二十年后-第11部分

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　　〃Stay　you　where　you　are　and　don't　you　stir；　or　I　will　pull　this　ear　off。　As　for　you；　illustrious　descendant　of　William　Tell；　you　will　straightway　get　together　your　clothes　which　are　in　my　room　and　which　annoy　me；　and　go　out　quickly　to　another　lodging。〃
　　The　Swiss　began　to　laugh　boisterously。　〃I　go　out？〃　he　said。　〃And　why？〃
　　〃Ah；　very　well！〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃I　see　that　you　understand　French。　e　then；　and　take　a　turn　with　me　and　I　will　explain。〃
　　The　hostess；　who　knew　D'Artagnan's　skill　with　the　sword；　began　to　weep　and　tear　her　hair。　D'Artagnan　turned　toward　her；　saying；　〃Then　send　him　away；　madame。〃
　　〃Pooh！〃　said　the　Swiss；　who　had　needed　a　little　time　to　take　in　D'Artagnan's　proposal；　〃pooh！　who　are　you；　in　the　first　place；　to　ask　me　to　take　a　turn　with　you？〃
　　〃I　am　lieutenant　in　his　majesty's　musketeers；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　consequently　your　superior　in　everything；　only；　as　the　question　now　is　not　of　rank；　but　of　quarters　　you　know　the　custom　　e　and　seek　for　yours；　the　first　to　return　will　recover　his　chamber。〃
　　D'Artagnan　led　away　the　Swiss　in　spite　of　lamentations　on　the　part　of　the　hostess；　who　in　reality　found　her　heart　inclining　toward　her　former　lover；　though　she　would　not　have　been　sorry　to　give　a　lesson　to　that　haughty　musketeer　who　had　affronted　her　by　the　refusal　of　her　hand。
　　It　was　night　when　the　two　adversaries　reached　the　field　of　battle。　D'Artagnan　politely　begged　the　Swiss　to　yield　to　him　the　disputed　chamber；　the　Swiss　refused　by　shaking　his　head；　and　drew　his　sword。
　　〃Then　you　will　lie　here；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃It　is　a　wretched　bed；　but　that　is　not　my　fault；　and　it　is　you　who　have　chosen　it。〃　With　these　words　he　drew　in　his　turn　and　crossed　swords　with　his　adversary。
　　He　had　to　contend　against　a　strong　wrist；　but　his　agility　was　superior　to　all　force。　The　Swiss　received　two　wounds　and　was　not　aware　of　it；　by　reason　of　the　cold；　but　suddenly　feebleness；　occasioned　by　loss　of　blood；　obliged　him　to　sit　down。
　　〃There！〃　said：　D'Artagnan；　〃what　did　I　tell　you？　Fortunately；　you　won't　be　laid　up　more　than　a　fortnight。　Remain　here　and　I　will　send　you　your　clothes　by　the　boy。　Good…by！　Oh；　by　the　way；　you'd　better　take　lodging　in　the　Rue　Montorgueil　at　the　Chat　Qui　Pelote。　You　will　be　well　fed　there；　if　the　hostess　remains　the　same。　Adieu。〃
　　Thereupon　he　returned　in　a　lively　mood　to　his　room　and　sent　to　the　Swiss　the　things　that　belonged　to　him。　The　boy　found　him　sitting　where　D'Artagnan　had　left　him；　still　overwhelmed　by　the　coolness　of　his　adversary。
　　The　boy；　the　hostess；　and　all　the　house　had　the　same　regard　for　D'Artagnan　that　one　would　have　for　Hercules　should　he　return　to　earth　to　repeat　his　twelve　labors。
　　But　when　he　was　alone　with　the　hostess　he　said：　〃Now；　pretty　Madeleine；　you　know　the　difference　between　a　Swiss　and　a　gentleman。　As　for　you；　you　have　acted　like　a　barmaid。　So　much　the　worse　for　you；　for　by　such　conduct　you　have　lost　my　esteem　and　my　patronage。　I　have　driven　away　the　Swiss　to　humiliate　you；　but　I　shall　lodge　here　no　longer。　I　will　not　sleep　where　I　must　scorn。　Ho；　there；　boy！　Have　my　valise　carried　to　the　Muid　d'Amour；　Rue　des　Bourdonnais。　Adieu；　madame。〃
