二十年后-第34部分

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；　in　all　respects　worthy　of　her　mistress。　Her　pretty　face　arrested　my　attention；　I　approached　and　recognized　that　little　Kitty　whom　our　friend　Aramis　had　placed　with　her。　In　that　way　I　discovered　that　the　charming　traveler　was　　〃
　　〃Marie　Michon！〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　hastily。
　　〃Marie　Michon；〃　continued　Athos。　〃Then　I　went　out　of　the　house；　I　proceeded　to　the　stable　and　found　my　horse　saddled　and　my　lackey　ready。　We　set　forth　on　our　journey。〃
　　〃And　have　you　never　revisited　that　village？〃　eagerly　asked　Madame　de　Chevreuse。
　　〃A　year　after；　madame。〃
　　〃Well？〃
　　〃I　wanted　to　see　the　good　cure　again。　I　found　him　much　preoccupied　with　an　event　that　he　could　not　at　all　prehend。　A　week　before　he　had　received；　in　a　cradle；　a　beautiful　little　boy　three　months　old；　with　a　purse　filled　with　gold　and　a　note　containing　these　simple　words：　‘11　October；　1633。'〃
　　〃It　was　the　date　of　that　strange　adventure；〃　interrupted　Madame　de　Chevreuse。
　　〃Yes；　but　he　couldn't　understand　what　it　meant；　for　he　had　spent　that　night　with　a　dying　person　and　Marie　Michon　had　left　his　house　before　his　return。〃
　　〃You　must　know；　monsieur；　that　Marie　Michon；　when　she　returned　to　France　in　1643；　immediately　sought　for　information　about　that　child；　as　a　fugitive　she　could　not　take　care　of　it；　but　on　her　return　she　wished　to　have　it　near　her。〃
　　〃And　what　said　the　abbe？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃That　a　nobleman　whom　he　did　not　know　had　wished　to　take　charge　of　it；　had　answered　for　its　future；　and　had　taken　it　away。〃
　　〃That　was　true。〃
　　〃Ah！　I　see！　That　nobleman　was　you；　it　was　his　father！〃
　　〃Hush！　do　not　speak　so　loud；　madame；　he　is　there。〃
　　〃He　is　there！　my　son！　the　son　of　Marie　Michon！　But　I　must　see　him　instantly。〃
　　〃Take　care；　madame；〃　said　Athos；　〃for　he　knows　neither　his　father　nor　his　mother。〃
　　〃You　have　kept　the　secret！　you　have　brought　him　to　see　me；　thinking　to　make　me　happy。　Oh；　thanks！　sir；　thanks！〃　cried　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　seizing　his　hand　and　trying　to　put　it　to　her　lips；　〃you　have　a　noble　heart。〃
　　〃I　bring　him　to　you；　madame；〃　said　Athos；　withdrawing　his　hand；　〃hoping　that　in　your　turn　you　will　do　something　for　him；　till　now　I　have　watched　over　his　education　and　I　have　made　him；　I　hope；　an　acplished　gentleman；　but　I　am　now　obliged　to　return　to　the　dangerous　and　wandering　life　of　party　faction。　To…morrow　I　plunge　into　an　adventurous　affair　in　which　I　may　be　killed。　Then　it　will　devolve　on　you　to　push　him　on　in　that　world　where　he　is　called　on　to　occupy　a　place。〃
　　〃Rest　assured；〃　cried　the　duchess；　〃I　shall　do　what　I　can。　I　have　but　little　influence　now；　but　all　that　I　have　shall　most　assuredly　be　his。　As　to　his　title　and　fortune　　〃
　　〃As　to　that；　madame；　I　have　made　over　to　him　the　estate　of　Bragelonne；　my　inheritance；　which　will　give　him　ten　thousand　francs　a　year　and　the　title　of　vite。〃
　　〃Upon　my　soul；　monsieur；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃you　are　a　true　nobleman！　But　I　am　eager　to　see　our　young　vite。　Where　is　he？〃
　　〃There；　in　the　salon。　I　will　have　him　e　in；　if　you　really　wish　it。〃
　　Athos　moved　toward　the　door；　the　duchess　held　him　back。
　　〃Is　he　handsome？〃　she　asked。
　　Athos　smiled。
　　〃He　resembles　his　mother。〃
　　So　he　opened　the　door　and　beckoned　the　young　man　in。
　　The　duchess　could　not　restrain　a　cry　of　joy　on　seeing　so　handsome　a　young　cavalier；　so　far　surpassing　all　that　her　maternal　pride　had　been　able　to　conceive。
