登陆注册
6072500000055

第55章 Chapter XX(1)

Of the Society which was formed in the Rue des Lombards, at the Sign of the Pilon d'Or, to carry out M. d'Artagnan's Idea.

After a moment's silence, in which D'Artagnan appeared to be collecting, not one idea but all his ideas, - "It cannot be, my dear Planchet," said he, "that you have not heard of his majesty Charles I. of England?"

"Alas! yes, monsieur, since you left France in order to assist him, and that, in spite of that assistance, he fell, and was near dragging you down in his fall."

"Exactly so; I see you have a good memory, Planchet."

"_Peste!_ the astonishing thing would be, if I could have lost that memory, however bad it might have been. When one has heard Grimaud, who, you know, is not given to talking, relate how the head of King Charles fell, how you sailed the half of a night in a scuttled vessel, and saw floating on the water that good M. Mordaunt with a certain gold-hafted dagger buried in his breast, one is not very likely to forget such things."

"And yet there are people who forget them, Planchet."

"Yes, such as have not seen them, or have not heard Grimaud relate them."

"Well, it is all the better that you recollect all that; I shall only have to remind you of one thing, and that is that Charles I. had a son."

"Without contradicting you, monsieur, he had two," said Planchet; "for I saw the second one in Paris, M. le Duke of York, one day, as he was going to the Palais Royal, and I was told that he was not the eldest son of Charles I. As to the eldest, I have the honor of knowing him by name, but not personally."

"That is exactly the point, Planchet, we must come to: it is to this eldest son, formerly called the Prince of Wales, and who is now styled Charles II., king of England."

"A king without a kingdom, monsieur," replied Planchet, sententiously.

"Yes, Planchet, and you may add an unfortunate prince, more unfortunate than the poorest man of the people lost in the worst quarter of Paris."

Planchet made a gesture full of that sort of compassion which we grant to strangers with whom we think we can never possibly find ourselves in contact. Besides, he did not see in this politico-sentimental operation any sign of the commercial idea of M. d'Artagnan, and it was in this idea that D'Artagnan, who was, from habit, pretty well acquainted with men and things, had principally interested Planchet.

"I am come to our business. This young Prince of Wales, a king without a kingdom, as you have so well said, Planchet, has interested me. I, D'Artagnan, have seen him begging assistance of Mazarin, who is a miser, and the aid of Louis, who is a child, and it appeared to me, who am acquainted with such things, that in the intelligent eye of the fallen king, in the nobility of his whole person, a nobility apparent above all his miseries, I could discern the stuff of a man and the heart of a king."

Planchet tacitly approved of all this; but it did not at all, in his eyes at least, throw any light upon D'Artagnan's idea. The latter continued:

"This, then, is the reasoning which I made with myself. Listen attentively, Planchet, for we are coming to the conclusion."

"I am listening."

"Kings are not so thickly sown upon the earth, that people can find them whenever they want them. Now, this king without a kingdom is, in my opinion, a grain of seed which will blossom in some season or other, provided a skillful, discreet, and vigorous hand sow it duly and truly, selecting soil, sky, and time."

Planchet still approved by a nod of his head, which showed that he did not perfectly comprehend all that was said.

"'Poor little seed of a king,' said I to myself, and really I was affected, Planchet, which leads me to think I am entering upon a foolish business. And that is why I wished to consult you, my friend."

Planchet colored with pleasure and pride.

"'Poor little seed of a king! I will pick you up and cast you into good ground.'"

"Good God!" said Planchet, looking earnestly at his old master, as if in doubt as to the state of his reason.

"Well, what is it?" said D'Artagnan; "who hurts you?"

"Me! nothing, monsieur."

"You said, 'Good God!'"

"Did I?"

"I am sure you did. Can you already understand?"

"I confess, M. d'Artagnan, that I am afraid - "

"To understand?"

"Yes."

"To understand that I wish to replace upon his throne this King Charles II., who has no throne? Is that it?"

Planchet made a prodigious bound in his chair. "Ah, ah!" said he, in evident terror, "that is what you call a restoration!"

"Yes, Planchet; is it not the proper term for it?"

"Oh, no doubt, no doubt! But have you reflected seriously?"

"Upon what?"

"Upon what is going on yonder."

"Where?"

"In England."

"And what is that? Let us see, Planchet."

"In the first place, monsieur, I ask you pardon for meddling in these things, which have nothing to do with my trade; but since it is an affair that you propose to me - for you are proposing an affair, are you not? - "

"A superb one, Planchet."

"But as it is business you propose to me, I have the right to discuss it."

"Discuss it, Planchet; out of discussion is born light."

"Well, then, since I have monsieur's permission, I will tell him that there is yonder, in the first place, the parliament."

"Well, next?"

"And then the army."

"Good! Do you see anything else?"

"Why, then the nation."

"Is that all?"

"The nation which consented to the overthrow and death of the late king, the father of this one, and which will not be willing to belie its acts."

"Planchet," said D'Artagnan, "you argue like a cheese! The nation - the nation is tired of these gentlemen who give themselves such barbarous names, and who sing songs to it. Chanting for chanting, my dear Planchet; I have remarked that nations prefer singing a merry chant to the plain chant. Remember the Fronde; what did they sing in those times? Well, those were good times."

"Not too good, not too good! I was near being hung in those times."

"Well, but you were not."

"No."

"And you laid the foundations of your fortune in the midst of all those songs?"

"That is true."

