我的美母教师 | 乡村精品合集 | 乡村活寡 | 乡村欲爱 | 乡村春潮 | 乡村花医 | 欲望乡村（未删） | 乡村艳福 | 乡村春事 | 人妻四部曲

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

d　him　if　some　time　ago　he　had　not　received　in　his　house　two　gentlemen　who　were　pursued　by　dragoons；　without　answering　he　went　out　and　brought　in　the　blade　of　a　rapier。
　　〃Do　you　know　that？〃　he　asked。
　　Athos　merely　glanced　at　it。
　　〃'Tis　D'Artagnan's　sword；〃　he　said。
　　〃Does　it　belong　to　the　smaller　or　to　the　larger　of　the　two？〃　asked　the　host。
　　〃To　the　smaller。〃
　　〃I　see　that　you　are　the　friends　of　these　gentlemen。〃
　　〃Well；　what　has　happened　to　them？〃
　　〃They　were　pursued　by　eight　of　the　light　dragoons；　who　rode　into　the　courtyard　before　they　had　time　to　close　the　gate。〃
　　〃Eight！〃　said　Aramis；　〃it　surprises　me　that　two　such　heroes　as　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　should　have　allowed　themselves　to　be　arrested　by　eight　men。〃
　　〃The　eight　men　would　doubtless　have　failed　had　they　not　been　assisted　by　twenty　soldiers　of　the　regiment　of　Italians　in　the　king's　service；　who　are　in　garrison　in　this　town　so　that　your　friends　were　overpowered　by　numbers。〃
　　〃Arrested；　were　they？〃　inquired　Athos；　〃is　it　known　why？〃
　　〃No；　sir；　they　were　carried　off　instantly；　and　had　not　even　time　to　tell　me　why；　but　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　I　found　this　broken　sword…blade；　as　I　was　helping　to　raise　two　dead　men　and　five　or　six　wounded　ones。〃
　　〃'Tis　still　a　consolation　that　they　were　not　wounded；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Where　were　they　taken？〃　asked　Athos。
　　〃Toward　the　town　of　Louvres；〃　was　the　reply。
　　The　two　friends　having　agreed　to　leave　Blaisois　and　Grimaud　at　piegne　with　the　horses；　resolved　to　take　post　horses；　and　having　snatched　a　hasty　dinner　they　continued　their　journey　to　Louvres。　Here　they　found　only　one　inn；　in　which　was　consumed　a　liqueur　which　preserves　its　reputation　to　our　time　and　which　is　still　made　in　that　town。
　　〃Let　us　alight　here；〃　said　Athos。　〃D'Artagnan　will　not　have　let　slip　an　opportunity　of　drinking　a　glass　of　this　liqueur；　and　at　the　same　time　leaving　some　trace　of　himself。〃
　　They　went　into　the　town　and　asked　for　two　glasses　of　liqueur；　at　the　counter　　as　their　friends　must　have　done　before　them。　The　counter　was　covered　with　a　plate　of　pewter；　upon　this　plate　was　written　with　the　point　of　a　large　pin：　〃Rueil　。　。　。　D　。　。〃
　　〃They　went　to　Rueil；〃　cried　Aramis。
　　〃Let　us　go　to　Rueil；〃　said　Athos。
　　〃It　is　to　throw　ourselves　into　the　wolf's　jaws；〃　said　Aramis。
　　〃Had　I　been　as　great　a　friend　of　Jonah　as　I　am　of　D'Artagnan　I　should　have　followed　him　even　into　the　inside　of　the　whale　itself；　and　you　would　have　done　the　same；　Aramis。〃
　　〃Certainly　　but　you　make　me　out　better　than　I　am；　dear　count。　Had　I　been　alone　I　should　scarcely　have　gone　to　Rueil　without　great　caution。　But　where　you　go；　I　go。〃
　　They　then　set　off　for　Rueil。　Here　the　deputies　of　the　parliament　had　just　arrived；　in　order　to　enter　upon　those　famous　conferences　which　were　to　last　three　weeks；　and　produced　eventually　that　shameful　peace；　at　the　conclusion　of　which　the　prince　was　arrested。　Rueil　was　crowded　with　advocates；　presidents　and　councillors；　who　came　from　the　Parisians；　and；　on　the　side　of　the　court；　with　officers　and　guards；　it　was　therefore　easy；　in　the　midst　of　this　confusion；　to　remain　as　unobserved　as　any　one　might　wish；　besides；　the　conferences　implied　a　truce；　and　to　arrest　two　gentlemen；　even　Frondeurs；　at　this　time；　would　have　been　an　attack　on　the　rights　of　the　people。
　　The　two　friends　mingled　with　the　crowd　and　fancied　that　every　one　was　occupied　with　the　same　thought　that　tormented　them。　They　expected　to　hear　some　mention　made　of　D'Artagnan　or　of　Porthos；　but　every　one　was　engrossed　by　articles　and　reforms。　It　was　the　advice　of　Athos　to　go　straight　to　the　minister。
