MILADY’S SECRET
密莱迪的秘密

D’Artagnan left the hotel instead of going up at once to Kitty’s chamber, as she endeavored to persuade him to do–and that for two reasons: —
达达尼安没有立即上楼去找凯蒂，而是离开了旅馆，虽然凯蒂试图说服他去–原因有二： —

the first, because by this means he should escape reproaches, recriminations, and prayers; —
首先，这样一来他就可以避免受到指责、争吵和祈求； —

the second, because be was not sorry to have an opportunity of reading his own thoughts and endeavoring, if possible, to fathom those of this woman.
其次，是因为他很乐意有机会思考自己的想法，试图了解这个女人的心思。

What was most clear in the matter was that D’Artagnan loved Milady like a madman, and that she did not love him at all. —
事情最明显的一点是达达尼安像个疯子一样爱着密莱迪，而她却根本不爱他。 —

In an instant D’Artagnan perceived that the best way in which he could act would be to go home and write Milady a long letter, in which he would confess to her that he and De Wardes were, up to the present moment absolutely the same, and that consequently he could not undertake, without committing suicide, to kill the Comte de Wardes. —
达达尼安立刻意识到，最好的做法是回家给密莱迪写一封长长的信，在信中他会坦白承认他和德瓦德是绝对一丘之貉，所以他不能不自杀的情况下去杀掉德瓦德。 —

But be also was spurred on by a ferocious desire of vengeance. —
但他也被一种凶狠的复仇欲驱使着。 —

He wished to subdue this woman in his own name; —
他希望以自己的名义征服这个女人； —

and as this vengeance appeared to him to have a certain sweetness in it, he could not make up his mind to renounce it.
由于他觉得这种复仇对他有一定的甜蜜感，他下不了决心放弃。

He walked six or seven times round the Place Royale, turning at every ten steps to look at the light in Milady’s apartment, which was to be seen through the blinds. —
他在皇家广场周围走了六七次，每走十步就回头看一眼透过百叶窗看到的密莱迪公寓的灯光。 —

It was evident that this time the young woman was not in such haste to retire to her apartment as she had been the first.
显然这一次这位年轻女子不像第一次那样急着回到她的房间。

At length the light disappeared. With this light was extinguished the last irresolution in the heart of D’Artagnan. —
最终灯光消失了。与这个灯光消失的一同消失了达达尼安心中的最后犹豫。 —

He recalled to his mind the details of the first night, and with a beating heart and a brain on fire he re-entered the hotel and flew toward Kitty’s chamber.
他回忆起第一晚的细节，心怦怦地跳动，头脑如烈火，重新进入旅馆，奔向凯蒂的房间。

The poor girl, pale as death and trembling in all her limbs, wished to delay her lover; —
可怜的女孩苍白如死，全身颤抖，希望拖延她的恋人； —

but Milady, with her ear on the watch, had heard the noise D’Artagnan had made, and opening the door, said, “Come in.”
但密莱迪侧耳聆听，听到达达尼安制造的声响，打开门说：“进来。”

All this was of such incredible immodesty, of such monstrous effrontery, that D’Artagnan could scarcely believe what he saw or what he heard. —
所有这一切都是如此令人难以置信的放肆，如此嚣张，以至于达达尼昂几乎不敢相信自己所看到的或听到的。 —

He imagined himself to be drawn into one of those fantastic intrigues one meets in dreams. —
他觉得自己被卷入了梦中那种奇幻的阴谋之一。 —

He, however, darted not the less quickly toward Milady, yielding to that magnetic attraction which the loadstone exercises over iron.
然而，他仍然向密莱迅速靠近，屈从于那磁石对铁的吸引力。

As the door closed after them Kitty rushed toward it. —
当他们走后，基蒂冲向门口。 —

Jealousy, fury, offended pride, all the passions in short that dispute the heart of an outraged woman in love, urged her to make a revelation; —
嫉妒、愤怒、受伤的骄傲，所有这些争夺一个受伤恋爱女人心灵的激情，促使她揭露真相； —

but she reflected that she would be totally lost if she confessed having assisted in such a machination, and above all, that D’Artagnan would also be lost to her forever. —
但她想到如果承认参与这样的阴谋，她将彻底完蛋，最重要的是，达达尼昂也将永远失去。 —

