reiterated the duke; 〃there was nothing wanting
in my collection; except this gallows…bird。 Halloo! La
Ramee! some one!〃
La Ramee ran in haste to obey the call。
〃Who is this wretch who takes my comb and puts it in his
pocket?〃 asked the duke。
〃One of your guards; my prince; a man of talent and merit;
whom you will like; as I and Monsieur de Chavigny do; I am
sure。〃
〃Why does he take my comb?〃
〃Why do you take my lord's comb?〃 asked La Ramee。
Grimaud drew the comb from his pocket and passing his
fingers over the largest teeth; pronounced this one word;
〃Pointed。〃
〃True;〃 said La Ramee。
〃What does the animal say?〃 asked the duke。
〃That the king has forbidden your lordship to have any
pointed instrument。〃
〃Are you mad; La Ramee? You yourself gave me this comb。〃
〃I was very wrong; my lord; for in giving it to you I acted
in opposition to my orders。〃
The duke looked furiously at Grimaud。
〃I perceive that this creature will be my particular
aversion;〃 he muttered。
Grimaud; nevertheless; was resolved for certain reasons not
at once to come to a full rupture with the prisoner; he
wanted to inspire; not a sudden repugnance; but a good;
sound; steady hatred; he retired; therefore; and gave place
to four guards; who; having breakfasted; could attend on the
prisoner。
A fresh practical joke now occurred to the duke。 He had
asked for crawfish for his breakfast on the following
morning; he intended to pass the day in making a small
gallows and hang one of the finest of these fish in the
middle of his room  the red color evidently conveying an
allusion to the cardinal  so that he might have the
pleasure of hanging Mazarin in effigy without being accused
of having hung anything more significant than a crawfish。
The day was employed in preparations for the execution。
Every one grows childish in prison; but the character of
Monsieur de Beaufort was particularly disposed to become so。
In the course of his morning's walk he collected two or
three small branches from a tree and found a small piece of
broken glass; a discovery that quite delighted him。 When he
came home he formed his handkerchief into a loop。
Nothing of all this escaped Grimaud; but La Ramee looked on
with the curiosity of a father who thinks that he may
perhaps get a cheap idea concerning a new toy for his
children。 The guards looked on it with indifference。 When
everything was ready; the gallows hung in the middle of the
room; the loop made; and when the duke had cast a glance
upon the plate of crawfish; in order to select the finest
specimen among them; he looked around for his piece of
glass; it had disappeared。
〃Who has taken my piece of glass?〃 asked the duke; frowning。
Grimaud made a sign to denote that he had done so。
〃What! thou again! Why didst thou take it?〃
〃Yes  why?〃 asked La Ramee。
Grimaud; who held the piece of glass in his hand; said:
〃Sharp。〃
〃True; my lord!〃 exclaimed La Ramee。 〃Ah! deuce take it! we
have a precious fellow here!〃
〃Monsieur Grimaud!〃 said the duke; 〃for your sake I beg of
you; never come within the reach of my fist!〃
〃Hush! hush!〃 cried La Ramee; 〃give me your gibbet; my lord。
I will shape it out for you with my knife。〃
And he took the gibbet and shaped it out as neatly as
possible。
〃That's it;〃 said the duke; 〃now make me a little hole in
the floor whilst I go and fetch the culprit。〃
La Ramee knelt down and made a hole in the floor; meanwhile
the duke hung the crawfish up by a thread。 Then he placed
the gibbet in the middle of the room; bursting with
laughter。
La Ramee laughed also and the guards laughed in chorus;
Grimaud; however; did not even smile。 He approached La Ramee
and showing him the crawfish hung up by the thread:
〃Cardinal;〃 he said。
〃Hung by order of his Highness the Duc de Beaufort!〃 cried
the prisoner; laughing violently; 〃and by Master Jacques
Chrysostom La Ramee; the king's commissioner。〃
La Ramee uttered a cry of horror and rushed toward the
gibbet; which he broke at once and threw the pieces out of
the window。 He was going to throw the crawfish out also;
when Grimaud snatched it from his hands。
〃Good to eat!〃 he said; and put it in his pocket。
This scene so enchanted the duke that at the moment he
forgave Grimaud for his part in it; but on reflection he
hated him more and more; being convinced he had some evil
motive for his conduct。
But the story of the crab made a great noise through the
interior of the donjon and even outside。 Monsieur de
Chavigny; who at heart detested the cardinal; took pains to
tell the story to two or three friends; who put it into
immediate circulation。
The prisoner happened to remark among the guards one man
with a very good countenance; and he favored this man the
more as Grimaud became the more and more odious to him。 One
morning he took this man on one side and had succeeded in
speaking to him; when Grimaud entered and seeing what was
going on approached the duke respectfully; but took the
guard by the arm。
〃Go away;〃 he said。
The guard obeyed。
〃You are insupportable!〃 cried the duke; 〃I shall beat you。〃
Grimaud bowed。
〃I will break every bone in your body!〃 cried the duke。
Grimaud bowed; but stepped back。
〃Mr。 Spy;〃 cried the duke; more and more enraged; 〃I will
strangle you with my own hands。〃
And he extended his hands toward Grimaud; who merely thrust
the guard out and shut the door behind him。 At the same time
he felt the duke's arms on his shoulders like two iron
claws; but instead either of calling out or defending
himself; he placed his forefinger on his lips and said in a
low tone:
〃Hush!〃 smiling as he uttered the word。
A gesture; a smile and a word from Grimaud; all at once;
were so unusual that his highness stopped short; astounded。
Grimaud took advantage of that instant to draw from his vest
a charming little note with an aristocratic seal; and
presented it to the duke without a word。
The duke; more and more bewildered; let Grimaud loose and
took the note。
〃From Madame de Montbazon?〃 he cried。
Grimaud nodded assent。
The duke tore open the note; passed his hands over his eyes;
for he was dazzled and confused; and read:

〃My Dear Duke;  You may entirely confide in the brave lad
who will give you this note; he has consented to enter the
service of your keeper and to shut himself up at Vincennes
with you; in order to prepare and assist your escape; which
we are contriving。 The moment of your deliverance is at
hand; have patience and courage and remember that in spite
of time and absence all your friends continue to cherish for
you the sentiments they have so long professed and truly
entertained。
〃Yours wholly and most affectionately
〃Marie de Montbazon。

〃P。S。  I sign my full name; for I should be vain if I
could suppose that after five years of absence you would
remember my initials。〃

The poor duke became perfectly giddy。 What for five years he
had been wanting  a faithful servant; a friend; a helping
hand  seemed to have fallen from Heaven just when he
expected it the least。
〃Oh; dearest Marie! she thinks of me; then; after five years
of separation! Heavens! there is constancy!〃 Then turning to
Grimaud; he said:
〃And thou; my brave fellow; thou consentest thus to aid me?〃
Grimaud signified his assent。
〃And you have come here with that purpose?〃
Grimaud repeated the sign。
〃And I was ready to strangle you!〃 cried the duke。
Grimaud smiled。
〃Wait; then;〃 said the duke; fumbling in his pocket。 〃Wait;〃
he continued; renewing his fruitless search; 〃it shall not
be said that such devotion to a grandson of Henry IV。 went
without recompense。〃
The duke's endeavors evinced the best intention in the
world; but one of the precautions taken at Vincennes was
that of allowing prisoners to keep no money。 Whereupon
Grimaud; observing the duke's disappointment; drew from his
pocket a purse filled with gold and handed it to him。
〃Here is what you are looking for;〃 he said。
The duke opened the purse and wanted to empt

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