twenty years after(二十年后)-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


stranger　he　beckoned　to　his　companions；　and　two　men　who　were
drinking　in　the　inn　went　out　to　speak　to　him。
D'Artagnan；　on　his　side；　went　up　to　the　landlady；　praised
her　wine　　which　was　a　horrible　production　from　the　country
of　Montreuil　　and　heard　from　her　that　there　were　only　two
houses　of　importance　in　the　village；　one　of　these　belonged
to　the　Archbishop　of　Paris；　and　was　at　that　time　the　abode
of　his　niece　the　Duchess　of　Longueville；　the　other　was　a
convent　of　Jesuits　and　was　the　property　　a　by　no　means
unusual　circumstance　　of　these　worthy　fathers。
At　four　o'clock　D'Artagnan　recommenced　his　journey。　He
proceeded　slowly　and　in　deep　reverie。　Planchet　also　was　lost
in　thought；　but　the　subject　of　their　reflections　was　not　the
same。
One　word　which　their　landlady　had　pronounced　had　given　a
particular　turn　to　D'Artagnan's　deliberations；　this　was　the
name　of　Madame　de　Longueville。
That　name　was　indeed　one　to　inspire　imagination　and　produce
thought。　Madame　de　Longueville　was　one　of　the　highest　ladies
in　the　realm；　she　was　also　one　of　the　greatest　beauties　at
court。　She　had　formerly　been　suspected　of　an　intimacy　of　too
tender　a　nature　with　Coligny；　who；　for　her　sake；　had　been
killed　in　a　duel；　in　the　Place　Royale；　by　the　Duc　de　Guise。
She　was　now　connected　by　bonds　of　a　political　nature　with
the　Prince　de　Marsillac；　the　eldest　son　of　the　old　Duc　de
Rochefoucauld；　whom　she　was　trying　to　inspire　with　an　enmity
toward　the　Duc　de　Conde；　her　brother…in…law；　whom　she　now
hated　mortally。
D'Artagnan　thought　of　all　these　matters。　He　remembered　how
at　the　Louvre　he　had　often　seen；　as　she　passed　by　him　in　the
full　radiance　of　her　dazzling　charms；　the　beautiful　Madame
de　Longueville。　He　thought　of　Aramis；　who；　without
possessing　any　greater　advantages　than　himself；　had　formerly
been　the　lover　of　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　who　had　been　to　a
former　court　what　Madame　de　Longueville　was　in　that　day；　and
he　wondered　how　it　was　that　there　should　be　in　the　world
people　who　succeed　in　every　wish；　some　in　ambition；　others
in　love；　whilst　others；　either　from　chance；　or　from
ill…luck；　or　from　some　natural　defect　or　impediment；　remain
half…way　upon　the　road　toward　fulfilment　of　their　hopes　and
expectations。
He　was　confessing　to　himself　that　he　belonged　to　the　latter
unhappy　class；　when　Planchet　approached　and　said：
〃I　will　lay　a　wager；　your　honor；　that　you　and　I　are　thinking
of　the　same　thing。〃
〃I　doubt　it；　Planchet；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃but　what　are
you　thinking　of？〃
〃I　am　thinking；　sir；　of　those　desperate　looking　men　who　were
drinking　in　the　inn　where　we　rested。〃
〃Always　cautious；　Planchet。〃
〃'Tis　instinct；　your　honor。〃
〃Well；　what　does　your　instinct　tell　you　now？〃
〃Sir；　my　instinct　told　me　that　those　people　were　assembled
there　for　some　bad　purpose；　and　I　was　reflecting　on　what　my
instinct　had　told　me；　in　the　darkest　corner　of　the　stable；
when　a　man　wrapped　in　a　cloak　and　followed　by　two　other　men；
came　in。〃
〃Ah　ah！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　Planchet's　recital　agreeing　with
his　own　observations。　〃Well？〃
〃One　of　these　two　men　said；　‘He　must　certainly　be　at　Noisy；
or　be　coming　there　this　evening；　for　I　have　seen　his
servant。'
〃‘Art　thou　sure？　'　said　the　man　in　the　cloak。
〃‘Yes；　my　prince。'〃
〃My　prince！〃　interrupted　D'Artagnan。
〃Yes；　‘my　prince；'　but　listen。　‘If　he　is　here'　　this　is
what　the　other　man　said　　‘let's　see　decidedly　what　to　do
