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二十年后-第127章

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ould have done what I did。〃
  Mordaunt wanted now only two or three fathoms to reach the boat; for the approach of death seemed to give him supernatural strength。
  〃Alas!〃 he said; 〃I am then to die? You are going to kill the son; as you killed the mother! Surely; if I am culpable and if I ask for pardon; I ought to be forgiven。〃
  Then; as if his strength failed him; he seemed unable to sustain himself above the water and a wave passed over his head; which drowned his voice。
  〃Oh! this is torture to me;〃 cried Athos。
  Mordaunt reappeared。
  〃For my part;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃I say this must e to an end; murderer; as you were; of your uncle! executioner; as you were; of King Charles! incendiary! I remend you to sink forthwith to the bottom of the sea; and if you e another fathom nearer; I'll stave your wicked head in with this oar。〃
  〃D'Artagnan! D'Artagnan!〃 cried Athos; 〃my son; I entreat you; the wretch is dying; and it is horrible to let a man die without extending a hand to save him。 I cannot resist doing so; he must live。〃
  〃Zounds!〃 replied D'Artagnan; 〃why don't you give yourself up directly; feet and hands bound; to that wretch? Ah! te de la Fere; you wish to perish by his hands! I; your son; as you call me  I will not let you!〃
  'Twas the first time D'Artagnan had ever refused a request from Athos。
  Aramis calmly drew his sword; which he had carried between his teeth as he swam。
  〃If he lays his hand on the boat's edge I will cut it off; regicide that he is。〃
  〃And I;〃 said Porthos。 〃Wait。〃
  〃What are you going to do?〃 asked Aramis。
  〃Throw myself in the water and strangle him。〃
  〃Oh; gentlemen!〃 cried Athos; 〃be men! be Christians! See! death is depicted on his face! Ah! do not bring on me the horrors of remorse! Grant me this poor wretch's life。 I will bless you  I  〃
  〃I am dying!〃 cried Mordaunt; 〃e to me! e to me!〃
  D'Artagnan began to be touched。 The boat at this moment turned around; and the dying man was by that turn brought nearer Athos。
  〃Monsieur the te de la Fere;〃 he cried; 〃I supplicate you! pity me! I call on you  where are you? I see you no longer  I am dying  help me! help me!〃
  〃Here I am; sir!〃 said Athos; leaning and stretching out his arm to Mordaunt with that air of dignity and nobility of soul habitual to him; 〃here I am; take my hand and jump into our boat。〃
  Mordaunt made a last effort  rose  seized the hand thus extended to him and grasped it with the vehemence of despair。
  〃That's right;〃 said Athos; 〃put your other hand here。 〃And he offered him his shoulder as another stay and support; so that his head almost touched that of Mordaunt; and these two mortal enemies were in as close an embrace as if they had been brothers。
  〃Now; sir;〃 said the count; 〃you are safe  calm yourself。〃
  〃Ah! my mother;〃 cried Mordaunt; with eyes on fire with a look of hate impossible to paint; 〃I can only offer thee one victim; but it shall at any rate be the one thou wouldst thyself have chosen!〃
  And whilst D'Artagnan uttered a cry; Porthos raised the oar; and Aramis sought a place to strike; a frightful shake given to the boat precipitated Athos into the sea; whilst Mordaunt; with a shout of triumph; grasped the neck of his victim; and in order to paralyze his movements; twined arms and legs around the musketeer。 For an instant; without an exclamation; without a cry for help; Athos tried to sustain himself on the surface of the waters; but the weight dragged him down; he disappeared by degrees; soon nothing was to be seen except his long; floating hair; then both men disappeared and the bubbling of the water; which; in its turn; was soon effaced; alone indicated the spot where these two had sunk。
  Mute with horror; the three friends had remained open…mouthed; their eyes dilated; their arms extended like statues; and; motionless as they were; the beating of their hearts was audible。 Porthos was the first who came to himself。 He tore his hair。
  〃Oh!〃 he cried; 〃Athos! Athos! thou man of noble heart; woe is me! I have let thee perish!〃
  At this instant; in the midst of the silver circle illumined by the light of the moon the same whirlpool which had been made by the sinking men was again obvious; and first were seen; rising above the waves; a wisp of hair; then a pale face with open eyes; yet; nevertheless; the eyes of death; then a body; which; after rising of itself even to the waist above the sea; turned gently on its back; according to the caprice of the waves; and floated。
  In the bosom of this corpse was plunged a poniard; the gold hilt of which shone in the moonbeams。