　　〃Vite；　e　here；〃　said　Athos；　〃the　duchess　permits　you　to　kiss　her　hand。〃
　　The　youth　approached　with　his　charming　smile　and　his　head　bare；　and　kneeling　down；　kissed　the　hand　of　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse。
　　〃Sir；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Athos；　〃was　it　not　in　passion　to　my　timidity　that　you　told　me　that　this　lady　was　the　Duchess　de　Chevreuse；　and　is　she　not　the　queen？〃
　　〃No；　vite；〃　said　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　taking　his　hand　and　making　him　sit　near　her；　while　she　looked　at　him　with　eyes　sparkling　with　pleasure；　〃no；　unhappily；　I　am　not　the　queen。　If　I　were　I　should　do　for　you　at　once　the　most　that　you　deserve。　But　let　us　see；　whatever　I　may　be；〃　she　added；　hardly　restraining　herself　from　kissing　that　pure　brow；　〃let　us　see　what　profession　you　wish　to　follow。〃
　　Athos；　standing；　looked　at　them　both　with　indescribable　pleasure。
　　〃Madame；〃　answered　the　youth　in　his　sweet　voice；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　there　is　only　one　career　for　a　gentleman　　that　of　the　army。　I　have　been　brought　up　by　monsieur　le　te　with　the　intention；　I　believe；　of　making　me　a　soldier；　and　he　gave　me　reason　to　hope　that　at　Paris　he　would　present　me　to　some　one　who　would　remend　me　to　the　favor　of　the　prince。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　understand　it　well。　Personally；　I　am　on　bad　terms　with　him；　on　account　of　the　quarrels　between　Madame　de　Montbazon；　my　mother…in…law；　and　Madame　de　Longueville。　But　the　Prince　de　Marsillac！　Yes；　indeed；　that's　the　right　thing。　The　Prince　de　Marsillac　　my　old　friend　　will　remend　our　young　friend　to　Madame　de　Longueville；　who　will　give　him　a　letter　to　her　brother；　the　prince；　who　loves　her　too　tenderly　not　to　do　what　she　wishes　immediately。〃
　　〃Well；　that　will　do　charmingly；〃　said　the　count；　〃but　may　I　beg　that　the　greatest　haste　may　be　made；　for　I　have　reasons　for　wishing　the　vite　not　to　sleep　longer　than　to…morrow　night　in　Paris！〃
　　〃Do　you　wish　it　known　that　you　are　interested　about　him；　monsieur　le　te？〃
　　〃Better　for　him　in　future　that　he　should　be　supposed　never　to　have　seen　me。〃
　　〃Oh；　sir！〃　cried　Raoul。
　　〃You　know；　Bragelonne；〃　said　Athos；　〃I　never　speak　without　reflection。〃
　　〃Well；　te；　I　am　going　instantly；〃　interrupted　the　duchess；　〃to　send　for　the　Prince　de　Marsillac；　who　is　happily；　in　Paris　just　now。　What　are　you　going　to　do　this　evening？〃
　　〃We　intend　to　visit　the　Abbe　Scarron；　for　whom　I　have　a　letter　of　introduction　and　at　whose　house　I　expect　to　meet　some　of　my　friends。〃
　　〃'Tis　well；　I　will　go　there　also；　for　a　few　minutes；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃do　not　quit　his　salon　until　you　have　seen　me。〃
　　Athos　bowed　and　prepared　to　leave。
　　〃Well；　monsieur　le　te；〃　said　the　duchess；　smiling；　〃does　one　leave　so　solemnly　his　old　friends？〃
　　〃Ah；〃　murmured　Athos；　kissing　her　hand；　〃had　I　only　sooner　known　that　Marie　Michon　was　so　charming　a　creature！〃　And　he　withdrew；　sighing。
　　The　Abbe　Scarron
　　There　was　once　in　the　Rue　des　Tournelles　a　house　known　by　all　the　sedan　chairmen　and　footmen　of　Paris；　and　yet；　nevertheless；　this　house　was　neither　that　of　a　great　lord　nor　of　a　rich　man。　There　was　neither　dining；　nor　playing　at　cards；　nor　dancing　in　that　house。　Nevertheless；　it　was　the　rendezvous　of　the　great　world　and　all　Paris　went　there。　It　was　the　abode　of　the　little　Abbe　Scarron。
