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！
winging its head and pointing its tongue； I remained fixed； pale and as though fascinated； until the moment when the te de la Fere 〃
〃Your father？〃 asked De Guiche。
〃No； my guardian；〃 replied Raoul； blushing。
〃Very well 〃
〃Until the moment when the te de la Fere；〃 resumed Raoul； 〃said； ‘e； Bragelonne； draw your sword；' then only I rushed upon the reptile and cut it in two； just at the moment when it was rising on its tail and hissing； ere it sprang upon me。 Well； I vow I felt exactly the same sensation at sight of that man when he said； ‘Why do you ask me that？' and looked so strangely at me。〃
〃Then you regret that you did not cut your serpent in two morsels？〃
〃Faith； yes； almost；〃 said Raoul。
They had now arrived within sight of the little inn and could see on the opposite side the procession bearing the wounded man and guided by Monsieur d'Arminges。 The youths spurred on。
〃There is the wounded man；〃 said De Guiche； passing close to the Augustine brother。 〃Be good enough to hurry yourself a little； monsieur monk。〃
As for Raoul； he avoided the monk by the whole width of the road and passed him； turning his head away in repulsion。
The young men rode up to the wounded man to announce that they were followed by the priest。 He raised himself to glance in the direction which they pointed out； saw the monk； and fell back upon the litter； his face illumined by joy。
〃And now；〃 said the youths； 〃we have done all we can for you； and as we are in haste to rejoin the prince's army we must continue our journey。 You will excuse us； sir； but we are told that a battle is expected and we do not wish to arrive the day after it。〃
〃Go； my young sirs；〃 said the sick man； 〃and may you both be blessed for your piety。 You have done for me； as you promised； all that you could do。 As for me I can only repeat； may God protect you and all dear to you！〃
〃Sir；〃 said De Guiche to his tutor； 〃we will precede you； and you can rejoin us on the road to Cambrin。〃
The host was at his door and everything was prepared bed； bandages； and lint； and a groom had gone to Lens； the nearest village； for a doctor。
〃Everything；〃 said he to Raoul； 〃shall be done as you desire； but you will not stop to have your wound dressed？〃
〃Oh； my wound mine 'tis nothing；〃 replied the viscount； 〃it will be time to think about it when we next halt； only have the goodness； should you see a cavalier who makes inquiries about a young man on a chestnut horse followed by a servant； to tell him； in fact； that you have seen me； but that I have continued my journey and intend to dine at Mazingarbe and to stop at Cambrin。 This cavalier is my attendant。〃
〃Would it not be safer and more certain if I should ask him his name and tell him yours？〃 demanded the host。
〃There is no harm in over…precaution。 I am the Viscount de Bragelonne and he is called Grimaud。〃
At this moment the wounded man arrived from one direction and the monk from the other； the latter dismounting from his mule and desiring that it should be taken to the stables without being unharnessed。
〃Sir monk；〃 said De Guiche； 〃confess well that brave man； and be not concerned for your expenses or for those of your mule； all is paid。〃
〃Thanks； monsieur；〃 said the monk； with one of those smiles that made Bragelonne shudder。
〃e； count；〃 said Raoul； who seemed instinctively to dislike the vicinity of the Augustine； 〃e； I feel ill here；〃 and the two young men spurred on。
The litter； borne by two servants； now entered the house。 The host and his wife were standing on the steps； whilst the unhappy man seemed to suffer dreadful pain and yet to be concerned only to know if he was followed by the monk。 At sight of this pale； bleeding man； the wife grasped her husband's arm。
〃Well； what's the matter？〃 asked the latter； 〃are you going to be ill just now？〃
〃No； but look；〃 replied the hostess； pointing to the wounded man； 〃I ask you if you recognize him？〃
〃That man wait a bit。〃
〃Ah！ I see you know him；〃 exclaimed the wife； 〃for you have bee pale in your turn。〃
〃Truly；〃 cried the host； 〃misfortune is ing on our house； it is the former executioner of Bethune。〃
〃The former executioner of Bethune！〃 murmured the young monk； shrinking back and showing on his countenance the feeling of repugnance which his penitent inspired。
Monsieur d'Arminges； who was at the door； perceived his hesitation。
