twenty years after(二十年后)-第130部分

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Meanwhile；　they　gave　up　to　Mazarin　the　handsomest　room　in
the　chateau。
〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　when　he　was　in　his　room；　〃you　do　not
expect；　I　presume；　to　keep　me　here　a　long　time　incognito？〃
〃No；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　Gascon；　〃on　the　contrary；　we
think　of　announcing　very　soon　that　we　have　you　here。〃
〃Then　you　will　be　besieged。〃
〃We　expect　it。〃
〃And　what　shall　you　do？〃
〃Defend　ourselves。　Were　the　late　Cardinal　Richelieu　alive　he
would　tell　you　a　certain　story　of　the　Bastion　Saint　Gervais；
which　we　four；　with　our　four　lackeys　and　twelve　dead　men；
held　out　against　a　whole　army。〃
〃Such　feats；　sir；　are　done　once　　and　never　repeated。〃
〃However；　nowadays　there's　no　need　of　so　much　heroism。
To…morrow　the　army　of　Paris　will　be　summoned；　the　day　after
it　will　be　here！　The　field　of　battle；　instead；　therefore；　of
being　at　Saint　Denis　or　at　Charenton；　will　be　near　Compiegne
or　Villars…Cotterets。〃
〃The　prince　will　vanquish　you；　as　he　has　always　done。〃
〃'Tis　possible；　my　lord；　but　before　an　engagement　ensues　we
shall　move　your　eminence　to　another　castle　belonging　to　our
friend　Du　Vallon；　who　has　three。　We　will　not　expose　your
eminence　to　the　chances　of　war。〃
〃Come；〃　answered　Mazarin；　〃I　see　it　will　be　necessary　for　me
to　capitulate。〃
〃Before　a　siege？〃
〃Yes；　the　conditions　will　be　better　than　afterward。〃
〃Ah；　my　lord！　as　to　conditions；　you　would　soon　see　how
moderate　and　reasonable　we　are！〃
〃Come；　now；　what　are　your　conditions？〃
〃Rest　yourself　first；　my　lord；　and　we　　we　will　reflect。〃
〃I　do　not　need　rest；　gentlemen；　I　need　to　know　whether　I　am
among　enemies　or　friends。〃
〃Friends；　my　lord！　friends！〃
〃Well；　then；　tell　me　at　once　what　you　want；　that　I　may　see
if　any　arrangement　be　possible。　Speak；　Comte　de　la　Fere！〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　Athos；　〃for　myself　I　have　nothing　to
demand。　For　France；　were　I　to　specify　my　wishes；　I　should
have　too　much。　I　beg　you　to　excuse　me　and　propose　to　the
chevalier。〃
And　Athos；　bowing；　retired　and　remained　leaning　against　the
mantelpiece；　a　spectator　of　the　scene。
〃Speak；　then；　chevalier！〃　said　the　cardinal。　〃What　do　you
want？　Nothing　ambiguous；　if　you　please。　Be　clear；　short　and
precise。〃
〃As　for　me；〃　replied　Aramis；　〃I　have　in　my　pocket　the　very
programme　of　the　conditions　which　the　deputation　　of　which
I　formed　one　　went　yesterday　to　Saint　Germain　to　impose　on
you。　Let　us　consider　first　the　ancient　rights。　The　demands
in　that　programme　must　be　granted。〃
〃We　were　almost　agreed　on　those；〃　replied　Mazarin；　〃let　us
pass　on　to　private　and　personal　stipulations。〃
〃You　suppose；　then；　that　there　are　some？〃　said　Aramis；
smiling。
〃I　do　not　suppose　that　you　will　all　be　quite　so
disinterested　as　Monsieur　de　la　Fere；〃　replied　the　cardinal；
bowing　to　Athos。
〃My　lord；　you　are　right；　and　I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　do
justice　to　the　count　at　last。　The　count　has　a　mind　above
vulgar　desires　and　earthly　passions。　He　is　a　proud　soul　
he　is　a　man　by　himself！　You　are　right　　he　is　worth　us　all；
and　we　avow　it　to　you！〃
〃Aramis；〃　said　Athos；　〃are　you　jesting？〃
〃No；　no；　dear　friend；　I　state　only　what　we　all　know。　You　are
right；　it　is　not　you　alone　this　matter　concerns；　but　my　lord
and　his　unworthy　servant；　myself。〃
〃Well；　then；　what　do　you　require　besides　the　general
conditions　before　recited？〃
〃I　require；　my　lord；　that　Normandy　should　be　given　to　Madame
