On that day, in fact, the four friends arrived punctually at the hour, each from his own abode8 or occupation. Porthos had been trying a new horse; D’Artagnan was on guard at the Louvre; Aramis had been to visit one of his penitents9 in the neighborhood; and Athos, whose domicile was established in the Rue Guenegaud, found himself close at hand. They were, therefore, somewhat surprised to meet altogether at the door of the Hermitage, Athos starting out from the Pont Neuf, Porthos by the Rue de la Roule, D’Artagnan by the Rue des Fosse Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, and Aramis by the Rue de Bethisy.
The first words exchanged between the four friends, on account of the ceremony which each of them mingled10 with their demonstration11, were somewhat forced and even the repast began with a kind of stiffness. Athos perceived this embarrassment12, and by way of supplying an effectual remedy, called for four bottles of champagne13.
At this order, given in Athos’s habitually14 calm manner, the face of the Gascon relaxed and Porthos’s brow grew smooth. Aramis was astonished. He knew that Athos not only never drank, but more, that he had a kind of repugnance15 to wine. This astonishment16 was doubled when Aramis saw Athos fill a bumper17 and toss it off with all his former enthusiasm. His companions followed his example. In a very few minutes the four bottles were empty and this excellent specific succeeded in dissipating even the slightest cloud that might have rested on their spirits. Now the four friends began to speak loud, scarcely waiting till one had finished before another began, and each assumed his favorite attitude on or at the table. Soon--strange fact--Aramis undid18 two buttons of his doublet, seeing which, Porthos unfastened his entirely19.
Battles, long journeys, blows given and received, sufficed for the first themes of conversation, which turned upon the silent struggles sustained against him who was now called the great cardinal20.
“Faith,” said Aramis, laughing, “we have praised the dead enough, let us revile21 the living a little; I should like to say something evil of Mazarin; is it permissible22?”
“Go on, go on,” replied D’Artagnan, laughing heartily23; “relate your story and I will applaud it if it is a good one.”
“A great prince,” said Aramis, “with whom Mazarin sought an alliance, was invited by him to send him a list of the conditions on which he would do him the honor to negotiate with him. The prince, who had a great repugnance to treat with such an ill-bred fellow, made out a list, against the grain, and sent it. In this list there were three conditions which displeased24 Mazarin and he offered the prince ten thousand crowns to renounce25 them.”
“Ah, ha, ha!” laughed the three friends, “not a bad bargain; and there was no fear of being taken at his word; what did the prince do then?”
“The prince immediately sent fifty thousand francs to Mazarin, begging him never to write to him again, and offered twenty thousand francs more, on condition that he would never speak to him. What did Mazarin do?”
“Stormed!” suggested Athos.
“Beat the messenger!” cried Porthos.
“Accepted the money!” said D’Artagnan.
“You have guessed it,” answered Aramis; and they all laughed so heartily that the host appeared in order to inquire whether the gentlemen wanted anything; he thought they were fighting.
“Faith!” exclaimed D’Artagnan to the two friends, “you may well wish ill to Mazarin; for I assure you, on his side he wishes you no good.”
“Pooh! really?” asked Athos. “If I thought the fellow knew me by my name I would be rebaptized, for fear it might be thought I knew him.”
“He knows you better by your actions than your name; he is quite aware that there are two gentlemen who greatly aided the escape of Monsieur de Beaufort, and he has instigated27 an active search for them, I can answer for it.”
“By whom?”
“By me; and this morning he sent for me to ask me if I had obtained any information.”
“And what did you reply?”
“That I had none as yet; but that I was to dine to-day with two gentlemen, who would be able to give me some.”
“You told him that?” said Porthos, a broad smile spreading over his honest face. “Bravo! and you are not afraid of that, Athos?”
“No,” replied Athos, “it is not the search of Mazarin that I fear.”
“Now,” said Aramis, “tell me a little what you do fear.”
“Nothing for the present; at least, nothing in good earnest.”
