twenty years after(二十年后)-第6部分

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〃And；〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃what　talk　is　there　of　war　with
Spain？〃
〃With　Spain；　no；〃　answered　D'Artagnan；　〃but　Paris。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　Rochefort。
〃Do　you　hear　the　guns；　pray？　The　citizens　are　amusing
themselves　in　the　meantime。〃
〃And　you　　do　you　really　think　that　anything　could　be　done
with　these　bourgeois？〃
〃Yes；　they　might　do　well　if　they　had　any　leader　to　unite
them　in　one　body。〃
〃How　miserable　not　to　be　free！〃
〃Don't　be　downcast。　Since　Mazarin　has　sent　for　you；　it　is
because　he　wants　you。　I　congratulate　you！　Many　a　long　year
has　passed　since　any　one　has　wanted　to　employ　me；　so　you　see
in　what　a　situation　I　am。〃
〃Make　your　complaints　known；　that's　my　advice。〃
〃Listen；　Rochefort；　let　us　make　a　compact。　We　are　friends；
are　we　not？〃
〃Egad！　I　bear　the　traces　of　our　friendship　　three　slits　or
slashes　from　your　sword。〃
〃Well；　if　you　should　be　restored　to　favor；　don't　forget　me。〃
〃On　the　honor　of　a　Rochefort；　but　you　must　do　the　like　for
me。〃
〃There's　my　hand；　　I　promise。〃
〃Therefore；　whenever　you　find　any　opportunity　of　saying
something　in　my　behalf　　〃
〃I　shall　say　it；　and　you？〃
〃I　shall　do　the　same。〃
〃Apropos；　are　we　to　speak　of　your　friends　also；　Athos；
Porthos；　and　Aramis？　or　have　you　forgotten　them？〃
〃Almost。〃
〃What　has　become　of　them？〃
〃I　don't　know；　we　separated；　as　you　know。　They　are　alive；
that's　all　that　I　can　say　about　them；　from　time　to　time　I
hear　of　them　indirectly；　but　in　what　part　of　the　world　they
are；　devil　take　me　if　I　know；　No；　on　my　honor；　I　have　not　a
friend　in　the　world　but　you；　Rochefort。〃
〃And　the　illustrious　　what's　the　name　of　the　lad　whom　I
made　a　sergeant　in　Piedmont's　regiment？〃
〃Planchet！〃
〃The　illustrious　Planchet。　What　has　become　of　him？〃
〃I　shouldn't　wonder　if　he　were　at　the　head　of　the　mob　at
this　very　moment。　He　married　a　woman　who　keeps　a
confectioner's　shop　in　the　Rue　des　Lombards；　for　he's　a　lad
who　was　always　fond　of　sweetmeats；　he's　now　a　citizen　of
Paris。　You'll　see　that　that　queer　fellow　will　be　a　sheriff
before　I　shall　be　a　captain。〃
〃Come；　dear　D'Artagnan；　look　up　a　little！　Courage！　It　is
when　one　is　lowest　on　the　wheel　of　fortune　that　the
merry…go…round　wheels　and　rewards　us。　This　evening　your
destiny　begins　to　change。〃
〃Amen！〃　exclaimed　D'Artagnan；　stopping　the　carriage。
〃What　are　you　doing？〃　asked　Rochefort。
〃We　are　almost　there　and　I　want　no　one　to　see　me　getting　out
of　your　carriage；　we　are　supposed　not　to　know　each　other。〃
〃You　are　right。　Adieu。〃
〃Au　revoir。　Remember　your　promise。〃
In　five　minutes　the　party　entered　the　courtyard　and
D'Artagnan　led　the　prisoner　up　the　great　staircase　and
across　the　corridor　and　ante…chamber。
As　they　stopped　at　the　door　of　the　cardinal's　study；
D'Artagnan　was　about　to　be　announced　when　Rochefort　slapped
him　on　his　shoulder。
〃D'Artagnan；　let　me　confess　to　you　what　I've　been　thinking
about　during　the　whole　of　my　drive；　as　I　looked　out　upon　the
parties　of　citizens　who　perpetually　crossed　our　path　and
looked　at　you　and　your　four　men　with　fiery　eyes。〃
〃Speak　out；〃　answered　D'Artagnan。
〃I　had　only　to　cry　out　‘Help！'　for　you　and　for　your
companions　to　be　cut　to　pieces；　and　then　I　should　have　been
free。〃
〃Why　didn't　you　do　it？〃　asked　the　lieutenant。
〃Come；　come！〃　cried　Rochefort。　〃Did　we　not　swear　friendship？
Ah！　had　any　one　but　you　been　there；　I　don't　say　　〃
D'Artagnan　bowed。　〃Is　it　possible　that　Rochefort　has　become
a　better　man　than　I　am？〃　he　said　to　himself。　And　he　caused
himself　to　be　announced　to　the　minister。
〃Let　M。　de　Rochefort　enter；〃　said　Mazarin；　eagerly；　on
hearing　their　names　pronounced；　〃and　beg　M。　d'Artagnan　to
wait；　I　shall　have　further　need　of　him。〃
These　words　gave　great　joy　to　D'Artagnan。　As　he　had　said；　it
had　been　a　long　time　since　any　one　had　needed　him；　and　that
demand　for　his　services　on　the　part　of　Mazarin　seemed　to　him
an　auspicious　sign。
Rochefort；　rendered　suspicious　and　cautious　by　these　words；
entered　the　apartment；　where　he　found　Mazarin　sitting　at　the
table；　dressed　in　his　ordinary　garb　and　as　one　of　the
prelates　of　the　Church；　his　costume　being　similar　to　that　of
the　abbes　in　that　day；　excepting　that　his　scarf　and
stockings　were　violet。
As　the　door　was　closed　Rochefort　cast　a　glance　toward
Mazarin；　which　was　answered　by　one；　equally　furtive；　from
the　minister。
There　was　little　change　in　the　cardinal；　still　dressed　with
sedulous　care；　his　hair　well　arranged　and　curled；　his　person
perfumed；　he　looked；　owing　to　his　extreme　taste　in　dress；
only　half　his　age。　But　Rochefort；　who　had　passed　five　years
in　prison；　had　become　old　in　the　lapse　of　a　few　years；　the
dark　locks　of　this　estimable　friend　of　the　defunct　Cardinal
Richelieu　were　now　white；　the　deep　bronze　of　his　complexion
had　been　succeeded　by　a　mortal　pallor　which　betokened
debility。　As　he　gazed　at　him　Mazarin　shook　his　head
slightly；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃This　is　a　man　who　does　not
appear　to　me　fit　for　much。〃
After　a　pause；　which　appeared　an　age　to　Rochefort；　Mazarin
took　from　a　bundle　of　papers　a　letter；　and　showing　it　to　the
count；　he　said：
〃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　ab