twenty years after(二十年后)-第131部分

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especially；　who；　to　please　the　count　whom　he　regards　as　God
on　earth；　will　assist　him　in　contriving　Mazarin's　escape；　if
Mazarin　has　the　wit　to　weep　or　play　the　chivalric。〃
Aramis　smiled；　his　smile　was　at　once　cunning　and　resolute。
〃Fear　nothing；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　my　conditions　to　impose。　My
private　ambition　tends　only　to　the　profit　of　him　who　has
justice　on　his　side。〃
〃Good！〃　thought　D'Artagnan：　〃in　this　direction　I　am
satisfied。〃　He　pressed　Aramis's　hand　and　went　in　search　of
Porthos。
〃Friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　worked　so　hard　with　me　toward
building　up　our　fortune；　that；　at　the　moment　when　we　are
about　to　reap　the　fruits　of　our　labours；　it　would　be　a
ridiculous　piece　of　silliness　in　you　to　allow　yourself　to　be
controlled　by　Aramis；　whose　cunning　you　know　　a　cunning
which；　we　may　say　between　ourselves；　is　not　always　without
egotism；　or　by　Athos；　a　noble　and　disinterested　man；　but
blase；　who；　desiring　nothing　further　for　himself；　doesn't
sympathize　with　the　desires　of　others。　What　should　you　say
if　either　of　these　two　friends　proposed　to　you　to　let
Mazarin　go？〃
〃Why；　I　should　say　that　we　had　too　much　trouble　in　taking
him　to　let　him　off　so　easily。〃
〃Bravo；　Porthos！　and　you　would　be　right；　my　friend；　for　in
losing　him　you　would　lose　your　barony；　which　you　have　in
your　grasp；　to　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that；　were　he　once
out　of　this；　Mazarin　would　have　you　hanged。〃
〃Do　you　think　so？〃
〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃
〃Then　I　would　kill　him　rather　than　let　him　go。〃
〃And　you　would　act　rightly。　There　is　no　question；　you
understand；　provided　we　secure　our　own　interests；　of
securing　those　of　the　Frondeurs；　who；　besides；　don't
understand　political　matters　as　we　old　soldiers　do。〃
〃Never　fear；　dear　friend；〃　said　Porthos。　〃I　shall　see　you
through　the　window　as　you　mount　your　horse；　I　shall　follow
you　with　my　eyes　as　long　as　you　are　in　sight；　then　I　shall
place　myself　at　the　cardinal's　door　　a　door　with　glass
windows。　I　shall　see　everything；　and　at　the　least　suspicious
sign　I　shall　begin　to　exterminate。〃
〃Bravo！〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃on　this　side　I　think　the
cardinal　will　be　well　guarded。〃　He　pressed　the　hand　of　the
lord　of　Pierrefonds　and　went　in　search　of　Athos。
〃My　dear　Athos；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　away。　I　have　only　one
thing　to　say　to　you。　You　know　Anne　of　Austria；　the　captivity
of　Mazarin　alone　guarantees　my　life；　if　you　let　him　go　I　am
a　dead　man。〃
〃I　needed　nothing　less　than　that　consideration；　my　dear
D'Artagnan；　to　persuade　myself　to　adopt　the　role　of　jailer。
I　give　you　my　word　that　you　will　find　the　cardinal　where　you
leave　him。〃
〃This　reassures　me　more　than　all　the　royal　signatures；〃
thought　D'Artagnan。　〃Now　that　I　have　the　word　of　Athos　I　can
set　out。〃
D'Artagnan　started　alone　on　his　journey；　without　other
escort　than　his　sword；　and　with　a　simple　passport　from
Mazarin　to　secure　his　admission　to　the　queen's　presence。　Six
hours　after　he　left　Pierrefonds　he　was　at　Saint　Germain。
The　disappearance　of　Mazarin　was　not　as　yet　generally　known。
Anne　of　Austria　was　informed　of　it　and　concealed　her
uneasiness　from　every　one。　In　the　chamber　of　D'Artagnan　and
Porthos　the　two　soldiers　had　been　found　bound　and　gagged。　On
recovering　the　use　of　their　limbs　and　tongues　they　could；　of
course；　tell　nothing　but　what　they　knew　　that　they　had