　　In　saying　these　words　D'Artagnan　appeared　at　the　same　time　majestic　and　grieved。　The　hostess　threw　herself　at　his　feet；　asked　his　pardon　and　held　him　back　with　a　sweet　violence。　What　more　need　be　said？　The　spit　turned；　the　stove　roared；　the　pretty　Madeleine　wept；　D'Artagnan　felt　himself　invaded　by　hunger；　cold　and　love。　He　pardoned；　and　having　pardoned　he　remained。
　　And　this　explains　how　D'Artagnan　had　quarters　in　the　Rue　Tiquetonne；　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Chevrette。
　　D'Artagnan；　then　returned　home　in　thoughtful　mood；　finding　a　somewhat　lively　pleasure　in　carrying　Mazarin's　bag　of　money　and　thinking　of　that　fine　diamond　which　he　had　once　called　his　own　and　which　he　had　seen　on　the　minister's　finger　that　night。
　　〃Should　that　diamond　ever　fall　into　my　hands　again；〃　he　reflected；　〃I　would　turn　it　at　once　into　money；　I　would　buy　with　the　proceeds　certain　lands　around　my　father's　chateau；　which　is　a　pretty　place；　well　enough；　but　with　no　land　to　it　at　all；　except　a　garden　about　the　size　of　the　Cemetery　des　Innocents；　and　I　should　wait　in　all　my　glory　till　some　rich　heiress；　attracted　by　my　good　looks；　rode　along　to　marry　me。　Then　I　should　like　to　have　three　sons；　I　should　make　the　first　a　nobleman；　like　Athos；　the　second　a　good　soldier；　like　Porthos；　the　third　an　excellent　abbe；　like　Aramis。　Faith！　that　would　be　a　far　better　life　than　I　lead　now；　but　Monsieur　Mazarin　is　a　mean　wretch；　who　won't　dispossess　himself　of　his　diamond　in　my　favor。〃
　　On　entering　the　Rue　Tiquetonne　he　heard　a　tremendous　noise　and　found　a　dense　crowd　near　the　house。
　　〃Oho！〃　said　he；　〃is　the　hotel　on　fire？〃　On　approaching　the　hotel　of　the　Roe　he　found；　however；　that　it　was　in　front　of　the　next　house　the　mob　was　collected。　The　people　were　shouting　and　running　about　with　torches。　By　the　light　of　one　of　these　torches　D'Artagnan　perceived　men　in　uniform。
　　He　asked　what　was　going　on。
　　He　was　told　that　twenty　citizens；　headed　by　one　man；　had　attacked　a　carriage　which　was　escorted　by　a　troop　of　the　cardinal's　bodyguard；　but　a　reinforcement　having　e　up；　the　assailants　had　been　put　to　flight　and　the　leader　had　taken　refuge　in　the　hotel　next　to　his　lodgings；　the　house　was　now　being　searched。
　　In　his　youth　D'Artagnan　had　often　headed　the　bourgeoisie　against　the　military；　but　he　was　cured　of　all　those　hot…headed　propensities；　besides；　he　had　the　cardinal's　hundred　pistoles　in　his　pocket；　so　he　went　into　the　hotel　without　a　word。　There　he　found　Madeleine　alarmed　for　his　safety　and　anxious　to　tell　him　all　the　events　of　the　evening；　but　he　cut　her　short　by　ordering　her　to　put　his　supper　in　his　room　and　give　him　with　it　a　bottle　of　good　Burgundy。
　　He　took　his　key　and　candle　and　went　upstairs　to　his　bedroom。　He　had　been　contented；　for　the　convenience　of　the　house；　to　lodge　in　the　fourth　story；　and　truth　obliges　us　even　to　confess　that　his　chamber　was　just　above　the　gutter　and　below　the　roof。　His　first　care　on　entering　it　was　to　lock　up　in　an　old　bureau　with　a　new　lock　his　bag　of　money；　and　then　as　soon　as　supper　was　ready　he　sent　away　the　waiter　who　brought　it　up　and　sat　down　to　table。
　　Not　to　reflect　on　what　had　passed；　as　one　might　fancy。　No；　D'Artagnan　considered　that　things　are　never　well　done　when　they　are　not　reserved　to　their　proper　time。　He　was　hungry；　he　supped；　he　went　to　bed。　Neither　was　he　one　of　those　who　think　that　the　necessary　silence　of　the　night　brings　counsel　with　it。　In　the　night　he　slept；　but　in　the　morning；　refreshed　and　calm；　he　was　inspired　with　his　clearest　views　of　everything。　It　was　long　since　he　had　any　reason　for　his　morning's　inspiration；　but　he　always　slept　all　night　long。　At　daybreak　he　awoke　and　took　a　turn　around　his　room。
