twenty years after(二十年后)-第46节

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〃I　have　them　at　hand；　monsieur。〃
〃Porthos；　take　yours　from　your　holsters。〃
〃I　have　them。〃
〃Good！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　seizing　his　own；　〃now　you
understand；　Porthos？〃
〃Not　too　well。〃
〃We　are　out　on　the　king's　service。〃
〃Well？〃
〃For　the　king's　service　we　need　horses。〃
〃That　is　true；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Then　not　a　word；　but　set　to　work！〃
They　went　on　through　the　darkness；　silent　as　phantoms；　they
saw　a　light　glimmering　in　the　midst　of　some　trees。
〃Yonder　is　the　house；　Porthos；〃　said　the　Gascon；　〃let　me　do
what　I　please　and　do　you　what　I　do。〃
They　glided　from　tree　to　tree　till　they　arrived　at　twenty
steps　from　the　house　unperceived　and　saw　by　means　of　a
lantern　suspended　under　a　hut；　four　fine　horses。　A　groom　was
rubbing　them　down；　near　them　were　saddles　and　bridles。
D'Artagnan　approached　quickly；　making　a　sign　to　his　two
companions　to　remain　a　few　steps　behind。
〃I　buy　those　horses；〃　he　said　to　the　groom。
The　groom　turned　toward　him　with　a　look　of　surprise；　but
made　no　reply。
〃Didn't　you　hear；　fellow？〃
〃Yes；　I　heard。〃
〃Why；　then；　didn't　you　reply？〃
〃Because　these　horses　are　not　to　be　sold；〃　was　the　reply。
〃I　take　them；　then；〃　said　the　lieutenant。
And　he　took　hold　of　one　within　his　reach；　his　two　companions
did　the　same　thing。
〃Sir；〃　cried　the　groom；　〃they　have　traversed　six　leagues　and
have　only　been　unsaddled　half　an　hour。〃
〃Half　an　hour's　rest　is　enough　〃　replied　the　Gascon。
The　groom　cried　aloud　for　help。　A　kind　of　steward　appeared；
just　as　D'Artagnan　and　his　companions　were　prepared　to
mount。　The　steward　attempted　to　expostulate。
〃My　dear　friend；〃　cried　the　lieutenant；　〃if　you　say　a　word　I
will　blow　out　your　brains。〃
〃But；　sir；〃　answered　the　steward；　〃do　you　know　that　these
horses　belong　to　Monsieur　de　Montbazon？〃
〃So　much　the　better；　they　must　be　good　animals；　then。〃
〃Sir；　I　shall　call　my　people。〃
〃And　I；　mine；　I've　ten　guards　behind　me；　don't　you　hear　them
gallop？　and　I'm　one　of　the　king's　musketeers。　Come；　Porthos；
come；　Musqueton。〃
They　all　mounted　the　horses　as　quickly　as　possible。
〃Halloo！　hi！　hi！〃　cried　the　steward；　〃the　house　servants；
with　the　carbines！〃
〃On！　on！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃there'll　be　firing！　on！〃
They　all　set　off；　swift　as　the　wind。
〃Here！〃　cried　the　steward；　〃here！〃　whilst　the　groom　ran　to　a
neighboring　building。
〃Take　care　of　your　horses！〃　cried　D'Artagnan　to　him。
〃Fire！〃　replied　the　steward。
A　gleam；　like　a　flash　of　lightning；　illumined　the　road；　and
with　the　flash　was　heard　the　whistling　of　balls；　which　were
fired　wildly　in　the　air。
〃They　fire　like　grooms；〃　said　Porthos。　〃In　the　time　of　the
cardinal　people　fired　better　than　that；　do　you　remember　the
road　to　Crevecoeur；　Musqueton？〃
〃Ah；　sir！　my　left　side　still　pains　me！〃
〃Are　you　sure　we　are　on　the　right　track；　lieutenant？〃
〃Egad；　didn't　you　hear？　these　horses　belong　to　Monsieur　de
Montbazon；　well；　Monsieur　de　Montbazon　is　the　husband　of
Madame　de　Montbazon　　〃
〃And　　〃
〃And　Madame　de　Montbazon　is　the　mistress　of　the　Duc　de
Beaufort。〃
〃Ah！　I　understand；〃　replied　Porthos；　〃she　has　ordered　relays
of　horses。〃
〃Exactly　so。〃