  〃Mordaunt! Mordaunt!〃 cried the three friends; 〃'tis Mordaunt!〃
  〃But Athos!〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan。
  Suddenly the boat leaned on one side beneath a new and unexpected weight and Grimaud uttered a shout of joy; every one turned around and beheld Athos; livid; his eyes dim and his hands trembling; supporting himself on the edge of the boat。 Eight vigorous arms lifted him up immediately and laid him in the boat; where directly Athos was warmed and reanimated; reviving with the caresses and cares of his friends; who were intoxicated with joy。
  〃You are not hurt?〃 asked D'Artagnan。
  〃No;〃 replied Athos; 〃and he  〃
  〃Oh; he! now we may say at last; thank Heaven! he is really dead。 Look!〃 and D'Artagnan; obliging Athos to look in the direction he pointed; showed him the body of Mordaunt floating on its back; which; sometimes submerged; sometimes rising; seemed still to pursue the four friends with looks of insult and mortal hatred。
  At last he sank。 Athos had followed him with a glance in which the deepest melancholy and pity were expressed。
  〃Bravo! Athos!〃 cried Aramis; with an emotion very rare in him。
  〃A capital blow you gave!〃 cried Porthos。
  〃I have a son。 I wished to live;〃 said Athos。
  〃In short;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃this has been the will of God。〃
  〃It was not I who killed him;〃 said Athos in a soft; low tone; 〃'twas destiny。〃
  How Musqueton; after being very nearly roasted; had a Narrow Escape of being eaten
  A deep silence reigned for a long time in the boat after the fearful scene described。
  The moon; which had shone for a short time; disappeared behind the clouds; every object was again plunged in the obscurity that is so awful in the deserts and still more so in that liquid desert; the ocean; and nothing was heard save the whistling of the west wind driving along the tops of the crested billows。
  Porthos was the first to speak。
  〃I have seen;〃 he said; 〃many dreadful things; but nothing that ever agitated me so much as what I have just witnessed。 Nevertheless; even in my present state of perturbation; I protest that I feel happy。 I have a hundred pounds' weight less upon my chest。 I breathe more freely。〃 In fact; Porthos breathed so loud as to do credit to the free play of his powerful lungs。
  〃For my part;〃 observed Aramis; 〃I cannot say the same as you do; Porthos。 I am still terrified to such a degree that I scarcely believe my eyes。 I look around the boat; expecting every moment to see that poor wretch holding between his hands the poniard plunged into his heart。〃
  〃Oh! I feel easy;〃 replied Porthos。 〃The poniard was pointed at the sixth rib and buried up to the hilt in his body。 I do not reproach you; Athos; for what you have done。 On the contrary; when one aims a blow that is the regulation way to strike。 So now; I breathe again  I am happy!〃
  〃Don't be in haste to celebrate a victory; Porthos;〃 interposed D'Artagnan; 〃never have we incurred a greater danger than we are now encountering。 Men may subdue men  they cannot overe the elements。 We are now on the sea; at night; without any pilot; in a frail bark; should a blast of wind upset the boat we are lost。〃
  Musqueton heaved a deep sigh。
  〃You are ungrateful; D'Artagnan;〃 said Athos; 〃yes; ungrateful to Providence; to whom we owe our safety in the most miraculous manner。 Let us sail before the wind; and unless it changes we shall be drifted either to Calais or Boulogne。 Should our bark be upset we are five of us good swimmers; able enough to turn it over again; or if not; to hold on by it。 Now we are on the very road which all the vessels between Dover and Calais take; 'tis impossible but that we should meet with a fisherman who will pick us up。〃
  〃But should we not find any fisherman and should the wind shift to the north?〃
  〃That;〃 said Athos; 〃would be quite another thing; and we should nevermore see land until we were upon the other side of the Atlantic。〃
  〃Which implies that we may die of hunger;〃 said Aramis。
  〃'Tis more than possible;〃 answered the te de la Fere。
  Musqueton sighed again; more deeply than before。
  〃What is the matter? what ails you?〃 asked Porthos。
  〃I am cold; sir;〃 said Musqueton。
  〃Impossible! your body is covered with a coating of fat which preserves it from the cold air。〃
  〃Ah! sir; 'tis this very coating of fat that makes me shiver。〃
  〃How is that; Musqueton?
  〃Alas! your honor; in the library of the Chateau of Bracieux there are a lot of books of travels。〃
  〃What then?〃
  〃Amongst them the voyages of Jean Mocquet in th
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