This last thought of love counseled her to make this last sacrifice.
爱的这最后一念劝告她做出这最后的牺牲。

D’Artagnan, on his part, had gained the summit of all his wishes. —
达达尼昂，从他一切愿望的顶点获得了满足。 —

It was no longer a rival who was beloved; it was himself who was apparently beloved. —
他爱的不再是一个敌手；看起来是他自己被爱。 —

A secret voice whispered to him, at the bottom of his heart, that he was but an instrument of vengeance, that he was only caressed till he had given death; —
一个声音在他内心深处告诉他，他只是复仇的工具，他只是被拥抱直到他送上了死亡； —

but pride, but self-love, but madness silenced this voice and stifled its murmurs. —
但骄傲、自尊、疯狂让这个声音无法启齿，压制了它的低语。 —

And then our Gascon, with that large quantity of conceit which we know he possessed, compared himself with De Wardes, and asked himself why, after all, he should not be beloved for himself?
我们的加斯康人，自负之情沛然皮充，将自己与德·瓦德相比，问自己毕竟为什么他不应该因为他自己而被爱？

He was absorbed entirely by the sensations of the moment. —
他完全被当下的感觉所吸引。 —

Milady was no longer for him that woman of fatal intentions who had for a moment terrified him; —
对于他而言，密莱不再是那个具有致命意图的女人曾经让他感到恐惧的那一刻； —

she was an ardent, passionate mistress, abandoning herself to love which she also seemed to feel. —
她是一个炽热、充满激情的情人，沉溺于似乎也感受到的爱。 —

Two hours thus glided away. When the transports of the two lovers were calmer, Milady, who had not the same motives for forgetfulness that D’Artagnan had, was the first to return to reality, and asked the young man if the means which were on the morrow to bring on the encounter between him and De Wardes were already arranged in his mind.
两小时悄然流逝。当两位恋人的情感平复下来时，没有像达达尼昂那样忘记自己的原因，米莱迪是第一个回归现实的，她问年轻人，明天将如何导致他和德瓦德斯之间的决斗。

But D’Artagnan, whose ideas had taken quite another course, forgot himself like a fool, and answered gallantly that it was too late to think about duels and sword thrusts.
但是达达尼昂的思维已经走入另一条道路，像个傻瓜一样忘记了自己，彬彬有礼地回答说太迟了，想不到决斗和剑刺。

This coldness toward the only interests that occupied her mind terrified Milady, whose questions became more pressing.
这种对她心灵的唯一关注的冷漠使米莱迪感到恐惧，她的问题变得更加紧迫。

Then D’Artagnan, who had never seriously thought of this impossible duel, endeavored to turn the conversation; —
然后，达达尼昂，从来没有认真考虑过这场不可能的决斗，试图改变对话； —

but he could not succeed. Milady kept him within the limits she had traced beforehand with her irresistible spirit and her iron will.
但他做不到。米莱迪用她无法抗拒的精神和铁一般的意志把他限制在她事先规定的范围内。

D’Artagnan fancied himself very cunning when advising Milady to renounce, by pardoning De Wardes, the furious projects she had formed.
达达尼昂认为自己非常狡猾，建议米莱迪原谅德瓦德斯，放弃她已经制定的狂热计划。

But at the first word the young woman started, and exclaimed in a sharp, bantering tone. —
但是当第一个词发出时，这位年轻女士惊呼起来，用一种尖刻、嘲笑的语调说。 —

which sounded strangely in the darkness, “Are you afraid, dear Monsieur D’Artagnan?”
这种声音在黑暗中听起来有些怪异，“亲爱的达达尼昂，你害怕了吗？”

