二十年后-第4部分

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ps　not　very　favorable　to　me；　for　such　an　opportunity。〃
　　He　turned　away　and　went　off　to　his　post；　whistling　a　tune　then　popular　among　the　party　called　the　〃Fronde；〃　whilst　Mazarin　returned；　in　a　pensive　mood；　toward　the　Palais　Royal。　All　that　he　had　heard　from　these　three　different　men；　minges；　Guitant　and　Villequier；　confirmed　him　in　his　conviction　that　in　case　of　serious　tumults　there　would　be　no　one　on　his　side　except　the　queen；　and　then　Anne　of　Austria　had　so　often　deserted　her　friends　that　her　support　seemed　most　precarious。　During　the　whole　of　this　nocturnal　ride；　during　the　whole　time　that　he　was　endeavoring　to　understand　the　various　characters　of　minges；　Guitant　and　Villequier；　Mazarin　was；　in　truth；　studying　more　especially　one　man。　This　man；　who　had　remained　immovable　as　bronze　when　menaced　by　the　mob　　not　a　muscle　of　whose　face　was　stirred；　either　at　Mazarin's　witticisms　or　by　the　jests　of　the　multitude　　seemed　to　the　cardinal　a　peculiar　being；　who；　having　participated　in　past　events　similar　to　those　now　occurring；　was　calculated　to　cope　with　those　now　on　the　eve　of　taking　place。
　　The　name　of　D'Artagnan　was　not　altogether　new　to　Mazarin；　who；　although　he　did　not　arrive　in　France　before　the　year
　　1634　or　1635；　that　is　to　say；　about　eight　or　nine　years　after　the　events　which　we　have　related　in　a　preceding　narrative；*　fancied　he　had　heard　it　pronounced　as　that　of　one　who　was　said　to　be　a　model　of　courage；　address　and　loyalty。
　　〃The　Three　Musketeers。〃
　　Possessed　by　this　idea；　the　cardinal　resolved　to　know　all　about　D'Artagnan　immediately；　of　course　he　could　not　inquire　from　D'Artagnan　himself　who　he　was　and　what　had　been　his　career；　he　remarked；　however；　in　the　course　of　conversation　that　the　lieutenant　of　musketeers　spoke　with　a　Gascon　accent。　Now　the　Italians　and　the　Gascons　are　too　much　alike　and　know　each　other　too　well　ever　to　trust　what　any　one　of　them　may　say　of　himself；　so　in　reaching　the　walls　which　surrounded　the　Palais　Royal；　the　cardinal　knocked　at　a　little　door；　and　after　thanking　D'Artagnan　and　requesting　him　to　wait　in　the　court　of　the　Palais　Royal；　he　made　a　sign　to　Guitant　to　follow　him。
　　They　both　dismounted；　consigned　their　horses　to　the　lackey　who　had　opened　the　door；　and　disappeared　in　the　garden。
　　〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　cardinal；　leaning；　as　they　walked　through　the　garden；　on　his　friend's　arm；　〃you　told　me　just　now　that　you　had　been　twenty　years　in　the　queen's　service。〃
　　〃Yes；　it's　true。　I　have；〃　returned　Guitant。
　　〃Now；　my　dear　Guitant；　I　have　often　remarked　that　in　addition　to　your　courage；　which　is　indisputable；　and　your　fidelity；　which　is　invincible；　you　possess　an　admirable　memory。〃
　　〃You　have　found　that　out；　have　you；　my　lord？　Deuce　take　it　　all　the　worse　for　me！〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃There　is　no　doubt　but　that　one　of　the　chief　acplishments　of　a　courtier　is　to　know　when　to　forget。〃
　　〃But　you；　Guitant；　are　not　a　courtier。　You　are　a　brave　soldier；　one　of　the　few　remaining　veterans　of　the　days　of　Henry　IV。　Alas！　how　few　to…day　exist！〃
　　〃Plague　on't；　my　lord；　have　you　brought　me　here　to　get　my　horoscope　out　of　me？〃
　　〃No；　I　only　brought　you　here　to　ask　you；〃　returned　Mazarin；　smiling；　〃if　you　have　taken　any　particular　notice　of　our　lieutenant　of　musketeers？〃