been　seized；　stripped　and　bound。　But　as　to　what　had　been
done　by　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　afterward　they　were　as
ignorant　as　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau。
Bernouin　alone　knew　a　little　more　than　the　others。　Bernouin；
seeing　that　his　master　did　not　return　and　hearing　the　stroke
of　midnight；　had　made　an　examination　of　the　orangery。　The
first　door；　barricaded　with　furniture；　had　aroused　in　him
certain　suspicions；　but　without　communicating　his　suspicions
to　any　one　he　had　patiently　worked　his　way　into　the　midst　of
all　that　confusion。　Then　he　came　to　the　corridor；　all　the
doors　of　which　he　found　open；　so；　too；　was　the　door　of
Athos's　chamber　and　that　of　the　park。　From　the　latter　point
it　was　easy　to　follow　tracks　on　the　snow。　He　saw　that　these
tracks　tended　toward　the　wall；　on　the　other　side　he　found
similar　tracks；　then　footprints　of　horses　and　then　signs　of
a　troop　of　cavalry　which　had　moved　away　in　the　direction　of
Enghien。　He　could　no　longer　cherish　any　doubt　that　the
cardinal　had　been　carried　off　by　the　three　prisoners；　since
the　prisoners　had　disappeared　at　the　same　time；　and　he　had
hastened　to　Saint　Germain　to　warn　the　queen　of　that
disappearance。
Anne　had　enforced　the　utmost　secrecy　and　had　disclosed　the
event　to　no　one　except　the　Prince　de　Conde；　who　had　sent
five　or　six　hundred　horsemen　into　the　environs　of　Saint
Germain　with　orders　to　bring　in　any　suspicious　person　who
was　going　away　from　Rueil；　in　whatsoever　direction　it　might
be。
Now；　since　D'Artagnan　did　not　constitute　a　body　of　horsemen；
since　he　was　alone；　since　he　was　not　going　away　from　Rueil
and　was　going　to　Saint　Germain；　no　one　paid　any　attention　to
him　and　his　journey　was　not　obstructed　in　any　way。
On　entering　the　courtyard　of　the　old　chateau　the　first
person　seen　by　our　ambassador　was　Maitre　Bernouin　in　person；
who；　standing　on　the　threshold；　awaited　news　of　his　vanished
master。
At　the　sight　of　D'Artagnan；　who　entered　the　courtyard　on
horseback；　Bernouin　rubbed　his　eyes　and　thought　he　must　be
mistaken。　But　D'Artagnan　made　a　friendly　sign　to　him　with
his　head；　dismounted；　and　throwing　his　bridle　to　a　lackey
who　was　passing；　he　approached　the　valet…de…chambre　with　a
smile　on　his　lips。
〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃　cried　the　latter；　like　a　man　who　has
the　nightmare　and　talks　in　his　sleep；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan！〃
〃Himself；　Monsieur　Bernouin。〃
〃And　why　have　you　come　here？〃
〃To　bring　news　of　Monsieur　de　Mazarin　　the　freshest　news
there　is。〃
〃What　has　become　of　him；　then？〃
〃He　is　as　well　as　you　and　I。〃
〃Nothing　bad　has　happened　to　him；　then？〃
〃Absolutely　nothing。　He　felt　the　need　of　making　a　trip　in
the　Ile　de　France；　and　begged　us　　the　Comte　de　la　Fere　and
Monsieur　du　Vallon　　to　accompany　him。　We　were　too　devoted
servants　to　refuse　him　a　request　of　that　sort。　We　set　out
last　evening　and　here　we　are。〃
〃Here　you　are。〃
〃His　eminence　had　something　to　communicate　to　her　majesty；
something　secret　and　private　　a　mission　that　could　be
confided　only　to　a　sure　man　　and　so　has　sent　me　to　Saint
Germain。　And　therefore；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bernouin；　if　you
wish　to　do　what　will　be　pleasing　to　your　master；　announce　to
her　majesty　that　I　have　come；　and　tell　her　with　what
purpose。〃
Whether　he　spoke　seriously　or　in　jest；　since　it　was　evident
that　under　existing　circumstances　D'Artagnan　was　the　only
man　who　could　relieve　the　queen's　uneasiness；　Bernouin　went
