twenty years after(二十年后)-第6部分

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〃I　find　here　a　letter　in　which　you　sue　for　liberty；　Monsieur
de　Rochefort。　You　are　in　prison；　then？〃
Rochefort　trembled　in　every　limb　at　this　question。　〃But　I
thought；〃　he　said；　〃that　your　eminence　knew　that
circumstance　better　than　any　one　　〃
〃I？　Oh　no！　There　is　a　congestion　of　prisoners　in　the
Bastile；　who　were　cooped　up　in　the　time　of　Monsieur　de
Richelieu；　I　don't　even　know　their　names。〃
〃Yes；　but　in　regard　to　myself；　my　lord；　it　cannot　be　so；　for
I　was　removed　from　the　Chatelet　to　the　Bastile　owing　to　an
order　from　your　eminence。〃
〃You　think　you　were。〃
〃I　am　certain　of　it。〃
〃Ah；　stay！　I　fancy　I　remember　it。　Did　you　not　once　refuse　to
undertake　a　journey　to　Brussels　for　the　queen？〃
〃Ah！　ah！〃　exclaimed　Rochefort。　〃There　is　the　true　reason！
Idiot　that　I　am；　though　I　have　been　trying　to　find　it　out
for　five　years；　I　never　found　it　out。〃
〃But　I　do　not　say　it　was　the　cause　of　your　imprisonment。　I
merely　ask　you；　did　you　not　refuse　to　go　to　Brussels　for　the
queen；　whilst　you　had　consented　to　go　there　to　do　some
service　for　the　late　cardinal？〃
〃That　is　the　very　reason　I　refused　to　go　back　to　Brussels。　I
was　there　at　a　fearful　moment。　I　was　sent　there　to　intercept
a　correspondence　between　Chalais　and　the　archduke；　and　even
then；　when　I　was　discovered　I　was　nearly　torn　to　pieces。　How
could　I；　then；　return　to　Brussels？　I　should　injure　the　queen
instead　of　serving　her。〃
〃Well；　since　the　best　motives　are　liable　to　misconstruction；
the　queen　saw　in　your　refusal　nothing　but　a　refusal　　a
distinct　refusal　she　had　also　much　to　complain　of　you　during
the　lifetime　of　the　late　cardinal；　yes；　her　majesty　the
queen　　〃
Rochefort　smiled　contemptuously。
〃Since　I　was　a　faithful　servant；　my　lord；　to　Cardinal
Richelieu　during　his　life；　it　stands　to　reason　that　now；
after　his　death；　I　should　serve　you　well；　in　defiance　of　the
whole　world。〃
〃With　regard　to　myself；　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；〃　replied
Mazarin；　〃I　am　not；　like　Monsieur　de　Richelieu；
all…powerful。　I　am　but　a　minister；　who　wants　no　servants；
being　myself　nothing　but　a　servant　of　the　queen's。　Now；　the
queen　is　of　a　sensitive　nature。　Hearing　of　your　refusal　to
obey　her　she　looked　upon　it　as　a　declaration　of　war；　and　as
she　considers　you　a　man　of　superior　talent；　and　consequently
dangerous；　she　desired　me　to　make　sure　of　you；　that　is　the
reason　of　your　being　shut　up　in　the　Bastile。　But　your
release　can　be　managed。　You　are　one　of　those　men　who　can
comprehend　certain　matters　and　having　understood　them；　can
act　with　energy　　〃
〃Such　was　Cardinal　Richelieu's　opinion；　my　lord。〃
〃The　cardinal；〃　interrupted　Mazarin；　〃was　a　great　politician
and　therein　shone　his　vast　superiority　over　me。　I　am　a
straightforward；　simple　man；　that's　my　great　disadvantage。　I
am　of　a　frankness　of　character　quite　French。〃
Rochefort　bit　his　lips　in　order　to　prevent　a　smile。
〃Now　to　the　point。　I　want　friends；　I　want　faithful　servants。
When　I　say　I　want；　I　mean　the　queen　wants　them。　I　do　nothing
without　her　commands　　pray　understand　that；　not　like
Monsieur　de　Richelieu；　who　went　on　just　as　he　pleased。　So　I
shall　never　be　a　great　man；　as　he　was；　but　to　compensate　for
that；　I　shall　be　a　good　man；　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；　and　I
hope　to　prove　it　to　you。〃
Rochefort　knew　well　the　tones　of　that　soft　voice；　in　which
sounded　sometimes　a　sort　of　gentle　lisp；　like　the　hissing　of
young　vipers。
