twenty years after(二十年后)-第91节

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were　listening　and　waiting。　Comminges；　who　was　on　guard　that
night　at　the　Palais　Royal；　ran　in。　He　had　about　two　hundred
men　in　the　courtyards　and　stables；　and　he　placed　them　at　the
queen's　disposal。
〃Well；〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria；　when　D'Artagnan　reappeared；
〃what　does　it　mean？〃
〃It　means；　madame；　that　the　report　has　spread　that　the　queen
has　left　the　Palais　Royal；　carrying　off　the　king；　and　the
people　ask　to　have　proof　to　the　contrary；　or　threaten　to
demolish　the　Palais　Royal。〃
〃Oh；　this　time　it　is　too　much！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　〃and　I
will　prove　to　them　I　have　not　left。〃
D'Artagnan　saw　from　the　expression　of　the　queen's　face　that
she　was　about　to　issue　some　violent　command。　He　approached
her　and　said　in　a　low　voice：
〃Has　your　majesty　still　confidence　in　me？〃
This　voice　startled　her。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　she　replied；　〃every
confidence；　speak。〃
〃Will　the　queen　deign　to　follow　my　advice？〃
〃Speak。〃
〃Let　your　majesty　dismiss　M。　de　Comminges　and　desire　him　to
shut　himself　up　with　his　men　in　the　guardhouse　and　in　the
stables。〃
Comminges　glanced　at　D'Artagnan　with　the　envious　look　with
which　every　courtier　sees　a　new　favorite　spring　up。
〃You　hear；　Comminges？〃　said　the　queen。
D'Artagnan　went　up　to　him；　with　his　usual　quickness　he
caught　the　anxious　glance。
〃Monsieur　de　Comminges；〃　he　said；　〃pardon　me；　we　both　are
servants　of　the　queen；　are　we　not？　It　is　my　turn　to　be　of
use　to　her；　do　not　envy　me　this　happiness。〃
Comminges　bowed　and　left。
〃Come；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃I　have　got　one　more
enemy。〃
〃And　now；〃　said　the　queen；　addressing　D'Artagnan；　〃what　is
to　be　done？　for　you　hear　that；　instead　of　becoming　calmer；
the　noise　increases。〃
〃Madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　people　want　to　see　the　king
and　they　must　see　him。〃
〃What！　must　see　him！　Where　　on　the　balcony？〃
〃Not　at　all；　madame；　but　here；　sleeping　in　his　bed。〃
〃Oh；　your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　Laporte；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan
is　right。〃
The　queen　became　thoughtful　and　smiled；　like　a　woman　to　whom
duplicity　is　no　stranger。
〃Without　doubt；〃　she　murmured。
〃Monsieur　Laporte；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃go　and　announce　to　the
people　through　the　grating　that　they　are　going　to　be
satisfied　and　that　in　five　minutes　they　shall　not　only　see
the　king；　but　they　shall　see　him　in　bed；　add　that　the　king
sleeps　and　that　the　queen　begs　that　they　will　keep　silence；
so　as　not　to　awaken　him。〃
〃But　not　every　one；　a　deputation　of　two　or　four　people。〃
〃Every　one；　madame。〃
〃But　reflect；　they　will　keep　us　here　till　daybreak。
〃It　shall　take　but　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　answer　for
everything；　madame；　believe　me；　I　know　the　people；　they　are
like　a　great　child；　who　only　wants　humoring。　Before　the
sleeping　king　they　will　be　mute；　gentle　and　timid　as　lambs。〃
〃Go；　Laporte；〃　said　the　queen。
The　young　king　approached　his　mother　and　said；　〃Why　do　as
these　people　ask？〃
〃It　must　be　so；　my　son；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria。
〃But　if　they　say；　‘it　must　be'　to　me；　am　I　no　longer　king？〃