with　him。'
〃‘What　to　do　with　him？'　answered　the　prince。
〃‘Yes；　he's　not　a　man　to　allow　himself　to　be　taken　anyhow；
he'll　defend　himself。'
〃‘Well；　we　must　try　to　take　him　alive。　Have　you　cords　to
bind　him　with　and　a　gag　to　stop　his　mouth？'
〃‘We　have。'
〃‘Remember　that　he　will　most　likely　be　disguised　as　a
horseman。'
〃‘Yes；　yes；　my　lord；　don't　be　uneasy。'
〃‘Besides；　I　shall　be　there。'
〃‘You　will　assure　us　that　justice　　'
〃‘Yes；　yes！　I　answer　for　all　that；'　the　prince　said。
〃‘Well；　then；　we'll　do　our　best。'　Having　said　that；　they
went　out　of　the　stable。〃
〃Well；　what　matters　all　that　to　us？〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃This
is　one　of　those　attempts　that　happen　every　day。〃
〃Are　you　sure　that　we　are　not　its　objects？〃
〃We？　Why？〃
〃Just　remember　what　they　said。　‘I　have　seen　his　servant；'
said　one；　and　that　applies　very　well　to　me。〃
〃Well？〃
〃‘He　must　certainly　be　at　Noisy；　or　be　coming　there　this
evening；'　said　the　other；　and　that　applies　very　well　to
you。〃
〃What　else？〃
〃Then　the　prince　said：　‘Take　notice　that　in　all　probability
he　will　be　disguised　as　a　cavalier；'　which　seems　to　me　to
leave　no　room　for　doubt；　since　you　are　dressed　as　a　cavalier
and　not　as　an　officer　of　musketeers。　Now　then；　what　do　you
say　to　that？〃
〃Alas！　my　dear　Planchet；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　sighing；　〃we　are
unfortunately　no　longer　in　those　times　in　which　princes
would　care　to　assassinate　me。　Those　were　good　old　days；
never　fear　　these　people　owe　us　no　grudge。〃
〃Is　your　honor　sure？〃
〃I　can　answer　for　it　they　do　not。〃
〃Well；　we　won't　speak　of　it　any　more；　then；〃　and　Planchet
took　his　place　in　D'Artagnan's　suite　with　that　sublime
confidence　he　had　always　had　in　his　master；　which　even
fifteen　years　of　separation　had　not　destroyed。
They　had　traveled　onward　about　half　a　mile　when　Planchet
came　close　up　to　D'Artagnan。
〃Stop；　sir；　look　yonder；〃　he　whispered；　〃don't　you　see　in
the　darkness　something　pass　by；　like　shadows？　I　fancy　I　hear
horses'　feet。〃
〃Impossible！〃　returned　D'Artagnan。　〃The　ground　is　soaking
wet；　yet　I　fancy；　as　thou　sayest；　that　I　see　something。〃
At　this　moment　the　neighing　of　a　horse　struck　his　ear；
coming　through　darkness　and　space。
〃There　are　men　somewhere　about；　but　that's　of　no　consequence
to　us；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃let　us　ride　onward。〃
At　about　half…past　eight　o'clock　they　reached　the　first
houses　in　Noisy；　every　one　was　in　bed　and　not　a　light　was　to
be　seen　in　the　village。　The　obscurity　was　broken　only　now
and　then　by　the　still　darker　lines　of　the　roofs　of　houses。
Here　and　there　a　dog　barked　behind　a　door　or　an　affrighted
cat　fled　precipitately　from　the　midst　of　the　pavement　to
take　refuge　behind　a　pile　of　faggots；　from　which　retreat　her
eyes　would　shine　like　peridores。　These　were　the　only　living
creatures　that　seemed　to　inhabit　the　village。
Toward　the　middle　of　the　town；　commanding　the　principal　open
space；　rose　a　dark　mass；　separated　from　the　rest　of　the
world　by　two　lanes　and　overshadowed　in　the　front　by　enormous
lime…trees。　D'Artagnan　looked　attentively　at　the　building。
〃This；〃　he　said　to　Planchet；　〃must　be　the　archbishop's
chateau；　the　abode　of　the　fair　Madame　de　Longueville；　but
the　convent；　where　is　that？〃
〃The　convent；　your　honor；　is　at　the　other　end　of　the
village；　I　know　it　well。〃
〃Well；　then；　Planchet；　gallop　up　to　it　whilst　I　tighten　my
horse's　girth；　and　come　back　and　tell　me　if　there　is　a　light
in　any　of　the　Jesuits'　windows。〃
In　about　five　minutes　Planchet　returned。
