twenty years after(二十年后)-第134部分

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〃Why　not？〃
〃Because　he　is　in　love。〃
〃He！　he　is　quite　a　child！〃
〃And　'tis　a　child　he　loves。〃
Athos　became　thoughtful。
〃You　are　right；　duchess。　This　singular　passion　for　a　child
of　seven　may　some　day　make　him　very　unhappy。　There　is　to　be
war　in　Flanders。　He　shall　go　thither。〃
〃And　at　his　return　you　will　send　him　to　me。　I　will　arm　him
against　love。〃
〃Alas；　madame！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　〃to…day　love　is　like　war　
the　breastplate　is　becoming　useless。〃
Raoul　entered　at　this　moment；　he　came　to　announce　that　the
solemn　entrance　of　the　king；　queen；　and　her　ministers　was　to
take　place　on　the　ensuing　day。
The　next　day；　in　fact；　at　daybreak；　the　court　made
preparations　to　quit　Saint　Germain。
Meanwhile；　the　queen　every　hour　had　been　sending　for
D'Artagnan。
〃I　hear；〃　she　said；　〃that　Paris　is　not　quiet。　I　am　afraid
for　the　king's　safety；　place　yourself　close　to　the　coach
door　on　the　right。〃
〃Reassure　yourself；　madame；　I　will　answer　for　the　king's
safety。〃
As　he　left　the　queen's　presence　Bernouin　summoned　him　to　the
cardinal。
〃Sir；〃　said　Mazarin　to　him　〃an　emeute　is　spoken　of　in　Paris。
I　shall　be　on　the　king's　left　and　as　I　am　the　chief　person
threatened；　remain　at　the　coach　door　to　the　left。〃
〃Your　eminence　may　be　perfectly　easy；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；
〃they　will　not　touch　a　hair　of　your　head。〃
〃Deuce　take　it！〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃how　can　I　take　care
of　both？　Ah！　plague　on't；　I　will　guard　the　king　and　Porthos
shall　guard　the　cardinal。〃
This　arrangement　pleased　every　one。　The　queen　had　confidence
in　the　courage　of　D'Artagnan；　which　she　knew；　and　the
cardinal　in　the　strength　of　Porthos；　which　he　had
experienced。
The　royal　procession　set　out　for　Paris。　Guitant　and
Comminges；　at　the　head　of　the　guards；　marched　first；　then
came　the　royal　carriage；　with　D'Artagnan　on　one　side；
Porthos　on　the　other；　then　the　musketeers；　for　two　and
twenty　years　staunch　friends　of　D'Artagnan。　During　twenty　he
had　been　lieutenant；　their　captain　since　the　night　before。
The　cortege　proceeded　to　Notre　Dame；　where　a　Te　Deum　was
chanted。　All　Paris　were　in　the　streets。　The　Swiss　were　drawn
up　along　the　road；　but　as　the　road　was　long；　they　were
placed　at　six　or　eight　feet　distant　from　each　other　and　one
deep　only。　This　force　was　therefore　wholly　insufficient；　and
from　time　to　time　the　line　was　broken　through　by　the　people
and　was　formed　again　with　difficulty。　Whenever　this
occurred；　although　it　proceeded　only　from　goodwill　and　a
desire　to　see　the　king　and　queen；　Anne　looked　at　D'Artagnan
anxiously。
Mazarin；　who　had　dispensed　a　thousand　louis　to　make　the
people　cry　〃Long　live　Mazarin；〃　and　who　had　accordingly　no
confidence　in　acclamations　bought　at　twenty　pistoles　each；
kept　one　eye　on　Porthos；　but　that　gigantic　body…guard
replied　to　the　look　with　his　great　bass　voice；　〃Be　tranquil；
my　lord；〃　and　Mazarin　became　more　and　more　composed。
At　the　Palais　Royal；　the　crowd；　which　had　flowed　in　from　the
adjacent　street　was　still　greater；　like　an　impetuous　mob；　a
wave　of　human　beings　came　to　meet　the　carriage　and　rolled
tumultuously　into　the　Rue　Saint　Honore。
When　the　procession　reached　the　palace；　loud　cries　of　〃Long
live　their　majesties！〃　resounded。　Mazarin　leaned　out　of　the
window。　One　or　two　shouts　of　〃Long　live　the　cardinal〃
saluted　his　shadow；　but　instantly　hisses　and　yells　stifled
them　remorselessly。　Mazarin　turned　pale　and　shrank　back　in
the　coach。