“And with regard to the past?” asked Porthos.
“Oh! the past is another thing,” said Athos, sighing; “the past and the future.”
“Are you afraid for your young Raoul?” asked Aramis.
“Well,” said D’Artagnan, “one is never killed in a first engagement.”
“Nor in the second,” said Aramis
“Nor in the third,” returned Porthos; “and even when one is killed, one rises again, the proof of which is, that here we are!”
“No,” said Athos, “it is not Raoul about whom I am anxious, for I trust he will conduct himself like a gentleman; and if he is killed--well, he will die bravely; but hold--should such a misfortune happen--well--” Athos passed his hand across his pale brow.
“Well?” asked Aramis.
“Ah!” said D’Artagnan; “I know what you mean.”
“And I, too,” added Aramis; “but you must not think of that, Athos; what is past, is past.”
“I don’t understand,” said Porthos.
“The affair at Armentieres,” whispered D’Artagnan.
“The affair at Armentieres?” asked he again.
“Milady.”
“Oh, yes!” said Porthos; “true, I had forgotten it!”
Athos looked at him intently.
“You have forgotten it, Porthos?” said he.
“Faith! yes, it is so long ago,” answered Porthos.
“This affair does not, then, weigh upon your conscience?”
“Faith, no.”
“And you, D’Artagnan?”
“I--I own that when my mind returns to that terrible period I have no recollection of anything but the rigid29 corpse30 of poor Madame Bonancieux. Yes, yes,” murmured he, “I have often felt regret for the victim, but never the very slightest remorse31 for the assassin.”
Athos shook his dead doubtfully.
“Consider,” said Aramis, “if you admit divine justice and its participation32 in the things of this world, that woman was punished by the will of heaven. We were but the instruments, that is all.”
“But as to free will, Aramis?”
“How acts the judge? He has a free will, yet he fearlessly condemns33. What does the executioner? He is master of his arm, yet he strikes without remorse.”
“The executioner!” muttered Athos, as if arrested by some recollection.
“I know that it is terrible,” said D’Artagnan; “but when I reflect that we have killed English, Rochellais, Spaniards, nay34, even French, who never did us any other harm but to aim at and to miss us, whose only fault was to cross swords with us and to be unable to ward35 off our blows--I can, on my honor, find an excuse for my share in the murder of that woman.”
“As for me,” said Porthos, “now that you have reminded me of it, Athos, I have the scene again before me, as if I now were there. Milady was there, as it were, where you sit.” (Athos changed color.) “I--I was where D’Artagnan stands. I wore a long sword which cut like a Damascus--you remember it, Aramis for you always called it Balizarde. Well, I swear to you, all three, that had the executioner of Bethune--was he not of Bethune?--yes, egad! of Bethune!--not been there, I would have cut off the head of that infamous36 being without thinking of it, or even after thinking of it. She was a most atrocious woman.”
“And then,” said Aramis, with the tone of philosophical37 indifference38 which he had assumed since he had belonged to the church and in which there was more atheism39 than confidence in God, “what is the use of thinking of it all? At the last hour we must confess this action and God knows better than we can whether it is a crime, a fault, or a meritorious40 deed. I repent41 of it? Egad! no. Upon my honor and by the holy cross; I only regret it because she was a woman.”
“The most satisfactory part of the matter,” said D’Artagnan, “is that there remains42 no trace of it.”
“She had a son,” observed Athos.
“Oh! yes, I know that,” said D’Artagnan, “and you mentioned it to me; but who knows what has become of him? If the serpent be dead, why not its brood? Do you think his uncle De Winter would have brought up that young viper43? De Winter probably condemned44 the son as he had done the mother.”
“Then,” said Athos, “woe to De Winter, for the child had done no harm.”
“May the devil take me, if the child be not dead,” said Porthos. “There is so much fog in that detestable country, at least so D’Artagnan declares.”
