twenty years after(二十年后)-第115部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

require　an　assistant　priest　in　case　the　king　should　wish　to
communicate。　Dressed　as　Aramis　had　been　the　night　before；
the　bishop　got　into　his　carriage；　and　the　former；　more
disguised　by　his　pallor　and　sad　countenance　than　his
deacon's　dress；　got　in　by　his　side。　The　carriage　stopped　at
the　door　of　the　palace。
It　was　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。
Nothing　was　changed。　The　ante…rooms　were　still　full　of
soldiers；　the　passages　still　lined　by　guards。　The　king　was
already　sanguine；　but　when　he　perceived　Aramis　his　hope
turned　to　joy。　He　embraced　Juxon　and　pressed　the　hand　of
Aramis。　The　bishop　affected　to　speak　in　a　loud　voice；　before
every　one；　of　their　previous　interview。　The　king　replied
that　the　words　spoken　in　that　interview　had　borne　their
fruit；　and　that　he　desired　another　under　the　same
conditions。　Juxon　turned　to　those　present　and　begged　them　to
leave　him　and　his　assistant　alone　with　the　king。　Every　one
withdrew。　As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed：
〃Sire；〃　said　Aramis；　speaking　rapidly；　〃you　are　saved；　the
London　executioner　has　vanished。　His　assistant　broke　his　leg
last　night　beneath　your　majesty's　window　　the　cry　we　heard
was　his　　and　there　is　no　executioner　nearer　at　hand　than
Bristol。〃
〃But　the　Comte　de　la　Fere？〃　asked　the　king。
〃Two　feet　below　you；　take　the　poker　from　the　fireplace　and
strike　three　times　on　the　floor。　He　will　answer　you。〃
The　king　did　so；　and　the　moment　after；　three　muffled　knocks；
answering　the　given　signal；　sounded　beneath　the　floor。
〃So；〃　said　Charles；　〃he　who　knocks　down　there　　〃
〃Is　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；　sire；〃　said　Aramis。　〃He　is
preparing　a　way　for　your　majesty　to　escape。　Parry；　for　his
part；　will　raise　this　slab　of　marble　and　a　passage　will　be
opened。〃
〃Oh；　Juxon；〃　said　the　king；　seizing　the　bishop's　two　hands
in　his　own；　〃promise　that　you　will　pray　all　your　life　for
this　gentleman　and　for　the　other　that　you　hear　beneath　your
feet；　and　for　two　others　also；　who；　wherever　they　may　be；
are　on　the　watch　for　my　safety。〃
〃Sire；〃　replied　Juxon；　〃you　shall　be　obeyed。〃
Meanwhile；　the　miner　underneath　was　heard　working　away
incessantly；　when　suddenly　an　unexpected　noise　resounded　in
the　passage。　Aramis　seized　the　poker　and　gave　the　signal　to
stop；　the　noise　came　nearer　and　nearer。　It　was　that　of　a
number　of　men　steadily　approaching。　The　four　men　stood
motionless。　All　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　door；　which　opened
slowly　and　with　a　kind　of　solemnity。
A　parliamentary　officer；　clothed　in　black　and　with　a　gravity
that　augured　ill；　entered；　bowed　to　the　king；　and　unfolding
a　parchment；　read　the　sentence；　as　is　usually　done　to
criminals　before　their　execution。
〃What　is　this？〃　said　Aramis　to　Juxon。
Juxon　replied　with　a　sign　which　meant　that　he　knew　no　more
than　Aramis　about　it。
〃Then　it　is　for　to…day？〃　asked　the　king。
〃Was　not　your　majesty　warned　that　it　was　to　take　place　this
morning？〃
〃Then　I　must　die　like　a　common　criminal　by　the　hand　of　the
London　executioner？〃