〃Low…born　fellows！〃　ejaculated　Porthos。
D'Artagnan　said　nothing；　but　twirled　his　mustache　with　a
peculiar　gesture　which　showed　that　his　fine　Gascon　humor　was
awake。
Anne　of　Austria　bent　down　and　whispered　in　the　young　king's
ear：
〃Say　something　gracious　to　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　my　son。〃
The　young　king　leaned　toward　the　door。
〃I　have　not　said　good…morning　to　you；　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃
he　said；　〃nevertheless；　I　have　remarked　you。　It　was　you　who
were　behind　my　bed…curtains　that　night　the　Parisians　wished
to　see　me　asleep。〃
〃And　if　the　king　permits　me；〃　returned　the　Gascon；　〃I　shall
be　near　him　always　when　there　is　danger　to　be　encountered。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Mazarin　to　Porthos；　〃what　would　you　do　if　the
crowd　fell　upon　us？〃
〃Kill　as　many　as　I　could；　my　lord。〃
〃Hem！　brave　as　you　are　and　strong　as　you　are；　you　could　not
kill　them　all。〃
〃'Tis　true；〃　answered　Porthos；　rising　on　his　saddle；　in
order　that　he　might　appraise　the　immense　crowd；　〃there　are　a
lot　of　them。〃
〃I　think　I　should　like　the　other　fellow　better　than　this
one；〃　said　Mazarin　to　himself；　and　he　threw　himself　back　in
his　carriage。
The　queen　and　her　minister；　more　especially　the　latter；　had
reason　to　feel　anxious。　The　crowd；　whilst　preserving　an
appearance　of　respect　and　even　of　affection　for　the　king　and
queen　regent；　began　to　be　tumultuous。　Reports　were　whispered
about；　like　certain　sounds　which　announce；　as　they　whistle
from　wave　to　wave；　the　coming　storm　　and　when　they　pass
athwart　a　multitude；　presage　an　emeute。
D'Artagnan　turned　toward　the　musketeers　and　made　a　sign
imperceptible　to　the　crowd；　but　very　easily　understood　by
that　chosen　regiment；　the　flower　of　the　army。
The　ranks　closed　firmly　in　and　a　kind　of　majestic　tremor　ran
from　man　to　man。
At　the　Barriere　des　Sergents　the　procession　was　obliged　to
stop。　Comminges　left　the　head　of　the　escort　and　went　to　the
queen's　carriage。　Anne　questioned　D'Artagnan　by　a　look。　He
answered　in　the　same　language。
〃Proceed；〃　she　said。
Comminges　returned　to　his　post。　An　effort　was　made　and　the
living　barrier　was　violently　broken　through。
Some　complaints　arose　from　the　crowd　and　were　addressed　this
time　to　the　king　as　well　as　the　minister。
〃Onward！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　in　a　loud　voice。
〃Onward！〃　cried　Porthos。
But　as　if　the　multitude　had　waited　only　for　this
demonstration　to　burst　out；　all　the　sentiments　of　hostility
that　possessed　it　exploded　simultaneously。　Cries　of　〃Down
with　Mazarin！〃　〃Death　to　the　cardinal！〃　resounded　on　all
sides。
At　the　same　time　through　the　streets　of　Grenelle；　Saint
Honore；　and　Du　Coq；　a　double　stream　of　people　broke　the
feeble　hedge　of　Swiss　guards　and　came　like　a　whirlwind　even
to　the　very　legs　of　Porthos's　horse　and　that　of　D'Artagnan。
This　new　eruption　was　more　dangerous　than　the　others；　being
composed　of　armed　men。　It　was　plain　that　it　was　not　the
chance　combination　of　those　who　had　collected　a　number　of
the　malcontents　at　the　same　spot；　but　a　concerted　organized
attack。
Each　of　these　mobs　was　led　by　a　chief；　one　of　whom　appeared
to　belong；　not　to　the　people；　but　to　the　honorable
corporation　of　mendicants；　and　the　other；　notwithstanding
his　affected　imitation　of　the　people；　might　easily　be
discerned　to　be　a　gentleman。　Both　were　evidently　stimulated
by　the　same　impulse。
There　was　a　shock　which　was　perceived　even　in　the　royal
carriage。　Myriads　of　hoarse　cries；　forming　one　vast　uproar；
were　heard；　mingled　with　guns　firing。
