THE MAN IN THE RED CLOAK
穿着红色斗篷的人

The despair of Athos had given place to a concentrated grief which only rendered more lucid the brilliant mental faculties of that extraordinary man.
阿多斯的绝望已被一种集中的悲伤所取代，这种悲伤只能使这位非凡人物更加聪明的头脑更加清晰。

Possessed by one single thought–that of the promise he had made, and of the responsibility he had taken–he retired last to his chamber, begged the host to procure him a map of the province, bent over it, examined every line traced upon it, perceived that there were four different roads from Bethune to Armentieres, and summoned the lackeys.
身心只被一个想法占据——那就是他所做的承诺和他所承担的责任——他最后退回到自己的房间，请求旅馆老板给他一张省份地图，弯下腰仔细查看，检查上面的每一条线路，发现从贝松到阿尔芒蒂尔有四条不同的道路，然后召集了那几个家丁。

Planchet, Grimaud, Bazin, and Mousqueton presented themselves, and received clear, positive, and serious orders from Athos.
普朗谢、格吕玛、巴津和马斯奎通出现了，并且从阿多斯那里收到了明确、肯定和严肃的命令。

They must set out the next morning at daybreak, and go to Armentieres– each by a different route. —
他们必须在第二天天一亮就出发，分别沿着四条不同的道路前往阿尔芒蒂尔。 —

Planchet, the most intelligent of the four, was to follow that by which the carriage had gone upon which the four friends had fired, and which was accompanied, as may be remembered, by Rochefort’s servant.
普朗谢，四人中最聪明的那个，将跟随那辆他们开枪击中的马车所走的道路，那辆马车上带着（大家可能还记得的）罗切福特的仆人。

Athos set the lackeys to work first because, since these men had been in the service of himself and his friends he had discovered in each of them different and essential qualities. —
阿多斯先让家丁动起来，因为自从这几个人为他和他的朋友服务以来，他发现每个人都有不同而必不可少的才能。 —

Then, lackeys who ask questions inspire less mistrust than masters, and meet with more sympathy among those to whom they address themselves. —
然后，家丁提问的时候比主人更不易引起不信任，并且在与他们交谈的人中更容易得到同情。 —

Besides, Milady knew the masters, and did not know the lackeys; —
再者，米蕾迪认识主人们，而不认识家丁们； —

on the contrary, the lackeys knew Milady perfectly.
相反，家丁们却完全认识米蕾迪。

All four were to meet the next day at eleven o’clock. —
四人必须在第二天上午十一点相遇。 —

If they had discovered Milady’s retreat, three were to remain on guard; —
如果他们发现了米蕾迪的藏身处，三人将留在岗位上； —

the fourth was to return to Bethune in order to inform Athos and serve as a guide to the four friends. —
第四人将返回贝松，通知阿多斯并作为四位朋友的向导。 —

These arrangements made, the lackeys retired.
安排好后，家丁们退下了。

Athos then arose from his chair, girded on his sword, enveloped himself in his cloak, and left the hotel. —
阿多斯随后起身，佩剑，裹上斗篷，离开了旅馆。 —

It was nearly ten o’clock. At ten o’clock in the evening, it is well known, the streets in provincial towns are very little frequented. —
快到十点了。众所周知，在晚上十点，省级城镇的街道几乎没有人。 —

Athos nevertheless was visibly anxious to find someone of whom he could ask a question. —
然而，阿索斯明显急于找到一个人能问个问题。 —

At length he met a belated passenger, went up to him, and spoke a few words to him. —
最后他遇到了一个晚归的路人，走到他身边，和他说了几句话。 —

The man he addressed recoiled with terror, and only answered the few words of the Musketeer by pointing. —
被他搭话的人吓得往后退，只用手指回答了几个话。 —

Athos offered the man half a pistole to accompany him, but the man refused.
阿索斯向那人提出与他同行，扔了半个比什角给他，但那人拒绝了。

Athos then plunged into the street the man had indicated with his finger; —
阿索斯便沿着那人指的方向走了进去； —

but arriving at four crossroads, he stopped again, visibly embarrassed. —
但是当走到四岔路口时，他又停了下来，显然为难。 —

Nevertheless, as the crossroads offered him a better chance than any other place of meeting somebody, he stood still. —
然而，由于岔路口比其他地方更有可能遇到人，他还是面向停了下来。 —

In a few minutes a night watch passed. Athos repeated to him the same question he had asked the first person he met. —
几分钟后，一名守夜人走过。阿索斯向他重复了他向第一个碰到的人问的同样问题。 —

The night watch evinced the same terror, refused, in his turn, to accompany Athos, and only pointed with his hand to the road he was to take.
守夜人表现出相同的恐惧，拒绝跟随阿索斯，只指向他应该走的路。

