登陆注册
19684200000028

第28章 9(1)

The Abbe D'Herblay.

At the extremity of the village Planchet turned to the left in obedience to the orders of Aramis, and stopped underneath the window which had light in it. Aramis alighted and clapped his hands three times. Immediately the window was opened and a ladder of rope was let down from it.

"My friend," said Aramis, "if you like to ascend I shall be delighted to receive you."

"Ah," said D'Artagnan, "is that the way you return to your apartment?"

"After nine at night, pardieu!" said Aramis, "the rule of the convent is very severe."

"Pardon me, my dear friend," said D'Artagnan, "I think you said `pardieu!'"

"Do you think so?" said Aramis, smiling; "it is possible.

You have no idea, my dear fellow, how one acquires bad habits in these cursed convents, or what evil ways all these men of the church have, with whom I am obliged to live. But will you not go up?"

"Pass on before me, I beg of you."

"As the late cardinal used to say to the late king, `only to show you the way, sire.'" And Aramis ascended the ladder quickly and reached the window in an instant.

D'Artagnan followed, but less nimbly, showing plainly that this mode of ascent was not one to which he was accustomed.

"I beg your pardon," said Aramis, noticing his awkwardness;

"if I had known that I was to have the honor of your visit I should have procured the gardener's ladder; but for me alone this is good enough."

"Sir," said Planchet when he saw D'Artagnan on the summit of the ladder, "this way is easy for Monsieur Aramis and even for you; in case of necessity I might also climb up, but my two horses cannot mount the ladder."

"Take them to yonder shed, my friend," said Aramis, pointing to a low building on the plain; "there you will find hay and straw for them; then come back here and clap your hands three times, and we will give you wine and food. Marry, forsooth, people don't die of hunger here.'

And Aramis, drawing in the ladder, closed the window.

D'Artagnan then looked around attentively.

Never was there an apartment at the same time more warlike and more elegant. At each corner were arranged trophies, presenting to view swords of all sorts, and on the walls hung four great pictures representing in their ordinary military costume the Cardinal de Lorraine, the Cardinal de Richelieu, the Cardinal de la Valette, and the Archbishop of Bordeaux. Exteriorly, nothing in the room showed that it was the habitation of an abbe. The hangings were of damask, the carpets from Alencon, and the bed, especially, had more the look of a fine lady's couch, with its trimmings of fine lace and its embroidered counterpane, than that of a man who had made a vow that he would endeavor to gain Heaven by fasting and mortification.

"You are examining my den," said Aramis. "Ah, my dear fellow, excuse me; I am lodged like a Chartreux. But what are you looking for?"

"I am looking for the person who let down the ladder. I see no one and yet the ladder didn't come down of itself."

"No, it is Bazin."

"Ah! ah!" said D'Artagnan.

"But," continued Aramis, "Bazin is a well trained servant, and seeing that I was not alone he discreetly retired. Sit down, my dear friend, and let us talk." And Aramis pushed forward a large easy-chair, in which D'Artagnan stretched himself out.

"In the first place, you will sup with me, will you not?" asked Aramis.

"Yes, if you really wish it," said D'Artagnan, "and even with great pleasure, I confess; the journey has given me a devil of an appetite."

"Ah, my poor friend!" said Aramis, "you will find meagre fare; you were not expected."

"Am I then threatened with the omelet of Crevecoeur?"

"Oh, let us hope," said Aramis, "that with the help of God and of Bazin we shall find something better than that in the larder of the worthy Jesuit fathers. Bazin, my friend, come here."

The door opened and Bazin entered; on perceiving the musketeer he uttered an exclamation that was almost a cry of despair.

"My dear Bazin," said D'Artagnan, "I am delighted to see with what wonderful composure you can tell a lie even in church!"

"Sir," replied Bazin, "I have been taught by the good Jesuit fathers that it is permitted to tell a falsehood when it is told in a good cause."

"So far well," said Aramis; "we are dying of hunger. Serve us up the best supper you can, and especially give us some good wine."

Bazin bowed low, sighed, and left the room.

