twenty years after(二十年后)-第31部分

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of　it。　Then　an　idea　came　to　him　which　harmonized　everything。
The　duke　had　followed　with　anxiety　La　Ramee's　unspoken
soliloquy；　reading　it　from　point　to　point　upon　his　face。　But
presently　the　exempt's　face　suddenly　brightened。
〃Well；〃　he　asked；　〃that　will　do；　will　it　not？〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；　on　one　condition。〃
〃What？〃
〃That　Grimaud　shall　wait　on　us　at　table。〃
Nothing　could　be　more　agreeable　to　the　duke；　however；　he　had
presence　of　mind　enough　to　exclaim：
〃To　the　devil　with　your　Grimaud！　He　will　spoil　the　feast。〃
〃I　will　direct　him　to　stand　behind　your　chair；　and　since　he
doesn't　speak；　your　highness　will　neither　see　nor　hear　him
and　with　a　little　effort　can　imagine　him　a　hundred　miles
away。〃
〃Do　you　know；　my　friend；　I　find　one　thing　very　evident　in
all　this；　you　distrust　me。〃
〃My　lord；　the　day　after　to…morrow　is　Pentecost。〃
〃Well；　what　is　Pentecost　to　me？　Are　you　afraid　that　the　Holy
Spirit　will　come　as　a　tongue　of　fire　to　open　the　doors　of　my
prison？〃
〃No；　my　lord；　but　I　have　already　told　you　what　that　damned
magician　predicted。〃
〃And　what　was　it？〃
〃That　the　day　of　Pentecost　would　not　pass　without　your
highness　being　out　of　Vincennes。〃
〃You　believe　in　sorcerers；　then；　you　fool？〃
〃I　…I　mind　them　no　more　than　that　　〃　and　he　snapped
his　fingers；　〃but　it　is　my　Lord　Giulio　who　cares　about　them；
as　an　Italian　he　is　superstitious。〃
The　duke　shrugged　his　shoulders。
〃Well；　then；〃　with　well　acted　good…humor；　〃I　allow　Grimaud；
but　no　one　else；　you　must　manage　it　all。　Order　whatever　you
like　for　supper　　the　only　thing　I　specify　is　one　of　those
pies；　and　tell　the　confectioner　that　I　will　promise　him　my
custom　if　he　excels　this　time　in　his　pies　　not　only　now；
but　when　I　leave　my　prison。〃
〃Then　you　think　you　will　some　day　leave　it？〃　said　La　Ramee。
〃The　devil！〃　replied　the　prince；　〃surely；　at　the　death　of
Mazarin。　I　am　fifteen　years　younger　than　he　is。　At
Vincennes；　'tis　true；　one　lives　faster　　〃
〃My　lord；〃　replied　La　Ramee；　〃my　lord　　〃
〃Or　dies　sooner；　for　it　comes　to　the　same　thing。〃
La　Ramee　was　going　out。　He　stopped；　however；　at　the　door　for
an　instant。
〃Whom　does　your　highness　wish　me　to　send　to　you？〃
〃Any　one；　except　Grimaud。〃
〃The　officer　of　the　guard；　then；　with　his　chessboard？〃
〃Yes。〃
Five　minutes　afterward　the　officer　entered　and　the　duke
seemed　to　be　immersed　in　the　sublime　combinations　of　chess。
A　strange　thing　is　the　mind；　and　it　is　wonderful　what
revolutions　may　be　wrought　in　it　by　a　sign；　a　word；　a　hope。
The　duke　had　been　five　years　in　prison；　and　now　to　him；
looking　back　upon　them；　those　five　years；　which　had　passed
so　slowly；　seemed　not　so　long　a　time　as　were　the　two　days；
the　forty…eight　hours；　which　still　parted　him　from　the　time
fixed　for　his　escape。　Besides；　there　was　one　thing　that
engaged　his　most　anxious　thought　　in　what　way　was　the
escape　to　be　effected？　They　had　told　him　to　hope　for　it；　but
had　not　told　him　what　was　to　be　hidden　in　the　mysterious
pate。　And　what　friends　awaited　him　without？　He　had　friends；
then；　after　five　years　in　prison？　If　that　were　so　he　was
indeed　a　highly　favored　prince。　He　forgot　that　besides　his
friends　of　his　own　sex；　a　woman；　strange　to　say；　had
remembered　him。　It　is　true　that　she　had　not；　perhaps；　been
scupulously　faithful　to　him；　but　she　had　remembered　him；
that　was　something。
So　the　duke　had　more　than　enough　to　think　about；　accordingly