〃Ho！　Musketeers！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。
The　escort　divided　into　two　files。　One　of　them　passed　around
to　the　right　of　the　carriage；　the　other　to　the　left。　One
went　to　support　D'Artagnan；　the　other　Porthos。　Then　came　a
skirmish；　the　more　terrible　because　it　had　no　definite
object；　the　more　melancholy；　because　those　engaged　in　it
knew　not　for　whom　they　were　fighting。　Like　all　popular
movements；　the　shock　given　by　the　rush　of　this　mob　was
formidable。　The　musketeers；　few　in　number；　not　being　able；
in　the　midst　of　this　crowd；　to　make　their　horses　wheel
around；　began　to　give　way。　D'Artagnan　offered　to　lower　the
blinds　of　the　royal　carriage；　but　the　young　king　stretched
out　his　arm；　saying：
〃No；　sir！　I　wish　to　see　everything。〃
〃If　your　majesty　wishes　to　look　out　　well；　then；　look！〃
replied　D'Artagnan。　And　turning　with　that　fury　which　made
him　so　formidable；　he　rushed　toward　the　chief　of　the
insurgents；　a　man　who；　with　a　huge　sword　in　his　hand；　was
trying　to　hew　a　passage　to　the　coach　door　through　the
musketeers。
〃Make　room！〃　cried　D'Artagnan。　〃Zounds！　give　way！〃
At　these　words　the　man　with　a　pistol　and　sword　raised　his
head；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　blow　was　sped　by　D'Artagnan；
the　rapier　had　pierced　his　bosom。
〃Ah！　confound　it！〃　cried　the　Gascon；　trying　in　vain；　too
late；　to　retract　the　thrust。　〃What　the　devil　are　you　doing
here；　count？〃
〃Accomplishing　my　destiny；〃　replied　Rochefort；　falling　on
one　knee。　〃I　have　already　got　up　again　after　three　stabs
from　you；　I　shall　never　rise　after　this　fourth。〃
〃Count！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　with　some　degree　of　emotion；　〃I
struck　without　knowing　that　it　was　you。　I　am　sorry；　if　you
die；　that　you　should　die　with　sentiments　of　hatred　toward
me。〃
Rochefort　extended　his　hand　to　D'Artagnan；　who　took　it。　The
count　wished　to　speak；　but　a　gush　of　blood　stifled　him。　He
stiffened　in　the　last　convulsions　of　death　and　expired。
〃Back；　people！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　〃your　leader　is　dead；　you
have　no　longer　any　business　here。〃
Indeed；　as　if　De　Rochefort　had　been　the　very　soul　of　the
attack；　the　crowd　who　had　followed　and　obeyed　him　took　to
flight　on　seeing　him　fall。　D'Artagnan　charged；　with　a　party
of　musketeers；　up　the　Rue　du　Coq；　and　the　portion　of　the　mob
he　assailed　disappeared　like　smoke；　dispersing　near　the
Place　Saint　Germain…l'Auxerrois　and　taking　the　direction　of
the　quays。
D'Artagnan　returned　to　help　Porthos；　if　Porthos　needed　help；
but　Porthos；　for　his　part；　had　done　his　work　as
conscientiously　as　D'Artagnan。　The　left　of　the　carriage　was
as　well　cleared　as　the　right；　and　they　drew　up　the　blind　of
the　window　which　Mazarin；　less　heroic　than　the　king；　had
taken　the　precaution　to　lower。
Porthos　looked　very　melancholy。
〃What　a　devil　of　a　face　you　have；　Porthos！　and　what　a
strange　air　for　a　victor！〃
〃But　you；〃　answered　Porthos；　〃seem　to　me　agitated。〃
〃There's　a　reason！　Zounds！　I　have　just　killed　an　old
friend。〃
〃Indeed！〃　replied　Porthos；　〃who？〃
〃That　poor　Count　de　Rochefort。〃
〃Well！　exactly　like　me！　I　have　just　killed　a　man　whose　face
is　not　unknown　to　me。　Unluckily；　I　hit　him　on　the　head　and
immediately　his　face　was　covered　with　blood。〃
〃And　he　said　nothing　as　he　died？〃
〃Yes；　he　exclaimed；　‘Oh！'〃
〃I　suppose；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　laughing；　〃if　he　only　said
that；　it　did　not　enlighten　you　much。〃
〃Well；　sir！〃　cried　the　queen。
〃Madame；　the　passage　is　quite　clear　and　your　majesty　can
continue　your　road。〃
In　f