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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
horseshoe； were the buildings occupied by Mazarin； and at
each wing the pavilion （or smaller building）； where
D'Artagnan was confined； and that； level with the orangery；
where Athos was to be。 From the ends of these two wings
extended the park。
Athos； when he reached his appointed room； observed through
the gratings of his window； walls and roofs； and was told；
on inquiry； by Comminges； that he was looking on the back of
the pavilion where D'Artagnan was confined。
〃Yes； 'tis too true；〃 said Comminges； 〃'tis almost a prison；
but what a singular fancy this is of yours； count you；
who are the very flower of our nobility to squander your
valor and loyalty amongst these upstarts； the Frondists！
Really； count； if ever I thought that I had a friend in the
ranks of the royal army； it was you。 A Frondeur！ you； the
Comte de la Fere； on the side of Broussel； Blancmesnil and
Viole！ For shame！ you； a Frondeur！〃
〃On my word of honor；〃 said Athos； 〃one must be either a
Mazarinist or a Frondeur。 For a long time I had these words
whispered in my ears； and I chose the latter； at any rate；
it is a French word。 And now； I am a Frondeur not of
Broussel's party； nor of Blancmesnil's； nor am I with Viole；
but with the Duc de Beaufort； the Ducs de Bouillon and
d'Elbeuf； with princes； not with presidents； councillors and
low…born lawyers。 Besides； what a charming outlook it would
have been to serve the cardinal！ Look at that wall
without a single window which tells you fine things about
Mazarin's gratitude！〃
〃Yes；〃 replied De Comminges； 〃more especially if it could
reveal how Monsieur d'Artagnan for this last week has been
anathematizing him。〃
〃Poor D'Artagnan'〃 said Athos； with the charming melancholy
that was one of the traits of his character； 〃so brave； so
good； so terrible to the enemies of those he loves。 You have
two unruly prisoners there； sir。〃
〃Unruly；〃 Comminges smiled； 〃you wish to terrify me； I
suppose。 When he came here； Monsieur D'Artagnan provoked and
braved the soldiers and inferior officers； in order； I
suppose； to have his sword back。 That mood lasted some time；
but now he's as gentle as a lamb and sings Gascon songs；
which make one die of laughing。〃
〃And Du Vallon？〃 asked Athos。
〃Ah； he's quite another sort of person a formidable
gentleman； indeed。 The first day he broke all the doors in
with a single push of his shoulder； and I expected to see
him leave Rueil in the same way as Samson left Gaza。 But his
temper cooled down； like his friend's； he not only gets used
to his captivity； but jokes about it。〃
〃So much the better；〃 said Athos。
〃Do you think anything else was to be expected of them？〃
asked Comminges； who； putting together what Mazarin had said
of his prisoners and what the Comte de la Fere had said；
began to feel a degree of uneasiness。
Athos； on the other hand； reflected that this recent
gentleness of his friends most certainly arose from some
plan formed by D'Artagnan。 Unwilling to injure them by
praising them too highly； he replied： 〃They？ They are two
hotheads the one a Gascon； the other from Picardy； both
are easily excited； but they quiet down immediately。 You
have had a proof of that in what you have just related to
me。〃
This； too； was the opinion of Comminges； who withdrew
somewhat reassured。 Athos remained alone in the vast
chamber； where； according to the cardinal's directions； he
was treated with all the courtesy due to a nobleman。 He
awaited Mazarin's promised visit to get some light on his
present situation。
83
Strength and Sagacity。
Now let us pass the orangery to the hunting lodge。 At the
extremity of the courtyard； where； close to a portico formed
of Ionic columns； were the dog kennels； rose an oblong
building； the pavilion of the orangery； a half circle；
inclosing the court of honor。 It was in this pavilion； on
the ground floor； that D'Artagnan and Porthos were confined；
suffering interminable hours of imprisonment in a manner
suitable to each different temperament。
D'Artagnan was pacing to and fro like a caged tiger； with
dilated eyes； growling as he paced along by the bars of a
window looking upon the yard of servant's offices。
Porthos was ruminating over an excellent dinner he had just
demolished。
The one seemed to be deprived of reason； yet he was
meditating。 The other seemed to meditate； yet he was more
than half asleep。 But his sleep was a nightmare； which might
be guessed by the incoherent manner in which he sometimes
snored and sometimes snorted。
〃Look；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃day is declining。 It must be
nearly four o'clock。 We have been in this place nearly
eighty…three hours。〃
〃Hem！〃 muttered Porthos； with a kind of pretense of
answering。
〃Did you hear； eternal sleeper？〃 cried D'Artagnan； irritated
that any one could doze during the day； when he had the
greatest difficulty in sleeping during the night。
〃What？〃 said Porthos。
〃I say we have been here eighty…three hours。〃
〃'Tis your fault；〃 answered Porthos。
〃How； my fault？〃
〃Yes； I offered you escape。〃
〃By pulling out a bar and pushing down a door？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Porthos； men like us can't go out from here purely and
simply。〃
〃Faith！〃 said Porthos； 〃as for me； I could go out with that
purity and that simplicity which it seems to me you despise
too much。〃
D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders。
〃And besides；〃 he said； 〃going out of this chamber isn't
all。〃
〃Dear friend；〃 said Porthos； 〃you appear to be in a somewhat
better humor to…day than you were yesterday。 Explain to me
why going out of this chamber isn't everything。〃
〃Because； having neither arms nor password； we shouldn't
take fifty steps in the court without knocking against a
sentinel。〃
Very well；〃 said Porthos； 〃we will kill the sentinel and we
shall have his arms。〃
〃Yes； but before we can kill him and he will be hard to
kill； that Swiss he will shriek out and the whole picket
will come； and we shall be taken like foxes； we； who are
lions； and thrown into some dungeon； where we shall not even
have the consolation of seeing this frightful gray sky of
Rueil； which no more resembles the sky of Tarbes than the
moon is like the sun。 Lack…a…day！ if we only had some one to
instruct us about the physical and moral topography of this
castle。 Ah！ when one thinks that for twenty years； during
which time I did not know what to do with myself； it never
occurred to me to come to study Rueil。〃
〃What difference does that make？〃 said Porthos。 〃We shall go
out all the same。〃
〃Do you know； my dear fellow； why master pastrycooks never
work with their hands？〃
〃No；〃 said Porthos； 〃but I should be glad to be informed。〃
〃It is because in the presence of their pupils they fear
that some of their tarts or creams may turn out badly
cooked。〃
〃What then？〃
〃Why； then they would be laughed at； and a master pastrycook
must never be laughed at。〃
〃And what have master pastrycooks to do with us？〃
〃We ought； in our adventures； never to be defeated or give
any one a chance to laugh at us。 In England； lately； we
failed； we were beaten； and that is a blemish on our
reputation。〃
〃By whom； then； were we beaten？〃 asked Porthos。
〃By Mordaunt。〃
〃Yes； but we have drowned Monsieur Mordaunt。〃