twenty years after(二十年后)-第87部分

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〃Well；　my　dear　friend？〃　said　he；　in　as　pure　French　as　has
ever　been　uttered　between　Rouen　and　Tours。
〃Well；　my　friend；　there　is　not　a　moment　to　lose；　we　must　let
the　king　know　immediately。〃
〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃
〃It　would　take　too　long　to　tell　you；　besides；　you　will　hear
it　all　directly　and　the　least　word　dropped　here　might　ruin
all。　We　must　go　and　find　Lord　Winter。〃
They　both　set　off　to　the　other　end　of　the　camp；　but　as　it
did　not　cover　more　than　a　surface　of　five　hundred　feet　they
quickly　arrived　at　the　tent　they　were　looking　for。
〃Tony；　is　your　master　sleeping？〃　said　one　of　the　two
cavaliers　to　a　servant　who　was　lying　in　the　outer
compartment；　which　served　as　a　kind　of　ante…room。
〃No；　monsieur　le　comte；〃　answered　the　servant；　〃I　think　not；
or　at　least　he　has　not　long　been　so；　for　he　was　pacing　up
and　down　for　more　than　two　hours　after　he　left　the　king；　and
the　sound　of　his　footsteps　has　only　ceased　during　the　last
ten　minutes。　However；　you　may　look　and　see；〃　added　the
lackey；　raising　the　curtained　entrance　of　the　tent。
Lord　Winter　was　seated　near　an　aperture；　arranged　as　a
window　to　let　in　the　night　air；　his　eyes　mechanically
following　the　course　of　the　moon；　intermittently　veiled；　as
we　before　observed；　by　heavy　clouds。　The　two　friends
approached　Winter；　who；　with　his　head　on　his　hands；　was
gazing　at　the　heavens；　he　did　not　hear　them　enter　and
remained　in　the　same　attitude　till　he　felt　a　hand　upon　his
shoulder。
He　turned　around；　recognized　Athos　and　Aramis　and　held　out
his　hand　to　them。
〃Have　you　observed；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃what　a　blood…red
color　the　moon　has　to…night？〃
〃No；〃　replied　Athos；　〃I　thought　it　looked　much　the　same　as
usual。〃
〃Look；　again；　chevalier；〃　returned　Lord　Winter。
〃I　must　own；〃　said　Aramis；　〃I　am　like　the　Comte　de　la　Fere
　I　can　see　nothing　remarkable　about　it。〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃in　a　position　so　precarious　as　ours
we　must　examine　the　earth　and　not　the　heavens。　Have　you
studied　our　Scotch　troops　and　have　you　confidence　in　them？〃
〃The　Scotch？〃　inquired　Winter。　〃What　Scotch？〃
〃Ours；　egad！〃　exclaimed　Athos。　〃Those　in　whom　the　king　has
confided　　Lord　Leven's　Highlanders。〃
〃No；〃　said　Winter；　then　he　paused；　〃but　tell　me；　can　you　not
perceive　the　russet　tint　which　marks　the　heavens？〃
〃Not　the　least　in　the　world；〃　said　Aramis　and　Athos　at　once。
〃Tell　me；〃　continued　Winter；　always　possessed　by　the　same
idea；　〃is　there　not　a　tradition　in　France　that　Henry　IV。；
the　evening　before　the　day　he　was　assassinated；　when　he　was
playing　at　chess　with　M。　de　Bassompiere；　saw　clots　of　blood
upon　the　chessboard？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Athos；　〃and　the　marechal　has　often　told　me　so
himself。〃
〃Then　it　was　so；〃　murmured　Winter；　〃and　the　next　day　Henry
IV。　was　killed。〃
〃But　what　has　this　vision　of　Henry　IV。　to　do　with　you；　my
lord？〃　inquired　Aramis。
〃Nothing；　and　indeed　I　am　mad　to　trouble　you　with　such
things；　when　your　coming　to　my　tent　at　such　an　hour
announces　that　you　are　the　bearers　of　important　news。〃
〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　the　king。〃
〃To　the　king！　but　the　king　is　asleep。〃
〃I　have　something　important　to　reveal　to　him。〃
〃Can　it　not　be　put　off　till　to…morrow？〃
〃He　must　know　it　this　moment；　and　perhaps　it　is　already　too
late。〃
〃Come；　then；〃　said　Lord　Winter。
Lord　Winter's　tent　was　pitched　by　the　side　of　the　royal