〃And　we　are　pursuing　the　duke　with　the　very　horses　he　has
just　left？〃
〃My　dear　Porthos；　you　are　really　a　man　of　most　superior
understanding；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　a　look　as　if　he　spoke
against　his　conviction。
〃Pooh！〃　replied　Porthos；　〃I　am　what　I　am。〃
They　rode　on　for　an　hour；　till　the　horses　were　covered　with
foam　and　dust。
〃Zounds！　what　is　yonder？〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
〃You　are　very　lucky　if　you　see　anything　such　a　night　as
this；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Something　bright。〃
〃I；　too；〃　cried　Musqueton；　〃saw　them　also。〃
〃Ah！　ah！　have　we　overtaken　them？〃
〃Good！　a　dead　horse！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　pulling　up　his　horse；
which　shied；　〃it　seems　their　horses；　too；　are　breaking　down；
as　well　as　ours。〃
〃I　seem　to　hear　the　noise　of　a　troop　of　horsemen；〃　exclaimed
Porthos；　leaning　over　his　horse's　mane。
〃Impossible。〃
〃They　appear　to　be　numerous。〃
〃Then　'tis　something　else。〃
〃Another　horse！〃　said　Porthos。
〃Dead？〃
〃No；　dying。〃
〃Saddled？〃
〃Yes；　saddled　and　bridled。〃
〃Then　we　are　upon　the　fugitives。〃
〃Courage；　we　have　them！〃
〃But　if　they　are　numerous；〃　observed　Musqueton；　〃'tis　not　we
who　have　them；　but　they　who　have　us。〃
〃Nonsense！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃they'll　suppose　us　to　be
stronger　than　themselves；　as　we're　in　pursuit；　they'll　be
afraid　and　will　disperse。〃
〃Certainly；〃　remarked　Porthos。
〃Ah！　do　you　see？〃　cried　the　lieutenant。
〃The　lights　again！　this　time　I；　too；　saw　them；〃　said
Porthos。
〃On！　on！　forward！　forward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　in　his
stentorian　voice；　〃we　shall　laugh　over　all　this　in　five
minutes。〃
And　they　darted　on　anew。　The　horses；　excited　by　pain　and
emulation；　raced　over　the　dark　road；　in　the　midst　of　which
was　now　seen　a　moving　mass；　denser　and　more　obscure　than　the
rest　of　the　horizon。

26
The　Rencontre。

They　rode　on　in　this　way　for　ten　minutes。　Suddenly　two　dark
forms　seemed　to　separate　from　the　mass；　advanced；　grew　in
size；　and　as　they　loomed　up　larger　and　larger；　assumed　the
appearance　of　two　horsemen。
〃Aha！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃they're　coming　toward　us。〃
〃So　much　the　worse　for　them；〃　said　Porthos。
〃Who　goes　there？〃　cried　a　hoarse　voice。
The　three　horsemen　made　no　reply；　stopped　not；　and　all　that
was　heard　was　the　noise　of　swords　drawn　from　the　scabbards
and　the　cocking　of　the　pistols　with　which　the　two　phantoms
were　armed。
〃Bridle　in　mouth！〃　said　D'Artagnan。
Porthos　understood　him　and　he　and　the　lieutenant　each　drew
with　the　left　hand　a　pistol　from　their　bolsters　and　cocked
it　in　their　turn。
〃Who　goes　there？〃　was　asked　a　second　time。　〃Not　a　step
forward；　or　you're　dead　men。〃
〃Stuff！〃　cried　Porthos；　almost　choked　with　dust　and　chewing
his　bridle　as　a　horse　chews　his　bit。　〃Stuff　and　nonsense；　we
have　seen　plenty　of　dead　men　in　our　time。〃
Hearing　these　words；　the　two　shadows　blockaded　the　road　and
by　the　light　of　the　stars　might　be　seen　the　shining　of　their
arms。
〃Back！〃　shouted　D'Artagnan；　〃or　you　are　dead！〃
Two　shots　were　the　reply　to　this　threat；　but　the　assailants
attacked　their　foes　with　such　velocity　that　in　a　moment　they
