Chapter 8 Concerning a Court Intrigue
这个世界上的所有事情都是有头必有尾,路易十三国王的那四十个金币亦是如此,所以从这个结尾往后,我们这四个伙伴就陷入窘迫了。
Meanwhile the forty pistoles of King Louis XIII,like all other things in this world,after having had a beginning,had had an end,and after this end our four companions began to be somewhat embarrassed。
一开始,是阿托斯拿自己的钱给大家用,支撑了一阵子。
At first Athos supported the association for a time with his own means。
接着是波尔托,在一次大家都习以为常的失踪后,搞到了够大家两周花销的钱。
Porthos succeeded him,and thanks to one of those disappearances to which people were accustomed,he was able to provide for the wants of all for a fortnight more。
最后,轮到阿拉米了,他也心甘情愿地接过了这个担子。据他说,他靠卖神学书籍赚了几个金币。
At last it became Aramis’ sturn,who performed it with a good grace,and who succeeded in procuring a few pistoles,as he said,by selling his theological books。
然后,像往常一样,他们又去找德特雷维尔先生求助了。德特雷维尔让他们预支了一点军饷,可是这点钱对于债务缠身的三个火枪手来说实在是杯水车薪,更何况他们中还有一个是从未领过饷钱的禁军队员。
Then they,as usual,had recourse to M。 de Treville,who made some advances on their pay; but these advances could not go far with three musketeers who were already much in arrears,and a guardsman who as yet had no pay at all。
最后,眼瞅着就要山穷水尽了,他们一起尽力凑了八个或是十个金币,让波尔托拿去到赌场上碰碰运气。
At length,when they found they were likely to be quite in want,they got together,by a final effort,eight or ten pistoles,with which Porthos went to the gaming—table。
可他并不走运。
Unfortunately luck ran against him。
不但钱输了个精光,还欠下了二十五个金币的债。
He lost all,together with twenty—five pistoles for which he pledged his word。
于是,窘迫变成了贫困。
Then the embarrassment became distress。
他们只好饿着肚子,领着各自的随从,穿梭于码头和军营之间,千方百计地到个个朋友那里去蹭饭,因为按照阿拉米的观点,一个人在走运时,就应该多请别人吃吃饭,这样,到了自己需要的时候就可以收回来几顿。
The hungry friends,followed by their lackeys,were seen haunting the quays and guard—rooms,picking up among their friends abroad all the dinners they could meet with; for,according to the advice of Aramis,it was prudent to sow repasts right and left in prosperity in order to reap a few in time of need。
达塔尼昂正在绞尽脑汁地寻找一个奋斗方向,他认为就像阿基米德的杠杆一样,只要找到这个方向,他们就可以撼动世界。就在这时,他听见轻轻地敲门声。
D’ Artagnan was racking his brain to find a direction with which,as with Archimedes lever,he had no doubt that they should succeed in moving the world,when some one tapped gently at his door。
进来的是一个相貌平平的男子,看起来像一个商人。
A man was introduced,of rather simple mien,who had the appearance of a tradesman。
达塔尼昂让普朗谢退下,招呼客人坐了下来。
D’ Artagnan dismissed Planchet,and requested his visitor to be seated。
人们都说达塔尼昂先生是位非常勇敢的年轻人。这位先生说,正是由于您这份荣誉,让我决定来告诉您一个秘密。
I have heard M。 D’ Artagnan spoken of as a very brave young man, said the bourgeois; and this reputation,which he justly enjoys,has determined me to confide a secret to him。
请说,先生,请说吧。达塔尼昂说道。他本能地觉得这件事应该有利可图。
Speak,sir,speak, said D’ Artagnan,who instinctively scented something advantageous。
那个先生停顿了一下,接着说道,
The bourgeois made a fresh pause,and continued,
我妻子是王后的御用裁缝,先生,她是个灵巧又美丽的人。
I have a wife who is seamstress to the queen,sir,and who is not deficient in either good conduct or beauty。
三年前,我经人介绍娶了她,虽然她没有什么财产,但王后衣物总官德拉波特先生是她的教父,一直照顾她——
I was induced to marry her about three years ago,although she had but very little dowry,because M。 de la Porte,the queen’ scloak—bearer,is her godfather,and befriends her—
那又怎么样呢,先生?达达尼昂问道。
Well,sir? asked D’ Artagnan。
嗯,他接着说道——先生,我妻子昨天早上从工作室出来时,让人给绑架了。Well, resumed the bourgeois—well,sir,my wife was carried off yesterday morning,as she was coming out of her workroom。
谁把你妻子绑架了?