“You cannot think so, dear love!” replied D’Artagnan; —
“亲爱的，你不会这么想！”达达尼昂回答。 —

“but now, suppose this poor Comte de Wardes were less guilty than you think him?”
“但是，现在，假设这个可怜的瓦尔德康特不像你想的那样有罪呢？”

“At all events,” said Milady, seriously, “he has deceived me, and from the moment he deceived me, he merited death.”
“无论如何，”米莱迪认真地说，“他欺骗了我，自从他欺骗了我，他就该死。”

“He shall die, then, since you condemn him!” —
“既然你谴责他，那么他就要死！” —

said D’Artagnan, in so firm a tone that it appeared to Milady an undoubted proof of devotion. —
达达尼昂的语气坚定，米莱迪看到这个有了确定的忠诚。 —

This reassured her.
这让她放心了。

We cannot say how long the night seemed to Milady, but D’Artagnan believed it to be hardly two hours before the daylight peeped through the window blinds, and invaded the chamber with its paleness. —
我们无法说米莱迪觉得这个夜晚过得有多久，但达达尼昂认为天亮透过窗帘的缝隙照进房间，带着它苍白的光芒，大约只有两个小时。 —

Seeing D’Artagnan about to leave her, Milady recalled his promise to avenge her on the Comte de Wardes.
看到达达尼安即将离开她，密莱迪想起了他对康特·德·瓦德斯的复仇承诺。

“I am quite ready,” said D’Artagnan; “but in the first place I should like to be certain of one thing.”
“我已经准备好了，”达达尼安说，”但首先我想要确定一件事。”

“And what is that?” asked Milady.
“那是什么?“密莱迪问道。

“That is, whether you really love me?”
“那就是，你真的爱我吗?”

“I have given you proof of that, it seems to me.”
“我觉得我已经证明了。”

“And I am yours, body and soul!”
“我全身心都属于你!”

“Thanks, my brave lover; but as you are satisfied of my love, you must, in your turn, satisfy me of yours. Is it not so?”
“谢谢，我勇敢的情人；但既然你对我的爱满意，你也必须让我相信你的爱。是吧?”

“Certainly; but if you love me as much as you say,” replied D’Artagnan, “do you not entertain a little fear on my account?”
“当然；但如果你真的爱我，”达达尼安回答说，”你会不会担心我的安全?”

“What have I to fear?”
“我有什么可担心的呢？”

“Why, that I may be dangerously wounded–killed even.”
“为什么，我会被致命地伤害——甚至被杀的可能性。”

“Impossible!” cried Milady, “you are such a valiant man, and such an expert swordsman.”
“不可能!“密莱迪叫道，”你是如此勇敢，是如此熟练的剑客。”

“You would not, then, prefer a method,” resumed D’Artagnan, “which would equally avenge you while rendering the combat useless?”
“那么，你不希望用一种方法来报复，既能让你满意，又能让决斗没有意义吗?”

Milady looked at her lover in silence. The pale light of the first rays of day gave to her clear eyes a strangely frightful expression.
密莱迪沉默地看着她的情人。第一缕晨光给她清澈的眼睛带来了一种可怕的表情。

“Really,” said she, “I believe you now begin to hesitate.”
“真的，”她说，”我觉得你现在开始犹豫了。”

“No, I do not hesitate; but I really pity this poor Comte de Wardes, since you have ceased to love him. —
“不，我没有犹豫；但我真的可怜这个可怜的康特·德·瓦德斯，因为你已经不再爱他了。” —

I think that a man must be so severely punished by the loss of your love that he stands in need of no other chastisement.”
“我认为一个人必须失去你的爱而受到严厉的惩罚，这样他就无需其他的惩罚。”

“Who told you that I loved him?” asked Milady, sharply.
“谁告诉你我爱过他？”密莉迪尖刻地问道。

“At least, I am now at liberty to believe, without too much fatuity, that you love another,” said the young man, in a caressing tone, “and I repeat that I am really interested for the count.”
“至少，我现在可以自由地相信，没有太多的自大，你爱上了另一个人。”年轻人以一种撒娇的口吻说道，“我真的对伯爵很感兴趣。”