de　Longueville；　with　five　hundred　thousand　francs　and　full
absolution。　I　require　that　his　majesty　should　deign　to　be
godfather　to　the　child　she　has　just　borne；　and　that　my　lord；
after　having　been　present　at　the　christening；　should　go　to
proffer　his　homage　to　our　Holy　Father　the　Pope。〃
〃That　is；　you　wish　me　to　lay　aside　my　ministerial　functions；
to　quit　France　and　be　an　exile。〃
〃I　wish　his　eminence　to　become　pope　on　the　first
opportunity；　allowing　me　then　the　right　of　demanding　full
indulgences　for　myself　and　my　friends。〃
Mazarin　made　a　grimace　which　was　quite　indescribable；　and
then　turned　to　D'Artagnan。
〃And　you；　sir？〃　he　said。
〃I；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　Gascon；　〃I　differ　from　Monsieur
d'Herblay　entirely　as　to　the　last　point；　though　I　agree　with
him　on　the　first。　Far　from　wishing　my　lord　to　quit　Paris；　I
hope　he　will　stay　there　and　continue　to　be　prime　minister；
as　he　is　a　great　statesman。　I　shall　try　also　to　help　him　to
down　the　Fronde；　but　on　one　condition　　that　he　sometimes
remembers　the　king's　faithful　servants　and　gives　the　first
vacant　company　of　musketeers　to　a　man　that　I　could　name。　And
you；　Monsieur　du　Vallon　　〃
〃Yes；　you；　sir！　Speak；　if　you　please；〃　said　Mazarin。
〃As　for　me；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃I　wish　my　lord　cardinal；　in
order　to　do　honor　to　my　house；　which　gives　him　an　asylum；
would　in　remembrance　of　this　adventure　erect　my　estate　into
a　barony；　with　a　promise　to　confer　that　order　on　one　of　my
particular　friends；　whenever　his　majesty　next　creates
peers。〃
〃You　know；　sir；　that　before　receiving　the　order　one　must
submit　proofs。〃
〃My　friends　will　submit　them。　Besides；　should　it　be
necessary；　monseigneur　will　show　him　how　that　formality　may
be　avoided。〃
Mazarin　bit　his　lips；　the　blow　was　direct　and　he　replied
rather　dryly：
〃All　this　appears　to　me　to　be　ill　conceived；　disjointed；
gentlemen；　for　if　I　satisfy　some　I　shall　displease　others。
If　I　stay　in　Paris　I　cannot　go　to　Rome；　if　I　became　pope　I
could　not　continue　to　be　prime　minister；　and　it　is　only　by
continuing　prime　minister　that　I　can　make　Monsieur
d'Artagnan　a　captain　and　Monsieur　du　Vallon　a　baron。〃
〃True〃〃　said　Aramis；　〃so；　as　I　am　in　a　minority；　I　withdraw
my　proposition；　so　far　as　it　relates　to　the　voyage　to　Rome
and　monseigneur's　resignation。〃
〃I　am　to　remain　minister；　then？〃　said　Mazarin。
〃You　remain　minister；　that　is　understood；〃　said　D'Artagnan；
〃France　needs　you。〃
〃And　I　desist　from　my　pretensions；〃　said　Aramis。　〃His
eminence　will　continue　to　be　prime　minister　and　her
majesty's　favorite；　if　he　will　grant　to　me　and　my　friends
what　we　demand　for　France　and　for　ourselves。〃
〃Occupy　yourselves　with　your　own　affairs；　gentlemen；　and　let
France　settle　matters　as　she　will　with　me；〃　resumed　Mazarin。
〃Ho！　ho！〃　replied　Aramis。　〃The　Frondeurs　will　have　a　treaty
and　your　eminence　must　sign　it　before　us；　promising　at　the
same　time　to　obtain　the　queen's　consent　to　it。〃
〃I　can　answer　only　for　myself；〃　said　Mazarin。　〃I　cannot
answer　for　the　queen。　Suppose　her　majesty　refuses？〃
〃Oh！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃monseigneur　knows　very　well　that　her
majesty　refuses　him　nothing。〃
〃Here；　monseigneur；〃　said　Aramis；　〃is　the　treaty　proposed　by
the　deputation　of　Frondeurs。　Will　your　eminence　please　read
and　examine？〃
〃I　am　acquainted　with　it。〃
〃Sign　it；　then。〃
〃Reflect；　gentlemen；　that　a　signature　given　under
circumstances　like　the　present　might　be　regarded　as　extorted
by　violence。〃
〃Monseigneur　will　be　at　hand　to　testify　that　it　was　freely
given。〃
