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！
be unmindful of it。〃
〃And so； my dear count；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃his eminence
didn't actually insist on our attending him； it is Du Vallon
and I who have insisted； and even in a manner somewhat
impolite； perhaps； so great was our longing to see you。〃
At that voice； that mocking tone； and that familiar gesture；
accenting voice and tone； Athos made a bound of surprise。
〃D'Artagnan！ Porthos！〃 he exclaimed。
〃My very self； dear friend。〃
〃Me； also！〃 repeated Porthos。
〃What means this？〃 asked the count。
〃It means；〃 replied Mazarin； trying to smile and biting his
lips in the attempt； 〃that our parts are changed； and that
instead of these gentlemen being my prisoners I am theirs；
but； gentlemen； I warn you； unless you kill me； your victory
will be of very short duration； people will come to the
rescue。〃
〃Ah！ my lord！〃 cried the Gascon； 〃don't threaten！ 'tis a bad
example。 We are so good and gentle to your eminence。 Come；
let us put aside all rancor and talk pleasantly。〃
〃There's nothing I wish more；〃 replied Mazarin。 〃But don't
think yourselves in a better position than you are。 In
ensnaring me you have fallen into the trap yourselves。 How
are you to get away from here？ remember the soldiers and
sentinels who guard these doors。 Now； I am going to show you
how sincere I am。〃
〃Good；〃 thought D'Artagnan； 〃we must look about us； he's
going to play us a trick。〃
〃I offered you your liberty；〃 continued the minister； 〃will
you take it？ Before an hour has passed you will be
discovered； arrested； obliged to kill me； which would be a
crime unworthy of loyal gentlemen like you。〃
〃He is right；〃 thought Athos。
And； like every other reflection passing in a mind that
entertained none but noble thoughts； this feeling was
expressed in his eyes。
〃And therefore；〃 said D'Artagnan； to clip the hope which
Athos's tacit adhesion had imparted to Mazarin； 〃we shall
not proceed to that violence save in the last extremity。〃
〃If on the contrary；〃 resumed Mazarin； 〃you accept your
liberty 〃
〃Why you； my lord； might take it away from us in less than
five minutes afterward； and from my knowledge of you I
believe you will so take it away from us。〃
〃No on the faith of a cardinal。 You do not believe me？〃
〃My lord； I never believe cardinals who are not priests。〃
〃Well； on the faith of a minister。〃
〃You are no longer a minister； my lord； you are a prisoner。〃
〃Then； on the honor of a Mazarin； as I am and ever shall be；
I hope；〃 said the cardinal。
〃Hem；〃 replied D'Artagnan。 〃I have heard speak of a Mazarin
who had not much religion when his oaths were in question。 I
fear he may have been an ancestor of your eminence。〃
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan； you are a great wit and I am really
sorry to be on bad terms with you。〃
〃My lord； let us come to terms； I ask nothing better。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Mazarin； 〃if I place you in security； in a
manner evident； palpable 〃
〃Ah！ that is another thing；〃 said Porthos。
〃Let us see；〃 said Athos。
〃Let us see；〃 said D'Artagnan。
〃In the first place； do you accept？〃 asked the cardinal。
〃Unfold your plan； my lord； and we will see。〃
〃Take notice that you are shut up captured。〃
〃You well know； my lord； that there always remains to us a
last resource。〃
〃What？〃
〃That of dying together。〃
Mazarin shuddered。
〃Listen；〃 he said； 〃at the end of yonder corridor is a door；
of which I have the key； it leads into the park。 Go； and
take this key with you； you are active； vigorous； and you
have arms。 At a hundred steps； on turning to the left； you
will find the wall of the park； get over it； and in three
leaps you will be on the road and free。〃
〃Ah！ by Jove； my lord；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃you have well
said； but these are only words。 Where is the key you speak
of？〃
〃Here it is。〃
〃Ah； my lord！ You will conduct us yourself； then； to that
door？〃
〃Very willingly； if it be necessary to reassure you；〃
answered the minister； and Mazarin； who was delighted to get
off so cheaply； led the way； in high spirits； to the
corridor and opened the door。
It led into the park； as the three fugitives perceived by
the night breeze which rushed into the corridor and blew the
wind into their faces。
〃The devil！〃 exclaimed the Gascon； 〃'tis a dreadful night；
my lord。 We don't know the locality； and shall never find
the wall。 Since your eminence has come so far； come a few
steps further； conduct us； my lord； to the wall。〃
〃Be it so；〃 replied the cardinal； and walking in a straight
line he went to the wall； at the foot of which they all four
arrived at the same instant。
〃Are you satisfied； gentlemen？〃 asked Mazarin。
〃I think so； indeed； we should be hard to please if we were
not。 Deuce take it！ three poor gentlemen escorted by a
prince of the church！ Ah！ apropos； my lord！ you remarked
that we were all active； vigorous and armed。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You are mistaken。 Monsieur du Vallon and I are the only two
who are armed。 The count is not； and should we meet with one
of your patrol we must defend ourselves。〃
〃'Tis true。〃
〃Where can we find another sword？〃 asked Porthos。
〃My lord；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃will lend his； which is of no
use to him； to the Comte de la Fere。〃
〃Willingly；〃 said the cardinal； 〃I will even ask the count
to keep it for my sake。〃
〃I promise you； my lord； never to part with it；〃 replied
Athos。
〃Well； well；〃 cried D'Artagnan； 〃this reconciliation is
truly touching； have you not tears in your eyes； Porthos？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Porthos； 〃but I do not know if it is feeling or
the wind that makes me weep； I think it is the wind。〃
〃Now climb up； Athos； quickly；〃 said D'Artagnan。 Athos；
assisted by Porthos； who lifted him up like a feather；
arrived at the top。
〃Now； jump down； Athos。〃
Athos jumped and disappeared on the other side of the wall。
〃Are you on the ground？〃 asked D'Artagnan。
〃Yes。〃
〃Without accident？〃
〃Perfectly safe and sound。〃
〃Porthos； whilst I get up； watch the cardinal。 No； I don't
want your help； watch the cardinal。〃
〃I am watching；〃 said Porthos。 〃Well？〃
〃You are right； it is more difficult than I thought。 Lend me
your back but don't let the cardinal go。〃
Porthos lent him his back and D'Artagnan was soon on the
summit of the wall； where he seated himself。
Mazarin pretended to laugh。
〃Are you there？〃 asked Porthos。
〃Yes； my friend； and now 〃
〃Now； what？〃 asked Porthos。
〃Now give me the cardinal up here； if he makes any noise
stifle him。〃
Mazarin wished to call out； but Porthos held him tight and
passed him to D'Artagnan； who seized him by the neck and
made him sit down by him； then in a menacing tone； he said：
〃Sir！ jump directly down； close to Monsieur de la Fere； or；
on the honor of a gentleman； I'll kill you！〃
〃Monsieur； monsieur；〃 cried Mazarin； 〃you are breaking your
word to me！〃
〃I did I promise you anything； my lord？〃
Mazarin groaned。
〃You are free；〃 he said； 〃through me； your liberty was my
ransom。〃
〃Agreed； but the ransom of that immense treasure buried
under the gallery； to which one descends on pushing a spring
hidden in the wall； which causes a tub to turn； revealing a
staircase must not one speak of that a little； my lord？〃
〃Diavolo！〃 cried Mazarin； almost choked； and clasping his
hands； 〃I am a lost and ruined man！〃
But wit