he　fared　at　chess　as　he　had　fared　at　tennis；　he　made　blunder
upon　blunder　and　the　officer　with　whom　he　played　found　him
easy　game。
But　his　successive　defeats　did　service　to　the　duke　in　one
way　　they　killed　time　for　him　till　eight　o'clock　in　the
evening；　then　would　come　night；　and　with　night；　sleep。　So；
at　least；　the　duke　believed；　but　sleep　is　a　capricious
fairy；　and　it　is　precisely　when　one　invokes　her　presence
that　she　is　most　likely　to　keep　him　waiting。　The　duke　waited
until　midnight；　turning　on　his　mattress　like　St。　Laurence　on
his　gridiron。　Finally　he　slept。
But　at　daybreak　he　awoke。　Wild　dreams　had　disturbed　his
repose。　He　dreamed　that　he　was　endowed　with　wings　　he
wished　to　fly　away。　For　a　time　these　wings　supported　him；
but　when　he　reached　a　certain　height　this　new　aid　failed
him。　His　wings　were　broken　and　he　seemed　to　sink　into　a
bottomless　abyss；　whence　he　awoke；　bathed　in　perspiration
and　nearly　as　much　overcome　as　if　he　had　really　fallen。　He
fell　asleep　again　and　another　vision　appeared。　He　was　in　a
subterranean　passage　by　which　he　was　to　leave　Vincennes。
Grimaud　was　walking　before　him　with　a　lantern。　By　degrees
the　passage　narrowed；　yet　the　duke　continued　his　course。　At
last　it　became　so　narrow　that　the　fugitive　tried　in　vain　to
proceed。　The　sides　of　the　walls　seem　to　close　in；　even　to
press　against　him。　He　made　fruitless　efforts　to　go　on；　it
was　impossible。　Nevertheless；　he　still　saw　Grimaud　with　his
lantern　in　front；　advancing。　He　wished　to　call　out　to　him
but　could　not　utter　a　word。　Then　at　the　other　extremity　he
heard　the　footsteps　of　those　who　were　pursuing　him。　These
steps　came　on；　came　fast。　He　was　discovered；　all　hope　of
flight　was　gone。　Still　the　walls　seemed　to　be　closing　on
him；　they　appeared　to　be　in　concert　with　his　enemies。　At
last　he　heard　the　voice　of　La　Ramee。　La　Ramee　took　his　hand
and　laughed　aloud。　He　was　captured　again；　and　conducted　to
the　low　and　vaulted　chamber；　in　which　Ornano；　Puylaurens；
and　his　uncle　had　died。　Their　three　graves　were　there；
rising　above　the　ground；　and　a　fourth　was　also　there；
yawning　for　its　ghastly　tenant。
The　duke　was　obliged　to　make　as　many　efforts　to　awake　as　he
had　done　to　go　to　sleep；　and　La　Ramee　found　him　so　pale　and
fatigued　that　he　inquired　whether　he　was　ill。
〃In　fact；〃　said　one　of　the　guards　who　had　remained　in　the
chamber　and　had　been　kept　awake　by　a　toothache；　brought　on
by　the　dampness　of　the　atmosphere；　〃my　lord　has　had　a　very
restless　night　and　two　or　three　times；　while　dreaming；　he
called　for　help。〃
〃What　is　the　matter　with　your　highness？〃　asked　La　Ramee。
〃'Tis　your　fault；　you　simpleton；〃　answered　the　duke。　〃With
your　idle　nonsense　yesterday　about　escaping；　you　worried　me
so　that　I　dreamed　that　I　was　trying　to　escape　and　broke　my
neck　in　doing　so。〃
La　Ramee　laughed。
〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃'tis　a　warning　from　Heaven。　Never　commit
such　an　imprudence　as　to　try　to　escape；　except　in　your
dreams。〃
〃And　you　are　right；　my　dear　La　Ramee；〃　said　the　duke；　wiping
away　the　sweat　that　stood　on　his　brow；　wide　awake　though　he
was；　〃after　this　I　will　think　of　nothing　but　eating　and
drinking。〃
〃Hush！〃　said　La　Ramee；　and　one　by　one　he　sent　away　the
guards；　on　various　pretexts。
〃Well？〃　asked　the　duke　when　they　were　alone。
〃Well！〃　replied　La　Ramee；　〃your　supper　is　ordered。〃
〃Ah！　and　what　is　it　to　be？　Monsieur；　my　majordomo；　will
there　be　a　pie？〃
〃I　should　think　so；　indeed　　almost　as　high　as　a　tower。〃
〃You　told　him　it　was　for　me？〃
