二十年后-第83部分

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stables。〃
　　minges　glanced　at　D'Artagnan　with　the　envious　look　with　which　every　courtier　sees　a　new　favorite　spring　up。
　　〃You　hear；　minges？〃　said　the　queen。
　　D'Artagnan　went　up　to　him；　with　his　usual　quickness　he　caught　the　anxious　glance。
　　〃Monsieur　de　minges；〃　he　said；　〃pardon　me；　we　both　are　servants　of　the　queen；　are　we　not？　It　is　my　turn　to　be　of　use　to　her；　do　not　envy　me　this　happiness。〃
　　minges　bowed　and　left。
　　〃e；〃　said　D'Artagnan　to　himself；　〃I　have　got　one　more　enemy。〃
　　〃And　now；〃　said　the　queen；　addressing　D'Artagnan；　〃what　is　to　be　done？　for　you　hear　that；　instead　of　being　calmer；　the　noise　increases。〃
　　〃Madame；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃the　people　want　to　see　the　king　and　they　must　see　him。〃
　　〃What！　must　see　him！　Where　　on　the　balcony？〃
　　〃Not　at　all；　madame；　but　here；　sleeping　in　his　bed。〃
　　〃Oh；　your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　Laporte；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan　is　right。〃
　　The　queen　became　thoughtful　and　smiled；　like　a　woman　to　whom　duplicity　is　no　stranger。
　　〃Without　doubt；〃　she　murmured。
　　〃Monsieur　Laporte；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃go　and　announce　to　the　people　through　the　grating　that　they　are　going　to　be　satisfied　and　that　in　five　minutes　they　shall　not　only　see　the　king；　but　they　shall　see　him　in　bed；　add　that　the　king　sleeps　and　that　the　queen　begs　that　they　will　keep　silence；　so　as　not　to　awaken　him。〃
　　〃But　not　every　one；　a　deputation　of　two　or　four　people。〃
　　〃Every　one；　madame。〃
　　〃But　reflect；　they　will　keep　us　here　till　daybreak。
　　〃It　shall　take　but　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　answer　for　everything；　madame；　believe　me；　I　know　the　people；　they　are　like　a　great　child；　who　only　wants　humoring。　Before　the　sleeping　king　they　will　be　mute；　gentle　and　timid　as　lambs。〃
　　〃Go；　Laporte；〃　said　the　queen。
　　The　young　king　approached　his　mother　and　said；　〃Why　do　as　these　people　ask？〃
　　〃It　must　be　so；　my　son；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria。
　　〃But　if　they　say；　‘it　must　be'　to　me；　am　I　no　longer　king？〃
　　The　queen　remained　silent。
　　〃Sire；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃will　your　majesty　permit　me　to　ask　you　a　question？〃
　　Louis　XIV。　turned　around；　astonished　that　any　one　should　dare　to　address　him。　But　the　queen　pressed　the　child's　hand。
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　he　said。
　　〃Does　your　majesty　remember；　when　playing　in　the　park　of　Fontainebleau；　or　in　the　palace　courts　at　Versailles；　ever　to　have　seen　the　sky　grow　suddenly　dark　and　heard　the　sound　of　thunder？〃
　　〃Yes；　certainly。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　this　noise　of　thunder；　however　much　your　majesty　may　have　wished　to　continue　playing；　has　said；　‘go　in；　sire。　You　must　do　so。'〃
　　〃Certainly；　sir；　but　they　tell　me　that　the　noise　of　thunder　is　the　voice　of　God。〃
　　〃Well　then；　sire；〃　continued　D'Artagnan；　〃listen　to　the　noise　of　the　people；　you　will　perceive　that　it　resembles　that　of　thunder。〃
　　In　truth　at　that　moment　a　terrible　murmur　was　wafted　to　them　by　the　night　breeze；　then　all　at　once　it　ceased。
　　〃Hold；　sire；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃they　have　just　told　the　people　that　you　are　asleep；　you　see；　you　still　are　king。〃
　　The　queen　looked　with　surprise　at　this　strange　man；　whose　brilliant　courage　made　him　the　equal　of　the　bravest；　and　who　was；　by　his　fine　and　quick　intelligence；　the　equal　of　the　most　astute。
　　Laporte　entered。