〃I　am　disposed　to　believe　your　eminence；〃　he　replied；
〃though　I　have　had　but　little　evidence　of　that　good…nature
of　which　your　eminence　speaks。　Do　not　forget　that　I　have
been　five　years　in　the　Bastile　and　that　no　medium　of　viewing
things　is　so　deceptive　as　the　grating　of　a　prison。〃
〃Ah；　Monsieur　de　Rochefort！　have　I　not　told　you　already　that
I　had　nothing　to　do　with　that？　The　queen　　cannot　you　make
allowances　for　the　pettishness　of　a　queen　and　a　princess？
But　that　has　passed　away　as　suddenly　as　it　came；　and　is
forgotten。〃
〃I　can　easily　suppose；　sir；　that　her　majesty　has　forgotten
it　amid　the　fetes　and　the　courtiers　of　the　Palais　Royal；　but
I　who　have　passed　those　years　in　the　Bastile　　〃
〃Ah！　mon　Dieu！　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort！　do　you
absolutely　think　that　the　Palais　Royal　is　the　abode　of
gayety？　No。　We　have　had　great　annoyances　there。　As　for　me；　I
play　my　game　squarely；　fairly；　and　above　board；　as　I　always
do。　Let　us　come　to　some　conclusion。　Are　you　one　of　us；
Monsieur　de　Rochefort？〃
〃I　am　very　desirous　of　being　so；　my　lord；　but　I　am　totally
in　the　dark　about　everything。　In　the　Bastile　one　talks
politics　only　with　soldiers　and　jailers；　and　you　have　not　an
idea；　my　lord；　how　little　is　known　of　what　is　going　on　by
people　of　that　sort；　I　am　of　Monsieur　de　Bassompierre's
party。　Is　he　still　one　of　the　seventeen　peers　of　France。〃
〃He　is　dead；　sir；　a　great　loss。　His　devotion　to　the　queen
was　boundless；　men　of　loyalty　are　scarce。〃
〃I　think　so；　forsooth；〃　said　Rochefort；　〃and　when　you　find
any　of　them；　you　march　them　off　to　the　Bastile。　However；
there　are　plenty　in　the　world；　but　you　don't　look　in　the
right　direction　for　them；　my　lord。〃
〃Indeed！　explain　to　me。　Ah！　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort；
how　much　you　must　have　learned　during　your　intimacy　with　the
late　cardinal！　Ah！　he　was　a　great　man。〃
〃Will　your　eminence　be　angry　if　I　read　you　a　lesson？〃
〃I！　never！　you　know　you　may　say　anything　to　me。　I　try　to　be
beloved；　not　feared。〃
〃Well；　there　is　on　the　wall　of　my　cell；　scratched　with　a
nail；　a　proverb；　which　says；　‘Like　master；　like　servant。'〃
〃Pray；　what　does　that　mean？〃
〃It　means　that　Monsieur　de　Richelieu　was　able　to　find　trusty
servants；　dozens　and　dozens　of　them。〃
〃He！　the　point　aimed　at　by　every　poniard！　Richelieu；　who
passed　his　life　in　warding　off　blows　which　were　forever
aimed　at　him！〃
〃But　he　did　ward　them　off；〃　said　De　Rochefort；　〃and　the
reason　was；　that　though　he　had　bitter　enemies　he　possessed
also　true　friends。　I　have　known　persons；〃　he　continued　
for　he　thought　he　might　avail　himself　of　the　opportunity　of
speaking　of　D'Artagnan　　〃who　by　their　sagacity　and　address
have　deceived　the　penetration　of　Cardinal　Richelieu；　who　by
their　valor　have　got　the　better　of　his　guards　and　spies；
persons　without　money；　without　support；　without　credit；　yet
who　have　preserved　to　the　crowned　head　its　crown　and　made
the　cardinal　crave　pardon。〃
〃But　those　men　you　speak　of；〃　said　Mazarin；　smiling　inwardly
on　seeing　Rochefort　approach　the　point　to　which　he　was
leading　him；　〃those　men　were　not　devoted　to　the　cardinal；
for　they　contended　against　him。〃
〃No；　in　that　case　they　would　have　met　with　more　fitting
reward。　They　had　the　misfortune　to　be　devoted　to　that　very
queen　for　whom　just　now　you　were　seeking　servants。〃
〃But　how　is　it　that　you　know　so　much　of　these　matters？〃
〃I　know　them　because　the　men　of　whom　I　speak　were　at　that
time　my　enemies；　because　they　fought　against　me；　because　I