And by whom was your wife carried off?
我不知是不是该告诉您我的猜测——
I do not know whether I ought to tell you what I suspect—
先生,我想提醒您,并不是我想要向您打听什么。
Sir,I beg you to observe that I ask you absolutely nothing。
是您自己来找我的。
It is you who have come to me。
您跑来跟我说,有个秘密要告诉我。
It is you who have told me that you had a secret to confide to me。
那么,您现在请便吧,要是想走还来得及。
Act,then,as you think proper; there is still time to retreat。
不,先生,不会的,一看您就是个正人君子,我肯定信任您。
No,sir,no; you appear to be an honest young man,and I will place confidence in you。
我觉得我妻子被绑架,并不是因为她有私情,而是因为这事跟一位地位比她高很多的夫人的恋情有关。
I believe,then,that it is not on account of any intrigues of her own that my wife has been carried off,but that it has been done on account of the amours of a much greater lady than she is。
啊,啊!是不是德布瓦特拉西夫人的恋情?达塔尼昂问道,他想当着这位先生的面,装作对宫中的事情很熟悉的样子。
Ah,ah! can it be on account of the amours of Madame de Bois—Tracy? said D’ Artagnan,wishing to have the air,in the eyes of the bourgeois,of being up in court affairs。
比她还要高,先生,更高。
Higher,sir,higher。
那是达吉永夫人?
Of Madame dAiguillon?
还要更高。
Higher still。
难道是德谢弗勒斯夫人?
Of Madame de Chevreuse?
更高,高得多。
Higher,much higher。
那么是——达塔尼昂停下不说了。
Of the— D’ Artagnan stopped。
对啊,先生。那人吓坏了,用极低的声音说道,几乎快听不到了。
Yes,sir, replied the terrified bourgeois,in a tone so low that he was scarcely audible。
那对方是谁?
And with whom?
还能是谁呢,如果不是那位公爵——
With whom can it be,if not with the Duke of—
那位公爵——
The Duke of—
对啊,先生。那人用更低的声音回答道。
Yes,sir, replied the bourgeois,giving a still lower intonation to his voice。
可是您是怎么知道这些的?
But how do you know all this?
我是怎么知道的?
How do I know it?
是啊,您从哪里得知的?
Yes,how do you know it?
别再吞吞吐吐的了,否则——您也知道!
No half—confidence,or—you understand!
我从我妻子那里听说的,先生——是从她那儿知道的。
I know it from my wife,sir—from my wife herself。
那她又是从谁那儿听说的呢?
And she knows it,she herself,from whom?
从德拉波特先生那儿。
From M。 de la Porte。
我没告诉您吗?我妻子是王后的心腹德拉波特先生的教女。
Did I not tell you that she was the god—daughter of M。 de la Porte,the queen’ sconfidential agent?
德拉波特先生把她安排在王后身边,好让咱们可怜的王后至少能有一个可以信任的人在身边,她被国王抛弃,又被红衣主教监视,还遭到大家的背叛,真是太可怜了。
Well,M。 de la Porte placed her near her Majesty,in order that our poor queen might at least have some one in whom she could place confidence,abandoned as she is by the king,watched as she is by the cardinal,betrayed as she is by everybody。
哦,天啊!
Ah,ah!
事情总算有点头绪了。达塔昂说道。
It begins to grow clear, said D’ Artagnan。
王后还相信——
And the queen believes—
王后相信什么?
Well,what does the queen believe?
她相信有人冒用她的名给白金汉公爵写信了。
She believes that some one has written to the Duke of Buckingham in her name。
冒用王后的名义?
In the queen’ sname?
是的,为了让他来巴黎,他一到巴黎,就会被引到陷阱里去。
Yes,to make him come to Paris; and when once in Paris,to draw him into some snare。
见鬼!
The devil!
可是先生,这跟您的妻子有什么关系呢?
But your wife,sir,what has she to do with all this?
大家都知道她对王后一片忠心,所以他们的目的不是想让她离开王后,就是要恐吓她,让她说出王后的秘密,再不就是要引诱她,让她给他们当探子。
Her devotion to the queen is known,and they wish either to remove her from her mistress,or to intimidate her,in order to obtain her Majesty’ ssecrets,or to seduce her and make use of her as a spy。
这都很有可能,达塔尼昂说,但是您认识绑架她的人吗?
