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第88节

twenty years after(二十年后)-第88节

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〃I will do my best。〃
〃The streets are full of armed men;〃 continued D'Artagnan。
〃Are you sure that no one is aware of the queen's project?〃
Mazarin reflected。
〃This affair would give a fine opportunity for a traitor; my
lord; the chance of being attacked would be an excuse for
everything。〃
Mazarin shuddered; but he reflected that a man who had the
least intention to betray would not warn first。
〃And therefore;〃 added he; quietly; 〃I have not confidence
in every one; the proof of which is; that I have fixed upon
you to escort me。〃
〃Shall you not go with the queen?〃
〃No;〃 replied Mazarin。
〃Then you will start after the queen?〃
〃No;〃 said Mazarin again。
〃Ah!〃 said D'Artagnan; who began to understand。
〃Yes;〃 continued the cardinal。 〃I have my plan。 With the
queen I double her risk; after the queen her departure would
double mine; then; the court once safe; I might be
forgotten。 The great are often ungrateful。〃
〃Very true;〃 said D'Artagnan; fixing his eyes; in spite of
himself; on the queen's diamond; which Mazarin wore on his
finger。 Mazarin followed the direction of his eyes and
gently turned the hoop of the ring inside。
〃I wish;〃 he said; with his cunning smile; 〃to prevent them
from being ungrateful to me。〃
〃It is but Christian charity;〃 replied D'Artagnan; 〃not to
lead one's neighbors into temptation。〃
〃It is exactly for that reason;〃 said Mazarin; 〃that I wish
to start before them。〃
D'Artagnan smiled  he was just the man to understand the
astute Italian。 Mazarin saw the smile and profited by the
moment。
〃You will begin; therefore; by taking me first out of Paris;
will you not; my dear M。 d'Artagnan?〃
〃A difficult commission; my lord;〃 replied D'Artagnan;
resuming his serious manner。
〃But;〃 said Mazarin; 〃you did not make so many difficulties
with regard to the king and queen。〃
〃The king and the queen are my king and queen;〃 replied the
musketeer; 〃my life is theirs and I must give it for them。
If they ask it what have I to say?〃
〃That is true;〃 murmured Mazarin; in a low tone; 〃but as thy
life is not mine I suppose I must buy it; must I not?〃 and
sighing deeply he began to turn the hoop of his ring outside
again。 D'Artagnan smiled。 These two men met at one point and
that was; cunning; had they been actuated equally by
courage; the one would have done great things for the other。
〃But; also;〃 said Mazarin; 〃you must understand that if I
ask this service from you it is with the intention of being
grateful。〃
〃Is it still only an intention; your eminence?〃 asked
D'Artagnan。
〃Stay;〃 said Mazarin; drawing the ring from his finger; 〃my
dear D'Artagnan; there is a diamond which belonged to you
formerly; it is but just it should return to you; take it; I
pray。〃
D'Artagnan spared Mazarin the trouble of insisting; and
after looking to see if the stone was the same and assuring
himself of the purity of its water; he took it and passed it
on his finger with indescribable pleasure。
〃I valued it much;〃 said Mazarin; giving a last look at it;
〃nevertheless; I give it to you with great pleasure。〃
〃And I; my lord;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃accept it as it is
given。 Come; let us speak of your little affairs。 You wish
to leave before everybody and at what hour?〃
〃At ten o'clock。〃
〃And the queen; at what time is it her wish to start?〃
〃At midnight。〃
〃Then it is possible。 I can get you out of Paris and leave
you beyond the barriere; and can return for her。〃
〃Capital; but how will you get me out of Paris?〃
〃Oh! as to that; you must leave it to me。〃
〃I give you absolute power; therefore; take as large an
escort as you like。〃
D'Artagnan shook his head。
〃It seems to me; however;〃 said Mazarin; 〃the safest
method。〃
〃Yes; for you; my lord; but not for the queen; you must
leave it to me and give me the entire direction of the
undertaking。〃
〃Nevertheless  〃
〃Or find some one else;〃 continued D'Artagnan; turning his
back。
〃Oh!〃 muttered Mazarin; 〃I do believe he is going off with
the diamond! M。 d'Artagnan; my dear M。 d'Artagnan;〃 he
called out in a coaxing voice; 〃will you answer for
everything?〃
〃I will answer for nothing。 I will do my best。〃
〃Well; then; let us go  I must trust to you。〃
〃It is very fortunate;〃 said D'Artagnan to himself。
〃You will be here at half…past nine。〃
〃And I shall find your eminence ready?〃
〃Certainly; quite ready。〃
〃Well; then; it is a settled thing; and now; my lord; will
you obtain for me an audience with the queen?〃
〃For what purpose?〃
〃I wish to receive her majesty's commands from her own
lips。〃
〃She desired me to give them to you。〃
〃She may have forgotten something。〃
