twenty years after(二十年后)-第75节

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ceremony　ended　at　that　instant　and　the　king　remounted　his
carriage。
Hardly　had　the　police　officer　observed　Comminges　at　the　end
of　the　Rue　Cocatrix　when　he　said　one　word　to　the　coachman；
who　at　once　put　his　vehicle　into　motion　and　drove　up　before
Broussel's　door。　Comminges　knocked　at　the　door　at　the　same
moment；　and　Friquet　was　waiting　behind　Comminges　until　the
door　should　be　opened。
〃What　dost　thou　there；　rascal？〃　asked　Comminges。
〃I　want　to　go　into　Master　Broussel's　house；　captain；〃
replied　Friquet；　in　that　wheedling　way　the　〃gamins〃　of　Paris
know　so　well　how　to　assume　when　necessary。
〃And　on　what　floor　does　he　live？〃　asked　Comminges。
〃In　the　whole　house；〃　said　Friquet；　〃the　house　belongs　to
him；　he　occupies　the　second　floor　when　he　works　and　descends
to　the　first　to　take　his　meals；　he　must　be　at　dinner　now；　it
is　noon。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Comminges。
At　this　moment　the　door　was　opened；　and　having　questioned
the　servant　the　officer　learned　that　Master　Broussel　was　at
home　and　at　dinner。
Broussel　was　seated　at　the　table　with　his　family；　having　his
wife　opposite　to　him；　his　two　daughters　by　his　side；　and　his
son；　Louvieres；　whom　we　have　already　seen　when　the　accident
happened　to　the　councillor　　an　accident　from　which　he　had
quite　recovered　　at　the　bottom　of　the　table。　The　worthy
man；　restored　to　perfect　health；　was　tasting　the　fine　fruit
which　Madame　de　Longueville　had　sent　to　him。
At　sight　of　the　officer　Broussel　was　somewhat　moved；　but
seeing　him　bow　politely　he　rose　and　bowed　also。　Still；　in
spite　of　this　reciprocal　politeness；　the　countenances　of　the
women　betrayed　a　certain　amount　of　uneasiness；　Louvieres
became　very　pale　and　waited　impatiently　for　the　officer　to
explain　himself。
〃Sir；〃　said　Comminges；　〃I　am　the　bearer　of　an　order　from　the
king。〃
〃Very　well；　sir；〃　replied　Broussel；　〃what　is　this　order？〃
And　he　held　out　his　hand。
〃I　am　commissioned　to　seize　your　person；　sir；〃　said
Comminges；　in　the　same　tone　and　with　the　same　politeness；
〃and　if　you　will　believe　me　you　had　better　spare　yourself
the　trouble　of　reading　that　long　letter　and　follow　me。〃
A　thunderbolt　falling　in　the　midst　of　these　good　people；　so
peacefully　assembled　there；　would　not　have　produced　a　more
appalling　effect。　It　was　a　horrible　thing　at　that　period　to
be　imprisoned　by　the　enmity　of　the　king。　Louvieres　sprang
forward　to　snatch　his　sword；　which　stood　against　a　chair　in
a　corner　of　the　room；　but　a　glance　from　the　worthy　Broussel；
who　in　the　midst　of　It　all　did　not　lose　his　presence　of
mind；　checked　this　foolhardy　action　of　despair。　Madame
Broussel；　separated　by　the　width　of　the　table　from　her
husband；　burst　into　tears；　and　the　young　girls　clung　to
their　father's　arms。
〃Come；　sir；〃　said　Comminges；　〃make　haste；　you　must　obey　the
king。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Broussel；　〃I　am　in　bad　health　and　cannot　give
myself　up　a　prisoner　in　this　state；　I　must　have　time。〃
〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　Comminges；　〃the　order　is　strict　and