〃Yes；　and　he　said　he　would　do　his　best　to　please　your
highness。〃
〃Good！〃　exclaimed　the　duke；　rubbing　his　hands。
〃Devil　take　it；　my　lord！　what　a　gourmand　you　are　growing；　I
haven't　seen　you　with　so　cheerful　a　face　these　five　years。〃
The　duke　saw　that　he　had　not　controlled　himself　as　he　ought；
but　at　that　moment；　as　if　he　had　listened　at　the　door　and
comprehended　the　urgent　need　of　diverting　La　Ramee's　ideas；
Grimaud　entered　and　made　a　sign　to　La　Ramee　that　he　had
something　to　say　to　him。
La　Ramee　drew　near　to　Grimaud；　who　spoke　to　him　in　a　low
voice。
The　duke　meanwhile　recovered　his　self…control。
〃I　have　already　forbidden　that　man；〃　he　said；　〃to　come　in
here　without　my　permission。〃
〃You　must　pardon　him；　my　lord；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃for　I
directed　him　to　come。〃
〃And　why　did　you　so　direct　when　you　know　that　he　displeases
me？〃
〃My　lord　will　remember　that　it　was　agreed　between　us　that　he
should　wait　upon　us　at　that　famous　supper。　My　lord　has
forgotten　the　supper。〃
〃No；　but　I　have　forgotten　Monsieur　Grimaud。〃
〃My　lord　understands　that　there　can　be　no　supper　unless　he
is　allowed　to　be　present。〃
〃Go　on；　then；　have　it　your　own　way。〃
〃Come　here；　my　lad；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃and　hear　what　I　have　to
say。〃
Grimaud　approached；　with　a　very　sullen　expression　on　his
face。
La　Ramee　continued：　〃My　lord　has　done　me　the　honor　to　invite
me　to　a　supper　to…morrow　en　tete…a…tete。〃
Grimaud　made　a　sign　which　meant　that　he　didn't　see　what　that
had　to　do　with　him。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃the　matter　concerns　you；　for　you
will　have　the　honor　to　serve　us；　and　besides；　however　good
an　appetite　we　may　have　and　however　great　our　thirst；　there
will　be　something　left　on　the　plates　and　in　the　bottles；　and
that　something　will　be　yours。〃
Grimaud　bowed　in　thanks。
〃And　now；〃　said　La　Ramee；　〃I　must　ask　your　highness's
pardon；　but　it　seems　that　Monsieur　de　Chavigny　is　to　be　away
for　a　few　days　and　he　has　sent　me　word　that　he　has　certain
directions　to　give　me　before　his　departure。〃
The　duke　tried　to　exchange　a　glance　with　Grimaud；　but　there
was　no　glance　in　Grimaud's　eyes。
〃Go；　then；〃　said　the　duke；　〃and　return　as　soon　as　possible。〃
〃Does　your　highness　wish　to　take　revenge　for　the　game　of
tennis　yesterday？〃
Grimaud　intimated　by　a　scarcely　perceptible　nod　that　he
should　consent。
〃Yes；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　take　care；　my　dear　La　Ramee；　for
I　propose　to　beat　you　badly。〃
La　Ramee　went　out。　Grimaud　looked　after　him；　and　when　the
door　was　closed　he　drew　out　of　his　pocket　a　pencil　and　a
sheet　of　paper。
〃Write；　my　lord；〃　he　said。
〃And　what？〃
Grimaud　dictated。
〃All　is　ready　for　to…morrow　evening。　Keep　watch　from　seven
to　nine。　Have　two　riding　horses　ready。　We　shall　descend　by
the　first　window　in　the　gallery。〃
〃What　next？〃
〃Sign　your　name；　my　lord。〃
The　duke　signed。
〃Now；　my　lord；　give　me；　if　you　have　not　lost　it；　the　ball　
that　which　contained　the　letter。〃
The　duke　took　it　from　under　his　pillow　and　gave　it　to
Grimaud。　Grimaud　gave　a　grim　smile。
〃Well？〃　asked　the　duke。
〃Well；　my　lord；　I　sew　up　the　paper　in　the　ball　and　you；　in
your　game　of　tennis；　will　send　the　ball　into　the　ditch。〃
〃But　will　it　not　be　lost？〃
〃Oh　no；　there　will　be　some　one　at　hand　to　pick　it　up。〃
〃A　gardener？〃
Grimaud　nodded。
〃The　same　as　yesterday？〃
Another　nod　on　the　part　of　Grimaud。
〃The　Count　de　Rochefort？〃
Grimaud　nodded　the　third　time。
〃Come；　now；〃　said　the　duke；　〃give　some