"Alexandre Dumas. Twenty Years After." - читать интересную книгу автора

that composure, which he attributed to the habit of meeting danger; but
none the less he conceived for the officer under whose orders he had for
the moment placed himself, that consideration which even prudence pays to
careless courage. On approaching an outpost near the Barriere des Sergens,
the sentinel cried out, "Who's there?" and D'Artagnan answered-having first
asked the word of the cardinal-"Louis and Rocroy." After which he inquired
if Lieutenant Comminges were not the commanding officer at the outpost. The
soldier replied by pointing out to him an officer who was conversing, on
foot, his hand upon the neck of a horse on which the individual to whom he
was talking sat. Here was the officer D'Artagnan was seeking.
"Here is Monsieur Comminges," said D'Artagnan, returning to the
cardinal. He instantly retired, from a feeling of respectful delicacy; it
was, however, evident that the cardinal was recognized by both Comminges
and the other officers on horseback.
"Well done, Guitant," cried the cardinal to the equestrian; "I see
plainly that, notwithstanding the sixty-four years that have passed over
your head, you are still the same man, active and zealous. What were you
saying to this youngster?"
"My lord," replied Guitant, "I was observing that we live in troublous
times and that to-day's events are very like those in the days of the
Ligue, of which I heard so much in my youth. Are you aware that the mob
have even suggested throwing up barricades in the Rue Saint Denis and the
Rue Saint Antoine?"
"And what was Comminges saying to you in reply, my good Guitant?"
"My lord," said Comminges, "I answered that to compose a Ligue only
one ingredient was wanting-in my opinion an essential one-a Duc de Guise;
moreover, no generation ever does the same thing twice."
"No, but they mean to make a Fronde, as they call it," said Guitant.
"And what is a Fronde?" inquired Mazarin.
"My lord, Fronde is the name the discontented give to their party."
"And what is the origin of this name?"
"It seems that some days since Councillor Bachaumont remarked at the
palace that rebels and agitators reminded him of schoolboys slinging-qui
frondent-stones from the moats round Paris, young urchins who run off the
moment the constable appears, only to return to their diversion the instant
his back is turned. So they have picked up the word and the
insurrectionists are called `Frondeurs,' and yesterday every article sold
was `a la Fronde;' bread `a la Fronde,' hats `a la Fronde,' to say nothing
of gloves, pocket-handkerchiefs, and fans; but listen-"
At that moment a window opened and a man began to sing:
"A tempest from the Fronde
Did blow to-day:
I think 'twill blow
Sieur Mazarin away."
"Insolent wretch!" cried Guitant.
"My lord," said Comminges, who, irritated by his wounds, wished for
revenge and longed to give back blow for blow, "shall I fire off a ball to
punish that jester, and to warn him not to sing so much out of tune in the
future?"
And as he spoke he put his hand on the holster of his uncle's