twenty years after(二十年后)-第11部分

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place；　to　ask　me　to　take　a　turn　with　you？〃
〃I　am　lieutenant　in　his　majesty's　musketeers；〃　said
D'Artagnan；　〃and　consequently　your　superior　in　everything；
only；　as　the　question　now　is　not　of　rank；　but　of　quarters　
you　know　the　custom　　come　and　seek　for　yours；　the　first　to
return　will　recover　his　chamber。〃
D'Artagnan　led　away　the　Swiss　in　spite　of　lamentations　on
the　part　of　the　hostess；　who　in　reality　found　her　heart
inclining　toward　her　former　lover；　though　she　would　not　have
been　sorry　to　give　a　lesson　to　that　haughty　musketeer　who
had　affronted　her　by　the　refusal　of　her　hand。
It　was　night　when　the　two　adversaries　reached　the　field　of
battle。　D'Artagnan　politely　begged　the　Swiss　to　yield　to　him
the　disputed　chamber；　the　Swiss　refused　by　shaking　his　head；
and　drew　his　sword。
〃Then　you　will　lie　here；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃It　is　a　wretched
bed；　but　that　is　not　my　fault；　and　it　is　you　who　have　chosen
it。〃　With　these　words　he　drew　in　his　turn　and　crossed　swords
with　his　adversary。
He　had　to　contend　against　a　strong　wrist；　but　his　agility
was　superior　to　all　force。　The　Swiss　received　two　wounds　and
was　not　aware　of　it；　by　reason　of　the　cold；　but　suddenly
feebleness；　occasioned　by　loss　of　blood；　obliged　him　to　sit
down。
〃There！〃　said：　D'Artagnan；　〃what　did　I　tell　you？
Fortunately；　you　won't　be　laid　up　more　than　a　fortnight。
Remain　here　and　I　will　send　you　your　clothes　by　the　boy。
Good…by！　Oh；　by　the　way；　you'd　better　take　lodging　in　the
Rue　Montorgueil　at　the　Chat　Qui　Pelote。　You　will　be　well　fed
there；　if　the　hostess　remains　the　same。　Adieu。〃
Thereupon　he　returned　in　a　lively　mood　to　his　room　and　sent
to　the　Swiss　the　things　that　belonged　to　him。　The　boy　found
him　sitting　where　D'Artagnan　had　left　him；　still　overwhelmed
by　the　coolness　of　his　adversary。
The　boy；　the　hostess；　and　all　the　house　had　the　same　regard
for　D'Artagnan　that　one　would　have　for　Hercules　should　he
return　to　earth　to　repeat　his　twelve　labors。
But　when　he　was　alone　with　the　hostess　he　said：　〃Now；　pretty
Madeleine；　you　know　the　difference　between　a　Swiss　and　a
gentleman。　As　for　you；　you　have　acted　like　a　barmaid。　So
much　the　worse　for　you；　for　by　such　conduct　you　have　lost　my
esteem　and　my　patronage。　I　have　driven　away　the　Swiss　to
humiliate　you；　but　I　shall　lodge　here　no　longer。　I　will　not
sleep　where　I　must　scorn。　Ho；　there；　boy！　Have　my　valise
carried　to　the　Muid　d'Amour；　Rue　des　Bourdonnais。　Adieu；
madame。〃
In　saying　these　words　D'Artagnan　appeared　at　the　same　time
majestic　and　grieved。　The　hostess　threw　herself　at　his　feet；
asked　his　pardon　and　held　him　back　with　a　sweet　violence。
What　more　need　be　said？　The　spit　turned；　the　stove　roared；
the　pretty　Madeleine　wept；　D'Artagnan　felt　himself　invaded
by　hunger；　cold　and　love。　He　pardoned；　and　having　pardoned
he　remained。
And　this　explains　how　D'Artagnan　had　quarters　in　the　Rue
Tiquetonne；　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette。
D'Artagnan；　then　returned　home　in　thoughtful　mood；　finding　a
somewhat　lively　pleasure　in　carrying　Mazarin's　bag　of　money
and　thinking　of　that　fine　diamond　which　he　had　once　called
his　own　and　which　he　had　seen　on　the　minister's　finger　that
night。
〃Should　that　diamond　ever　fall　into　my　hands　again；〃　he
reflected；　〃I　would　turn　it　at　once　into　money；　I　would　buy
with　the　proceeds　certain　lands　around　my　father's　chateau；