　　〃My　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃take　care；　our　safety　lies　in　our　obscurity。　If　we　were　to　make　ourselves　known　we　should　be　sent　to　rejoin　our　friends　in　some　deep　ditch；　from　which　the　devil　himself　could　not　take　us　out。　Let　us　try　not　to　find　them　out　by　accident；　but　from　our　notions。　Arrested　at　piegne；　they　have　been　carried　to　Rueil；　at　Rueil　they　have　been　questioned　by　the　cardinal；　who　has　either　kept　them　near　him　or　sent　them　to　Saint　Germain。　As　to　the　Bastile；　they　are　not　there；　though　the　Bastile　is　especially　for　the　Frondeurs。　They　are　not　dead；　for　the　death　of　D'Artagnan　would　make　a　sensation。　As　for　Porthos；　I　believe　him　to　be　eternal；　like　God；　although　less　patient。　Do　not　let　us　despond；　but　wait　at　Rueil；　for　my　conviction　is　that　they　are　at　Rueil。　But　what　ails　you？　You　are　pale。〃
　　〃It　is　this；〃　answered　Athos；　with　a　trembling　voice。
　　〃I　remember　that　at　the　Castle　of　Rueil　the　Cardinal　Richelieu　had　some　horrible　‘oubliettes'　constructed。〃
　　〃Oh！　never　fear；〃　said　Aramis。　〃Richelieu　was　a　gentleman；　our　equal　in　birth；　our　superior　in　position。　He　could；　like　the　king；　touch　the　greatest　of　us　on　the　head；　and　touching　them　make　such　heads　shake　on　their　shoulders。　But　Mazarin　is　a　low…born　rogue；　who　can　at　the　most　take　us　by　the　collar；　like　an　archer。　Be　calm　　for　I　am　sure　that　D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　are　at　Rueil；　alive　and　well。〃
　　〃But；〃　resumed　Athos；　〃I　recur　to　my　first　proposal。　I　know　no　better　means　than　to　act　with　candor。　I　shall　seek；　not　Mazarin；　but　the　queen；　and　say　to　her；　‘Madame；　restore　to　us　your　two　servants　and　our　two　friends。'〃
　　Aramis　shook　his　head。
　　〃'Tis　a　last　resource；　but　let　us　not　employ　it　till　it　is　imperatively　called　for；　let　us　rather　persevere　in　our　researches。〃
　　They　continued　their　inquiries　and　at　last　met　with　a　light　dragoon　who　had　formed　one　of　the　guard　which　had　escorted　D'Artagnan　to　Rueil。
　　Athos；　however；　perpetually　recurred　to　his　proposed　interview　with　the　queen。
　　〃In　order　to　see　the　queen；〃　said　Aramis；　〃we　must　first　see　the　cardinal；　and　when　we　have　seen　the　cardinal　　remember　what　I　tell　you；　Athos　　we　shall　be　reunited　to　our　friends；　but　not　in　the　way　you　wish。　Now；　that　way　of　joining　them　is　not　very　attractive　to　me；　I　confess。　Let　us　act　in　freedom；　that　we　may　act　well　and　quickly。〃
　　〃I　shall　go；〃　he　said；　〃to　the　queen。〃
　　〃Well；　then；〃　answered　Aramis；　〃pray　tell　me　a　day　or　two　beforehand；　that　I　may　take　that　opportunity　of　going　to　Paris。〃
　　〃To　whom？〃
　　〃Zounds！　how　do　I　know？　perhaps　to　Madame　de　Longueville。　She　is　all…powerful　yonder；　she　will　help　me。　But　send　me　word　should　you　be　arrested；　for　then　I　will　return　directly。〃
　　〃Why　do　you　not　take　your　chance　and　be　arrested　with　me？〃
　　〃No；　I　thank　you。〃
　　〃Should　we；　by　being　arrested；　be　all　four　together　again；　we　should　not；　I　am　not　sure；　be　twenty…four　hours　in　prison　without　getting　free。〃
　　〃My　friend；　since　I　killed　Chatillon；　adored　of　the　ladies　of　Saint　Germain；　I　am　too　great　a　celebrity　not　to　fear　a　prison　doubly。　The　queen　is　likely　to　follow　Mazarin's　counsels　and　to　have　me　tried。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　she　loves　this　Italian　so　much　as　they　say　she　does？〃
　　〃Did　she　not　love　an　Englishman？〃
　　〃My　friend；　she　is　a　woman。〃
　　〃No；　no；　you　are　deceived　　she　is　a　queen。〃
　　〃Dear　friend；　I　shall　sacrifice　myself　and　go　and　see　Anne　of　Austria。〃
　　〃Adieu；　Athos；　I　am　going　to　raise　an　army。〃
　　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　　〃To　e　back　and　besiege　Rueil。〃
　　〃Where　shall　we　meet　again？〃
　　〃At　the　foot　of　the　cardinal's　gallows。〃
　　The　two　friends　departed　　Aramis　to　return　to　Paris；　Athos　to　take　measures　preparatory　to　an　interview　with　the　queen。
　　The　Gratitude　of　Anne　of　Austria
　　Athos　found　much　less　difficulty　than　he　had　expected　in　obtaining　an　audience　of　Anne　of　Austria。　It　was　granted；　and　was　to　take　place　after　her　morning's　〃levee；〃　at　which；　in　accordance　with　his　rights　of　birth；　he　was　entitled　to　be　present。　A　vast　crowd　filled　the　apartments　of　Saint　Germain。　Anne　had　never　at　the　Louvre　had　so　large　a　court；　but　this　crowd　represented　chiefly　the　second　class　of　nobility；　while　the　Prince　de　Conti；　the　Duc　de　Beaufort　and　the　coadjutor　assembled　around　them　the　first　nobility　of　France。
　　The　greatest　possible　gayety　prevailed　at　court。　The　particular　characteristic　of　this　was　that　more　songs　were　made　than　cannons　fired　during　its　continuance。　The　court　made　songs　on　the　Parisians　and　the　Parisians　on　the　court；　and　the　casualties；　though　not