　　〃In　'43；〃　he　said；　〃just　before　the　death　of　the　late　cardinal；　I　received　a　letter　from　Athos。　Where　was　I　then？　Let　me　see。　Oh！　at　the　siege　of　Besancon　I　was　in　the　trenches。　He　told　me　　let　me　think　　what　was　it？　That　he　was　living　on　a　small　estate　　but　where？　I　was　just　reading　the　name　of　the　place　when　the　wind　blew　my　letter　away；　I　suppose　to　the　Spaniards；　there's　no　use　in　thinking　any　more　about　Athos。　Let　me　see：　with　regard　to　Porthos；　I　received　a　letter　from　him；　too。　He　invited　me　to　a　hunting　party　on　his　property　in　the　month　of　September；　1646。　Unluckily；　as　I　was　then　in　Bearn；　on　account　of　my　father's　death；　the　letter　followed　me　there。　I　had　left　Bearn　when　it　arrived　and　I　never　received　it　until　the　month　of　April；
　　1647；　and　as　the　invitation　was　for　September；　1646；　I　couldn't　accept　it。　Let　me　look　for　this　letter；　it　must　be　with　my　title　deeds。〃
　　D'Artagnan　opened　an　old　casket　which　stood　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　which　was　full　of　parchments　referring　to　an　estate　during　a　period　of　two　hundred　years　lost　to　his　family。　He　uttered　an　exclamation　of　delight；　for　the　large　handwriting　of　Porthos　was　discernible；　and　underneath　some　lines　traced　by　his　worthy　spouse。
　　D'Artagnan　eagerly　searched　for　the　heading　of　this　letter；　it　was　dated　from　the　Chateau　du　Vallon。
　　Porthos　had　forgotten　that　any　other　address　was　necessary；　in　his　pride　he　fancied　that　every　one　must　know　the　Chateau　du　Vallon。
　　〃Devil　take　the　vain　fellow；〃　said　D'Artagnan。　〃However；　I　had　better　find　him　out　first；　since　he　can't　want　money。　Athos　must　have　bee　an　idiot　by　this　time　from　drinking。　Aramis　must　have　worn　himself　to　a　shadow　of　his　former　self　by　constant　genuflexion。〃
　　He　cast　his　eyes　again　on　the　letter。　There　was　a　postscript：
　　〃I　write　by　the　same　courier　to　our　worthy　friend　Aramis　in　his　convent。〃
　　〃In　his　convent！　What　convent？　There　are　about　two　hundred　in　Paris　and　three　thousand　in　France；　and　then；　perhaps；　on　entering　the　convent　he　changed　his　name。　Ah！　if　I　were　but　learned　in　theology　I　should　recollect　what　it　was　he　used　to　dispute　about　with　the　curate　of　Montdidier　and　the　superior　of　the　Jesuits；　when　we　were　at　Crevecoeur；　I　should　know　what　doctrine　he　leans　to　and　I　should　glean　from　that　what　saint　he　has　adopted　as　his　patron。
　　〃Well；　suppose　I　go　back　to　the　cardinal　and　ask　him　for　a　passport　into　all　the　convents　one　can　find；　even　into　the　nunneries？　It　would　be　a　curious　idea；　and　maybe　I　should　find　my　friend　under　the　name　of　Achilles。　But；　no！　I　should　lose　myself　in　the　cardinal's　opinion。　Great　people　only　thank　you　for　doing　the　impossible；　what's　possible；　they　say；　they　can　effect　themselves；　and　they　are　right。　But　let　us　wait　a　little　and　reflect。　I　received　a　letter　from　him；　the　dear　fellow；　in　which　he　even　asked　me　for　some　small　service；　which；　in　fact；　I　rendered　him。　Yes；　yes；　but　now　what　did　I　do　with　that　letter？〃
　　D'Artagnan　thought　a　moment　and　then　went　to　the　wardrobe　in　which　hung　his　old　clothes。　He　looked　for　his　doublet　of　the　year　1648　and　as　he　had　orderly　habits；　he　found　it　hanging　on　its　nail。　He　felt　in　the　pocket　and　drew　from　it　a　paper；　it　was　the　letter　of　Aramis：
　　〃Monsieur　D'Artagnan：　You　know　that　I　have　had　a　quarrel　with　a　certain　gentleman；　who　has　given　me　an　appointment　for　this　evening　in　the　Place　Royale。　As　I