〃Sir monk；〃 said he； 〃whether he is now or has been an executioner； this unfortunate being is none the less a man。 Render to him； then； the last service he can by any possibility ask of you； and your work will be all the more meritorious。〃
The monk made no reply； but silently wended his way to the room where the two valets had deposited the dying man on a bed。 D'Arminges and Olivain and the two grooms then mounted their horses； and all four started off at a quick trot to rejoin Raoul and his panion。 Just as the tutor and his escort disappeared in their turn； a new traveler stopped on the threshold of the inn。
〃What does your worship want？〃 demanded the host； pale and trembling from the discovery he had just made。
The traveler made a sign as if he wished to drink； and then pointed to his horse and gesticulated like a man who is brushing something。
〃Ah； diable！〃 said the host to himself； 〃this man seems dumb。 And where will your worship drink？〃
〃There；〃 answered the traveler； pointing to the table。
〃I was mistaken；〃 said the host； 〃he's not quite dumb。 And what else does your worship wish for？〃
〃To know if you have seen a young man pass； fifteen years of age； mounted on a chestnut horse and followed by a groom？〃
〃The Viscount de Bragelonne？
〃Just so。〃
〃Then you are called Monsieur Grimaud？〃
The traveler made a sign of assent。
〃Well； then；〃 said the host； 〃your young master was here a quarter of an hour ago； he will dine at Mazingarbe and sleep at Cambrin。〃
〃How far is Mazingarbe？〃
〃Two miles and a half。〃
〃Thank you。〃
Grimaud was drinking his wine silently and had just placed his glass on the table to be filled a second time； when a terrific scream resounded from the room occupied by the monk and the dying man。 Grimaud sprang up。
〃What is that？〃 said he； 〃whence es that cry？〃
〃From the wounded man's room；〃 replied the host。
〃What wounded man？〃
〃The former executioner of Bethune； who has just been brought in here； assassinated by Spaniards； and who is now being confessed by an Augustine friar。〃
〃The old executioner of Bethune；〃 muttered Grimaud； 〃a man between fifty…five and sixty； tall； strong； swarthy； black hair and beard？〃
〃That is he； except that his beard has turned gray and his hair is white； do you know him？〃 asked the host。
〃I have seen him once；〃 replied Grimaud； a cloud darkening his countenance at the picture so suddenly summoned to the bar of recollection。
At this instant a second cry； less piercing than the first； but followed by prolonged groaning； was heard。
The three listeners looked at one another in alarm。
〃We must see what it is；〃 said Grimaud。
〃It sounds like the cry of one who is being murdered；〃 murmured the host。
〃Mon Dieu！〃 said the woman； crossing herself。
If Grimaud was slow in speaking； we know that he was quick to act； he sprang to the door and shook it violently； but it was bolted on the other side。
〃Open the door！〃 cried the host； 〃open it instantly； sir monk！〃
No reply。
〃Unfasten it； or I will break it in！〃 said Grimaud。
The same silence； and then； ere the host could oppose his design； Grimaud seized a pair of pincers he perceived in a corner and forced the bolt。 The room was inundated with blood； dripping from the mattresses upon which lay the wounded man； speechless； the monk had disappeared。
〃The monk！〃 cried the host； 〃where is the monk？〃
Grimaud sprang toward an open window which looked into the courtyard。
〃He has escaped by this means；〃 exclaimed he。
〃Do you think so？〃 said the host； bewildered； 〃boy； see if the mule belonging to the monk is still in the stable。〃
〃There is no mule；〃 cried he to whom this question was addressed。
The host clasped his hands and looked around him suspiciously； whilst Grimaud knit his brows and approached the wounded man； whose worn； hard features awoke in his mind such awful recollections of the past。
〃There can be no longer any doubt but that it is himself；〃 said he。
〃Does he still live？〃 inquired the innkeeper。
Making no reply； Grimaud opened the poor man's jacket to feel if the heart beat； whilst the host approached in his turn； but in a moment they both fell back； the host uttering a cry of horror and Grimaud being pallid。 The blade of a dagger was buried up to the hilt in the left side of the executioner。
〃Run！ run for help！〃 cried Grimaud； 〃and I will remain beside him here。〃
The host quitted the room in agitation； and as for his wife； she had fled at the sound of her husband's cries。
The Absolution
This is what had taken place： We have seen that it was not of his own free will； but； on the contrary； very reluctantly； that the monk at