〃Sir；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　one　window　of　the　convent　lighted
up。〃
〃Hem！　If　I　were　a　‘Frondeur；'〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　should
knock　here　and　should　be　sure　of　a　good　supper。　If　I　were　a
monk　I　should　knock　yonder　and　should　have　a　good　supper
there；　too；　whereas；　'tis　very　possible　that　between　the
castle　and　the　convent　we　shall　sleep　on　hard　beds；　dying
with　hunger　and　thirst。〃
〃Yes；〃　added　Planchet；　〃like　the　famous　ass　of　Buridan。
Shall　I　knock？〃
〃Hush！〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　〃the　light　no　longer　burns　in
yonder　window。〃
〃Do　you　hear　nothing？〃　whispered　Planchet。
〃What　is　that　noise？〃
There　came　a　sound　like　a　whirlwind；　at　the　same　time　two
troops　of　horsemen；　each　composed　of　ten　men；　sallied　forth
from　each　of　the　lanes　which　encompassed　the　house　and
surrounded　D'Artagnan　and　Planchet。
〃Heyday！〃　cried　D'Artagnan；　drawing　his　sword　and　taking
refuge　behind　his　horse；　〃are　you　not　mistaken？　is　it　really
for　us　that　you　mean　your　attack？〃
〃Here　he　is！　we　have　him！〃　cried　the　horsemen；　rushing　on
D'Artagnan　with　naked　swords。
〃Don't　let　him　escape！〃　said　a　loud　voice。
〃No；　my　lord；　be　assured　we　shall　not。〃
D'Artagnan　thought　it　was　now　time　for　him　to　join　in　the
conversation。
〃Halloo；　gentlemen！〃　he　called　out　in　his　Gascon　accent；
〃what　do　you　want？　what　do　you　demand？〃
〃That　thou　shalt　soon　know；〃　shouted　a　chorus　of　horsemen。
〃Stop；　stop！〃　cried　he　whom　they　had　addressed　as　〃my　lord；〃
〃'tis　not　his　voice。〃
〃Ah！　just　so；　gentlemen！　pray；　do　people　get　into　a　passion
at　random　at　Noisy？　Take　care；　for　I　warn　you　that　the　first
man　that　comes　within　the　length　of　my　sword　　and　my　sword
is　long　　I　rip　him　up。〃
The　chieftain　of　the　party　drew　near。
〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　asked　in　a　lofty　tone；　as　that
of　one　accustomed　to　command。
〃And　you　　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　replied　D'Artagnan。
〃Be　civil；　or　I　shall　beat　you；　for　although　one　may　not
choose　to　proclaim　oneself；　one　insists　on　respect　suitable
to　one's　rank。〃
〃You　don't　choose　to　discover　yourself；　because　you　are　the
leader　of　an　ambuscade；〃　returned　D'Artagnan；　〃but　with
regard　to　myself；　who　am　traveling　quietly　with　my　own
servant；　I　have　not　the　same　reasons　as　you　have　to　conceal
my　name。〃
〃Enough！　enough！　what　is　your　name？〃
〃I　shall　tell　you　my　name　in　order　that　you　may　know　where
to　find　me；　my　lord；　or　my　prince；　as　it　may　suit　you　best
to　be　called；〃　said　our　Gascon；　who　did　not　choose　to　seem
to　yield　to　a　threat。　〃Do　you　know　Monsieur　d'Artagnan？〃
〃Lieutenant　in　the　king's　musketeers？〃　said　the　voice；　〃you
are　Monsieur　d'Artagnan？〃
〃I　am。〃
〃Then　you　came　here　to　defend　him？〃
〃Him？　whom？〃
〃The　man　we　are　seeking。〃
〃It　seems；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃that　whilst　I　thought　I　was
coming　to　Noisy　I　have　entered；　without　suspecting　it；　into
the　kingdom　of　mysteries。〃
〃Come；〃　replied　the　same　lofty　tone；　〃answer！　Are　you
waiting　for　him　underneath　these　windows？　Did　you　come　to
Noisy　to　defend　him？〃
〃I　am　waiting　for　no　one；〃　replied　D'Artagnan；　who　was
beginning　to　be　angry。　〃I　propose　to　defend　no　one　but
myself；　and　I　shall　defend　myself　vigorously；　I　give　you
warning。〃
〃Very　well；〃　said　the　voice；　〃go　away　from　here　and　leave
the　place　to　us。〃
〃Go　away　from　here！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　whose　purposes　were　in
conflict　with　that　order；　〃that　is　not　so　easy；　since　I　am
on　the　point　of　falling；　and　my　horse；　too；　through　fatigue；
unless；　in