were　upon　them；　a　third　pistol…shot　was　heard；　aimed　by
D'Artagnan；　and　one　of　his　adversaries　fell。　As　for　Porthos；
he　assaulted　the　foe　with　such　violence　that；　although　his
sword　was　thrust　aside；　the　enemy　was　thrown　off　his　horse
and　fell　about　ten　steps　from　it。
〃Finish；　Mouston；　finish　the　work！〃　cried　Porthos。　And　he
darted　on　beside　his　friend；　who　had　already　begun　a　fresh
pursuit。
〃Well？〃　said　Porthos。
〃I've　broken　my　man's　skull；〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃And　you
　〃
〃I've　only　thrown　the　fellow　down；　but　hark！〃
Another　shot　of　a　carbine　was　heard。　It　was　Musqueton；　who
was　obeying　his　master's　command。
〃On！　on！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃all　goes　well！　we　have　the
first　throw。〃
〃Ha！　ha！〃　answered　Porthos；　〃behold；　other　players　appear。〃
And　in　fact；　two　other　cavaliers　made　their　appearance；
detached；　as　it　seemed；　from　the　principal　group；　they　again
disputed　the　road。
This　time　the　lieutenant　did　not　wait　for　the　opposite　party
to　speak。
〃Stand　aside！〃　he　cried；　〃stand　off　the　road！〃
〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　a　voice。
〃The　duke！〃　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　roared　out　both　at　once。
A　burst　of　laughter　was　the　answer；　but　finished　with　a
groan。　D'Artagnan　had；　with　his　sword；　cut　in　two　the　poor
wretch　who　had　laughed。
At　the　same　time　Porthos　and　his　adversary　fired　on　each
other　and　D'Artagnan　turned　to　him。
〃Bravo！　you've　killed　him；　I　think。〃
〃No；　wounded　his　horse　only。〃
〃What　would　you　have；　my　dear　fellow？　One　doesn't　hit　the
bull's…eye　every　time；　it　is　something　to　hit　inside　the
ring。　Ho！　parbleau！　what　is　the　matter　with　my　horse？〃
〃Your　horse　is　falling；〃　said　Porthos；　reining　in　his　own。
In　truth；　the　lieutenant's　horse　stumbled　and　fell　on　his
knees；　then　a　rattling　in　his　throat　was　heard　and　he　lay
down　to　die。　He　had　received　in　the　chest　the　bullet　of
D'Artagnan's　first　adversary。　D'Artagnan　swore　loud　enough
to　be　heard　in　the　skies。
〃Does　your　honor　want　a　horse？〃　asked　Musqueton。
〃Zounds！　want　one！〃　cried　the　Gascon。
〃Here's　one；　your　honor　　〃
〃How　the　devil　hast　thou　two　horses？〃　asked　D'Artagnan；
jumping　on　one　of　them。
〃Their　masters　are　dead！　I　thought　they　might　be　useful；　so
I　took　them。〃
Meantime　Porthos　had　reloaded　his　pistols。
〃Be　on　the　qui　vive！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃Here　are　two　other
cavaliers。〃
As　he　spoke；　two　horsemen　advanced　at　full　speed。
〃Ho！　your　honor！〃　cried　Musqueton；　〃the　man　you　upset　is
getting　up。〃
〃Why　didn't　thou　do　as　thou　didst　to　the　first　man？〃　said
Porthos。
〃I　held　the　horses；　my　hands　were　full；　your　honor。〃
A　shot　was　fired　that　moment；　Musqueton　shrieked　with　pain。
〃Ah；　sir！　I'm　hit　in　the　other　side！　exactly　opposite　the
other！　This　hurt　is　just　the　fellow　of　the　one　I　had　on　the
road　to　Amiens。〃
Porthos　turned　around　like　a　lion；　plunged　on　the　dismounted
cavalier；　who　tried　to　draw　his　sword；　but　before　it　was　out
of　the　scabbard；　Porthos；　with　the　hilt　of　his　had　struck
him　such　a　terrible　blow　on　the　head　that　he　fell　like　an　ox
beneath　the　butcher's　knife。
Musqueton；　groaning；　slipped　from　his　horse；　his　wound　not
allowing　him　to　keep　the　saddle。
On　perceiving　the　cavaliers；　D'Art