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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； and when； added to that； he who does the honors is the grandson of Henry IV。； you will； my lord duke； easily prehend that the honor fairly doubles the pleasure one enjoys。〃
The duke； in his turn； bowed； and an imperceptible smile appeared on the face of Grimaud； who kept behind La Ramee。
〃My dear La Ramee；〃 said the duke； 〃you are the only man to turn such faultless pliments。〃
〃No； my lord duke；〃 replied La Ramee； in the fullness of his heart； 〃I say what I think； there is no pliment in what I say to you 〃
〃Then you are attached to me？〃 asked the duke。
〃To own the truth； I should be inconsolable if you were to leave Vincennes。〃
〃A droll way of showing your affliction。〃 The duke meant to say 〃affection。〃
〃But； my lord；〃 returned La Ramee； 〃what would you do if you got out？ Every folly you mitted would embroil you with the court and they would put you into the Bastile； instead of Vincennes。 Now； Monsieur de Chavigny is not amiable； I allow； but Monsieur du Tremblay is considerably worse。〃
〃Indeed！〃 exclaimed the duke； who from time to time looked at the clock； the fingers of which seemed to move with sickening slowness。
〃But what can you expect from the brother of a capuchin monk； brought up in the school of Cardinal Richelieu？ Ah； my lord； it is a great happiness that the queen； who always wished you well； had a fancy to send you here； where there's a promenade and a tennis court； good air； and a good table。〃
〃In short；〃 answered the duke； 〃if I prehend you aright； La Ramee； I am ungrateful for having ever thought of leaving this place？〃
〃Oh！ my lord duke； 'tis the height of ingratitude； but your highness has never seriously thought of it？〃
〃Yes；〃 returned the duke； 〃I must confess I sometimes think of it。〃
〃Still by one of your forty methods； your highness？〃
〃Yes； yes； indeed。〃
〃My lord；〃 said La Ramee； 〃now we are quite at our ease and enjoying ourselves； pray tell me one of those forty ways invented by your highness。〃
〃Willingly；〃 answered the duke； 〃give me the pie！〃
〃I am listening；〃 said La Ramee； leaning back in his armchair and raising his glass of Madeira to his lips； and winking his eye that he might see the sun through the rich liquid that he was about to taste。
The duke glanced at the clock。 In ten minutes it would strike seven。
Grimaud placed the pie before the duke； who took a knife with a silver blade to raise the upper crust； but La Ramee； who was afraid of any harm happening to this fine work of art； passed his knife； which had an iron blade； to the duke。
〃Thank you； La Ramee；〃 said the prisoner。
〃Well； my lord！ this famous invention of yours？〃
〃Must I tell you；〃 replied the duke； 〃on what I most reckon and what I determine to try first？〃
〃Yes； that's the thing； my lord！〃 cried his custodian； gaily。
〃Well； I should hope； in the first instance； to have for keeper an honest fellow like you。〃
〃And you have me； my lord。 Well？〃
〃Having； then； a keeper like La Ramee； I should try also to have introduced to him by some friend or other a man who would be devoted to me； who would assist me in my flight。〃
〃e； e；〃 said La Ramee； 〃that's not a bad idea。〃
〃Capital； isn't it？ for instance； the former servingman of some brave gentleman； an enemy himself to Mazarin； as every gentleman ought to be。〃
〃Hush！ don't let us talk politics； my lord。〃
〃Then my keeper would begin to trust this man and to depend upon him； and I should have news from those without the prison walls。〃
〃Ah； yes！ but how can the news be brought to you？〃
〃Nothing easier； in a game of tennis； for example。〃
〃In a game of tennis？〃 asked La Ramee； giving more serious attention to the duke's words。
〃Yes； see； I send a ball into the moat； a man is there who picks it up； the ball contains a letter。 Instead of returning the ball to me when I call for it from the top of the wall； he throws me another； that other ball contains a letter。 Thus we have exchanged ideas and no one has seen us do it。〃
〃The devil it does！ The devil it does！〃 said La Ramee； scratching his head； 〃you are in the wrong to tell me that； my lord。 I shall have to watch the men who pick up balls。〃
The duke smiled。
〃But；〃 resumed La Ramee； 〃that is only a way of corresponding。〃
〃And that is a great deal； it seems to me。〃
〃But not enough。〃
〃Pardon me； for instance； I say to my friends； Be on a certain day； on a certain hour； at the other side of the moat with two horses。〃