did　them　all　the　harm　I　could　and　they　returned　it　to　the
best　of　their　ability；　because　one　of　them；　with　whom　I　had
most　to　do；　gave　me　a　pretty　sword…thrust；　now　about　seven
years　ago；　the　third　that　I　received　from　the　same　hand；　it
closed　an　old　account。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Mazarin；　with　admirable　suavity；　〃could　I　but
find　such　men！〃
〃My　lord；　there　has　stood　for　six　years　at　your　very　door　a
man　such　as　I　describe；　and　during　those　six　years　he　has
been　unappreciated　and　unemployed　by　you。〃
〃Who　is　it？〃
〃It　is　Monsieur　d'Artagnan。〃
〃That　Gascon！〃　cried　Mazarin；　with　well　acted　surprise。
〃‘That　Gascon'　has　saved　a　queen　and　made　Monsieur　de
Richelieu　confess　that　in　point　of　talent；　address　and
political　skill；　to　him　he　was　only　a　tyro。〃
〃Really？〃
〃It　is　as　I　have　the　honor　of　telling　it　to　your
excellency。〃
〃Tell　me　a　little　about　it；　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Rochefort。〃
〃That　is　somewhat　difficult；　my　lord；〃　said　Rochefort；　with
a　smile。
〃Then　he　will　tell　it　me　himself。〃
〃I　doubt　it；　my　lord。〃
〃Why　do　you　doubt　it？〃
〃Because　the　secret　does　not　belong　to　him；　because；　as　I
have　told　you；　it　has　to　do　with　a　great　queen。〃
〃And　he　was　alone　in　achieving　an　enterprise　like　that？〃
〃No；　my　lord；　he　had　three　colleagues；　three　brave　men；　men
such　as　you　were　wishing　for　just　now。〃
〃And　were　these　four　men　attached　to　each　other；　true　in
heart；　really　united？〃
〃As　if　they　had　been　one　man　　as　if　their　four　hearts　had
pulsated　in　one　breast。〃
〃You　pique　my　curiosity；　dear　Rochefort；　pray　tell　me　the
whole　story。〃
〃That　is　impossible；　but　I　will　tell　you　a　true　story；　my
lord。〃
〃Pray　do　so；　I　delight　in　stories；〃　cried　the　cardinal。
〃Listen；　then；〃　returned　Rochefort；　as　he　spoke　endeavoring
to　read　in　that　subtle　countenance　the　cardinal's　motive。
〃Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　queen　　a　powerful　monarch
　who　reigned　over　one　of　the　greatest　kingdoms　of　the
universe；　and　a　minister；　and　this　minister　wished　much　to
injure　the　queen；　whom　once　he　had　loved　too　well。　（Do　not
try；　my　lord；　you　cannot　guess　who　it　is；　all　this　happened
long　before　you　came　into　the　country　where　this　queen
reigned。）　There　came　to　the　court　an　ambassador　so　brave；　so
magnificent；　so　elegant；　that　every　woman　lost　her　heart　to
him；　and　the　queen　had　even　the　indiscretion　to　give　him
certain　ornaments　so　rare　that　they　could　never　be　replaced
by　any　like　them。
〃As　these　ornaments　were　given　by　the　king　the　minister
persuaded　his　majesty　to　insist　upon　the　queen's　appearing
in　them　as　part　of　her　jewels　at　a　ball　which　was　soon　to
take　place。　There　is　no　occasion　to　tell　you；　my　lord；　that
the　minister　knew　for　a　fact　that　these　ornaments　had　sailed
away　with　the　ambassador；　who　was　far　away；　beyond　seas。
This　illustrious　queen　had　fallen　low　as　the　least　of　her
subjects　　fallen　from　her　high　estate。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Well；　my　lord；　four　men　resolved　to　save　her。　These　four
men　were　not　princes；　neither　were　they　dukes；　neither　were
they　men　in　power；　they　were　not　even　rich。　They　were　four
honest　soldiers；　each　with　a　good　heart；　a　good　arm　and　a
sword　at　the　service　of　those　who　wanted　it。　They　set　out。
The　minister　knew　of　their　departure　and　had　planted　people
on　the　road　to　prevent　them　ever　reaching　their　destination。
Three　of　them　were　overwhelmed　and　disabled　by　numerous
assailants；　one　of　them　alone　arrived　at　the　port；　having
either　killed　or　w