　　In　the　home　of　the　witty　abbe　dwelt　incessant　laughter；　there　all　the　items　of　the　day　had　their　source　and　were　so　quickly　transformed；　misrepresented；　metamorphosed；　some　into　epigrams；　some　into　falsehoods；　that　every　one　was　anxious　to　pass　an　hour　with　little　Scarron；　listening　to　what　he　said；　reporting　it　to　others。
　　The　diminutive　Abbe　Scarron；　who；　however；　was　an　abbe　only　because　he　owned　an　abbey；　and　not　because　he　was　in　orders；　had　formerly　been　one　of　the　gayest　prebendaries　in　the　town　of　Mans；　which　he　inhabited。　On　a　day　of　the　carnival　he　had　taken　a　notion　to　provide　an　unusual　entertainment　for　that　good　town；　of　which　he　was　the　life　and　soul。　He　had　made　his　valet　cover　him　with　honey；　then；　opening　a　feather　bed；　he　had　rolled　in　it　and　had　thus　bee　the　most　grotesque　fowl　it　is　possible　to　imagine。　He　then　began　to　visit　his　friends　of　both　sexes；　in　that　strange　costume。　At　first　he　had　been　followed　through　astonishment；　then　with　derisive　shouts；　then　the　porters　had　insulted　him；　then　children　had　thrown　stones　at　him；　and　finally　he　was　obliged　to　run；　to　escape　the　missiles。　As　soon　as　he　took　to　flight　every　one　pursued　him；　until；　pressed　on　all　sides；　Scarron　found　no　way　of　escaping　his　escort；　except　by　throwing　himself　into　the　river；　but　the　water　was　icy　cold。　Scarron　was　heated；　the　cold　seized　on　him；　and　when　he　reached　the　farther　bank　he　found　himself　crippled。
　　Every　means　had　been　employed　in　vain　to　restore　the　use　of　his　limbs。　He　had　been　subjected　to　a　severe　disciplinary　course　of　medicine；　at　length　he　sent　away　all　his　doctors；　declaring　that　he　preferred　the　disease　to　the　treatment；　and　came　to　Paris；　where　the　fame　of　his　wit　had　preceded　him。　There　he　had　a　chair　made　on　his　own　plan；　and　one　day；　visiting　Anne　of　Austria　in　this　chair；　she　asked　him；　charmed　as　she　was　with　his　wit；　if　he　did　not　wish　for　a　title。
　　〃Yes；　your　majesty；　there　is　a　title　which　I　covet　much；〃　replied　Scarron。
　　〃And　what　is　that？〃
　　〃That　of　being　your　invalid；〃　answered　Scarron。
　　So　he　was　called　the　queen's　invalid；　with　a　pension　of　fifteen　hundred　francs。
　　From　that　lucky　moment　Scarron　led　a　happy　life；　spending　both　ine　and　principal。　One　day；　however；　an　emissary　of　the　cardinal's　gave　him　to　understand　that　he　was　wrong　in　receiving　the　coadjutor　so　often。
　　〃And　why？〃　asked　Scarron；　〃is　he　not　a　man　of　good　birth？〃
　　〃Certainly。〃
　　〃Agreeable？〃
　　〃Undeniably。〃
　　〃Witty？〃
　　〃He　has；　unfortunately；　too　much　wit。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　why　do　you　wish　me　to　give　up　seeing　such　a　man？〃
　　〃Because　he　is　an　enemy。〃
　　〃Of　whom？〃
　　〃Of　the　cardinal。〃
　　〃What？〃　answered　Scarron；　〃I　continue　to　receive　Monsieur　Gilles　Despreaux；　who　thinks　ill　of　me；　and　you　wish　me　to　give　up　seeing　the　coadjutor；　because　he　thinks　ill　of　another　man。　Impossible！〃
　　The　conversation　had　rested　there　and　Scarron；　through　sheer　obstinacy；　had　seen　Monsieur　de　Gondy　only　the　more　frequently。
　　Now；　the　very　morning　of　which　we　speak　was　that　of　his　quarter…day　payment；　and　Scarron；　as　usual；　had　sent　his　servant　to　get　his　money　at　the　pension…office；　but　the　man　had　returned　and　said　that　the　government　had　no　more　money　to　give　Monsieur　Scarron。
　　It　was　on　Thursday；　the　abbe's　reception　day；　people　went　there　in　crowds。　The　cardinal's　refusal　to　pay　the　pension　was　known　about　the　town　in　half　an　hour　and　he　was　abused　with　wit　and　vehemence。
　　In　the　Rue　Saint　Honore　Athos　fell　in　with　two　gentlemen　whom　he　did　not　know；　on　horseback　like　himself；　followed　by　a　lackey