twenty years after(二十年后)-第30部分

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his　custom　on　the　entrance　of　his　superior。
〃Well；　my　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　with　his　rude　laugh；　〃you
still　set　yourself　against　this　poor　fellow？〃
〃So！　'tis　you；　La　Ramee；　in　faith；　'tis　time　you　came　back
again。　I　threw　myself　on　the　bed　and　turned　my　nose　to　the
wall；　that　I　mightn't　break　my　promise　and　strangle
Grimaud。〃
〃I　doubt；　however；〃　said　La　Ramee；　in　sprightly　allusion　to
the　silence　of　his　subordinate；　〃if　he　has　said　anything
disagreeable　to　your　highness。〃
〃Pardieu！　you　are　right　　a　mute　from　the　East！　I　swear　it
was　time　for　you　to　come　back；　La　Ramee；　and　I　was　eager　to
see　you　again。〃
〃Monseigneur　is　too　good；〃　said　La　Ramee；　flattered　by　the
compliment。
〃Yes；〃　continued　the　duke；　〃really；　I　feel　bored　today
beyond　the　power　of　description。〃
〃Then　let　us　have　a　match　in　the　tennis　court；〃　exclaimed　La
Ramee。
〃If　you　wish　it。〃
〃I　am　at　your　service；　my　lord。〃
〃I　protest；　my　dear　La　Ramee；〃　said　the　duke；　〃that　you　are
a　charming　fellow　and　that　I　would　stay　forever　at　Vincennes
to　have　the　pleasure　of　your　society。〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　La　Ramee；　〃I　think　if　it　depended　on　the
cardinal　your　wishes　would　be　fulfilled。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？　Have　you　seen　him　lately？〃
〃He　sent　for　me　to…day。〃
〃Really！　to　speak　to　you　about　me？〃
〃Of　what　else　do　you　imagine　he　would　speak　to　me？　Really；
my　lord；　you　are　his　nightmare。〃
The　duke　smiled　with　bitterness。
〃Ah；　La　Ramee！　if　you　would　but　accept　my　offers！　I　would
make　your　fortune。〃
〃How？　you　would　no　sooner　have　left　prison　than　your　goods
would　be　confiscated。〃
〃I　shall　no　sooner　be　out　of　prison　than　I　shall　be　master
of　Paris。〃
〃Pshaw！　pshaw！　I　cannot　hear　such　things　said　as　that；　this
is　a　fine　conversation　with　an　officer　of　the　king！　I　see；
my　lord；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　fetch　a　second　Grimaud！〃
〃Very　well；　let　us　say　no　more　about　it。　So　you　and　the
cardinal　have　been　talking　about　me？　La　Ramee；　some　day　when
he　sends　for　you；　you　must　let　me　put　on　your　clothes；　I
will　go　in　your　stead；　I　will　strangle　him；　and　upon　my
honor；　if　that　is　made　a　condition　I　will　return　to　prison。〃
〃Monseigneur；　I　see　well　that　I　must　call　Grimaud。〃
〃Well；　I　am　wrong。　And　what　did　the　cuistre　＇pettifogger＇
say　about　me？〃
〃I　admit　the　word；　monseigneur；　because　it　rhymes　with
ministre　＇minister＇。　What　did　he　say　to　me？　He　told　me　to
watch　you。〃
〃And　why　so？　why　watch　me？〃　asked　the　duke　uneasily。
〃Because　an　astrologer　had　predicted　that　you　would　escape。〃
〃Ah！　an　astrologer　predicted　that？〃　said　the　duke；　starting
in　spite　of　himself。
〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！　yes！　those　imbeciles　of　magicians　can　only
imagine　things　to　torment　honest　people。〃
〃And　what　did　you　reply　to　his　most　illustrious　eminence？〃
〃That　if　the　astrologer　in　question　made　almanacs　I　would
advise　him　not　to　buy　one。〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃Because　before　you　could　escape　you　would　have　to　be　turned
into　a　bird。〃
〃Unfortunately；　that　is　true。　Let　us　go　and　have　a　game　at
tennis；　La　Ramee。〃
〃My　lord　　I　beg　your　highness's　pardon　　but　I　must　beg
for　half　an　hour's　leave　of　absence。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because　Monseigneur　Mazarin　is　a　prouder　man　than　his
highness；　though　not　of　such　high　birth：　he　forgot　to　ask　me
to　breakfast。〃
〃Well；　shall　I　send　for　some　breakfast　here？〃
〃No；　my　lord；　I　must　tell　you　that　the　confectioner　who
lived　opposite　the　castle　　Daddy　Marteau；　as　they　called
him　　〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well；　he　sold　his　business　a　week　ago　to　a　confectioner
from　Paris；　an　invalid；　ordered　country　air　for　his　health。〃
〃Well；　what　have　I　to　do　with　that？〃
〃Why；　good　Lord！　this　man；　your　highness；　when　he　saw　me
stop　before　his　shop；　where　he　has　a　display　of　things　which
would　make　your　mouth　water；　my　lord；　asked　me　to　get　him
the　custom　of　the　prisoners　in　the　donjon。　‘I　bought；'　said
he；　‘the　business　of　my　predecessor　on　the　strength　of　his
assurance　that　he　supplied　the　castle；　whereas；　on　my　honor；
Monsieur　de　Chavigny；　though　I've　been　here　a　week；　has　not
ordered　so　much　as　a　tartlet。'　‘But；'　I　then　replied；
‘probably　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is　afraid　your　pastry　is　not
good。'　‘My　pastry　not　good！　Well；　Monsieur　La　Ramee；　you
shall　judge　of　it　yourself　and　at　once。'　‘I　cannot；'　I
replied；　‘it　is　absolutely　necessary　for　me　to　return　to　the
chateau。'　‘Very　well；'　said　he；　‘go　and　attend　to　your
affairs；　since　you　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry；　but　come　back　in
half　an　hour。'　‘In　half　an　hour？'　‘Yes；　have　you
breakfasted？'　‘Faith；　no。'　‘Well；　here　is　a　pate　that　will
be　ready　for　you；　with　a　bottle　of　old　Burgundy。'　So；　you
see；　my　lord；　since　I　am　hungry；　I　would；　with　your
highness's　leave　　〃　And　La　Ramee　bent　low。
〃Go；　then；　animal；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　remember；　I　only
allow　you　half　an　hour。〃
〃May　I　promise　your　custom　to　the　successor　of　Father
Marteau；　my　lord？〃
〃Yes；　if　he　does　not　put　mushrooms　in　his　pies；　thou　knowest
that　mushrooms　from　the　wood　of　Vincennes　are　fatal　to　my
family。〃
La　Ramee　went　out；　but　in　five　minutes　one　of　the　officers
of　the　guard　entered　in　compliance　with　the　strict　orders　of
the　cardinal　that　the　prisoner　should　never　be　left　alone　a
moment。
But　during　these　five　minutes　the　duke　had　had　time　to　read
again　the　note　from　Madame　de　Montbazon；　which　proved　to　the
prisoner　that　his　friends　were　concerting　plans　for　his
deliverance；　but　in　what　way　he　knew　not。
But　his　confidence　in　Grimaud；　whose　petty　persecutions　he
now　perceived　were　only　a　blind；　increased；　and　he　conceived
the　highest　opinion　of　his　intellect　and　resolved　to　trust
entirely　to　his　guidance。