〃The　London　executioner　has　disappeared；　your　majesty；　but　a
man　has　offered　his　services　instead。　The　execution　will
therefore　only　be　delayed　long　enough　for　you　to　arrange
your　spiritual　and　temporal　affairs。〃
A　slight　moisture　on　his　brow　was　the　only　trace　of　emotion
that　Charles　evinced；　as　he　learned　these　tidings。　But
Aramis　was　livid。　His　heart　ceased　beating；　he　closed　his
eyes　and　leaned　upon　the　table。　Charles　perceived　it　and
took　his　hand。
〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃courage。〃　Then　he　turned　to　the
officer。　〃Sir；　I　am　ready。　There　is　but　little　reason　why　I
should　delay　you。　Firstly；　I　wish　to　communicate；　secondly；
to　embrace　my　children　and　bid　them　farewell　for　the　last
time。　Will　this　be　permitted　me？〃
〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　officer；　and　left　the　room。
Aramis　dug　his　nails　into　his　flesh　and　groaned　aloud。
〃Oh！　my　lord　bishop；〃　he　cried；　seizing　Juxon's　hands；
〃where　is　Providence？　where　is　Providence？〃
〃My　son；〃　replied　the　bishop；　with　firmness；　〃you　see　Him
not；　because　the　passions　of　the　world　conceal　Him。〃
〃My　son；〃　said　the　king　to　Aramis；　〃do　not　take　it　so　to
heart。　You　ask　what　God　is　doing。　God　beholds　your　devotion
and　my　martyrdom；　and　believe　me；　both　will　have　their
reward。　Ascribe　to　men；　then；　what　is　happening；　and　not　to
God。　It　is　men　who　drive　me　to　death；　it　is　men　who　make　you
weep。〃
〃Yes；　sire；〃　said　Aramis；　〃yes；　you　are　right。　It　is　men
whom　I　should　hold　responsible；　and　I　will　hold　them
responsible。〃
〃Be　seated；　Juxon；〃　said　the　king；　falling　upon　his　knees。
〃I　have　now　to　confess　to　you。　Remain；　sir；〃　he　added　to
Aramis；　who　had　moved　to　leave　the　room。　〃Remain；　Parry。　I
have　nothing　to　say　that　cannot　be　said　before　all。〃
Juxon　sat　down；　and　the　king；　kneeling　humbly　before　him；
began　his　confession。

66
Remember！

The　mob　had　already　assembled　when　the　confession
terminated。　The　king's　children　next　arrived　　the　Princess
Charlotte；　a　beautiful；　fair…haired　child；　with　tears　in　her
eyes；　and　the　Duke　of　Gloucester；　a　boy　eight　or　nine　years
old；　whose　tearless　eyes　and　curling　lip　revealed　a　growing
pride。　He　had　wept　all　night　long；　but　would　not　show　his
grief　before　the　people。
Charles's　heart　melted　within　him　at　the　sight　of　those　two
children；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　two　years　and　whom　he　now
met　at　the　moment　of　death。　He　turned　to　brush　away　a　tear；
and　then；　summoning　up　all　his　firmness；　drew　his　daughter
toward　him；　recommending　her　to　be　pious　and　resigned。　Then
he　took　the　boy　upon　his　knee。
〃My　son；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃you　saw　a　great　number　of　people
in　the　streets　as　you　came　here。　These　men　are　going　to
behead　your　father。　Do　not　forget　that。　Perhaps　some　day
they　will　want　to　make　you　king；　instead　of　the　Prince　of
Wales；　or　the　Duke　of　York；　your　elder　brothers。　But　you　are
not　the　king；　my　son；　and　can　never　be　so　while　they　are
alive。　Swear　to　me；　then；　never　to　let　them　put　a　crown　upon
your　head　unless　you　have　a　legal　right　to　the　crown。　For
one　day　　listen；　my　son　　one　day；　if　you　do　so；　they
will　doom　you　to　destruction；　head　and　crown；　too；　and　then