without　hesitation　to　announce　to　her　this　strange　embassy；
and　as　he　had　foreseen；　the　queen　gave　orders　to　introduce
Monsieur　d'Artagnan　at　once。
D'Artagnan　approached　the　sovereign　with　every　mark　of
profound　respect；　and　having　fallen　on　his　knees　presented
to　her　the　cardinal's　letter
It　was；　however；　merely　a　letter　of　introduction。　The　queen
read　it；　recognized　the　writing；　and；　since　there　were　no
details　in　it　of　what　had　occurred；　asked　for　particulars。
D'Artagnan　related　everything　with　that　simple　and　ingenuous
air　which　he　knew　how　to　assume　on　occasions。　The　queen；　as
he　went　on；　looked　at　him　with　increasing　astonishment。　She
could　not　comprehend　how　a　man　could　conceive　such　an
enterprise　and　still　less　how　he　could　have　the　audacity　to
disclose　it　to　her　whose　interest　and　almost　duty　it　was　to
punish　him。
〃How；　sir！〃　she　cried；　as　D'Artagnan　finished；　〃you　dare　to
tell　me　the　details　of　your　crime　　to　give　me　an　account
of　your　treason！〃
〃Pardon；　madame；　but　I　think　that　either　I　have　expressed
myself　badly　or　your　majesty　has　imperfectly　understood　me。
There　is　here　no　question　of　crime　or　treason。　Monsieur　de
Mazarin　held　us　in　prison；　Monsieur　du　Vallon　and　myself；
because　we　could　not　believe　that　he　had　sent　us　to　England
to　quietly　look　on　while　they　cut　off　the　head　of　Charles
I。；　brother…in…law　of　the　late　king；　your　husband；　the
consort　of　Madame　Henrietta；　your　sister　and　your　guest；　and
because　we　did　all　that　we　could　do　to　save　the　life　of　the
royal　martyr。　We　were　then　convinced；　my　friend　and　I；　that
there　was　some　error　of　which　we　were　the　victims；　and　that
an　explanation　was　called　for　between　his　eminence　and
ourselves。　Now；　that　an　explanation　may　bear　fruit；　it　is
necessary　that　it　should　be　quietly　conducted；　far　from
noise　and　interruption。　We　have　therefore　taken　away
monsieur　le　cardinal　to　my　friend's　chateau　and　there　we
have　come　to　an　understanding。　Well；　madame；　it　proved　to　be
as　we　had　supposed；　there　was　a　mistake。　Monsieur　de　Mazarin
had　thought　that　we　had　rendered　service　to　General
Cromwell；　instead　of　King　Charles；　which　would　have　been　a
disgrace；　rebounding　from　us　to　him；　and　from　him　to　your
majesty　　a　dishonor　which　would　have　tainted　the　royalty
of　your　illustrious　son。　We　were　able　to　prove　the　contrary；
and　that　proof　we　are　ready　to　give　to　your　majesty；　calling
in　support　of　it　the　august　widow　weeping　in　the　Louvre；
where　your　royal　munificence　has　provided　for　her　a　home。
That　proof　satisfied　him　so　completely　that；　as　a　sign　of
satisfaction；　he　has　sent　me；　as　your　majesty　may　see；　to
consider　with　you　what　reparation　should　be　made　to
gentlemen　unjustly　treated　and　wrongfully　persecuted。〃
〃I　listen　to　you；　and　I　wonder　at　you；　sir；〃　said　the　queen。
〃In　fact；　I　have　rarely　seen　such　excess　of　impudence。〃
〃Your　majesty；　on　your　side；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃is　as　much
mistaken　as　to　our　intentions　as　the　Cardinal　Mazarin　has
always　been。〃
〃You　are　in　error；　sir；〃　answered　the　queen。　〃I　am　so　little
mistaken　that　in　ten　minutes　you　shall　be　arrested；　and　in
an　hour　I　shall　set　off　at　the　head　of　my　army　to　release　my
minister。〃
〃I　am　sure　your　majesty　will　not　commit　such　an　act　of
imprudence；　first；　because　it　would　be　useless　and　would
produce　the　most　disastrous　results。　Before　he　could　be
possibly　set　free　the　cardinal　would　be　dead；　and　indeed；　so
convinced　is　he　of　this；　that　he　entreated　me；　should　I　find
your　majesty　disposed　to　act　in　this　way；　to　do　all　I　could
to　induce　you　to　change　your