"Now we are alone, dear Aramis," said D'Artagnan, "tell me how the devil you managed to alight upon the back of Planchet's horse."

"I'faith!" answered Aramis, "as you see, from Heaven."

"From Heaven," replied D'Artagnan, shaking his head; "you have no more the appearance of coming from thence than you have of going there."

"My friend," said Aramis, with a look of imbecility on his face which D'Artagnan had never observed whilst he was in the musketeers, "if I did not come from Heaven, at least I was leaving Paradise, which is almost the same."

"Here, then, is a puzzle for the learned," observed D'Artagnan, "until now they have never been able to agree as to the situation of Paradise; some place it on Mount Ararat, others between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates; it seems that they have been looking very far away for it, while it was actually very near. Paradise is at Noisy le Sec, upon the site of the archbishop's chateau. People do not go out from it by the door, but by the window; one doesn't descend here by the marble steps of a peristyle, but by the branches of a lime-tree; and the angel with a flaming sword who guards this elysium seems to have changed his celestial name of Gabriel into that of the more terrestrial one of the Prince de Marsillac."

Aramis burst into a fit of laughter.

"You were always a merry companion, my dear D'Artagnan," he said, "and your witty Gascon fancy has not deserted you.

Yes, there is something in what you say; nevertheless, do not believe that it is Madame de Longueville with whom I am in love."

"A plague on't! I shall not do so. After having been so long in love with Madame de Chevreuse, you would hardly lay your heart at the feet of her mortal enemy!"

同类推荐
  • 登游齐山

    登游齐山

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说文殊菩萨最胜真实名义经

    佛说文殊菩萨最胜真实名义经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说象腋经

    佛说象腋经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 书法雅言

    书法雅言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 枫山语录

    枫山语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 废柴逆袭:弑煞三小姐

    废柴逆袭:弑煞三小姐

    她是地狱少女,她是万恶鬼灵,莫名囚禁,她终破封印,前路漫漫,她又该何去何从?温柔善良,懦弱自卑的云三小姐是她;妖娆妩媚,神秘的公会会长是她;冷血残忍,凉薄无心的远古巫灵是她,多重身份的背后,她究竟是谁?闯九幽,御韵兽,炼丹药,万物可有不从?她勾唇轻笑:废物?那你连废物都不如,又是什么?天不容我,我便逆了这天,人要是不容我,灭了又如何?百倍努力获得新生,她誓要翻了这九重天,掀起一场风云际会……当‘她’归来,一切的一切,又该如何?
  • 情人的传说

    情人的传说

    故事在不知不觉中展开,在意犹未尽中慢慢结束,细细品尝,慢慢体会,你会跟着故事中的角色捧腹大笑,为不能重来的生命而黯然心酸,也会为卑鄙无耻的小人而咬牙切齿。凌云霄、胡裕兰、冷清风、白如雪、陈中锋、于红艳、冰彩虹、冯黄一个个有血有肉的角色,在故事里诠释着多姿多彩的人生,有笑有泪,有爱有恨,有重逢的喜悦,也有离别的悲伤。情节起伏跌宕,文字幽默诙谐。意想不到的故事情节和妙趣横生的对话,看着看着肚子笑痛了,看着看着眼圈红了。
  • 旧日里是你遗忘的悲伤

    旧日里是你遗忘的悲伤

    当地老天荒的时候,陪在我身边的人并不是你,曾经的承诺已像过往烟云,对你的爱埋葬在青春里,对你的思念埋葬在脑海里。终究谁失去了谁?谁是谁的唯一?谁会陪谁并肩同行?我们都是被命运捉弄的玩偶,主宰不了自己的命运,只能颠沛流离地度过。曾经的海枯石烂,曾经的天涯海角,早已埋葬在旧日里的悲伤中,而你,遗忘了这一切吗?
  • 死亡终结者