"Then you have nothing to say against them."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 哆啦a梦里的假面骑士

    哆啦a梦里的假面骑士

    叶羽来到了哆啦a梦的世界,还成为了骨川小夫的远方表哥。有着骑士系统的他能否闯出一片天来?以假面之名义,赌上骑士之精神!(新人勿喷)
  • 激励你一生的成功法则

    激励你一生的成功法则

    不要失去目标,不要让自己打倒自己,永葆进取之心,对生活充满热情,不要让想像的翅膀折断了,保持积极的心态,不要吝啬付出,别浪费时间,不要害怕失败,养成良好的习惯,拥有团队合作精神,善于思考,管好自己的情绪,设计自己的性格,拥有健康的体魄。
  • 邪王的懒妃

    邪王的懒妃

    懒人系列终回本:常言,偷得浮生半日懒。当不能偷得浮生又想懒时怎么办?当然是光明正大地懒啦!从小懒到大的庄书兰就是这样想的!当前世成为记忆时,庄书兰更是决定将这懒人做到底。管他冷嘲热讽也好,闲言碎语也罢,她庄书兰不会因此而改变!且看懒人如何笑傲官场沉浮,冷看朝野纷乱!————情景一:“美男,来,给本姑娘笑一个!”一手托起某男精致的下巴,拇指轻刮着脸颊,“啧啧,这肌肤,比姐姐我的还要好!哎!平日里用的是哪个牌子的保养品啊?”……某男呆状,第一次有种叫耻辱情绪袭上了心头——他居然被一个还未并笄的小女孩子给调戏了!情景二:“跟了本宫,他日你就是一国之母,光宗耀祖!”某男拦下某女,半带着威胁地喝着。“光宗耀祖这件事,不归臣管,你去找别人吧!”轻弹去不知何时落在肩膀上的树叶儿,微微一笑,“时辰不早了,臣得回府休息了!”情景三:“你想从这游戏中退出?”媚眼一抛,却让人不寒而颤。“我还有权力说不吗?”某女惨淡一笑,带着狡黠,“既然是你将我带入这游戏中,你怎么可以置身事外?所以,我们成亲吧!”情景四:“……新娘请下轿!”第一声,无人答应……“请新娘下轿!”第二声,还是无人答应……“请新娘子下轿!”直到第三声时,轿里忽地传来慵懒的声音,“呀!我怎么睡着了?四儿,现在什么时辰?为何迎亲的轿子还不来?”————〖精采多多,敬请期待。〗————懒人系列:总裁的懒妻帝君的懒后懒凰天下风流佳人系列:风流女画师新坑:轻松+现代+都市+网游+青梅+竹马=恋上恶男友情链接:逍遥王爷的穿越妃本色出演绝焰煞神
  • 虹魄

    虹魄

    课余时间之作,更新龟速,却给予心血,谢谢观看!(无能的少年,懦弱的少年,废柴般的少年,用一切守护自己爱的人!)
  • 有狐为灵

    有狐为灵

    对于一个从小居住在深山里面的狐狸崽子,雪灵对于人类生活的地方确实有好奇心。可是,当有一天黑云压城,就让它去人类世界生活,雪灵也是有怒气的好伐。可是,雪灵感受到自己的身体渐渐虚弱下去,强壮的狐狸崽子变成了病美人,雪灵还是屈服命运到人类世界了。作为一个能屈能伸的狐狸崽子,雪灵只想说:什么都比不上自己的生命重要。沉迷灵异太子×霸道软萌少女沙雕沙雕沙雕短篇
  • 四重分裂

    四重分裂

    身患非典型人格分裂,墨檀表示自己压力很大。而一款名为【无罪之界】的游戏对他而言则是个减压的好地方。混乱中立的他轻浮而率性而为,是无数不可控事件的根源与作俑者。守序善良的他坚韧而心怀正义,是别人眼里最公正的骑士与审判者。绝对中立的他谦逊而缺乏动力,是每一个平凡灵魂的倒影与并行者。混乱邪恶的他疯狂而残忍冷酷,是只会对自己温柔的魔王与欺诈者。“檀莫是我见过最出色的吟游诗人,尽管他有些……让人看不太透。”——蕾莎女伯爵“默是一个品格高贵的绅士!哪怕我只见过他一次,也知道谁都可以把自己的背后交给他~”——烂蔷薇老板格温“如果你需要一个理想的邻居,没有人会比黑梵更合适。”——炼金师卢娜“别谈论那个人!”
  • 让开!我是皇子私人女官!

    让开!我是皇子私人女官!

    繁花三千结,结结入心侧;既怨亦无用,唯愿终得一心人。(何逸)
  • 我和闺蜜的那些事儿

    我和闺蜜的那些事儿

    这里面主要以女主角的身份,来讲完的一本故事。这里面充满了欢乐,恋爱,悲剧,恐怖,这个故事此起彼伏,女主她不喜欢男生因为她觉得男生非常没用,再加上女主在很小时候父母离婚,造成了她冷漠无情的性格,但是她的闺蜜,在她小学时出现了,陪她度过了初中,又到了高中,就这样一路走着,走着....
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 魔绝纪

    魔绝纪

    人界与天界自古以来就被划分开来,只因天界法则完整,而下界武道颓废。然而主角竹风不服于世俗,誓要打破天界之门,让下界的人也有机会领悟更高的武道。一袭青衣,一柄长剑,在这小小的灵风大陆上,他一步步战胜强敌,走向天界…