must　be　put　into　execution　this　instant。〃
〃Impossible！〃　said　Louvieres；　〃sir；　beware　of　driving　us　to
despair。〃
〃Impossible！〃　cried　a　shrill　voice　from　the　end　of　the　room。
Comminges　turned　and　saw　Dame　Nanette；　her　eyes　flashing
with　anger　and　a　broom　in　her　hand。
〃My　good　Nanette；　be　quiet；　I　beseech　you；〃　said　Broussel。
〃Me！　keep　quiet　while　my　master　is　being　arrested！　he；　the
support；　the　liberator；　the　father　of　the　people！　Ah！　well；
yes；　you　have　to　know　me　yet。　Are　you　going？〃　added　she　to
Comminges。
The　latter　smiled。
〃Come；　sir；〃　said　he；　addressing　Broussel；　〃silence　that
woman　and　follow　me。〃
〃Silence　me！　me！　me！〃　said　Nanette。　〃Ah！　yet　one　wants　some
one　besides　you　for　that；　my　fine　king's　cockatoo！　You　shall
see。〃　And　Dame　Nanette　sprang　to　the　window；　threw　it　open；
and　in　such　a　piercing　voice　that　it　might　have　been　heard
in　the　square　of　Notre　Dame：
〃Help！〃　she　screamed；　〃my　master　is　being　arrested；　the
Councillor　Broussel　is　being　arrested！　Help！〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Comminges；　〃declare　yourself　at　once；　will　you
obey　or　do　you　intend　to　rebel　against　the　king？〃
〃I　obey；　I　obey；　sir！〃　cried　Broussel；　trying　to　disengage
himself　from　the　grasp　of　his　two　daughters　and　by　a　look
restrain　his　son；　who　seemed　determined　to　dispute
authority。
〃In　that　case；〃　commanded　Comminges；　〃silence　that　old
woman。〃
〃Ah！　old　woman！〃　screamed　Nanette。
And　she　began　to　shriek　more　loudly；　clinging　to　the　bars　of
the　window：
〃Help！　help！　for　Master　Broussel；　who　is　arrested　because　he
has　defended　the　people！　Help！〃
Comminges　seized　the　servant　around　the　waist　and　would　have
dragged　her　from　her　post；　but　at　that　instant　a　treble
voice；　proceeding　from　a　kind　of　entresol；　was　heard
screeching：
〃Murder！　fire！　assassins！　Master　Broussel　is　being　killed！
Master　Broussel　is　being　strangled。〃
It　was　Friquet's　voice；　and　Dame　Nanette；　feeling　herself
supported；　recommenced　with　all　her　strength　to　sound　her
shrilly　squawk。
Many　curious　faces　had　already　appeared　at　the　windows　and
the　people　attracted　to　the　end　of　the　street　began　to　run；
first　men；　then　groups；　and　then　a　crowd　of　people；　hearing
cries　and　seeing　a　chariot　they　could　not　understand　it；　but
Friquet　sprang　from　the　entresol　on　to　the　top　of　the
carriage。
〃They　want　to　arrest　Master　Broussel！〃　he　cried；　〃the　guards
are　in　the　carriage　and　the　officer　is　upstairs！〃
The　crowd　began　to　murmur　and　approached　the　house。　The　two
guards　who　had　remained　in　the　lane　mounted　to　the　aid　of
Comminges；　those　who　were　in　the　chariot　opened　the　doors
and　presented　arms。
〃Don't　you　see　them？〃　cried　Friquet；　〃don't　you　see？　there
they　are！〃
The　coachman　turning　around；　gave　Friquet　a　slash　with　his
whip　which　made　him　scream　with　pain。
〃Ah！　devil's　coachman！〃　cried　Friquet；　〃you're　meddling　too！
Wait！〃
And　regaining　his　entresol　he　overwhelmed　the　coachman　with
every　projectile　he　could　lay　hands　on。
The　tumult　now　began　to　increase；　the　street　was　not　able　to
contain　the　spectators　who　assembled　from　every　direction；
the　crowd　invaded　the　space　which　the　dreaded　pikes　of　the
guards　had　till　then　kept　clear　between　them　and　the