marquee；　a　kind　of　corridor　communicating　between　the　two。
This　corridor　was　guarded；　not　by　a　sentinel；　but　by　a
confidential　servant；　through　whom；　in　case　of　urgency；
Charles　could　communicate　instantly　with　his　faithful
subject。
〃These　gentlemen　are　with　me；〃　said　Winter。
The　lackey　bowed　and　let　them　pass。　As　he　had　said；　on　a
camp　bed；　dressed　in　his　black　doublet；　booted；　unbelted；
with　his　felt　hat　beside　him；　lay　the　king；　overcome　by
sleep　and　fatigue。　They　advanced；　and　Athos；　who　was　the
first　to　enter；　gazed　a　moment　in　silence　on　that　pale　and
noble　face；　framed　in　its　long　and　now　untidy；　matted　hair；
the　blue　veins　showing　through　the　transparent　temples；　his
eyes　seemingly　swollen　by　tears。
Athos　sighed　deeply；　the　sigh　woke　the　king；　so　lightly　did
he　sleep。
He　opened　his　eyes。
〃Ah！〃　said　he；　raising　himself　on　his　elbow；　〃is　it　you；
Comte　de　la　Fere？〃
〃Yes；　sire；〃　replied　Athos。
〃You　watch　while　I　sleep　and　you　have　come　to　bring　me　some
news？〃
〃Alas；　sire；〃　answered　Athos；　〃your　majesty　has　guessed
aright。〃
〃It　is　bad　news？〃
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃Never　mind；　the　messenger　is　welcome。　You　never　come　to　me
without　conferring　pleasure。　You　whose　devotion　recognizes
neither　country　nor　misfortune；　you　who　are　sent　to　me　by
Henrietta；　whatever　news　you　bring；　speak　out。〃
〃Sire；　Cromwell　has　arrived　this　night　at　Newcastle。〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃to　fight？〃
〃No；　sire；　but　to　buy　your　majesty。〃
〃What　did　you　say？〃
〃I　said；　sire；　that　four　hundred　thousand　pounds　are　owing
to　the　Scottish　army。〃
〃For　unpaid　wages；　yes；　I　know　it。　For　the　last　year　my
faithful　Highlanders　have　fought　for　honor　alone。〃
Athos　smiled。
〃Well；　sir；　though　honor　is　a　fine　thing；　they　are　tired　of
fighting　for　it；　and　to…night　they　have　sold　you　for　two
hundred　thousand　pounds　　that　is　to　say；　for　half　what　is
owing　them。〃
〃Impossible！〃　cried　the　king；　〃the　Scotch　sell　their　king
for　two　hundred　thousand　pounds！　And　who　is　the　Judas　who
has　concluded　this　infamous　bargain？〃
〃Lord　Leven。〃
〃Are　you　certain　of　it；　sir？〃
〃I　heard　it　with　my　own　ears。〃
The　king　sighed　deeply；　as　if　his　heart　would　break；　and
then　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。
〃Oh！　the　Scotch；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　Scotch　I　called　‘my
faithful；'　to　whom　I　trusted　myself　when　I　could　have　fled
to　Oxford！　the　Scotch；　my　brothers！　But　are　you　well
assured；　sir？〃
〃Lying　behind　the　tent　of　Lord　Leven；　I　raised　it　and　saw
all；　heard　all！〃
〃And　when　is　this　to　be　consummated？〃
〃To…day　　this　morning；　so　your　majesty　must　perceive　there
is　no　time　to　lose！〃
〃To　do　what？　since　you　say　I　am　sold。〃
〃To　cross　the　Tyne；　reach　Scotland　and　rejoin　Lord　Montrose；
who　will　not　sell　you。〃
〃And　what　shall　I　do　in　Scotland？　A　war　of　partisans；
unworthy　of　a　king。〃
〃The　example　of　Robert　Bruce　will　absolve　you；　sire。〃
〃No；　no！　I　have　fought　too　long；　they　have　sold　me；　they
shall　give　me　up；　and　the　eternal　shame　of　treble　treason
shall　fall　on　their　heads。〃
〃Sire；〃　said　Athos；　〃perhaps　a　king　should　act　thus；　but　not
a　husband　and　a　father。　I　have　come　in　the　name　of　your　wife
and　daughter　and　of　the　children　you　have　still　in　London；
and　I　say　to　you；　‘Live；　sire；'　　it　is　the　will　of
Heaven。〃
The　king　raised　himself；　buckled　on　his　belt；　and　passing
his　handkerchief　over　his　moist　forehead；　said：

〃Well；　what　is　to　be　done？〃
〃Sire；　have　you　in　the　army　one　regiment　on　which　you　can
implicitly　rely？〃
〃Winter；〃　said　the　king；　〃do　you　believe　in　the　fidelity　of