　　〃Well；　Laporte？〃　asked　the　queen。
　　〃Madame；〃　he　replied；　〃Monsieur　d'Artagnan's　prediction　has　been　acplished；　they　are　calm；　as　if　by　enchantment。　The　doors　are　about　to　be　opened　and　in　five　minutes　they　will　be　here。〃
　　〃Laporte；〃　said　the　queen；　〃suppose　you　put　one　of　your　sons　in　the　king's　place；　we　might　be　off　during　the　time。〃
　　〃If　your　majesty　desires　it；〃　said　Laporte；　〃my　sons；　like　myself；　are　at　the　queen's　service。〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃should　one　of　them　know　his　majesty　and　discover　but　a　substitute；　all　would　be　lost。〃
　　〃You　are　right；　sir；　always　right；〃　said　Anne　of　Austria。　〃Laporte；　place　the　king　in　bed。〃
　　Laporte　placed　the　king；　dressed　as　he　was；　in　the　bed　and　then　covered　him　as　far　as　the　shoulders　with　the　sheet。　The　queen　bent　over　him　and　kissed　his　brow。
　　〃Pretend　to　sleep；　Louis；〃　said　she。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　king；　〃but　I　do　not　wish　to　be　touched　by　any　of　those　men。〃
　　〃Sire；　I　am　here；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　give　you　my　word；　that　if　a　single　man　has　the　audacity；　his　life　shall　pay　for　it。〃
　　〃And　now　what　is　to　be　done？〃　asked　the　queen；　〃for　I　hear　them。〃
　　〃Monsieur　Laporte；　go　to　them　and　again　remend　silence。　Madame；　wait　at　the　door；　whilst　I　shall　be　at　the　head　of　the　king's　bed；　ready　to　die　for　him。〃
　　Laporte　went　out；　the　queen　remained　standing　near　the　hangings；　whilst　D'Artagnan　glided　behind　the　curtains。
　　Then　the　heavy　and　collected　steps　of　a　multitude　of　men　were　heard；　and　the　queen　herself　raised　the　tapestry　hangings　and　put　her　finger　on　her　lips。
　　On　seeing　the　queen；　the　men　stopped　short；　respectfully。
　　〃Enter；　gentlemen；　enter；〃　said　the　queen。
　　There　was　then　amongst　that　crowd　a　moment's　hesitation；　which　looked　like　shame。　They　had　expected　resistance；　they　had　expected　to　be　thwarted；　to　have　to　force　the　gates；　to　overturn　the　guards。　The　gates　had　opened　of　themselves；　and　the　king；　ostensibly　at　least；　had　no　other　guard　at　his　bed…head　but　his　mother。　The　foremost　of　them　stammered　and　attempted　to　fall　back。
　　〃Enter；　gentlemen；〃　said　Laporte；　〃since　the　queen　desires　you　so　to　do。〃
　　Then　one　more　bold　than　the　rest　ventured　to　pass　the　door　and　to　advance　on　tiptoe。　This　example　was　imitated　by　the　rest；　until　the　room　filled　silently；　as　if　these　men　had　been　the　humblest；　most　devoted　courtiers。　Far　beyond　the　door　the　heads　of　those　who　were　not　able　to　enter　could　be　seen；　all　craning　to　their　utmost　height　to　try　and　see。
　　D'Artagnan　saw　it　all　through　an　opening　he　had　made　in　the　curtain；　and　in　the　very　first　man　who　entered　he　recognized　Planchet。
　　〃Sir；〃　said　the　queen　to　him；　thinking　he　was　the　leader　of　the　band；　〃you　wished　to　see　the　king　and　therefore　I　determined　to　show　him　to　you　myself。　Approach　and　look　at　him　and　say　if　we　have　the　appearance　of　people　who　wish　to　run　away。〃
　　〃No；　certainly；〃　replied　Planchet；　rather　astonished　at　the　unexpected　honor　conferred　upon　him。
　　〃You　will　say；　then；　to　my　good　and　faithful　Parisians；〃　continued　Anne；　with　a　smile；　the　expression　of　which　did　not　deceive　D'Artagnan；　〃that　you　have　seen　the　king　in　bed；　asleep；　and　the　queen　also　ready　to　retire。〃
　　〃I　shall　tell　them；　madame；　and　those　who　acpany　me　will　say　the　same　thing；　but　　〃
　　〃But　what？〃　asked　Anne　of　Austria。
　　〃Will　your　majesty　pardon　me；〃　said　Planchet；　〃but　is　it　really　the　king　who　is　lying　there？〃
　　Anne　of　Austria　started。　〃If；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　one　among　you　who　knows　the　king；　let　him　approach　and　say　whether　it　is　really　his　majesty　lying　there。〃