carriage。　The　soldiers；　pushed　back　by　these　living　walls；
were　in　danger　of　being　crushed　against　the　spokes　of　the
wheels　and　the　panels　of　the　carriages。　The　cries　which　the
police　officer　repeated　twenty　times：　〃In　the　king's　name；〃
were　powerless　against　this　formidable　multitude　　seemed；
on　the　contrary；　to　exasperate　it　still　more；　when；　at　the
shout；　〃In　the　name　of　the　king；〃　an　officer　ran　up；　and
seeing　the　uniforms　ill…treated；　he　sprang　into　the　scuffle
sword　in　hand；　and　brought　unexpected　help　to　the　guards。
This　gentleman　was　a　young　man；　scarcely　sixteen　years　of
age；　now　white　with　anger。　He　leaped　from　his　charger；
placed　his　back　against　the　shaft　of　the　carriage；　making　a
rampart　of　his　horse；　drew　his　pistols　from　their　holsters
and　fastened　them　to　his　belt；　and　began　to　fight　with　the
back　sword；　like　a　man　accustomed　to　the　handling　of　his
weapon。
During　ten　minutes　he　alone　kept　the　crowd　at　bay；　at　last
Comminges　appeared；　pushing　Broussel　before　him。
〃Let　us　break　the　carriage！〃　cried　the　people。
〃In　the　king's　name！〃　cried　Comminges。
〃The　first　who　advances　is　a　dead　man！〃　cried　Raoul；　for　it
was　in　fact　he；　who；　feeling　himself　pressed　and　almost
crushed　by　a　gigantic　citizen；　pricked　him　with　the　point　of
his　sword　and　sent　him　howling　back。
Comminges；　so　to　speak；　threw　Broussel　into　the　carriage　and
sprang　in　after　him。　At　this　moment　a　shot　was　fired　and　a
ball　passed　through　the　hat　of　Comminges　and　broke　the　arm
of　one　of　the　guards。　Comminges　looked　up　and　saw　amidst　the
smoke　the　threatening　face　of　Louvieres　appearing　at　the
window　of　the　second　floor。
〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　Comminges；　〃you　shall　hear　of　this
anon。〃
〃And　you　of　me；　sir；〃　said　Louvieres；　〃and　we　shall　see　then
who　can　speak　the　loudest。〃
Friquet　and　Nanette　continued　to　shout；　the　cries；　the　noise
of　the　shot　and　the　intoxicating　smell　of　powder　produced
their　usual　maddening　effects。
〃Down　with　the　officer！　down　with　him！〃　was　the　cry。
〃One　step　nearer；〃　said　Comminges；　putting　down　the　sashes；
that　the　interior　of　the　carriage　might　be　well　seen；　and
placing　his　sword　on　his　prisoner's　breast；　〃one　step
nearer；　and　I　kill　the　prisoner；　my　orders　were　to　carry　him
off　alive　or　dead。　I　will　take　him　dead；　that's　all。〃
A　terrible　cry　was　heard；　and　the　wife　and　daughters　of
Broussel　held　up　their　hands　in　supplication　to　the　people；
the　latter　knew　that　this　officer；　who　was　so　pale；　but　who
appeared　so　determined；　would　keep　his　word；　they　continued
to　threaten；　but　they　began　to　disperse。
〃Drive　to　the　palace；〃　said　Comminges　to　the　coachman；　who
was　by　then　more　dead　than　alive。
The　man　whipped　his　animals；　which　cleared　a　way　through　the
crowd；　but　on　arriving　on　the　Quai　they　were　obliged　to
stop；　the　carriage　was　upset；　the　horses　carried　off；
stifled；　mangled　by　the　crowd。　Raoul；　on　foot；　for　he　had
not　time　to　mount　his　horse　again；　tired；　like　the　guards；
of　distributing　blows　with　the　flat　of　his　sword；　had
recourse　to　its　point。　But　this　last　and　dreaded　resource
served　only　to　exasperate　the　multitude。　From　time　to