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二十年后-第46章

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  〃How many are there?〃
  〃Four; and a fifth whom they carried away wounded。〃
  〃Four!〃 said D'Artagnan; looking at Porthos。 〃Do you hear; baron? They are only four!〃
  A joyous smile lighted Porthos's face。
  〃How long a start have they?〃
  〃Two hours and a quarter; my officer。〃
  〃Two hours and a quarter  that is nothing; we are well mounted; are we not; Porthos?〃
  Porthos breathed a sigh; he thought of what was in store for his poor horses。
  〃Very good;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃and now in what direction did they set out?〃
  〃That I am forbidden to tell。〃
  D'Artagnan drew from his pocket a paper。 〃Order of the king;〃 he said。
  〃Speak to the governor; then。〃
  〃And where is the governor?〃
  〃In the country。〃
  Anger mounted to D'Artagnan's face; he frowned and his cheeks were colored。
  〃Ah; you scoundrel!〃 he said to the sergeant; 〃I believe you are impudent to me! Wait!〃
  He unfolded the paper; presented it to the sergeant with one hand and with the other took a pistol from his holsters and cocked it。
  〃Order of the king; I tell you。 Read and answer; or I will blow out your brains!〃
  The sergeant saw that D'Artagnan was in earnest。 〃The Vendomois road;〃 he replied。
  〃And by what gate did they go out?〃
  〃By the Saint Maur gate。〃
  〃If you are deceiving me; rascal; you will be hanged to…morrow。〃
  〃And if you catch up with them you won't e back to hang me;〃 murmured the sergeant。
  D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders; made a sign to his escort and started。
  〃This way; gentlemen; this way!〃 he cried; directing his course toward the gate that had been pointed out。
  But; now that the duke had escaped; the concierge had seen fit to fasten the gate with a double lock。 It was necessary to pel him to open it; as the sergeant had been pelled to speak; and this took another ten minutes。 This last obstacle having been overe; the troop pursued their course with their accustomed ardor; but some of the horses could no longer sustain this pace; three of them stopped after an hour's gallop; and one fell down。
  D'Artagnan; who never turned his head; did not perceive it。 Porthos told him of it in his calm manner。
  〃If only we two arrive;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃it will be enough; since the duke's troop are only four in number。〃
  〃That is true;〃 said Porthos
  And he spurred his courser on。
  At the end of another two hours the horses had gone twelve leagues without stopping; their legs began to tremble; and the foam they shed whitened the doublets of their masters。
  〃Let us rest here an instant to give these poor creatures breathing time;〃 said Porthos。
  〃Let us rather kill them! yes; kill them!〃 cried D'Artagnan; 〃I see fresh tracks; 'tis not a quarter of an hour since they passed this place。〃
  In fact; the road was trodden by horses' feet; visible even in the approaching gloom of evening。
  They set out; after a run of two leagues; Musqueton's horse sank。
  〃Gracious me!〃 said Porthos; 〃there's Phoebus ruined。〃
  〃The cardinal will pay you a hundred pistoles。〃
  〃I'm above that。〃
  〃Let us set out again; at full gallop。〃
  〃Yes; if we can。〃
  But at last the lieutenant's horse refused to go on; he could not breathe; one last spur; instead of making him advance; made him fall。
  〃The devil!〃 exclaimed Porthos; 〃there's Vulcan foundered。〃
  〃Zounds!〃 cried D'Artagnan; 〃then we must stop! Give me your horse; Porthos。 What the devil are you doing?〃
  〃By Jove; I am falling; or rather; Bayard is falling;〃 answered Porthos。
  All three then cried: 〃All's over。〃
  〃Hush!〃 said D'Artagnan。
  〃What is it?〃
  〃I hear a horse。〃
  〃It belongs to one of our panions; who is overtaking us。〃
  〃No;〃 said D'Artagnan; 〃it is in advance。〃
  〃That is another thing;〃 said Porthos; and he listened toward the quarter indicated by D'Artagnan。
  〃Monsieur;〃 said Musqueton; who; abandoning his horse on the high road; had e on foot to rejoin his master; 〃Phoebus could no longer hold out and  〃
  〃Silence!〃 said Porthos。
  In fact; at that moment a second neighing was borne to them on the night wind。
  〃It is five hundred feet from here; in advance;〃 said D'Artagnan。
  〃True; monsieur;〃 said Musqueton; 〃and five hundred feet from here is a small hunting…house。〃
  〃Musqueton; thy pistols;〃 said D'Artagnan。
  〃I have them at hand; monsieur。〃
  〃Porthos; take yours from your holsters。〃
  〃I have them。〃
  〃Good!〃 said D'Artagnan; seizing his own; 〃now you understand; Porthos?〃