The　queen　remained　silent。
〃Sire；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃will　your　majesty　permit　me　to　ask
you　a　question？〃
Louis　XIV。　turned　around；　astonished　that　any　one　should
dare　to　address　him。　But　the　queen　pressed　the　child's　hand。
〃Yes；　sir。〃　he　said。
〃Does　your　majesty　remember；　when　playing　in　the　park　of
Fontainebleau；　or　in　the　palace　courts　at　Versailles；　ever
to　have　seen　the　sky　grow　suddenly　dark　and　heard　the　sound
of　thunder？〃
〃Yes；　certainly。〃
〃Well；　then；　this　noise　of　thunder；　however　much　your
majesty　may　have　wished　to　continue　playing；　has　said；　‘go
in；　sire。　You　must　do　so。'〃
〃Certainly；　sir；　but　they　tell　me　that　the　noise　of　thunder
is　the　voice　of　God。〃
〃Well　then；　sire；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃listen　to　the
noise　of　the　people；　you　will　perceive　that　it　resembles
that　of　thunder。〃
In　truth　at　that　moment　a　terrible　murmur　was　wafted　to　them
by　the　night　breeze；　then　all　at　once　it　ceased。
〃Hold；　sire；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃they　have　just　told　the
people　that　you　are　asleep；　you　see；　you　still　are　king。〃
The　queen　looked　with　surprise　at　this　strange　man；　whose
brilliant　courage　made　him　the　equal　of　the　bravest；　and　who
was；　by　his　fine　and　quick　intelligence；　the　equal　of　the
most　astute。
Laporte　entered。
〃Well；　Laporte？〃　asked　the　queen。
〃Madame；〃　he　replied；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan's　prediction　has
been　accomplished；　they　are　calm；　as　if　by　enchantment。　The
doors　are　about　to　be　opened　and　in　five　minutes　they　will
be　here。〃
〃Laporte；〃　said　the　queen；　〃suppose　you　put　one　of　your　sons
in　the　king's　place；　we　might　be　off　during　the　time。〃
〃If　your　majesty　desires　it；〃　said　Laporte；　〃my　sons；　like
myself；　are　at　the　queen's　service。〃
〃Not　at　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃should　one　of　them　know　his
majesty　and　discover　but　a　substitute；　all　would　be　lost。〃
〃You　are　right；　sir；　always　right；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria。
〃Laporte；　place　the　king　in　bed。〃
Laporte　placed　the　king；　dressed　as　he　was；　in　the　bed　and
then　covered　him　as　far　as　the　shoulders　with　the　sheet。　The
queen　bent　over　him　and　kissed　his　brow。
〃Pretend　to　sleep；　Louis；〃　said　she。
〃Yes；〃　said　the　king；　〃but　I　do　not　wish　to　be　touched　by
any　of　those　men。〃
〃Sire；　I　am　here；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　give　you　my　word；
that　if　a　single　man　has　the　audacity；　his　life　shall　pay
for　it。〃
〃And　now　what　is　to　be　done？〃　asked　the　queen；　〃for　I　hear
them。〃
〃Monsieur　Laporte；　go　to　them　and　again　recommend　silence。
Madame；　wait　at　the　door；　whilst　I　shall　be　at　the　head　of
the　king's　bed；　ready　to　die　for　him。〃
Laporte　went　out；　the　queen　remained　standing　near　the
hangings；　whilst　D'Artagnan　glided　behind　the　curtains。
Then　the　heavy　and　collected　steps　of　a　multitude　of　men
were　heard；　and　the　queen　herself　raised　the　tapestry
hangings　and　put　her　finger　on　her　lips。
On　seeing　the　queen；　the　men　stopped　short；　respectfully。
〃Enter；　gentlemen；　enter；〃　said　the　queen。
There　was　then　amongst　that　crowd　a　moment's　hesitation；
which　looked　like　shame。　They　had　expected　resistance；　they
had　expected　to　be　thwarted；　to　have　to　force　the　gates；　to