you　will　not　be　able　to　die　with　a　calm　conscience；　as　I
die。　Swear；　my　son。〃
The　child　stretched　out　his　little　hand　toward　that　of　his
father　and　said；　〃I　swear　to　your　majesty。〃
〃Henry；〃　said　Charles；　〃call　me　your　father。〃
〃Father；〃　replied　the　child；　〃I　swear　to　you　that　they　shall
kill　me　sooner　than　make　me　king。〃
〃Good；　my　child。　Now　kiss　me；　and　you；　too；　Charlotte。　Never
forget　me。〃
〃Oh！　never；　never！〃　cried　both　the　children；　throwing　their
arms　around　their　father's　neck。
〃Farewell；〃　said　Charles；　〃farewell；　my　children。　Take　them
away；　Juxon；　their　tears　will　deprive　me　of　the　courage　to
die。〃
Juxon　led　them　away；　and　this　time　the　doors　were　left　open。
Meanwhile；　Athos；　in　his　concealment；　waited　in　vain　the
signal　to　recommence　his　work。　Two　long　hours　he　waited　in
terrible　inaction。　A　deathlike　silence　reigned　in　the　room
above。　At　last　he　determined　to　discover　the　cause　of　this
stillness。　He　crept　from　his　hole　and　stood；　hidden　by　the
black　drapery；　beneath　the　scaffold。　Peeping　out　from　the
drapery；　he　could　see　the　rows　of　halberdiers　and　musketeers
around　the　scaffold　and　the　first　ranks　of　the　populace
swaying　and　groaning　like　the　sea。
〃What　is　the　matter；　then？〃　he　asked　himself；　trembling　more
than　the　wind…swayed　cloth　he　was　holding　back。　〃The　people
are　hurrying　on；　the　soldiers　under　arms；　and　among　the
spectators　I　see　D'Artagnan。　What　is　he　waiting　for？　What　is
he　looking　at？　Good　God！　have　they　allowed　the　headsman　to
escape？〃
Suddenly　the　dull　beating　of　muffled　drums　filled　the
square。　The　sound　of　heavy　steps　was　heard　above　his　head。
The　next　moment　the　very　planks　of　the　scaffold　creaked　with
the　weight　of　an　advancing　procession；　and　the　eager　faces
of　the　spectators　confirmed　what　a　last　hope　at　the　bottom
of　his　heart　had　prevented　him　till　then　believing。　At　the
same　moment　a　well…known　voice　above　him　pronounced　these
words：
〃Colonel；　I　want　to　speak　to　the　people。〃
Athos　shuddered　from　head　to　foot。　It　was　the　king　speaking
on　the　scaffold。
In　fact；　after　taking　a　few　drops　of　wine　and　a　piece　of
bread；　Charles；　weary　of　waiting　for　death；　had　suddenly
decided　to　go　to　meet　it　and　had　given　the　signal　for
movement。　Then　the　two　wings　of　the　window　facing　the　square
had　been　thrown　open；　and　the　people　had　seen　silently
advancing　from　the　interior　of　the　vast　chamber；　first；　a
masked　man；　who；　carrying　an　axe　in　his　hand；　was　recognized
as　the　executioner。　He　approached　the　block　and　laid　his　axe
upon　it。　Behind　him；　pale　indeed；　but　marching　with　a　firm
step；　was　Charles　Stuart；　who　advanced　between　two　priests；
followed　by　a　few　superior　officers　appointed　to　preside　at
the　execution　and　attended　by　two　files　of　partisans　who
took　their　places　on　opposite　sides　of　the　scaffold。
The　sight　of　the　masked　man　gave　rise　to　a　prolonged
sensation。　Every　one　was　full　of　curiosity　as　to　who　that
unknown　executioner　could　be　who　presented　himself　so
opportunely　to　assure　to　the　people　the　promised　spectacle；
when　the　people　believed　it　had　been　postponed　until　the
following　day。　All　gazed　at　him　searchingly。
But　they　could　discern　nothi