〃You really wish to see her?〃
〃It is indispensable; my lord。〃
Mazarin hesitated for one instant; but D'Artagnan was firm。
〃Come; then;〃 said the minister; 〃I will conduct you to her;
but remember; not one word of our conversation。〃
〃What has passed between us concerns ourselves alone。 my
lord;〃 replied D'Artagnan。
〃Swear to be mute。〃
〃I never swear; my lord; I say yes or no; and; as I am a
gentleman; I keep my word。〃
〃Come; then; I see that I must trust unreservedly to you。〃
〃Believe me; my lord; it will be your best plan。〃
〃Come;〃 said Mazarin; conducting D'Artagnan into the queen's
oratory and desiring him to wait there。 He did not wait
long; for in five minutes the queen entered in full gala
costume。 Thus dressed she scarcely appeared thirty…five
years of age。 She was still exceedingly handsome。
〃It is you; Monsieur D'Artagnan;〃 she said; smiling
graciously; 〃I thank you for having insisted on seeing me。〃
〃I ought to ask your majesty's pardon; but I wished to
receive your commands from your own mouth。〃
〃Do you accept the commission which I have intrusted to
you?〃
〃With gratitude。〃
〃Very well; be here at midnight。〃
〃I will not fail。〃
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan;〃 continued the queen; 〃I know your
disinterestedness too well to speak of my own gratitude at
such a moment; but I swear to you that I shall not forget
this second service as I forgot the first。〃
〃Your majesty is free to forget or to remember; as it
pleases you; and I know not what you mean;〃 said D'Artagnan;
bowing。
〃Go; sir;〃 said the queen; with her most bewitching smile;
〃go and return at midnight。〃
And D'Artagnan retired; but as he passed out he glanced at
the curtain through which the queen had entered and at the
bottom of the tapestry he remarked the tip of a velvet
slipper。
〃Good;〃 thought he; 〃Mazarin has been listening to discover
whether I betrayed him。 In truth; that Italian puppet does
not deserve the services of an honest man。〃
D'Artagnan was not less exact to his appointment and at
half…past nine o'clock he entered the ante…room。
He found the cardinal dressed as an officer; and he looked
very well in that costume; which; as we have already said;
he wore elegantly; only he was very pale and trembled
slightly。
〃Quite alone?〃 he asked。
〃Yes; my lord。〃
〃And that worthy Monsieur du Vallon; are we not to enjoy his
society?〃
〃Certainly; my lord; he is waiting in his carriage at the
gate of the garden of the Palais Royal。〃
〃And we start in his carriage; then?〃
〃Yes; my lord。〃
〃And with us no other escort but you two?〃
〃Is it not enough? One of us would suffice。〃
〃Really; my dear Monsieur d'Artagnan;〃 said the cardinal;
〃your coolness startles me。〃
〃I should have thought; on the contrary; that it ought to
have inspired you with confidence。〃
〃And Bernouin  do I not take him with me?〃
〃There is no room for him; he will rejoin your eminence。〃
〃Let us go;〃 said Mazarin; 〃since everything must be done as
you wish。〃
〃My lord; there is time to draw back;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃and
your eminence is perfectly free。〃
〃Not at all; not at all;〃 said Mazarin; 〃let us be off。〃
And so they descended the private stair; Mazarin leaning on
the arm of D'Artagnan a hand the musketeer felt trembling。
At last; after crossing the courts of the Palais Royal;
where there still remained some of the conveyances of late
guests; they entered the garden and reached the little gate。
Mazarin attempted to open it by a key which he took from his
pocket; but with such shaking fingers that he could not find
the keyhole。
〃Give it to me;〃 said D'Artagnan; who when the gate was open
deposited the key in his pocket; reckoning upon returning by
that gate。
The steps were already down and the door open。 Musqueton
stood at the door and Porthos was inside the carriage。
〃Mount; my lord;〃 said D'Artagnan to Mazarin; who sprang
into the carriage without waiting for a second bidding。
D'Artagnan followed him; and Musqueton; having closed the
door; mounted behind the carriage with many groans。 He had
made some difficulties about going; under pretext that he
still suffered from his wound; but D'Artagnan had said to
him:
〃Remain if you like; my dear Monsieur Mouston; but I warn
you that Paris will be burnt down to…night;〃 upon which
Musqueton had declared; without asking anything further;
that he was ready to follow his master and Monsieur
d'Artagnan to the end of the world。
The carriage started at a measured pace; without betraying
by the slightest sign that it contained people in a hurry。
The cardinal wiped his forehead with his handkerchief and
looked around him。 On his left was 

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