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan？　I　have　had　no　occasion　to　notice　him　particularly；　he's　an　old　acquaintance。　He's　a　Gascon。　De　Treville　knows　him　and　esteems　him　very　highly；　and　De　Treville；　as　you　know；　is　one　of　the　queen's　greatest　friends。　As　a　soldier　the　man　ranks　well；　he　did　his　whole　duty　and　even　more；　at　the　siege　of　Rochelle　　as　at　Suze　and　Perpignan。〃
　　〃But　you　know；　Guitant；　we　poor　ministers　often　want　men　with　other　qualities　besides　courage；　we　want　men　of　talent。　Pray；　was　not　Monsieur　d'Artagnan；　in　the　time　of　the　cardinal；　mixed　up　in　some　intrigue　from　which　he　came　out；　according　to　report；　quite　cleverly？〃
　　〃My　lord；　as　to　the　report　you　allude　to〃　　Guitant　perceived　that　the　cardinal　wished　to　make　him　speak　out　　〃I　know　nothing　but　what　the　public　knows。　I　never　meddle　in　intrigues；　and　if　I　occasionally　bee　a　confidant　of　the　intrigues　of　others　I　am　sure　your　eminence　will　approve　of　my　keeping　them　secret。〃
　　Mazarin　shook　his　head。
　　〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃some　ministers　are　fortunate　and　find　out　all　that　they　wish　to　know。〃
　　〃My　lord；〃　replied　Guitant；　〃such　ministers　do　not　weigh　men　in　the　same　balance；　they　get　their　information　on　war　from　warriors；　on　intrigues；　from　intriguers。　Consult　some　politician　of　the　period　of　which　you　speak；　and　if　you　pay　well　for　it　you　will　certainly　get　to　know　all　you　want。〃
　　〃Eh；　pardieu！〃　said　Mazarin；　with　a　grimace　which　he　always　made　when　spoken　to　about　money。　〃They　will　be　paid；　if　there　is　no　way　of　getting　out　of　it。〃
　　〃Does　my　lord　seriously　wish　me　to　name　any　one　who　was　mixed　up　in　the　cabals　of　that　day？〃
　　〃By　Bacchus！〃　rejoined　Mazarin；　impatiently；　〃it's　about　an　hour　since　I　asked　you　for　that　very　thing；　wooden…head　that　you　are。〃
　　〃There　is　one　man　for　whom　I　can　answer；　if　he　will　speak　out。〃
　　〃That's　my　concern；　I　will　make　him　speak。〃
　　〃Ah；　my　lord；　'tis　not　easy　to　make　people　say　what　they　don't　wish　to　let　out。〃
　　〃Pooh！　with　patience　one　must　succeed。　Well；　this　man。　Who　is　he？〃
　　〃The　te　de　Rochefort。〃
　　〃The　te　de　Rochefort！〃
　　〃Unfortunately　he　has　disappeared　these　four　or　five　years　and　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃
　　〃I　know；　Guitant；〃　said　Mazarin。
　　〃Well；　then；　how　is　it　that　your　eminence　plained　just　now　of　want　of　information？〃
　　〃You　think；〃　resumed　Mazarin；　〃that　Rochefort　　〃
　　〃He　was　Cardinal　Richelieu's　creature；　my　lord。　I　warn　you；　however；　his　services　will　cost　you　something。　The　cardinal　was　lavish　to　his　underlings。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；　Guitant；〃　said　Mazarin；　〃Richelieu　was　a　great　man；　a　very　great　man；　but　he　had　that　defect。　Thanks；　Guitant；　I　shall　benefit　by　your　advice　this　very　evening。〃
　　Here　they　separated　and　bidding　adieu　to　Guitant　in　the　court　of　the　Palais　Royal；　Mazarin　approached　an　officer　who　was　walking　up　and　down　within　that　inclosure。
　　It　was　D'Artagnan；　who　was　waiting　for　him。
　　〃Cane　hither；〃　said　Mazarin　in　his　softest　voice；　〃I　have　an　order　to　give　you。〃
　　D'Artagnan　bent　low　and　following　the　cardinal　up　the　secret　staircase；　soon　found　himself　in　the　study　whence　they　had　first　set　out。
　　The　cardinal　seated　himself　before　his　bureau　and　taking　a　sheet　of　paper　wrote　some　lines　upon　it；　whilst　D'Artagnan　stood　imperturbable；　without　showing　either　impatience　or　curiosity。　He　was　like　a　soldierly　automaton；　or　rather；　like　a　magnificent　marionette。
　　The　cardinal　folded　and　sealed　his　letter。