“You?” asked Milady.
“你？”密莉迪问道。

“Yes, I.”
“是的，是我。”

“And why YOU?”
“那为什么是你？”

“Because I alone know–”
“因为只有我知道——”

“What?”
“知道什么？”

“That he is far from being, or rather having been, so guilty toward you as he appears.”
“他远非对你那么有罪，或者说被罪过所累的样子。”

“Indeed!” said Milady, in an anxious tone; —
“真的吗？”密莉迪焦急地说着； —

“explain yourself, for I really cannot tell what you mean.”
“解释一下吧，因为我真的搞不清你在说些什么。”

And she looked at D’Artagnan, who embraced her tenderly, with eyes which seemed to burn themselves away.
同时她看着达达尼昂，他用炽热的眼神深情地拥抱着她。

“Yes; I am a man of honor,” said D’Artagnan, determined to come to an end, “and since your love is mine, and I am satisfied I possess it–for I do possess it, do I not?”
“是的，我是一个有荣誉感的人，”达达尼昂坚决地说着， “既然你无私地爱着我，我已经满足了——因为我拥有你的爱，对吗？”

“Entirely; go on.”
“完全拥有；继续说。”

“Well, I feel as if transformed–a confession weighs on my mind.”
“嗯，我感觉像是变了一个人——有个忏悔压在我的心头。”

“A confession!”
“一个检讨！”

“If I had the least doubt of your love I would not make it, but you love me, my beautiful mistress, do you not?”
“如果我对你的爱有丝毫怀疑，我就不会说出来，但你爱我，我的美丽情人，对吧？”

“Without doubt.”
“毫无疑问。”

“Then if through excess of love I have rendered myself culpable toward you, you will pardon me?”
“那么，如果因为过分的爱而让自己对你有了罪过，你会原谅我吗？”

“Perhaps.”
“也许吧。”

D’Artagnan tried with his sweetest smile to touch his lips to Milady’s, but she evaded him.
达达尼安试图用最甜美的微笑把他的嘴唇贴在米莱迪的嘴唇上，但她躲开了。

“This confession,” said she, growing paler, “what is this confession?”
“这个检讨，”她说，脸色变得更苍白，”这个检讨是什么？”

“You gave De Wardes a meeting on Thursday last in this very room, did you not?”
“你上周四在这个房间里与德瓦德斯见面，是吗？”

“No, no! It is not true,” said Milady, in a tone of voice so firm, and with a countenance so unchanged, that if D’Artagnan had not been in such perfect possession of the fact, he would have doubted.
“不，不！这不是真的，”米莱迪说，声音如此坚定，面容如此不变，如果达达尼安对事实没有如此完全的掌握，他会怀疑。

“Do not lie, my angel,” said D’Artagnan, smiling; “that would be useless.”
“不要撒谎，我的天使，”达达尼安笑着说，”那会无济于事。”

“What do you mean? Speak! you kill me.”
“你是什么意思？说！你要杀了我啊。”

“Be satisfied; you are not guilty toward me, and I have already pardoned you.”
“放心；你对我并没有罪过，我已经原谅你了。”

“What next? what next?”
“接下来是什么？接下来是什么？”

“De Wardes cannot boast of anything.”
“德瓦德斯无法吹嘘任何事情。”

“How is that? You told me yourself that that ring–”
“怎么回事？你自己告诉我那个戒指–”

“That ring I have! The Comte de Wardes of Thursday and the D’Artagnan of today are the same person.”
“我有那枚戒指！星期四的德·沃德伯爵和今天的达尔他尼安是同一个人。”

The imprudent young man expected a surprise, mixed with shame–a slight storm which would resolve itself into tears; —
这位轻率的年轻人期待着一场带有羞耻的惊奇——一个稍纵即逝的小风波，最后会化作泪水； —

but he was strangely deceived, and his error was not of long duration.
但他大大地误会了，他的错误并没有持续很久。