overturn　the　guards。　The　gates　had　opened　of　themselves；　and
the　king；　ostensibly　at　least；　had　no　other　guard　at　his
bed…head　but　his　mother。　The　foremost　of　them　stammered　and
attempted　to　fall　back。
〃Enter；　gentlemen；〃　said　Laporte；　〃since　the　queen　desires
you　so　to　do。〃
Then　one　more　bold　than　the　rest　ventured　to　pass　the　door
and　to　advance　on　tiptoe。　This　example　was　imitated　by　the
rest；　until　the　room　filled　silently；　as　if　these　men　had
been　the　humblest；　most　devoted　courtiers。　Far　beyond　the
door　the　heads　of　those　who　were　not　able　to　enter　could　be
seen；　all　craning　to　their　utmost　height　to　try　and　see。
D'Artagnan　saw　it　all　through　an　opening　he　had　made　in　the
curtain；　and　in　the　very　first　man　who　entered　he　recognized
Planchet。
〃Sir；〃　said　the　queen　to　him；　thinking　he　was　the　leader　of
the　band；　〃you　wished　to　see　the　king　and　therefore　I
determined　to　show　him　to　you　myself。　Approach　and　look　at
him　and　say　if　we　have　the　appearance　of　people　who　wish　to
run　away。〃
〃No；　certainly；〃　replied　Planchet；　rather　astonished　at　the
unexpected　honor　conferred　upon　him。
〃You　will　say；　then；　to　my　good　and　faithful　Parisians；〃
continued　Anne；　with　a　smile；　the　expression　of　which　did
not　deceive　D'Artagnan；　〃that　you　have　seen　the　king　in　bed；
asleep；　and　the　queen　also　ready　to　retire。〃
〃I　shall　tell　them；　madame；　and　those　who　accompany　me　will
say　the　same　thing；　but　　〃
〃But　what？〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria。
〃Will　your　majesty　pardon　me；〃　said　Planchet；　〃but　is　it
really　the　king　who　is　lying　there？〃
Anne　of　Austria　started。　〃If；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　one　among
you　who　knows　the　king；　let　him　approach　and　say　whether　it
is　really　his　majesty　lying　there。〃
A　man　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　in　the　folds　of　which　his　face　was
hidden；　approached　and　leaned　over　the　bed　and　looked。
For　one　second；　D'Artagnan　thought　the　man　had　some　evil
design　and　he　put　his　hand　to　his　sword；　but　in　the　movement
made　by　the　man　in　stooping　a　portion　of　his　face　was
uncovered　and　D'Artagnan　recognized　the　coadjutor。
〃It　is　certainly　the　king；〃　said　the　man；　rising　again。　〃God
bless　his　majesty！〃
〃Yes；〃　repeated　the　leader　in　a　whisper；　〃God　bless　his
majesty！〃　and　all　these　men；　who　had　entered　enraged；　passed
from　anger　to　pity　and　blessed　the　royal　infant　in　their
turn。
〃Now；'；　said　Planchet；　〃let　us　thank　the　queen。　My　friends；
retire。〃
They　all　bowed；　and　retired　by　degrees　as　noiselessly　as
they　had　entered。　Planchet；　who　had　been　the　first　to　enter；
was　the　last　to　leave。　The　queen　stopped　him。
〃What　is　your　name；　my　friend？〃　she　said。
Planchet；　much　surprised　at　the　inquiry；　turned　back。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　queen；　〃I　think　myself　as　much　honored
to　have　received　you　this　evening　as　if　you　had　been　a
prince；　and　I　wish　to　know　your　name。〃
〃Yes；〃　thought　Planchet；　〃to　treat　me　as　a　prince。　No；　thank
you。〃
D'Artagnan　trembled　lest　Planchet；　seduced；　like　the　crow　in
the　fable；　should　tell　his　name；　and　that　the　queen；　knowing
his　name；　would　discover　that　Planchet　had　belonged　to　him。
〃Madame；〃　replied　Planchet；　respectfully；　〃I　am　called
Dulaurier；　at　your　service。〃
〃Thank　you；　Monsieur　Dulaurier；〃　said　the　queen；