二十年后-第50部分

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　perceived　a　poor　monk；　whose　large　hat　and　gray　worsted　dress　made　them　take　him　for　an　Augustine　brother。　Chance　for　once　seemed　to　favor　them　in　sending　what　they　were　so　assiduously　seeking。　He　was　a　man　about　twenty…two　or　twenty…three　years　old；　but　who　appeared　much　older　from　ascetic　exercises。　His　plexion　was　pale；　not　of　that　deadly　pallor　which　is　a　kind　of　neutral　beauty；　but　of　a　bilious；　yellow　hue；　his　colorless　hair　was　short　and　scarcely　extended　beyond　the　circle　formed　by　the　hat　around　his　head；　and　his　light　blue　eyes　seemed　destitute　of　any　expression。
　　〃Sir；〃　began　Raoul；　with　his　usual　politeness；　〃are　you　an　ecclesiastic？〃
　　〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that？〃　replied　the　stranger；　with　a　coolness　which　was　barely　civil。
　　〃Because　we　want　to　know；〃　said　De　Guiche；　haughtily。
　　The　stranger　touched　his　mule　with　his　heel　and　continued　his　way。
　　In　a　second　De　Guiche　had　sprung　before　him　and　barred　his　passage。　〃Answer；　sir；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃you　have　been　asked　politely；　and　every　question　is　worth　an　answer。〃
　　〃I　suppose　I　am　free　to　say　or　not　to　say　who　I　am　to　two　strangers　who　take　a　fancy　to　ask　me。〃
　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　De　Guiche　restrained　the　intense　desire　he　had　of　breaking　the　monk's　bones。
　　〃In　the　first　place；〃　he　said；　making　an　effort　to　control　himself；　〃we　are　not　people　who　may　be　treated　anyhow；　my　friend　there　is　the　Viscount　of　Bragelonne　and　I　am　the　Count　de　Guiche。　Nor　was　it　from　caprice　we　asked　the　question；　for　there　is　a　wounded　and　dying　man　who　demands　the　succor　of　the　church。　If　you　be　a　priest；　I　conjure　you　in　the　name　of　humanity　to　follow　me　to　aid　this　man；　if　you　be　not；　it　is　a　different　matter；　and　I　warn　you　in　the　name　of　courtesy；　of　which　you　appear　profoundly　ignorant；　that　I　shall　chastise　you　for　your　insolence。〃
　　The　pale　face　of　the　monk　became　so　livid　and　his　smile　so　strange；　that　Raoul；　whose　eyes　were　still　fixed　upon　him；　felt　as　if　this　smile　had　struck　to　his　heart　like　an　insult。
　　〃He　is　some　Spanish　or　Flemish　spy；〃　said　he；　putting　his　hand　to　his　pistol。　A　glance；　threatening　and　transient　as　lightning；　replied　to　Raoul。
　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃are　you　going　to　reply？〃
　　〃I　am　a　priest；〃　said　the　young　man。
　　〃Then；　father；〃　said　Raoul；　forcing　himself　to　convey　a　respect　by　speech　that　did　not　e　from　his　heart；　〃if　you　are　a　priest　you　have　an　opportunity；　as　my　friend　has　told　you；　of　exercising　your　vocation。　At　the　next　inn　you　will　find　a　wounded　man；　now　being　attended　by　our　servants；　who　has　asked　the　assistance　of　a　minister　of　God。〃
　　〃I　will　go；〃　said　the　monk。
　　And　he　touched　his　mule。
　　〃If　you　do　not　go；　sir；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃remember　that　we　have　two　steeds　able　to　catch　your　mule　and　the　power　of　having　you　seized　wherever　you　may　be；　and　then　I　swear　your　trial　will　be　summary；　one　can　always　find　a　tree　and　a　cord。〃
　　The　monk's　eye　again　flashed；　but　that　was　all；　he　merely　repeated　his　phrase；　〃I　will　go；〃　　and　he　went。
　　〃Let　us　follow　him；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃it　will　be　the　surest　plan。〃
　　〃I　was　about　to　propose　so　doing；〃　answered　De　Bragelonne。
　　In　the　space　of　five　minutes　the　monk　turned　around　to　ascertain　whether　he　was　followed　or　not。
　　〃You　see；〃　said　Raoul；　〃we　have　done　wisely。〃