19
In　which　the　Contents　of　the　Pates　made　by　the　Successor　of
Father　Marteau　are　described。

In　half　an　hour　La　Ramee　returned；　full　of　glee；　like　most
men　who　have　eaten；　and　more　especially　drank　to　their
heart's　content。　The　pates　were　excellent；　the　wine
delicious。
The　weather　was　fine　and　the　game　at　tennis　took　place　in
the　open　air。
At　two　o'clock　the　tennis　balls　began；　according　to
Grimaud's　directions；　to　take　the　direction　of　the　moat；
much　to　the　joy　of　La　Ramee；　who　marked　fifteen　whenever　the
duke　sent　a　ball　into　the　moat；　and　very　soon　balls　were
wanting；　so　many　had　gone　over。　La　Ramee　then　proposed　to
send　some　one　to　pick　them　up；　but　the　duke　remarked　that　it
would　be　losing　time；　and　going　near　the　rampart　himself　and
looking　over；　he　saw　a　man　working　in　one　of　the　numerous
little　gardens　cleared　out　by　the　peasants　on　the　opposite
side　of　the　moat。
〃Hey；　friend！〃　cried　the　duke。
The　man　raised　his　head　and　the　duke　was　about　to　utter　a
cry　of　surprise。　The　peasant；　the　gardener；　was　Rochefort；
whom　he　believed　to　be　in　the　Bastile。
〃Well？　Who's　up　there？〃　said　the　man。
〃Be　so　good　as　to　collect　and　throw　us　back　our　balls；〃　said
the　duke。
The　gardener　nodded　and　began　to　fling　up　the　balls；　which
were　picked　up　by　La　Ramee　and　the　guard。　One；　however；　fell
at　the　duke's　feet；　and　seeing　that　it　was　intended　for　him；
he　put　it　into　his　pocket。
La　Ramee　was　in　ecstasies　at　having　beaten　a　prince　of　the
blood。
The　duke　went　indoors　and　retired　to　bed；　where　he　spent；
indeed；　the　greater　part　of　every　day；　as　they　had　taken　his
books　away。　La　Ramee　carried　off　all　his　clothes；　in　order
to　be　certain　that　the　duke　would　not　stir。　However；　the
duke　contrived　to　hide　the　ball　under　his　bolster　and　as
soon　as　the　door　was　closed　he　tore　off　the　cover　of　the
ball　with　his　teeth　and　found　underneath　the　following
letter：