That is all very probable, said D’ Artagnan; but the man who has carried her off—do you know him?
我告诉过您,我肯定能认出他。
I have told you that I believe I know him。
他的名字呢?
His name?
那我不知道。
I do not know that。
我只知道他是红衣主教的人,是他的心腹。
What I do know is that he is a creature of the cardinal’ s,his ready tool。
但是您见过他吗?
But you have seen him?
是的,我妻子有一次在街上给我指过他。
Yes,my wife pointed him out to me one day。
他有没有什么能让人一眼就注意到的明显特征?
Has he anything remarkable about him by which he may be recognized?
啊,有的。
Oh,certainly。
他是一位神情傲慢的老爷,乌黑的头发、黝黑的皮肤、犀利的眼神、洁白的牙齿,太阳穴那儿有个伤疤。
He is a noble of lofty carriage,black hair,swarthy complexion,piercing eye,white teeth,and a scar on his temple。
太阳穴那有个疤!达塔尼昂喊道,而且洁白的牙齿、犀利的眼神、黝黑的皮肤、乌黑的头发、傲慢的神情。
A scar on his temple! cried D’ Artagnan; and also white teeth,a piercing eye,dark complexion,black hair,and haughty carriage。
天啊,那不就是我要找的默恩镇的那个人吗。
Why,that’ smy man of Meung。
您是说,他是您要找的人?
He is your man,do you say?
对,是的,不过跟您这件事没关系。
Yes,yes; but that has nothing to do with it。
是我弄错了。
No I am mistaken。
相反,这样一来,事情就简单多了。
It simplifies the matter greatly,on the contrary。
如果此人就是我要找的那个人,那我就能一下子报两个仇,就是这样。
If your man is mine,with one blow I shall obtain two revenges,that’ sall。
但是到哪儿才能找到这个人呢?
But where is this man to be met with?
这我可不知道。
I cannot inform you。
他住在哪里您也不知道吗?
Have you no information respecting his dwelling?
不知道。
None。
只是一天我送我妻子去卢浮宫,她正要进去的时候,那个人刚好出来,于是她就指给我看了一下。
One day,as I was conveying my wife back to the Louvre,he was coming out as she was going in,and she showed him to me。
真见鬼,真见鬼!达塔尼昂小声道,
The devil,the devil! murmured D’ Artagnan。
都不够详细。
All this is vague enough。
那您是从哪里得知您妻子被绑架的?
From whom did you learn the abduction of your wife?
德拉波特先生告诉我的。
From M。 de la Porte。
他跟您说具体细节了吗?
Did he give you any of the particulars?
细节他自己也不知道。
He knew none himself。
您也未从别的地方得到什么消息吗?
And you have learned none from any other quarter?
有,我收到过——
Yes,I have received—
什么?
What?
我在想我是不是不够谨慎。
I fear I am committing a great imprudence。
您又来了,可现在我得提醒您,这会儿再想退缩就有点晚了。
You still keep harping upon that; but I beg leave to observe to you that this time it is too late to retreat。
我不是想退缩,妈的!这个人为了壮胆,大声地骂了句粗话。
I do not retreat,sdeath! cried the bourgeois,swearing to keep his courage up。
还有,我波那瑟保证——
Besides,by the word of Bonacieux—
您的名字叫波那瑟?达塔尼昂打断他问道。
Your name is Bonacieux? interrupted D’ Artagnan。
对,这就是我的名字。
Yes,that is my name。
您刚才说波那瑟保证!
You said,then,by the word of Bonacieux!
很抱歉打断您的话,可是我觉得您的名字很熟悉。
Pardon me for interrupting you,but it appears to me that that name is familiar to me。
很有可能,先生。
Very possibly,sir。
因为我是您的房东。
I am your landlord。
啊,啊!达塔尼昂欠起身来鞠了一躬说,您是我的房东?
Ah,ah! said D’ Artagnan,half rising and bowing; you are my landlord?