　　A　man　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　in　the　folds　of　which　his　face　was　hidden；　approached　and　leaned　over　the　bed　and　looked。
　　For　one　second；　D'Artagnan　thought　the　man　had　some　evil　design　and　he　put　his　hand　to　his　sword；　but　in　the　movement　made　by　the　man　in　stooping　a　portion　of　his　face　was　uncovered　and　D'Artagnan　recognized　the　coadjutor。
　　〃It　is　certainly　the　king；〃　said　the　man；　rising　again。　〃God　bless　his　majesty！〃
　　〃Yes；〃　repeated　the　leader　in　a　whisper；　〃God　bless　his　majesty！〃　and　all　these　men；　who　had　entered　enraged；　passed　from　anger　to　pity　and　blessed　the　royal　infant　in　their　turn。
　　〃Now；'；　said　Planchet；　〃let　us　thank　the　queen。　My　friends；　retire。〃
　　They　all　bowed；　and　retired　by　degrees　as　noiselessly　as　they　had　entered。　Planchet；　who　had　been　the　first　to　enter；　was　the　last　to　leave。　The　queen　stopped　him。
　　〃What　is　your　name；　my　friend？〃　she　said。
　　Planchet；　much　surprised　at　the　inquiry；　turned　back。
　　〃Yes；〃　continued　the　queen；　〃I　think　myself　as　much　honored　to　have　received　you　this　evening　as　if　you　had　been　a　prince；　and　I　wish　to　know　your　name。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　thought　Planchet；　〃to　treat　me　as　a　prince。　No；　thank　you。〃
　　D'Artagnan　trembled　lest　Planchet；　seduced；　like　the　crow　in　the　fable；　should　tell　his　name；　and　that　the　queen；　knowing　his　name；　would　discover　that　Planchet　had　belonged　to　him。
　　〃Madame；〃　replied　Planchet；　respectfully；　〃I　am　called　Dulaurier；　at　your　service。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Monsieur　Dulaurier；〃　said　the　queen；　〃and　what　is　your　business？〃
　　〃Madame；　I　am　a　clothier　in　the　Rue　Bourdonnais。〃
　　〃That　is　all　I　wished　to　know；〃　said　the　queen。　〃Much　obliged　to　you；　Monsieur　Dulaurier。　You　will　hear　again　from　me。〃
　　〃e；　e；〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　emerging　from　behind　the　curtain；　〃decidedly　Monsieur　Planchet　is　no　fool；　it　is　evident　he　has　been　brought　up　in　a　good　school。〃
　　The　different　actors　in　this　strange　scene　remained　facing　one　another；　without　uttering　a　single　word；　the　queen　standing　near　the　door；　D'Artagnan　half　out　of　his　hiding　place；　the　king　raised　on　his　elbow；　ready　to　fall　down　on　his　bed　again　at　the　slightest　sound　that　would　indicate　the　return　of　the　multitude；　but　instead　of　approaching；　the　noise　became　more　and　more　distant　and　very　soon　it　died　entirely　away。
　　The　queen　breathed　more　freely。　D'Artagnan　wiped　his　damp　forehead　and　the　king　slid　off　his　bed；　saying；　〃Let　us　go。〃
　　At　this　moment　Laporte　reappeared。
　　〃Well？〃　asked　the　queen
　　〃Well；　madame；〃　replied　the　valet；　〃I　followed　them　as　far　as　the　gates。　They　announced　to　all　their　rades　that　they　had　seen　the　king　and　that　the　queen　had　spoken　to　them；　and；　in　fact；　they　went　away　quite　proud　and　happy。〃
　　〃Oh；　the　miserable　wretches！〃　murmured　the　queen；　〃they　shall　pay　dearly　for　their　boldness；　and　it　is　I　who　promise　this。〃
　　Then　turning　to　D'Artagnan；　she　said：
　　〃Sir；　you　have　given　me　this　evening　the　best　advice　I　have　ever　received。　Continue；　and　say　what　we　must　do　now。〃
　　〃Monsieur　Laporte；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃finish　dressing　his　majesty。〃
　　〃We　may　go；　then？〃　asked　the　queen。
　　〃Whenever　your　majesty　pleases。　You　have　only　to　descend　by　the　private　stairs　and　you　will　find　me　at　the　door。〃
　　〃Go；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　will　follow　you。〃
　　D'Artagnan　went　down　and　found　the　carriage　at　its　post　and　the　musketeer　on　the