Pale and trembling, Milady repulsed D’Artagnan’s attempted embrace by a violent blow on the chest, as she sprang out of bed.
苍白战栗，米莱迪推开达尔他尼安企图拥抱她的动作，用一记猛烈的打击击中他的胸膛，从床上蹦然而起。

It was almost broad daylight.
天将破晓。

D’Artagnan detained her by her night dress of fine India linen, to implore her pardon; —
达尔他尼安拉着她那件细如绸缎的夜裙，恳求她的原谅； —

but she, with a strong movement, tried to escape. —
但她却用坚决的姿态试图挣脱。 —

Then the cambric was torn from her beautiful shoulders; —
于是亚麻绸缎从她美丽的肩膀上被撕裂； —

and on one of those lovely shoulders, round and white, D’Artagnan recognized, with inexpressible astonishment, the FLEUR-DE-LIS–that indelible mark which the hand of the infamous executioner had imprinted.
而在她那柔美的、白晰的肩膀上，达尔他尼安用难以言喻的惊讶辨认出了那枚花卉徽章——那位可耻刽子手的手所留下的永久烙印。

“Great God!” cried D’Artagnan, loosing his hold of her dress, and remaining mute, motionless, and frozen.
“上帝！”达尔他尼安喊道，松开她的衣裙，保持着默然、不动、冻结的状态。

But Milady felt herself denounced even by his terror. He had doubtless seen all. —
而米莱迪却感到甚至他的惊恐也宣告着她的罪行。他无疑已经看到了所有。 —

The young man now knew her secret, her terrible secret–the secret she concealed even from her maid with such care, the secret of which all the world was ignorant, except himself.
这位年轻人现在知道了她的秘密，她可怕的秘密——她甚至连和自己的女仆都隐藏得如此小心的秘密，全世界唯有他知情。

She turned upon him, no longer like a furious woman, but like a wounded panther.
她转身面对他，不再像一位愤怒的女人，而是像一只受伤的豹子。

“Ah, wretch!” cried she, “you have basely betrayed me, and still more, you have my secret! You shall die.”
“啊，卑鄙小人！”她叫道，“你卑鄙地背叛了我，更甚的是，你掌握了我的秘密！你必死无疑。”

And she flew to a little inlaid casket which stood upon the dressing table, opened it with a feverish and trembling band, drew from it a small poniard, with a golden haft and a sharp thin blade, and then threw herself with a bound upon D’Artagnan.
她冲到梳妆台上的一个镶嵌小匣子跟前，用一只充满狂热和颤抖的手打开它，取出一把有金柄和薄利剑刃的小短剑，然后飞身扑向达尔他尼安。

Although the young man was brave, as we know, he was terrified at that wild countenance, those terribly dilated pupils, those pale cheeks, and those bleeding lips. —
尽管这个年轻人很勇敢，但我们知道，他对那张狂野的面容，那些可怕扩张的瞳孔，苍白的脸颊和滴血的嘴唇感到恐惧。 —

He recoiled to the other side of the room as he would have done from a serpent which was crawling toward him, and his sword coming in contact with his nervous hand, he drew it almost unconsciously from the scabbard. —
他向房间的另一侧退去，就像他从一个爬向他的蛇身上退缩一样，他紧张的手接触到他的剑，他几乎下意识地从剑鞘中抽出来。 —

But without taking any heed of the sword, Milady endeavored to get near enough to him to stab him, and did not stop till she felt the sharp point at her throat.
但米莱迪并没有注意到剑，她试图靠近他刺他，直到感觉到尖锐的剑尖在她的喉咙上。

She then tried to seize the sword with her hands; —
然后她试图用手抓住剑; —

but D’Artagnan kept it free from her grasp, and presenting the point, sometimes at her eyes, sometimes at her breast, compelled her to glide behind the bedstead, while he aimed at making his retreat by the door which led to Kitty’s apartment.
但达达尼昂使剑脱离她的控制，并将剑尖向她的眼睛，有时是胸部，迫使她滑到床后，同时他试图顺利通过通往凯蒂公寓的门。