My　Lord；　　Your　friends　are　watching　over　you　and　the　hour
of　your　deliverance　is　at　hand。　Ask　day　after　to…morrow　to
have　a　pie　supplied　you　by　the　new　confectioner　opposite　the
castle；　and　who　is　no　other　than　Noirmont；　your　former
maitre　d'hotel。　Do　not　open　the　pie　till　you　are　alone。　I
hope　you　will　be　satisfied　with　its　contents。
〃Your　highness's　most　devoted　servant；
〃In　the　Bastile；　as　elsewhere；
〃Comte　de　Rochefort。

The　duke；　who　had　latterly　been　allowed　a　fire；　burned　the
letter；　but　kept　the　ball；　and　went　to　bed；　hiding　the　ball
under　his　bolster。　La　Ramee　entered；　he　smiled　kindly　on　the
prisoner；　for　he　was　an　excellent　man　and　had　taken　a　great
liking　for　the　captive　prince。　He　endeavored　to　cheer　him　up
in　his　solitude。
〃Ah；　my　friend！〃　cried　the　duke；　〃you　are　so　good；　if　I
could　but　do　as　you　do；　and　eat　pates　and　drink　Burgundy　at
the　house　of　Father　Marteau's　successor。〃
〃'Tis　true；　my　lord；〃　answered　La　Ramee；　〃that　his　pates　are
famous　and　his　wine　magnificent。〃
〃In　any　case；〃　said　the　duke；　〃his　cellar　and　kitchen　might
easily　excel　those　of　Monsieur　de　Chavigny。〃
〃Well；　my　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　falling　into　the　trap；　〃what
is　there　to　prevent　your　trying　them？　Besides；　I　have
promised　him　your　patronage。〃
〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　duke。　〃If　I　am　to　remain　here
permanently；　as　Monsieur　Mazarin　has　kindly　given　me　to
understand；　I　must　provide　myself　with　a　diversion　for　my
old　age；　I　must　turn　gourmand。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃if　you　will　take　a　bit　of　good
advice；　don't　put　that　off　till　you　are　old。〃
〃Good！〃　said　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　to　himself；　〃every　man　in
order　that　he　may　lose　his　heart　and　soul；　must　receive　from
celestial　bounty　one　of　the　seven　capital　sins；　perhaps　two；
it　seems　that　Master　La　Ramee's　is　gluttony。　Let　us　then
take　advantage　of　it。〃　Then；　aloud：
〃Well；　my　dear　La　Ramee！　the　day　after　to…morrow　is　a
holiday。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord　　Pentecost。〃
〃Will　you　give　me　a　lesson　the　day　after　to…morrow？〃
〃In　what？〃
〃In　gastronomy？〃
〃Willingly；　my　lord。〃
〃But　tete…a…tete。　Send　the　guards　to　take　their　meal　in　the
canteen　of　Monsieur　de　Chavigny；　we'll　have　a　supper　here
under　your　direction。〃
〃Hum！〃　said　La　Ramee。
The　proposal　was　seductive；　but　La　Ramee　was　an　old　stager；
acquainted　with　all　the　traps　a　prisoner　was　likely　to　set。
Monsieur　de　Beaufort　had　said　that　he　had　forty　ways　of
getting　out　of　prison。　Did　this　proposed　breakfast　cover
some　stratagem？　He　reflected；　but　he　remembered　that　he
himself　would　have　charge　of　the　food　and　the　wine　and
therefore　that　no　powder　could　be　mixed　with　the　food；　no
drug　with　the　wine。　As　to　getting　him　drunk；　the　duke
couldn't　hope　to　do　that；　and　he　laughed　at　the　mere　thought
of　it。　Then　an　idea　came　to　him　which　harmonized　everything。
The　duke　had　followe