Athos walked in the direction indicated, and reached the suburb situated at the opposite extremity of the city from that by which he and his friends had entered it. —
阿索斯朝着指示的方向前行，到达了位于城市另一端的郊区。 —

There he again appeared uneasy and embarrassed, and stopped for the third time.
在那里，他再次显得不安和为难，又停了下来。

Fortunately, a mendicant passed, who, coming up to Athos to ask charity, Athos offered him half a crown to accompany him where he was going. —
幸运的是，一个乞丐经过，上前向阿索斯要施舍，阿索斯向他提议半皇冠陪他去目的地。 —

The mendicant hesitated at first, but at the sight of the piece of silver which shone in the darkness he consented, and walked on before Athos.
乞丐起初犹豫，但在黑暗中闪烁的银子耀眼之时，他同意了，领着阿索斯往前走。

Arrived at the angle of a street, he pointed to a small house, isolated, solitary, and dismal. —
到达街角时，他指着一个小房子，孤立，冷清，令人忧郁。 —

Athos went toward the house, while the mendicant, who had received his reward, left as fast as his legs could carry him.
阿索斯朝着房子走去，而得到了赏金的乞丐则尽快离开了。

Athos went round the house before he could distinguish the door, amid the red color in which the house was painted. —
阿索斯绕着房子转了一圈，才能看清楚门，因为房子被涂成了红色。 —

No light appeared through the chinks of the shutters; —
百叶窗的缝隙中没有透出任何灯光； —

no noise gave reason to believe that it was inhabited. —
也没有任何声音表明这里有人居住。 —

It was dark and silent as the tomb.
这里黑暗寂静如坟墓一般。

Three times Athos knocked without receiving an answer. —
阿索斯敲了三次门，却没有得到回答。 —

At the third knock, however, steps were heard inside. —
但第三次敲门时，屋子里传来了脚步声。 —

The door at length was opened, and a man appeared, of high stature, pale complexion, and black hair and beard.
最终门被打开，一个高个子、面色苍白、黑发黑胡子的男子出现了。

Athos and he exchanged some words in a low voice, then the tall man made a sign to the Musketeer that he might come in. —
阿索斯与他低声交谈了一些话，然后那个高个子示意麻瓜特可以进来。 —

Athos immediately profited by the permission, and the door was closed behind him.
阿索斯立即利用这个许可，门在他身后关闭。

The man whom Athos had come so far to seek, and whom he had found with so much trouble, introduced him into his laboratory, where he was engaged in fastening together with iron wire the dry bones of a skeleton. —
阿索斯来这么远找寻并费尽九牛二虎之力找到的男子，把他引到了他所在的实验室，那里他正在用铁丝连接一个骷髅的干骨。 —

All the frame was adjusted except the head, which lay on the table.
所有的骨架都调整好了，唯独头部还躺在桌子上。

All the rest of the furniture indicated that the dweller in this house occupied himself with the study of natural science. —
所有的家具都表明这座房子的居住者在研究自然科学。 —

There were large bottles filled with serpents, ticketed according to their species; —
那里有装满各种类型蛇类的大瓶子； —

dried lizards shone like emeralds set in great squares of black wood, and bunches of wild odoriferous herbs, doubtless possessed of virtues unknown to common men, were fastened to the ceiling and hung down in the corners of the apartment. —
干瘪的蜥蜴闪闪发光，像镶嵌在黑木块中的翡翠，角落里悬挂着一束束野生芳香草药，无疑拥有普通人所未知的功效。 —

There was no family, no servant; the tall man alone inhabited this house.
在这所房子里没有家人，也没有仆人；只有那位高个子的男人独自居住着。

Athos cast a cold and indifferent glance upon the objects we have described, and at the invitation of him whom he came to seek sat down near him.
阿多斯对我们描述的物品投来冷漠而冷漠的目光，并在他来找的人的邀请下靠近他坐下。

Then he explained to him the cause of his visit, and the service he required of him. —
然后他向他解释了他的访问原因，以及他要求他的服务。 —

But scarcely had he expressed his request when the unknown, who remained standing before the Musketeer, drew back with signs of terror, and refused. —
但是当那个站在骑士面前的陌生人表现出恐惧的迹象，并拒绝时，阿多斯刚刚提出请求。 —

Then Athos took from his pocket a small paper, on which two lines were written, accompanied by a signature and a seal, and presented them to him who had made too prematurely these signs of repugnance. —
随后，阿多斯从口袋里拿出一张小纸，上面写着两行字，附有一个签名和一个印章，然后递给了那个过早表示反感的人。 —

The tall man had scarcely read these lines, seen the signature, and recognized the seal, when he bowed to denote that he had no longer any objection to make, and that he was ready to obey.
高个子男人几乎读完这些字，看到签名并认出印章后，点头示意他不再有任何异议，准备服从。