　　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　to　take　this　dispatch　to　the　Bastile　and　bring　back　here　the　person　it　concerns。　You　must　take　a　carriage　and　an　escort；　and　guard　the　prisoner　with　the　greatest　care。〃
　　D'Artagnan　took　the　letter；　touched　his　hat　with　his　hand；　turned　round　upon　his　heel　like　a　drill…sergeant；　and　a　moment　afterward　was　heard；　in　his　dry　and　monotonous　tone；　manding　〃Four　men　and　an　escort；　a　carriage　and　a　horse。〃　Five　minutes　afterward　the　wheels　of　the　carriage　and　the　horses'　shoes　were　heard　resounding　on　the　pavement　of　the　courtyard。
　　Dead　Animosities
　　D'Artagnan　arrived　at　the　Bastile　just　as　it　was　striking　half…past　eight。　His　visit　was　announced　to　the　governor；　who；　on　hearing　that　he　came　from　the　cardinal；　went　to　meet　him　and　received　him　at　the　top　of　the　great　flight　of　steps　outside　the　door。　The　governor　of　the　Bastile　was　Monsieur　du　Tremblay；　the　brother　of　the　famous　Capuchin；　Joseph；　that　fearful　favorite　of　Richelieu's；　who　went　by　the　name　of　the　Gray　Cardinal。
　　During　the　period　that　the　Duc　de　Bassompierre　passed　in　the　Bastile　　where　he　remained　for　twelve　long　years　　when　his　panions；　in　their　dreams　of　liberty；　said　to　each　other：　〃As　for　me；　I　shall　go　out　of　the　prison　at　such　a　time；〃　and　another；　at　such　and　such　a　time；　the　duke　used　to　answer；　〃As　for　me；　gentlemen；　I　shall　leave　only　when　Monsieur　du　Tremblay　leaves；〃　meaning　that　at　the　death　of　the　cardinal　Du　Tremblay　would　certainly　lose　his　place　at　the　Bastile　and　De　Bassompierre　regain　his　at　court。
　　His　prediction　was　nearly　fulfilled；　but　in　a　very　different　way　from　that　which　De　Bassompierre　supposed；　for　after　the　death　of　Richelieu　everything　went　on；　contrary　to　expectation；　in　the　same　way　as　before；　and　Bassompierre　had　little　chance　of　leaving　his　prison。
　　Monsieur　du　Tremblay　received　D'Artagnan　with　extreme　politeness　and　invited　him　to　sit　down　with　him　to　supper；　of　which　he　was　himself　about　to　partake。
　　〃I　should　be　delighted　to　do　so；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　the　words　‘In　haste；'　are　written　on　the　envelope　of　the　letter　which　I　brought。〃
　　〃You　are　right；〃　said　Du　Tremblay。　〃Halloo；　major！　tell　them　to　order　Number　25　to　e　downstairs。〃
　　The　unhappy　wretch　who　entered　the　Bastile　ceased；　as　he　crossed　the　threshold；　to　be　a　man　　he　became　a　number。
　　D'Artagnan　shuddered　at　the　noise　of　the　keys；　he　remained　on　horseback；　feeling　no　inclination　to　dismount；　and　sat　looking　at　the　bars；　at　the　buttressed　windows　and　the　immense　walls　he　had　hitherto　only　seen　from　the　other　side　of　the　moat；　but　by　which　he　had　for　twenty　years　been　awe…struck。
　　A　bell　resounded。
　　〃I　must　leave　you；〃　said　Du　Tremblay；　〃I　am　sent　for　to　sign　the　release　of　a　prisoner。　I　shall　be　happy　to　meet　you　again；　sir。〃
　　〃May　the　devil　annihilate　me　if　I　return　thy　wish！〃　murmured　D'Artagnan；　smiling　as　he　pronounced　the　imprecation；　〃I　declare　I　feel　quite　ill　after　only　being　five　minutes　in　the　courtyard。　Go　to！　go　to！　I　would　rather　die　on　straw　than　hoard　up　a　thousand　a　year　by　being　governor　of　the　Bastile。〃
　　He　had　scarcely　finished　this　soliloquy　before　the　prisoner　arrived。　On　seeing　him　D'Artagnan　could　hardly　suppress　an　exclamation　of　surprise。　The　prisoner　got　into　the　carriage　without　seeming　to　recognize　the　musketeer。
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　thus　D'Artagnan　addressed　the　four　musketeers；　〃I　am　ordered　to　exercise　the　greatest　possible　care　in　guarding　the　prisoner；　and　since　there　are　no　locks　to　the　carriage；　I　s