which　is　a　pretty　place；　well　enough；　but　with　no　land　to　it
at　all；　except　a　garden　about　the　size　of　the　Cemetery　des
Innocents；　and　I　should　wait　in　all　my　glory　till　some　rich
heiress；　attracted　by　my　good　looks；　rode　along　to　marry　me。
Then　I　should　like　to　have　three　sons；　I　should　make　the
first　a　nobleman；　like　Athos；　the　second　a　good　soldier；
like　Porthos；　the　third　an　excellent　abbe；　like　Aramis。
Faith！　that　would　be　a　far　better　life　than　I　lead　now；　but
Monsieur　Mazarin　is　a　mean　wretch；　who　won't　dispossess
himself　of　his　diamond　in　my　favor。〃
On　entering　the　Rue　Tiquetonne　he　heard　a　tremendous　noise
and　found　a　dense　crowd　near　the　house。
〃Oho！〃　said　he；　〃is　the　hotel　on　fire？〃　On　approaching　the
hotel　of　the　Roe　he　found；　however；　that　it　was　in　front　of
the　next　house　the　mob　was　collected。　The　people　were
shouting　and　running　about　with　torches。　By　the　light　of　one
of　these　torches　D'Artagnan　perceived　men　in　uniform。
He　asked　what　was　going　on。
He　was　told　that　twenty　citizens；　headed　by　one　man；　had
attacked　a　carriage　which　was　escorted　by　a　troop　of　the
cardinal's　bodyguard；　but　a　reinforcement　having　come　up；
the　assailants　had　been　put　to　flight　and　the　leader　had
taken　refuge　in　the　hotel　next　to　his　lodgings；　the　house
was　now　being　searched。
In　his　youth　D'Artagnan　had　often　headed　the　bourgeoisie
against　the　military；　but　he　was　cured　of　all　those
hot…headed　propensities；　besides；　he　had　the　cardinal's
hundred　pistoles　in　his　pocket；　so　he　went　into　the　hotel
without　a　word。　There　he　found　Madeleine　alarmed　for　his
safety　and　anxious　to　tell　him　all　the　events　of　the
evening；　but　he　cut　her　short　by　ordering　her　to　put　his
supper　in　his　room　and　give　him　with　it　a　bottle　of　good
Burgundy。
He　took　his　key　and　candle　and　went　upstairs　to　his　bedroom。
He　had　been　contented；　for　the　convenience　of　the　house；　to
lodge　in　the　fourth　story；　and　truth　obliges　us　even　to
confess　that　his　chamber　was　just　above　the　gutter　and　below
the　roof。　His　first　care　on　entering　it　was　to　lock　up　in　an
old　bureau　with　a　new　lock　his　bag　of　money；　and　then　as
soon　as　supper　was　ready　he　sent　away　the　waiter　who　brought
it　up　and　sat　down　to　table。
Not　to　reflect　on　what　had　passed；　as　one　might　fancy。　No；
D'Artagnan　considered　that　things　are　never　well　done　when
they　are　not　reserved　to　their　proper　time。　He　was　hungry；
he　supped；　he　went　to　bed。　Neither　was　he　one　of　those　who
think　that　the　necessary　silence　of　the　night　brings　counsel
with　it。　In　the　night　he　slept；　but　in　the　morning；
refreshed　and　calm；　he　was　inspired　with　his　clearest　views
of　everything。　It　was　long　since　he　had　any　reason　for　his
morning's　inspiration；　but　he　always　slept　all　night　long。
At　daybreak　he　awoke　and　took　a　turn　around　his　room。
〃In　'43；〃　he　said；　〃just　before　the　death　of　the　late
cardinal；　I　received　a　letter　from　Athos。　Where　was　I　then？
Let　me　see。　Oh！　at　the　siege　of　Besancon　I　was　in　the
trenches。　He　told　me　　let　me　think　　what　was　it？　That　he
was　living　on　a　small　estate　　but　where？　I　was　just
reading　the　name　of　the　place　when　the　wind　blew　my　letter
away；　I　suppose　to　the　Spaniards；　there's　no　use　in　thinking
any　more　about　Athos。　Let　me　see：　with　regard　to　Porthos；　I
received　a　letter　from　him；　too。　He　invited　me　to　a　hunting
party　on　his　property　in　the　month　of　September；　1646。
Unluckily；　as　I　was　then　in　Bearn；　on　account　of　my　father's