　　〃What　a　horrible　face　that　monk　has；〃　said　De　Guiche。
　　〃Horrible！〃　replied　Raoul；　〃especially　in　expression。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃a　strange　face；　but　these　monks　are　subject　to　such　degrading　practices；　their　fasts　make　them　pale；　the　blows　of　the　discipline　make　them　hypocrites；　and　their　eyes　bee　inflamed　through　weeping　for　the　good　things　of　this　life　we　mon　folk　enjoy；　but　they　have　lost。〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　Raoul；　〃the　poor　man　will　get　his　priest；　but；　by　Heaven；　the　penitent　appears　to　me　to　have　a　better　conscience　than　the　confessor。　I　confess　I　am　accustomed　to　priests　of　a　very　different　appearance。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　De　Guiche；　〃you　must　understand　that　this　is　one　of　those　wandering　brothers；　who　go　begging　on　the　high　road　until　some　day　a　benefice　falls　down　from　Heaven　on　them；　they　are　mostly　foreigners　　Scotch；　Irish　or　Danish。　I　have　seen　them　before。〃
　　〃As　ugly？〃
　　〃No；　but　reasonably　hideous。〃
　　〃What　a　misfortune　for　the　wounded　man　to　die　under　the　hands　of　such　a　friar！〃
　　〃Pshaw！〃　said　De　Guiche。　〃Absolution　es　not　from　him　who　administers　it；　but　from　God。　However；　for　my　part；　I　would　rather　die　unshriven　than　have　anything　to　say　to　such　a　confessor。　You　are　of　my　opinion；　are　you　not；　viscount？　and　I　see　you　playing　with　the　pommel　of　your　sword；　as　if　you　had　a　great　inclination　to　break　the　holy　father's　head。〃
　　〃Yes；　count；　it　is　a　strange　thing　and　one　which　might　astonish　you；　but　I　feel　an　indescribable　horror　at　the　sight　of　yonder　man。　Have　you　ever　seen　a　snake　rise　up　on　your　path？〃
　　〃Never；〃　answered　De　Guiche。
　　〃Well；　it　has　happened　to　me　to　do　so　in　our　Blaisois　forests；　and　I　remember　that　the　first　time　I　encountered　one　with　its　eyes　fixed　upon　me；　curled　up；　swinging　its　head　and　pointing　its　tongue；　I　remained　fixed；　pale　and　as　though　fascinated；　until　the　moment　when　the　te　de　la　Fere　　〃
　　〃Your　father？〃　asked　De　Guiche。
　　〃No；　my　guardian；〃　replied　Raoul；　blushing。
　　〃Very　well　　〃
　　〃Until　the　moment　when　the　te　de　la　Fere；〃　resumed　Raoul；　〃said；　‘e；　Bragelonne；　draw　your　sword；'　then　only　I　rushed　upon　the　reptile　and　cut　it　in　two；　just　at　the　moment　when　it　was　rising　on　its　tail　and　hissing；　ere　it　sprang　upon　me。　Well；　I　vow　I　felt　exactly　the　same　sensation　at　sight　of　that　man　when　he　said；　‘Why　do　you　ask　me　that？'　and　looked　so　strangely　at　me。〃
　　〃Then　you　regret　that　you　did　not　cut　your　serpent　in　two　morsels？〃
　　〃Faith；　yes；　almost；〃　said　Raoul。
　　They　had　now　arrived　within　sight　of　the　little　inn　and　could　see　on　the　opposite　side　the　procession　bearing　the　wounded　man　and　guided　by　Monsieur　d'Arminges。　The　youths　spurred　on。
　　〃There　is　the　wounded　man；〃　said　De　Guiche；　passing　close　to　the　Augustine　brother。　〃Be　good　enough　to　hurry　yourself　a　little；　monsieur　monk。〃
　　As　for　Raoul；　he　avoided　the　monk　by　the　whole　width　of　the　road　and　passed　him；　turning　his　head　away　in　repulsion。
　　The　young　men　rode　up　to　the　wounded　man　to　announce　that　they　were　followed　by　the　priest。　He　raised　himself　to　glance　in　the　direction　which　they　pointed　out；　saw　the　monk；　and　fell　back　upon　the　litter；　his　face　illumined　by　joy。
　　〃And　now；〃　said　the　youths；　〃we　have　done　all　we　can　for　you；　and　as　we　are　in　haste　to　rejoin　the　prince's　army　we　must　continue　our　journey。　You　will　excuse　us；　sir；　but　we　are　told　that　a　battle　is　expected　and　we　do　not　wish　to　arrive　the　day　after　it。〃