〃Suppose　I　refuse？〃
〃Then；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃your　eminence　must　expect　the
consequences　of　a　refusal。〃
〃Would　you　dare　to　touch　a　cardinal？〃
〃You　have　dared；　my　lord；　to　imprison　her　majesty's
musketeers。〃
〃The　queen　will　revenge　me；　gentlemen。〃
〃I　do　not　think　so；　although　inclination　might　lead　her　to
do　so；　but　we　shall　take　your　eminence　to　Paris；　and　the
Parisians　will　defend　us。〃
〃How　uneasy　they　must　be　at　this　moment　at　Rueil　and　Saint
Germain；〃　said　Aramis。　〃How　they　must　be　asking；　‘Where　is
the　cardinal？'　‘What　has　become　of　the　minister？'　‘Where　has
the　favorite　gone？'　How　they　must　be　looking　for　monseigneur
in　all　corners！　What　comments　must　be　made；　and　if　the
Fronde　knows　that　monseigneur　has　disappeared；　how　the
Fronde　must　triumph！〃
〃It　is　frightful；〃　murmured　Mazarin。
〃Sign　the　treaty；　then；　monseigneur；〃　said　Aramis。
〃Suppose　the　queen　should　refuse　to　ratify　it？〃
〃Ah！　nonsense！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃I　can　manage　so　that　her
majesty　will　receive　me　well；　I　know　an　excellent　method。〃
〃What？〃
〃I　shall　take　her　majesty　the　letter　in　which　you　tell　her
that　the　finances　are　exhausted。〃
〃And　then？〃　asked　Mazarin；　turning　pale。
〃When　I　see　her　majesty　embarrassed；　I　shall　conduct　her　to
Rueil；　make　her　enter　the　orangery　and　show　her　a　certain
spring　which　turns　a　box。〃
〃Enough；　sir；〃　muttered　the　cardinal；　〃you　have　said　enough；
where　is　the　treaty？〃
〃Here　it　is；〃　replied　Aramis。　〃Sign；　my　lord；〃　and　he　gave
him　a　pen。
Mazarin　arose；　walked　some　moments；　thoughtful；　but　not
dejected。
〃And　when　I　have　signed；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　to　be　my
guarantee？〃
〃My　word　of　honor；　sir；〃　said　Athos。
Mazarin　started；　turned　toward　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　and
looking　for　an　instant　at　that　grand　and　honest　countenance；
took　the　pen。
〃It　is　sufficient；　count；〃　he　said；　and　signed　the　treaty。
〃And　now；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃prepare　to　set　off
for　Saint　Germain　and　take　a　letter　from　me　to　the　queen。〃

88
Shows　how　with　Threat　and　Pen　more　is　effected　than　by　the
Sword。

D'Artagnan　knew　his　part　well；　he　was　aware　that　opportunity
has　a　forelock　only　for　him　who　will　take　it　and　he　was　not
a　man　to　let　it　go　by　him　without　seizing　it。　He　soon
arranged　a　prompt　and　certain　manner　of　traveling；　by
sending　relays　of　horses　to　Chantilly；　so　that　he　might　be
in　Paris　in　five　or　six　hours。　But　before　setting　out　he
reflected　that　for　a　lad　of　intelligence　and　experience　he
was　in　a　singular　predicament；　since　he　was　proceeding
toward　uncertainty　and　leaving　certainty　behind　him。
〃In　fact；〃　he　said；　as　he　was　about　to　mount　and　start　on
his　dangerous　mission；　〃Athos；　for　generosity；　is　a　hero　of
romance；　Porthos　has　an　excellent　disposition；　but　is　easily
influenced；　Aramis　has　a　hieroglyphic　countenance；　always
illegible。　What　will　come　out　of　those　three　elements　when　I
am　no　longer　present　to　combine　them？　The　deliverance　of　the
cardinal；　perhaps。　Now；　the　deliverance　of　the　cardinal
would　be　the　ruin　of　our　hopes；　and　our　hopes　are　thus　far
the　only　recompense　we　have　for　labors　in　comparison　with
which　those　of　Hercules　were　pygmean。〃
He　went　to　find　Aramis。
〃You；　my　dear　Chevalier　d'Herblay；〃　he　said；　〃are　the　Fronde
incarnate。　Mistrust　Athos；　therefore；　who　will　not　prosecute
the　affairs　of　any　one；　even　his　own。　Mistrust　Porthos；
especially；　who；　to　please　the　count　whom　he　regards　as　God
on　earth；　will　assist　him　in