第25章

Andfromthatmoment，D\'Artagnan，accommodatinghisactiontothepaceofthehorse，likeatruecentaur，gaveuphisthoughtstonothing—thatistosay，toeverything。？Heaskedhimselfwhythekinghadsentforhimback;whytheIronMaskhadthrownthesilverplateatthefeetofRaoul。？Astothefirstsubject，thereplywasnegative;heknewrightwellthattheking\'scallinghimwasfromnecessity。？HestillfurtherknewthatLouisXIV。mustexperienceanimperiousdesireforaprivateconversationwithonewhomthepossessionofsuchasecretplacedonalevelwiththehighestpowersofthekingdom。？Butastosayingexactlywhattheking\'swishwas，D\'Artagnanfoundhimselfcompletelyataloss。？Themusketeerhadnodoubts，either，uponthereasonwhichhadurgedtheunfortunatePhilippetorevealhischaracterandbirth。？Philippe，buriedforeverbeneathamaskofsteel，exiledtoacountrywherethemenseemedlittlemorethanslavesoftheelements;Philippe，deprivedevenofthesocietyofD\'Artagnan，whohadloadedhimwithhonorsanddelicateattentions，hadnothingmoretoseethanodiousspectersinthisworld，and，despairbeginningtodevourhim，hepouredhimselfforthincomplaints，inthebeliefthathisrevelationswouldraiseupsomeavengerforhim。？Themannerinwhichthemusketeerhadbeennearkillinghistwobestfriends，thedestinywhichhadsostrangelybroughtAthostoparticipateinthegreatstatesecret，thefarewellofRaoul，theobscurityofthefuturewhichthreatenedtoendinamelancholydeath;allthisthrewD\'Artagnanincessantlybackonlamentablepredictionsandforebodings，whichtherapidityofhispacedidnotdissipate，asitusedformerlytodo。？D\'ArtagnanpassedfromtheseconsiderationstotheremembranceoftheproscribedPorthosandAramis。？Hesawthemboth，fugitives，tracked，ruined—laboriousarchitectsoffortunestheyhadlost;andasthekingcalledforhismanofexecutioninhoursofvengeanceandmalice，D\'Artagnantrembledattheveryideaofreceivingsomecommissionthatwouldmakehisverysoulbleed。？Sometimes，ascendinghills，whenthewindedhorsebreathedhardfromhisrednostrils，andheavedhisflanks，thecaptain，lefttomorefreedomofthought，reflectedontheprodigiousgeniusofAramis，ageniusofacumenandintrigue，amatchtowhichtheFrondeandthecivilwarhadproducedbuttwice。？Soldier，priest，diplomatist;gallant，avaricious，cunning;Aramishadnevertakenthegoodthingsofthislifeexceptasstepping—stonestorisetogiddierends。？Generousinspirit，ifnotloftyinheart，heneverdidillbutforthesakeofshiningevenyetmorebrilliantly。？Towardstheendofhiscareer，atthemomentofreachingthegoal，likethepatricianFuscus，hehadmadeafalsestepuponaplank，andhadfallenintothesea。？ButPorthos，good，harmlessPorthos！？ToseePorthoshungry，toseeMousquetonwithoutgoldlace，imprisoned，perhaps;toseePierrefonds，Bracieux，razedtotheverystones，dishonoredeventothetimber，—theseweresomanypoignantgriefsforD\'Artagnan，andeverytimethatoneofthesegriefsstruckhim，heboundedlikeahorseatthestingofagadflybeneaththevaultsoffoliagewherehehassoughtshadyshelterfromtheburningsun。？Neverwasthemanofspiritsubjectedtoennui，ifhisbodywasexposedtofatigue;neverdidthemanofhealthybodyfailtofindlifelight，ifhehadsomethingtoengagehismind。？D\'Artagnan，ridingfast，thinkingasconstantly，alightedfromhishorseinPairs，freshandtenderinhismusclesastheathletepreparingforthegymnasium。？Thekingdidnotexpecthimsosoon，andhadjustdepartedforthechasetowardsMeudon。？D\'Artagnan，insteadofridingaftertheking，ashewouldformerlyhavedone，tookoffhisboots，hadabath，andwaitedtillhismajestyshouldreturndustyandtired。？Heoccupiedtheintervaloffivehoursintaking，aspeoplesay，theairofthehouse，andinarminghimselfagainstallillchances。？Helearnedthattheking，duringthelastfortnight，hadbeengloomy;thatthequeen—motherwasillandmuchdepressed;thatMonsieur，theking\'sbrother，wasexhibitingadevotionalturn;thatMadamehadthevapors;andthatM。