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！
〃He is a great commander； Bragelonne。〃
〃He is a hero； sir。 I did not lose sight of him for an
instant。 Oh！ how fine it is to be called Conde and to be so
worthy of such a name！〃
〃He was calm and radiant； was he not？〃
〃As calm as at parade； radiant as at a fete。 When we went up
to the enemy it was slowly； we were forbidden to draw first
and we were marching toward the Spaniards； who were on a
height with lowered muskets。 When we arrived about thirty
paces from them the prince turned around to the soldiers：
‘Comrades；' he said； ‘you are about to suffer a furious
discharge； but after that you will make short work with
those fellows。' There was such dead silence that friends and
enemies could have heard these words； then raising his
sword； ‘Sound trumpets！' he cried。〃
〃Well； very good； you will do as much when the opportunity
occurs； will you； Raoul？〃
〃I know not； sir； but I thought it really very fine and
grand！〃
〃Were you afraid； Raoul？〃 asked the count。
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied the young man naively； 〃I felt a great
chill at my heart； and at the word ‘fire；' which resounded
in Spanish from the enemy's ranks； I closed my eyes and
thought of you。〃
〃In honest truth； Raoul？〃 said Athos； pressing his hand。
〃Yes； sir； at that instant there was such a rataplan of
musketry that one might have imagined the infernal regions
had opened。 Those who were not killed felt the heat of the
flames。 I opened my eyes； astonished to find myself alive
and even unhurt； a third of the squadron were lying on the
ground； wounded； dead or dying。 At that moment I encountered
the eye of the prince。 I had but one thought and that was
that he was observing me。 I spurred on and found myself in
the enemy's ranks。〃
〃And the prince was pleased with you？〃
〃He told me so； at least； sir； when he desired me to return
to Paris with Monsieur de Chatillon； who was charged to
carry the news to the queen and to bring the colors we had
taken。 ‘Go；' said he； ‘the enemy will not rally for fifteen
days and until that time I have no need of your service。 Go
and see those whom you love and who love you； and tell my
sister De Longueville that I thank her for the present that
she made me of you。' And I came； sir；〃 added Raoul； gazing
at the count with a smile of real affection； 〃for I thought
you would be glad to see me again。〃
Athos drew the young man toward him and pressed his lips to
his brow； as he would have done to a young daughter。
〃And now； Raoul；〃 said he； 〃you are launched； you have dukes
for friends； a marshal of France for godfather； a prince of
the blood as commander； and on the day of your return you
have been received by two queens； it is not so bad for a
novice。〃
〃Oh sir；〃 said Raoul； suddenly； 〃you recall something；
which； in my haste to relate my exploits； I had forgotten；
it is that there was with Her Majesty the Queen of England；
a gentleman who； when I pronounced your name； uttered a cry
of surprise and joy； he said he was a friend of yours； asked
your address； and is coming to see you。〃
〃What is his name？〃
〃I did not venture to ask； sir； he spoke elegantly； although
I thought from his accent he was an Englishman。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Athos； leaning down his head as if to remember
who it could be。 Then； when he raised it again； he was
struck by the presence of a man who was standing at the open
door and was gazing at him with a compassionate air。
〃Lord de Winter！〃 exclaimed the count。
〃Athos； my friend！〃
And the two gentlemen were for an instant locked in each
other's arms； then Athos； looking into his friend's face and
taking him by both hands； said：
〃What ails you； my lord？ you appear as unhappy as I am the
reverse。〃
〃Yes； truly； dear friend； and I may even say the sight of
you increases my dismay。〃
And De Winter glancing around him； Raoul quickly understood
that the two friends wished to be alone and he therefore
left the room unaffectedly。
〃Come； now that we are alone；〃 said Athos； 〃let us talk of
yourself。〃
〃Whilst we are alone let us speak of ourselves；〃 replied De
Winter。 〃He is here。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Milady's son。〃
Athos； again struck by this name； which seemed to pursue him
like an echo； hesitated for a moment； then slightly knitting
his brows； he calmly said：
〃I know it； Grimaud met him between Bethune and Arras and
then came here to warn me of his presence。〃
〃Does Grimaud know him； then？〃
〃No； but he was present at the deathbed of a man who knew
him。〃
〃The headsman of Bethune？〃 exclaimed De Winter。
〃You know about that？〃 cried Athos； astonished。
〃He has just left me；〃 replied De Winter； 〃after telling me
all。 Ah！ my friend！ what a horrible scene！ Why did we not
destroy the child with the mother？〃
〃What need you fear？〃 said Athos； recovering from the
instinctive fear he had at first experienced； by the aid of
reason； 〃are we not men accustomed to defend ourselves？ Is
this young man an assassin by profession a murderer in
cold blood？ He has killed the executioner of Bethune in an
access of passion； but now his fury is assuaged。〃
De Winter smiled sorrowfully and shook his head。
〃Do you not know the race？〃 said he。
〃Pooh！〃 said Athos； trying to smile in his turn。 〃It must
have lost its ferocity in the second generation。 Besides； my
friend； Providence has warned us； that we may be on our
guard。 All we can now do is to wait。 Let us wait； and； as I
said before； let us speak of yourself。 What brings you to
Paris？〃
〃Affairs of importance which you shall know later。 But what
is this that I hear from Her Majesty the Queen of England？
Monsieur d'Artagnan sides with Mazarin！ Pardon my frankness；
dear friend。 I neither hate nor blame the cardinal； and your
opinions will be held ever sacred by me。 But do you happen
to belong to him？〃
〃Monsieur d'Artagnan；〃 replied Athos； 〃is in the service； he
is a soldier and obeys all constitutional authority。
Monsieur d'Artagnan is not rich and has need of his position
as lieutenant to enable him to live。 Millionaires like
yourself； my lord； are rare in France。〃
〃Alas！〃 said De Winter； 〃I am at this moment as poor as he
is； if not poorer。 But to return to our subject。〃
〃Well； then； you wish to know if I am of Mazarin's party？
No。 Pardon my frankness； too； my lord。〃
〃I am obliged to you； count； for this pleasing intelligence！
You make me young and happy again by it。 Ah！ so you are not
a Mazarinist？ Delightful！ Indeed； you could not belong to
him。 But pardon me； are you free？ I mean to ask if you are
married？〃
〃Ah！ as to that； no；〃 replied Athos； laughing。
〃Because that young man； so handsome； so elegant； so
polished 〃
〃Is a child I have adopted and who does not even know who
was his father。〃
〃Very well； you are always the same； Athos； great and
generous。 Are you still friends with Monsieur Porthos and
Monsieur Aramis？〃
〃Add Monsieur d'Artagnan； my lord。 We still remain four
friends devoted to each other； but when it becomes a
question of serving the cardinal or of fighting him； of
being Mazarinists or Frondists； then we are only two。〃
〃Is Monsieur Aramis with D'Artagnan？〃 asked Lord de Winter。
〃No；〃 said Athos； 〃Monsieur Aramis does me the honor to
share my opinions。〃
〃Could you put me in communication with y