对,先生,是的。
Yes,sir,yes。
您住在我这里有三个月了,大概您是一直忙于一些重要的事,所以忘了付我房租——我想就看在我从来没有追着您讨要房钱的份上,您也该觉得我是个比较通情理的人。
And as it is three months since you came,and,engaged as you must be in your important occupations,you have forgotten to pay me my rent—as,I say,I have not tormented you a single instant,I thought you would appreciate my delicacy。
那是当然的,亲爱的波那瑟先生。达塔尼昂回答道,
How can it be otherwise,my dear Bonacieux? replied D’ Artagnan。
请您相信,对于您的做法,我不胜感激,就像我说的那样,如果有什么事我能为您效劳的——
Believe me,I am wholly grateful for such conduct; and if,as I have told you,I can be of any service to you—
我想您欠我三个月的房租,我都从未催过您——
And then I thought that owing me three months rent,which I have said nothing about—
对,是的,您刚才已经提过这个理由了,我觉得这理由很充分。
Yes,yes; you have already given me that reason,and I find it excellent。
除此之外,如果您愿意赏脸继续住在我这里,以后的房租咱也不用提了——
And,besides,considering that as long as you do me the honour to remain in my house I shall never speak to you about your future rent—
太好了!
Very good!
还有,如果您需要的话,我的意思是要是您眼下手头紧张,我可以给您五十个金币。And adding to this,if necessary,that I mean to offer you fifty pistoles,if,against all probability,you should be short at the present moment。
太好了!
Admirable!
亲爱的波那瑟先生,您可真有钱啊!
But you are rich,then,my dear Monsieur Bonacieux?
也就是过得去,先生,仅此而已。
I am comfortably off,sir,that’ sall。
我是靠开男装店赚了点钱,又在有名的航海家让·莫凯最近的那次航行里投了些钱,所以有两三千克朗的积蓄,因此,您明白的,先生。
I have scraped together something like an income of two or three thousand crowns in the haber—dashery business,and especially by investing some capital in the last voyage of the celebrated navigator Jean Mocquet; so that you understand,sir。
不过——那人叫了起来。
But— cried the bourgeois。
怎么了?达塔尼昂问道。
What? demanded D’ Artagnan。
那边那人是谁?
Whom do I see yonder?
哪里?
Where?
在街上,就在您窗户前面,那个门洞里——披着披风的那个男人。
In the street,in front of your window,on the sill of that door—a man wrapped in a cloak。
就是他!达塔尼昂和那人同时嚷道,两人都认出那就是他们要找的人。
It is he! cried D’ Artagnan and the bourgeois,each at the same time having recognized his man。
啊,这次,达塔尼昂边去拿剑,边喊道——这次他别想跑了!
Ah,this time, cried D’ Artagnan,leaping towards his sword—this time he shall not escape me!
说着,他拔出剑,就冲出了房间。
Drawing his sword from the sheath,he rushed out of the apartment。
他在楼梯上碰到了来看他的阿托斯和波尔托。
On the staircase he met Athos and Porthos,who were coming to see him。
俩人往两边一闪,达塔尼昂像箭一样蹿了过去。
They separated,and D’ Artagnan rushed between them like an arrow。
你这是去哪儿啊?两个火枪手异口同声地问道。
Where the devil are you going? cried the two musketeers in a breath。
追默恩镇的那个人!达塔尼昂说着就跑得没影了。
The man of Meung! replied D’ Artagnan,and disappeared。
达塔尼昂不止一次地跟他的朋友们讲过他在默恩镇的遭遇,他如何与陌生人相遇,那位漂亮的夫人如何出场,陌生人又如何交给她一封似乎很重要的信。
D’ Artagnan had more than once related to his friends his adventure with the unknown,as well as the apparition of the beautiful foreigner,to whom this man had confided some important letter。
他们一听达塔尼昂扔下的那句话,就知道是什么事了,他们知道无论追没追上那个人,达塔尼昂最后总归都要回来,所以两人就继续上楼了。
They understood,then,from the few words which escaped from D’ Artagnan,what affair was in hand; and as they thought that after having overtaken his man or lost sight of him D’ Artagnan would return to his rooms again,they kept on their way。
他们走进达塔尼昂的房间,里面空无一人。
When they entered D’ Artagnan’ schamber it was empty。
那个房东知道年轻人和那个陌生人肯定会碰面,他担心这会惹来麻烦,所以决定还是先走为妙,我们从他之前表现出的性格特点中就能预料到这点。
The landlord,dreading the consequences of the meeting which was doubtless about to take place between the young man and the unknown,had,consistently with the character he had given himself,judged it most prudent to decamp。