deGuichewasgonetooneofhisestates。？HelearnedthatM。Colbertwasradiant;thatM。Fouquetconsultedafreshphysicianeveryday，whostilldidnotcurehim，andthathisprincipalcomplaintwasonewhichphysiciansdonotusuallycure，unlesstheyarepoliticalphysicians。？Theking，D\'Artagnanwastold，behavedinthekindestmannertoM。Fouquet，anddidnotallowhimtobeeveroutofhissight;butthesurintendant，touchedtotheheart，likeoneofthosefinetreesawormhaspunctured，wasdecliningdaily，inspiteoftheroyalsmile，thatsunofcourttrees。？D\'ArtagnanlearnedthatMademoiselledelaValli鑢ehadbecomeindispensabletotheking;thattheking，duringhissportingexcursions，ifhedidnottakeherwithhim，wrotetoherfrequently，nolongerverses，but，whichwasmuchworse，prose，andthatwholepagesatatime。？Thus，asthepoliticalPleiadofthedaysaid，thefirstkingintheworldwasseendescendingfromhishorsewithanardorbeyondcompare，andonthecrownofhishatscrawlingbombasticphrases，whichM。deSaint—Aignan，aide—de—campinperpetuity，carriedtoLaValli鑢eattheriskoffounderinghishorses。？Duringthistime，deerandpheasantswerelefttothefreeenjoymentoftheirnature，huntedsolazilythat，itwassaid，theartofveneryrangreatriskofdegeneratingatthecourtofFrance。？D\'ArtagnanthenthoughtofthewishesofpoorRaoul，ofthatdespondingletterdestinedforawomanwhopassedherlifeinhoping，andasD\'Artagnanlovedtophilosophizealittleoccasionally，heresolvedtoprofitbytheabsenceofthekingtohaveaminute\'stalkwithMademoiselledelaValli鑢e。？Thiswasaveryeasyaffair;whilethekingwashunting，LouisewaswalkingwithsomeotherladiesinoneofthegalleriesofthePalaisRoyal，exactlywherethecaptainofthemusketeershadsomeguardstoinspect。？D\'Artagnandidnotdoubtthat，ifhecouldbutopentheconversationonRaoul，Louisemightgivehimgroundsforwritingaconsolatorylettertothepoorexile;andhope，oratleastconsolationforRaoul，inthestateofheartinwhichhehadlefthim，wasthesun，waslifetotwomen，whowereverydeartoourcaptain。？Hedirectedhiscourse，therefore，tothespotwhereheknewheshouldfindMademoiselledelaValli鑢e。？D\'ArtagnanfoundLaValli鑢ethecenterofthecircle。？Inherapparentsolitude，theking\'sfavoritereceived，likeaqueen，more，perhaps，thanthequeen，ahomageofwhichMadamehadbeensoproud，whenalltheking\'slooksweredirectedtoherandcommandedthelooksofthecourtiers。？D\'Artagnan，althoughnosquireofdames，received，nevertheless，civilitiesandattentionsfromtheladies;hewaspolite，asabravemanalwaysis，andhisterriblereputationhadconciliatedasmuchfriendshipamongthemenasadmirationamongthewomen。？Onseeinghimenter，therefore，theyimmediatelyaccostedhim;and，asisnotunfrequentlythecasewithfairladies，openedtheattackbyquestions。？"Wherehadhebeen？？Whathadbecomeofhimsolong？？Whyhadtheynotseenhimasusualmakehisfinehorsecurvetinsuchbeautifulstyle，tothedelightandastonishmentofthecuriousfromtheking\'sbalcony？"

Herepliedthathehadjustcomefromthelandoforanges。？Thissetalltheladieslaughing。？Thoseweretimesinwhicheverybodytraveled，butinwhich，notwithstanding，ajourneyofahundredleagueswasaproblemoftensolvedbydeath。

"Fromthelandoforanges？"criedMademoiselledeTonnay—Charente。？"FromSpain？"

"Eh！

eh！"saidthemusketeer。

"FromMalta？"echoedMontalais。

"Mafoi！？Youarecomingverynear，ladies。"

"Isitanisland？"askedLaValli鑢e。

"Mademoiselle，"

saidD\'Artagnan;"Iwillnotgiveyouthetroubleofseekinganyfurther;

IcomefromthecountrywhereM。deBeaufortis，atthismoment，embarkingforAlgiers。"

"Haveyouseenthearmy？"askedseveralwarlikefairones。

"AsplainlyasIseeyou，"repliedD\'Artagnan。

"Andthefleet？"

"Yes，Isaweverything。"

"Haveweanyofusanyfriendsthere？"saidMademoiselledeTonnay—Charente，coldly，butinama

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