    死亡终结者

    一直跟死人打交道的哭丧人,无意中经历了翻棺,并突然有了能看到鬼的阴阳眼,至此之后,身边的人,开始逐渐的走向死亡。在追寻真相的时候,进入了阴阳相接的地方,并且接触到了一个很漂亮的女孩,可她却被锁在了冥界被遗弃的地方,为了能够救她出来,我开始去雪山寻找那名道士,从此发生了一段段离奇的事件。一切尽在死亡终结者……
  • 卡耐基写给青少年的口才书

    卡耐基写给青少年的口才书

    年轻的朋友,你是不是有过因胆怯而语无伦次的尴尬经历?是不是常常在当众讲话的时候感到手足无措?是不是希望自己成为一个妙语惊人、出类拔萃的“口才少年”?……《卡耐基写给青少年的口才书》可以帮助你建立自信,具有敏锐的思维,让你获得卓越的口才,令人刮目相看。《卡耐基写给青少年的口才书》汇集了卡耐基多年来当众讲话、演说的经典案例,以青少年的心理需求为出发点,分别从技巧修炼、交流互动、即席演讲、仪态谈吐、自我挑战、口才储备等方面进行系统的指导,旨在帮助青少年建立一套完整的口才训练系统,传授如何运用能言善辩的口才在校园、社会、家庭中充分展示自我,获得把握有利于自身成长和走向成功的契机。
  • 伏邪异闻录

    伏邪异闻录

    一个少女从四岁起十六年的生日都做着同样一个惊梦,在梦里救了她的那个人到底是谁,这又暗示着什么?她在性命攸关时与师父结缘,拜师到茅山门下学艺,这一路又会发生什么?她的宿命到底是怎样的,她又为什么与高冷的小师叔似曾相识…梦境,亦实亦幻。人生,亦正亦邪。小说,亦真亦假。读者,亦痴亦嗔。水中楼台镜中月,人间是非何处寻。究竟魔道正道孰是孰非,且洗耳恭听。万事都在变,唯一不变的,就是轮回。该来的躲不掉,不该来的你也追不着。详情请见《伏邪异闻录》
  • 守护之星(上)

    守护之星(上)

    他,一位来自异界时空的奇特男子,背负着一身离奇的命运,来到了现代……
  • 重生之鹧鹄天

    重生之鹧鹄天

    你可听说过鹧鹄天?有诗曰南国多倩多艳词,鹧鸪清怨绕梁飞。若这世间有重生的怨鬼,那我便是这清怨绕梁飞的鹧鹄,满天怨恨,携憾归来,定向负我者讨回万般债。
  • 你是我生命中的彼岸花

    你是我生命中的彼岸花

    “我习惯了你的陪伴,习惯了在我流泪时你帮我拭去眼泪,习惯了你幽默的语言,习惯了你暧昧的语气。我深刻感觉到我离不开你了,就像毒瘾一样。我突然意识到,我喜欢上你了。我以为你也是喜欢我的。但是在看到你和别的女孩子亲密的时候,你和别的女孩子打闹的时候,你和别的女孩子拥吻时,这种想法便消失了。我笑自己傻、蠢、瞎,为什么喜欢上了你。我开始决定放弃你。你说我放手放的如此洒脱,却不知我为此付出多大努力。”
  • 仙剑奇缘:梦红尘锁千秋

    仙剑奇缘:梦红尘锁千秋

    “我不负长白,不负六界,不负天地,不负众生,却独独负了她”他是长白山掌门墨冰轩,是世界上最温柔之人,也是最无情之人,看似心怀六界,可真正入他心的却只有一人。“我努力了这么多年,从来都不懂他,不过现在已经不需要懂也不想懂了,只笑命运如此捉弄人,为何偏偏我便是命中注定的人,若能从来一次,我再也不要爱上他”她是长白上仙墨冰轩的徒弟叶紫寒,穿越千年只为度六界苍生一个结,却不知这结因她而起,因她而落。“今生所作的一切,我从未后悔过,可若如能从来一次,在初次相遇她时便把她留下,现在又会不会是另一番风景”他是魔界之首羽雨陌,他本是世上最无情之人,却因她变成最温柔之人,他本是要颠覆六界,却又为她拯救长生。