　　〃Go；　my　young　sirs；〃　said　the　sick　man；　〃and　may　you　both　be　blessed　for　your　piety。　You　have　done　for　me；　as　you　promised；　all　that　you　could　do。　As　for　me　I　can　only　repeat；　may　God　protect　you　and　all　dear　to　you！〃
　　〃Sir；〃　said　De　Guiche　to　his　tutor；　〃we　will　precede　you；　and　you　can　rejoin　us　on　the　road　to　Cambrin。〃
　　The　host　was　at　his　door　and　everything　was　prepared　　bed；　bandages；　and　lint；　and　a　groom　had　gone　to　Lens；　the　nearest　village；　for　a　doctor。
　　〃Everything；〃　said　he　to　Raoul；　〃shall　be　done　as　you　desire；　but　you　will　not　stop　to　have　your　wound　dressed？〃
　　〃Oh；　my　wound　　mine　　'tis　nothing；〃　replied　the　viscount；　〃it　will　be　time　to　think　about　it　when　we　next　halt；　only　have　the　goodness；　should　you　see　a　cavalier　who　makes　inquiries　about　a　young　man　on　a　chestnut　horse　followed　by　a　servant；　to　tell　him；　in　fact；　that　you　have　seen　me；　but　that　I　have　continued　my　journey　and　intend　to　dine　at　Mazingarbe　and　to　stop　at　Cambrin。　This　cavalier　is　my　attendant。〃
　　〃Would　it　not　be　safer　and　more　certain　if　I　should　ask　him　his　name　and　tell　him　yours？〃　demanded　the　host。
　　〃There　is　no　harm　in　over…precaution。　I　am　the　Viscount　de　Bragelonne　and　he　is　called　Grimaud。〃
　　At　this　moment　the　wounded　man　arrived　from　one　direction　and　the　monk　from　the　other；　the　latter　dismounting　from　his　mule　and　desiring　that　it　should　be　taken　to　the　stables　without　being　unharnessed。
　　〃Sir　monk；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃confess　well　that　brave　man；　and　be　not　concerned　for　your　expenses　or　for　those　of　your　mule；　all　is　paid。〃
　　〃Thanks；　monsieur；〃　said　the　monk；　with　one　of　those　smiles　that　made　Bragelonne　shudder。
　　〃e；　count；〃　said　Raoul；　who　seemed　instinctively　to　dislike　the　vicinity　of　the　Augustine；　〃e；　I　feel　ill　here；〃　and　the　two　young　men　spurred　on。
　　The　litter；　borne　by　two　servants；　now　entered　the　house。　The　host　and　his　wife　were　standing　on　the　steps；　whilst　the　unhappy　man　seemed　to　suffer　dreadful　pain　and　yet　to　be　concerned　only　to　know　if　he　was　followed　by　the　monk。　At　sight　of　this　pale；　bleeding　man；　the　wife　grasped　her　husband's　arm。
　　〃Well；　what's　the　matter？〃　asked　the　latter；　〃are　you　going　to　be　ill　just　now？〃
　　〃No；　but　look；〃　replied　the　hostess；　pointing　to　the　wounded　man；　〃I　ask　you　if　you　recognize　him？〃
　　〃That　man　　wait　a　bit。〃
　　〃Ah！　I　see　you　know　him；〃　exclaimed　the　wife；　〃for　you　have　bee　pale　in　your　turn。〃
　　〃Truly；〃　cried　the　host；　〃misfortune　is　ing　on　our　house；　it　is　the　former　executioner　of　Bethune。〃
　　〃The　former　executioner　of　Bethune！〃　murmured　the　young　monk；　shrinking　back　and　showing　on　his　countenance　the　feeling　of　repugnance　which　his　penitent　inspired。
　　Monsieur　d'Arminges；　who　was　at　the　door；　perceived　his　hesitation。
　　〃Sir　monk；〃　said　he；　〃whether　he　is　now　or　has　been　an　executioner；　this　unfortunate　being　is　none　the　less　a　man。　Render　to　him；　then；　the　last　service　he　can　by　any　possibility　ask　of　you；　and　your　work　will　be　all　the　more　meritorious。〃
　　The　monk　made　no　reply；　but　silently　wended　his　way　to　the　room　where　the　two　valets　had　deposited　the　dying　man　on　a　bed。　D'Arminges　and　Olivain　and　the　two　grooms　then　mounted　their　horses；　and　all　four　started　off　at　a　quick　trot　to　rejoin　Raoul　and　his　panion。　Just　as　the　tutor　and　his　escort　disappeared　in　their　turn；　a　new　traveler　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the　inn。
　　〃What　does　your　worship　want？〃　demanded　the　host；　pale　and　trembling　from　the　discovery　he　had