Just as the quaint45 conclusion reached by Porthos was about to bring back hilarity to faces now more or less clouded, hasty footsteps were heard upon the stair and some one knocked at the door.
“Come in,” cried Athos.
“Please your honors,” said the host, “a person in a great hurry wishes to speak to one of you.”
“To which of us?” asked all the four friends.
“To him who is called the Comte de la Fere.”
“It is I,” said Athos, “and what is the name of the person?”
“Grimaud.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Athos, turning pale. “Back already! What can have happened, then, to Bragelonne?”
“Let him enter,” cried D’Artagnan; “let him come up.”
But Grimaud had already mounted the staircase and was waiting on the last step; so springing into the room he motioned the host to leave it. The door being closed, the four friends waited in expectation. Grimaud’s agitation46, his pallor, the sweat which covered his face, the dust which soiled his clothes, all indicated that he was the messenger of some important and terrible news.
“Your honors,” said he, “that woman had a child; that child has become a man; the tigress had a little one, the tiger has roused himself; he is ready to spring upon you--beware!”
Athos glanced around at his friends with a melancholy47 smile. Porthos turned to look at his sword, which was hanging on the wall; Aramis seized his knife; D’Artagnan arose.
“What do you mean, Grimaud?” he exclaimed.
“That Milady’s son has left England, that he is in France, on his road to Paris, if he be not here already.”
“The devil he is!” said Porthos. “Are you sure of it?”
“Certain,” replied Grimaud.
This announcement was received in silence. Grimaud was so breathless, so exhausted48, that he had fallen back upon a chair. Athos filled a beaker with champagne and gave it to him.
“Well, after all,” said D’Artagnan, “supposing that he lives, that he comes to Paris; we have seen many other such. Let him come.”
“Yes,” echoed Porthos, glancing affectionately at his sword, still hanging on the wall; “we can wait for him; let him come.”
“Moreover, he is but a child,” said Aramis.
Grimaud rose.
“A child!” he exclaimed. “Do you know what he has done, this child? Disguised as a monk49 he discovered the whole history in confession50 from the executioner of Bethune, and having confessed him, after having learned everything from him, he gave him absolution by planting this dagger51 into his heart. See, it is on fire yet with his hot blood, for it is not thirty hours since it was drawn52 from the wound.”
And Grimaud threw the dagger on the table.
D’Artagnan, Porthos and Aramis rose and in one spontaneous motion rushed to their swords. Athos alone remained seated, calm and thoughtful.
“And you say he is dressed as a monk, Grimaud?”
“Yes, as an Augustine monk.”
“What sized man is he?”
“And he did not see Raoul?” asked Athos.
“Yes, on the contrary, they met, and it was the viscount himself who conducted him to the bed of the dying man.”
Athos, in his turn, rising without speaking, went and unhooked his sword.
“Heigh, sir,” said D’Artagnan, trying to laugh, “do you know we look very much like a flock of silly, mouse-evading women! How is it that we, four men who have faced armies without blinking, begin to tremble at the mention of a child?”
“It is true,” said Athos, “but this child comes in the name of Heaven.”
And very soon they left the inn.
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1
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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3
convoked
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| v.召集，召开（会议）( convoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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5
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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6
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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7
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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8
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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9
penitents
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| n.后悔者( penitent的名词复数 )；忏悔者 | |
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10
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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11
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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12
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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13
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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14
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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15
repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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bumper
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| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
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Undid
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| v. 解开, 复原 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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revile
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| v.辱骂，谩骂 | |
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permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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23
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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24
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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25
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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26
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
expiation
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| n.赎罪，补偿 | |
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29
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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30
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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31
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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32
participation
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| n.参与，参加，分享 | |
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33
condemns
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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34
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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35
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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36
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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atheism
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| n.无神论，不信神 | |
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40
meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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41
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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42
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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43
viper
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| n.毒蛇；危险的人 | |
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44
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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45
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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46
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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47
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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48
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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49
monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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50
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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51
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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52
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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53
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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