Athos required no more. He arose, bowed, went out, returned by the same way he came, re-entered the hotel, and went to his apartment.
阿多斯不需要更多。他起身，鞠躬，走出去，沿着原路返回，重新进入旅馆，回到自己的房间。

At daybreak D’Artagnan entered the chamber, and demanded what was to be done.
天一亮，达达尼安进入房间，询问接下来该做什么。

“To wait,” replied Athos.
“等待，” 阿多斯回答。

Some minutes after, the superior of the convent sent to inform the Musketeers that the burial would take place at midday. —
几分钟后，修道院院长发来通知，葬礼将在正午举行。 —

As to the poisoner, they had heard no tidings of her whatever, only that she must have made her escape through the garden, on the sand of which her footsteps could be traced, and the door of which had been found shut. —
致毒者，他们一点消息也没有听到，只知道她必须逃跑了，逃跑时在花园里留下了脚步的痕迹，并且发现花园的门被关上了。 —

As to the key, it had disappeared.
关于钥匙，它已经消失了。

At the hour appointed, Lord de Winter and the four friends repaired to the convent; —
在约定的时间，德温特勋爵和四位朋友来到修道院； —

the bells tolled, the chapel was open, the grating of the choir was closed. —
钟声响起，教堂开放，唱诗班的栅栏关闭。 —

In the middle of the choir the body of the victim, clothed in her novitiate dress, was exposed. —
在唱诗班的中间，受害者的尸体穿着她的初学者服装被展示出来。 —

On each side of the choir and behind the gratings opening into the convent was assembled the whole community of the Carmelites, who listened to the divine service, and mingled their chant with the chant of the priests, without seeing the profane, or being seen by them.
在唱经台两侧，以及通向修道院的栅栏后面聚集了所有的卡迈来特修女团体，她们聆听着神圣的仪式，并将她们的圣歌与神父们的圣歌混合在一起，既不见到世俗的人，也不被世俗的人看到。

At the door of the chapel D’Artagnan felt his courage fall anew, and returned to look for Athos; —
在教堂的门口，达达尼昂感到自己的勇气再次消失，于是他转身去找阿多斯； —

but Athos had disappeared.
但阿多斯已经消失了。

Faithful to his mission of vengeance, Athos had requested to be conducted to the garden; —
忠于他复仇的任务，阿多斯请求被引领到了花园； —

and there upon the sand following the light steps of this woman, who left sharp tracks wherever she went, he advanced toward the gate which led into the wood, and causing it to be opened, he went out into the forest.
在那里，他在沙地上追随着这位女人留下的轻巧足迹前进，她无论走到哪里，都留下明显的足迹，阿多斯走向了通往树林的大门，让它被打开，然后走出了森林。

Then all his suspicions were confirmed; the road by which the carriage had disappeared encircled the forest. —
然后，他的一切怀疑得到了证实；马车消失的道路环绕着森林。 —

Athos followed the road for some time, his eyes fixed upon the ground; —
阿多斯用目光盯着地面走了一段时间； —

slight stains of blood, which came from the wound inflicted upon the man who accompanied the carriage as a courier, or from one of the horses, dotted the road. —
道路上点缀着少量的血迹，这些血迹来自于随马车作为信使的男子，或者来自其中一匹马。 —

At the end of three-quarters of a league, within fifty paces of Festubert, a larger bloodstain appeared; —
在约三分之一英里的终点，离费斯特贝尔五十步远处，出现了一个更大的血迹； —

the ground was trampled by horses. Between the forest and this accursed spot, a little behind the trampled ground, was the same track of small feet as in the garden; —
地面被马匹踩踏了。在这个被蹂躏的地面与森林之间，稍微在踩踏的地面的背后，有着与花园中一样的小脚印； —

the carriage had stopped here. At this spot Milady had come out of the wood, and entered the carriage.
马车在这里停下了。在这个地方，米莱迪走出了树林，进入了马车。

Satisfied with this discovery which confirmed all his suspicions, Athos returned to the hotel, and found Planchet impatiently waiting for him.
确信了这一发现会证实他所有的怀疑后，阿多斯回到旅馆，发现普朗谢正急切地等着他。

Everything was as Athos had foreseen.
一切都如阿多斯所预料的那样。

Planchet had followed the road; like Athos, he had discovered the stains of blood; —
普朗谢按照道路前进；像阿多斯一样，他发现了血迹； —

like Athos, he had noted the spot where the horses had halted. —
像阿多斯一样，他留意到了马匹停下的地方。 —

But he had gone farther than Athos–for at the village of Festubert, while drinking at an inn, he had learned without needing to ask a question that the evening before, at half-past eight, a wounded man who accompanied a lady traveling in a post-chaise had been obliged to stop, unable to go further. —
但他比阿索斯走得更远–因为在费斯蒂伯特村，他在一家小酒馆里喝酒时，无需问任何问题就得知前一天晚上八点半，一名受伤的男子在陪同一位乘坐马车旅行的女士时被迫停下，无法继续前行。 —