  〃Not too well。〃
  〃We are out on the king's service。〃
  〃Well?〃
  〃For the king's service we need horses。〃
  〃That is true;〃 said Porthos。
  〃Then not a word; but set to work!〃
  They went on through the darkness; silent as phantoms; they saw a light glimmering in the midst of some trees。
  〃Yonder is the house; Porthos;〃 said the Gascon; 〃let me do what I please and do you what I do。〃
  They glided from tree to tree till they arrived at twenty steps from the house unperceived and saw by means of a lantern suspended under a hut; four fine horses。 A groom was rubbing them down; near them were saddles and bridles。
  D'Artagnan approached quickly; making a sign to his two panions to remain a few steps behind。
  〃I buy those horses;〃 he said to the groom。
  The groom turned toward him with a look of surprise; but made no reply。
  〃Didn't you hear; fellow?〃
  〃Yes; I heard。〃
  〃Why; then; didn't you reply?〃
  〃Because these horses are not to be sold;〃 was the reply。
  〃I take them; then;〃 said the lieutenant。
  And he took hold of one within his reach; his two panions did the same thing。
  〃Sir;〃 cried the groom; 〃they have traversed six leagues and have only been unsaddled half an hour。〃
  〃Half an hour's rest is enough 〃 replied the Gascon。
  The groom cried aloud for help。 A kind of steward appeared; just as D'Artagnan and his panions were prepared to mount。 The steward attempted to expostulate。
  〃My dear friend;〃 cried the lieutenant; 〃if you say a word I will blow out your brains。〃
  〃But; sir;〃 answered the steward; 〃do you know that these horses belong to Monsieur de Montbazon?〃
  〃So much the better; they must be good animals; then。〃
  〃Sir; I shall call my people。〃
  〃And I; mine; I've ten guards behind me; don't you hear them gallop? and I'm one of the king's musketeers。 e; Porthos; e; Musqueton。〃
  They all mounted the horses as quickly as possible。
  〃Halloo! hi! hi!〃 cried the steward; 〃the house servants; with the carbines!〃
  〃On! on!〃 cried D'Artagnan; 〃there'll be firing! on!〃
  They all set off; swift as the wind。
  〃Here!〃 cried the steward; 〃here!〃 whilst the groom ran to a neighboring building。
  〃Take care of your horses!〃 cried D'Artagnan to him。
  〃Fire!〃 replied the steward。
  A gleam; like a flash of lightning; illumined the road; and with the flash was heard the whistling of balls; which were fired wildly in the air。
  〃They fire like grooms;〃 said Porthos。 〃In the time of the cardinal people fired better than that; do you remember the road to Crevecoeur; Musqueton?〃
  〃Ah; sir! my left side still pains me!〃
  〃Are you sure we are on the right track; lieutenant?〃
  〃Egad; didn't you hear? these horses belong to Monsieur de Montbazon; well; Monsieur de Montbazon is the husband of Madame de Montbazon  〃
  〃And  〃
  〃And Madame de Montbazon is the mistress of the Duc de Beaufort。〃
  〃Ah! I understand;〃 replied Porthos; 〃she has ordered relays of horses。〃
  〃Exactly so。〃
  〃And we are pursuing the duke with the very horses he has just left?〃
  〃My dear Porthos; you are really a man of most superior understanding;〃 said D'Artagnan; with a look as if he spoke against his conviction。
  〃Pooh!〃 replied Porthos; 〃I am what I am。〃
  They rode on for an hour; till the horses were covered with foam and dust。
  〃Zounds! what is yonder?〃 cried D'Artagnan。
  〃You are very lucky if you see anything such a night as this;〃 said Porthos。
  〃Something bright。〃
  〃I; too;〃 cried Musqueton; 〃saw them also。〃
  〃Ah! ah! have we overtaken them?〃
  〃Good! a dead horse!〃 said D'Artagnan; pulling up his horse; which shied; 〃it seems their horses; too; are breaking down; as well as ours。〃
  〃I seem to hear the noise of a troop of horsemen;〃 exclaimed Porthos; leaning over his horse's mane。
  〃Impossible。〃
  〃They appear to be numerous。〃
  〃Then 'tis something else。〃
  〃Another horse!〃 said Porthos。
  〃Dead?〃
  〃No; dying。〃
  〃Saddled?〃
  〃Yes; saddled and bridled。〃
  〃Then we are upon the fugitives。〃
  〃Courage; we have them!〃
  〃But if they are numerous;〃 observed Musqueton; 〃'tis not we who have them; but they who have us。〃
  〃Nonsense!〃 cried D'Artagnan; 〃they'll suppose us to be stronger than themselves; as we're in pursuit; they'll be afraid and will disperse。〃
  〃Certainly;〃 remarked Porthos。
  〃Ah! do you see?〃 cried the lieutenant。
  〃The lights again! this time I; too; saw them;〃 said Porthos。
  〃On! on! forward! forward!〃 cried D'Artagnan; in his stentorian voice; 〃we shall laugh over all this in five minutes。〃
  And
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