yours？〃
〃Sire；　they　are　but　men；　and　men　are　become　both　weak　and
wicked。　I　will　not　answer　for　them。　I　would　confide　my　life
to　them；　but　I　should　hesitate　ere　I　trusted　them　with　your
majesty's。〃
〃Well！〃　said　Athos；　〃since　you　have　not　a　regiment；　we　are
three　devoted　men。　It　is　enough。　Let　your　majesty　mount　on
horseback　and　place　yourself　in　the　midst　of　us；　we　will
cross　the　Tyne；　reach　Scotland；　and　you　will　be　saved。〃
〃Is　this　your　counsel　also；　Winter？〃　inquired　the　king。
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃And　yours；　Monsieur　d'Herblay？〃
〃Yes；　sire。〃
〃As　you　wish；　then。　Winter；　give　the　necessary　orders。〃
Winter　then　left　the　tent；　in　the　meantime　the　king　finished
his　toilet。　The　first　rays　of　daybreak　penetrated　the
aperture　of　the　tent　as　Winter　re…entered　it。
〃All　is　ready；　sire；〃　said　he。
〃For　us；　also？〃　inquired　Athos。
〃Grimaud　and　Blaisois　are　holding　your　horses；　ready
saddled。〃
〃In　that　case；〃　exclaimed　Athos；　〃let　us　not　lose　an
instant；　but　set　off。〃
〃Come；〃　added　the　king。
〃Sire；〃　said　Aramis；　〃will　not　your　majesty　acquaint　some　of
your　friends　of　this？〃
〃Friends！〃　answered　Charles；　sadly；　〃I　have　but　three　　one
of　twenty　years；　who　has　never　forgotten　me；　and　two　of　a
week's　standing；　whom　I　shall　never　forget。　Come；　gentlemen；
come！〃
The　king　quitted　his　tent　and　found　his　horse　ready　waiting
for　him。　It　was　a　chestnut　that　the　king　had　ridden　for
three　years　and　of　which　he　was　very　fond。
The　horse　neighed　with　pleasure　at　seeing　him。
〃Ah！〃　said　the　king；　〃I　was　unjust；　here　is　a　creature　that
loves　me。　You　at　least　will　be　faithful　to　me；　Arthur。〃
The　horse；　as　if　it　understood　these　words；　bent　its　red
nostrils　toward　the　king's　face；　and　parting　his　lips
displayed　all　its　teeth；　as　if　with　pleasure。
〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　king；　caressing　it　with　his　hand；　〃yes；
my　Arthur；　thou　art　a　fond　and　faithful　creature。〃
After　this　little　scene　Charles　threw　himself　into　the
saddle；　and　turning　to　Athos；　Aramis　and　Winter；　said：
〃Now；　gentlemen；　I　am　at　your　service。〃
But　Athos　was　standing　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　a　black　line
which　bordered　the　banks　of　the　Tyne　and　seemed　to　extend
double　the　length　of　the　camp。
〃What　is　that　line？〃　cried　Athos；　whose　vision　was　still
rather　obscured　by　the　uncertain　shades　and　demi…tints　of
daybreak。　〃What　is　that　line？　I　did　not　observe　it
yesterday。〃
〃It　must　be　the　fog　rising　from　the　river；〃　said　the　king。
〃Sire；　it　is　something　more　opaque　than　the　fog。〃
〃Indeed！〃　said　Winter；　〃it　appears　to　me　like　a　bar　of　red
color。〃
〃It　is　the　enemy；　who　have　made　a　sortie　from　Newcastle　and
are　surrounding　us！〃　exclaimed　Athos。
〃The　enemy！〃　cried　the　king。
〃Yes；　the　enemy。　It　is　too　late。　Stop　a　moment；　does　not
that　sunbeam　yonder；　just　by　the　side　of　the　town；　glitter
on　the　Ironsides？〃
This　was　the　name　given　the　cuirassiers；　whom　Cromwell　had
made　his　body…guard。
〃Ah！〃　said　the　king；　〃we　shall　soon　see　whether　my
Highlanders　have　betrayed　me　or　not。〃
〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　exclaimed　Athos。
〃To　give　them　the　order　to　charge；　and　run　down　these
miserable　rebels。〃
And　the　king；　putting　spurs　to　his　horse；　set　off　to　the
tent　of　Lord　Leven。
〃Follow　him；〃　said　Athos。
〃Come！〃　exclaimed　Aramis。
〃Is　the　king　wounded？〃　cried　Lord　Winter。　〃I　see　spots　of
blood　on　the　ground。〃　And　he　set　off　to　follow　the　two
friends。
He　was　stopped　by　Athos。
〃Go　and　call　out　your　regiment；〃　said　he；　〃I　ca