The accident was set down to the account of robbers, who had stopped the chaise in the wood. —
事故被归咎于劫匪，他们在树林中拦截了马车。 —

The man remained in the village; the woman had had a relay of horses, and continued her journey.
这个男人留在村里，而这位女士却换了一匹马继续了她的旅程。

Planchet went in search of the postillion who had driven her, and found him. —
普朗谢找到了那位驾车的车夫。 —

He had taken the lady as far as Fromelles; and from Fromelles she had set out for Armentieres. —
他把那位女士送到了弗罗梅勒，那位女士从弗罗梅勒继续前往阿尔芒特。 —

Planchet took the crossroad, and by seven o’clock in the morning he was at Armentieres.
普朗谢走上了交叉路口，早上七点他已经到达了阿尔芒特。

There was but one tavern, the Post. Planchet went and presented himself as a lackey out of a place, who was in search of a situation. —
这里只有一家小旅馆，名叫邮政旅馆。普朗谢前去并自称是一个没有工作的仆人，他正在寻找一份工作。 —

He had not chatted ten minutes with the people of the tavern before he learned that a woman had come there alone about eleven o’clock the night before, had engaged a chamber, had sent for the master of the hotel, and told him she desired to remain some time in the neighborhood.
在得知更多情况之前，普朗谢与小旅馆的人聊了不到十分钟，就得知一名女士于前一天晚上十一点左右独自来到这里，租了一间房间，并叫旅馆的老板前来，告诉他她想在附近待一段时间。

Planchet had no need to learn more. He hastened to the rendezvous, found the lackeys at their posts, placed them as sentinels at all the outlets of the hotel, and came to find Athos, who ha just received this information when his friends returned.
普朗谢不需要了解更多。他赶紧赶到约定地点，找到了仆人们在各个酒店出口站岗，然后去找阿索斯，正好在他的朋友们返回时得知了这个信息。

All their countenances were melancholy and gloomy, even the mild countenance of Aramis.
他们所有人的脸色都很忧郁和阴沉，甚至包括阿拉米斯那温和的脸庞。

“What is to be done?” asked D’Artagnan.
“该怎么办？”达达尼安问道。

“To wait!” replied Athos.
“等待！”阿索斯回答。

Each retired to his own apartment.
每个人退回自己的房间。

At eight o’clock in the evening Athos ordered the horses to be saddled, and Lord de Winter and his friends notified that they must prepare for the expedition.
晚上八点，阿索斯命令备好马匹，通知德温特勋爵和他的朋友们，他们必须为这次远征做好准备。

In an instant all five were ready. Each examined his arms, and put them in order. —
一瞬间，所有五人都准备好了。每个人检查了自己的武器，并整理了它们。 —

Athos came down last, and found D’Artagnan already on horseback, and growing impatient.
阿索斯最后下来，发现达达尼安已经骑在马上，变得不耐烦了。

“Patience!” cried Athos; “one of our party is still wanting.”
“耐心！” 阿索斯喊道；”我们中还有一个人没到齐。”

The four horsemen looked round them with astonishment, for they sought vainly in their minds to know who this other person could be.
那四个骑马的人惊讶地环顾四周，徒劳地在他们的脑海中寻找这个其他人是谁。

At this moment Planchet brought out Athos’s house; the Musketeer leaped lightly into the saddle.
此时，普朗谢带来了阿索斯的马；这名火枪手轻盈地跃上马鞍。

“Wait for me,” cried he, “I will soon be back,” and he set off at a gallop.
“等我一下，” 他喊道，”我很快就会回来，” 他一溜烟地奔驰而去。

In a quarter of an hour he returned, accompanied by a tall man, masked, and wrapped in a large red cloak.
十五分钟后，他带着一位戴面具的高个子男子，身披一件大红披风回来了。

Lord de Winter and the three Musketeers looked at one another inquiringly. —
德温特勋爵和三名火枪手疑惑地互相看着。 —

Neither could give the others any information, for all were ignorant who this man could be; —
他们谁也无法提供关于这名男子的信息，因为他们都不知道这个人是谁； —

nevertheless, they felt convinced that all was as it should be, as it was done by the order of Athos.
尽管如此，他们深信一切都是应该的，因为这是阿索斯的命令。

At nine o’clock, guided by Planchet, the little cavalcade set out, taking the route the carriage had taken.
九点钟时，在普朗谢的引导下，小队出发了，沿着马车走过的路线前行。

It was a melancholy sight–that of these six men, traveling in silence, each plunged in his own thoughts, sad as despair, gloomy as chastisement.
这是一个忧伤的景象——六个人静默地旅行，每个人都陷入自己的沉思中，悲伤如绝望，阴暗如惩罚。