〃Well； what then？〃 La Ramee began to be uneasy； 〃unless the horses have wings to mount the ramparts and e and fetch you。〃
〃That's not needed。 I have；〃 replied the duke； 〃a way of descending from the ramparts。〃
〃What？〃
〃A rope ladder。〃
〃Yes； but；〃 answered La Ramee； trying to laugh； 〃a ladder of ropes can't be sent around a ball； like a letter。〃
〃No； but it may be sent in something else。〃
〃In something else in something else？ In what？〃
〃In a pate； for example。〃
〃In a pate？〃 said La Ramee。
〃Yes。 Let us suppose one thing；〃 replied the duke 〃let us suppose； for instance； that my maitre d'hotel； Noirmont； has purchased the shop of Pere Marteau 〃
〃Well？〃 said La Ramee； shuddering。
〃Well； La Ramee； who is a gourmand； sees his pates； thinks them more attractive than those of Pere Marteau and proposes to me that I shall try them。 I consent on condition that La Ramee tries them with me。 That we may be more at our ease； La Ramee removes the guards； keeping only Grimaud to wait on us。 Grimaud is the man whom a friend has sent to second me in everything。 The moment for my escape is fixed seven o'clock。 Well； at a few minutes to seven 〃
〃At a few minutes to seven？〃 cried La Ramee； cold sweat upon his brow。
〃At a few minutes to seven；〃 returned the duke （suiting the action to the words）； 〃I raise the crust of the pie； I find in it two poniards； a ladder of rope； and a gag。 I point one of the poniards at La Ramee's breast and I say to him； ‘My friend； I am sorry for it； but if thou stirrest； if thou utterest one cry； thou art a dead man！'〃
The duke； in pronouncing these words； suited； as we have said； the action to the words。 He was standing near the officer and he directed the point of the poniard in such a manner； close to La Ramee's heart； that there could be no doubt in the mind of that individual as to his determination。 Meanwhile； Grimaud； still mute as ever； drew from the pie the other poniard； the rope ladder and the gag。
La Ramee followed all these objects with his eyes； his alarm every moment increasing。
〃Oh； my lord；〃 he cried； with an expression of stupefaction in his face； 〃you haven't the heart to kill me！〃
〃No； not if thou dost not oppose my flight。〃
〃But； my lord； if I allow you to escape I am a ruined man。〃
〃I will pensate thee for the loss of thy place。〃
〃You are determined to leave the chateau？〃
〃By Heaven and earth！ This night I am determined to be free。〃
〃And if I defend myself； or call； or cry out？〃
〃I will kill thee； on the honor of a gentleman。〃
At this moment the clock struck。
〃Seven o'clock！〃 said Grimaud； who had not spoken a word。
La Ramee made one movement； in order to satisfy his conscience。 The duke frowned； the officer felt the point of the poniard； which； having penetrated through his clothes； was close to his heart。
〃Let us dispatch；〃 said the duke。
〃My lord； one last favor。〃
〃What？ speak； make haste。〃
〃Bind my arms； my lord； fast。〃
〃Why bind thee？〃
〃That I may not be considered as your acplice。〃
〃Your hands？〃 asked Grimaud。
〃Not before me； behind me。〃
〃But with what？〃 asked the duke。
〃With your belt； my lord！〃 replied La Ramee。
The duke undid his belt and gave it to Grimaud； who tied La Ramee in such a way as to satisfy him。
〃Your feet； too；〃 said Grimaud。
La Ramee stretched out his legs； Grimaud took a table…cloth； tore it into strips and tied La Ramee's feet together。
〃Now； my lord；〃 said the poor man； 〃let me have the poire d'angoisse。 I ask for it； without it I should be tried in a court of justice because I did not raise the alarm。 Thrust it into my mouth； my lord； thrust it in。〃
Grimaud prepared to ply with this request； when the officer made a sign as if he had something to say。
〃Speak；〃 said the duke。
〃Now； my lord； do not forget； if any harm happens to me on your account； that I have a wife and four children。〃
〃Rest assured； put the gag in； Grimaud。〃
In a second La Ramee was gagged and laid prostrate。 Two or three chairs were thrown down as if there had been a struggle。 Grimaud then took from the pocket of the officer all the keys it contained and first opened the door of the room in which they were； then shut it and double…locked it； and both he and the duke proceeded rapidly down the gallery which led to the little inclosure。 At last they reached the tennis court。 It was pletely deserted。 No sentinels； no one at any of the windows。 The duke ran to the rampart and perceived on the other side of the ditch； three cavaliers with two riding horses。 The duke exchanged a signal with them。 It was