death；　the　letter　followed　me　there。　I　had　left　Bearn　when
it　arrived　and　I　never　received　it　until　the　month　of　April；
1647；　and　as　the　invitation　was　for　September；　1646；　I
couldn't　accept　it。　Let　me　look　for　this　letter；　it　must　be
with　my　title　deeds。〃
D'Artagnan　opened　an　old　casket　which　stood　in　a　corner　of
the　room；　and　which　was　full　of　parchments　referring　to　an
estate　during　a　period　of　two　hundred　years　lost　to　his
family。　He　uttered　an　exclamation　of　delight；　for　the　large
handwriting　of　Porthos　was　discernible；　and　underneath　some
lines　traced　by　his　worthy　spouse。
D'Artagnan　eagerly　searched　for　the　heading　of　this　letter；
it　was　dated　from　the　Chateau　du　Vallon。
Porthos　had　forgotten　that　any　other　address　was　necessary；
in　his　pride　he　fancied　that　every　one　must　know　the　Chateau
du　Vallon。
〃Devil　take　the　vain　fellow；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃However；　I
had　better　find　him　out　first；　since　he　can't　want　money。
Athos　must　have　become　an　idiot　by　this　time　from　drinking。
Aramis　must　have　worn　himself　to　a　shadow　of　his　former　self
by　constant　genuflexion。〃
He　cast　his　eyes　again　on　the　letter。　There　was　a
postscript：
〃I　write　by　the　same　courier　to　our　worthy　friend　Aramis　in
his　convent。〃
〃In　his　convent！　What　convent？　There　are　about　two　hundred
in　Paris　and　three　thousand　in　France；　and　then；　perhaps；　on
entering　the　convent　he　changed　his　name。　Ah！　if　I　were　but
learned　in　theology　I　should　recollect　what　it　was　he　used
to　dispute　about　with　the　curate　of　Montdidier　and　the
superior　of　the　Jesuits；　when　we　were　at　Crevecoeur；　I
should　know　what　doctrine　he　leans　to　and　I　should　glean
from　that　what　saint　he　has　adopted　as　his　patron。
〃Well；　suppose　I　go　back　to　the　cardinal　and　ask　him　for　a
passport　into　all　the　convents　one　can　find；　even　into　the
nunneries？　It　would　be　a　curious　idea；　and　maybe　I　should
find　my　friend　under　the　name　of　Achilles。　But；　no！　I　should
lose　myself　in　the　cardinal's　opinion。　Great　people　only
thank　you　for　doing　the　impossible；　what's　possible；　they
say；　they　can　effect　themselves；　and　they　are　right。　But　let
us　wait　a　little　and　reflect。　I　received　a　letter　from　him；
the　dear　fellow；　in　which　he　even　asked　me　for　some　small
service；　which；　in　fact；　I　rendered　him。　Yes；　yes；　but　now
what　did　I　do　with　that　letter？〃
D'Artagnan　thought　a　moment　and　then　went　to　the　wardrobe　in
which　hung　his　old　clothes。　He　looked　for　his　doublet　of　the
year　1648　and　as　he　had　orderly　habits；　he　found　it　hanging
on　its　nail。　He　felt　in　the　pocket　and　drew　from　it　a　paper；
it　was　the　letter　of　Aramis：

〃Monsieur　D'Artagnan：　You　know　that　I　have　had　a　quarrel
with　a　certain　gentleman；　who　has　given　me　an　appointment
for　this　evening　in　the　Place　Royale。　As　I　am　of　the　church；
and　the　affair　might　injure　me　if　I　should　share　it　with　any
other　than　a　sure　friend　like　you；　I　write　to　beg　that　you
will　serve　me　as　second。
〃You　will　enter　by　the　Rue　Neuve　Sainte　Catherine；　under　the
second　lamp　on　the　right　you　will　find　your　adversary。　I
shall　be　with　mine　under　the　third。
〃Wholly　yours；
〃Aramis。〃

D'Artagnan　tried　to　recall　his　remembrances。　He　had　gone　to
the　rendezvous；　had　encountered　there　the　adversary
indicated；　whose　name　he　had　never　known；　had　given　him　a
pretty　sword…stroke　on　the　arm；　then　had　gone　toward　Aramis；
who　at　the　same　time　came　to　meet　him；　having　already
finished　his　affair。　〃It　is　over；〃　Aramis　had　said。　〃I　think
I　have　killed　th