Milady during this time continued to strike at him with horrible fury, screaming in a formidable way.
米莱迪在此期间继续用可怕的愤怒对他发动攻击，发出了令人生畏的尖叫声。

As all this, however, bore some resemblance to a duel, D’Artagnan began to recover himself little by little.
然而，由于一切都有点像决斗，达达尼昂开始逐渐恢复过来。

“Well, beautiful lady, very well,” said be; —
“好吧，美丽的女士，很好，“他说; —

“but, PARDIEU, if you don’t calm yourself, I will design a second FLEUR-DE-LIS upon one of those pretty checks!”
“但天啊，如果你不冷静下来，我会在你漂亮的脸颊上设计第二朵菱花标记！”

“Scoundrel, infamous scoundrel!” howled Milady.
“流氓，可耻的流氓！”米莱迪咆哮道。

But D’Artagnan, still keeping on the defensive, drew near to Kitty’s door. —
但达达尼昂仍然保持着防御姿态，靠近凯蒂的门。 —

At the noise they made, she in overturning the furniture in her efforts to get at him, he in screening himself behind the furniture to keep out of her reach, Kitty opened the door. —
在她为了抓住他而倾覆家具，他为了躲避她而躲在家具后面的喧哗中，凯蒂打开了门。 —

D’Artagnan, who had unceasingly maneuvered to gain this point, was not at more than three paces from it. —
达达尼昂一直在不断操纵以获得这一点，离那点不到三步。 —

With one spring he flew from the chamber of Milady into that of the maid, and quick as lightning, he slammed to the door, and placed all his weight against it, while Kitty pushed the bolts.
他一个跳跃从米莱迪的房间飞到女仆的房间，然后像闪电一样猛推门，并全身重压在上面，与此同时凯蒂推上门栓。

Then Milady attempted to tear down the doorcase, with a strength apparently above that of a woman; —
然后米莱迪试图用一种显然超过女人的力量把门框拆倒。 —

but finding she could not accomplish this, she in her fury stabbed at the door with her poniard, the point of which repeatedly glittered through the wood. —
但是她发现自己无法做到，于是愤怒地用她的匕首朝着门刺去，匕首的尖端在木头上闪闪发光。 —

Every blow was accompanied with terrible imprecations.
每一击都伴随着可怕的咒骂声。

“Quick, Kitty, quick!” said D’Artagnan, in a low voice, as soon as the bolts were fast, “let me get out of the hotel; —
“快，基蒂，快！”达达尼安低声说道，一旦门闩锁上了，“让我离开旅馆吧； —

for if we leave her time to turn round, she will have me killed by the servants.”
因为如果我们给她翻篇的时间，她会让仆人杀了我。”

“But you can’t go out so,” said Kitty; “you are naked.”
“但是你不能这样走出去，”基蒂说道；“你是裸体的。”

“That’s true,” said D’Artagnan, then first thinking of the costume he found himself in, “that’s true. But dress me as well as you are able, only make haste; —
“那是真的，”达达尼安说道，这时才意识到自己身穿的服装，“那是真的。但是尽你所能帮我穿好衣服，只要快点； —

think, my dear girl, it’s life and death!”
想想，亲爱的女孩，这关系到生死！”

Kitty was but too well aware of that. In a turn of the hand she muffled him up in a flowered robe, a large hood, and a cloak. —
基蒂太清楚这一点了。她迅速用一件花裹袍、一个大兜帽和一件斗篷将他裹住。 —

She gave him some slippers, in which he placed his naked feet, and then conducted him down the stairs. —
她给了他一双拖鞋，他用赤裸的双脚穿上，然后将他带下楼梯。 —

It was time. Milady had already rung her bell, and roused the whole hotel. —
到了关键时刻。米莱迪已经按铃，惊动了整个旅馆。 —

The porter was drawing the cord at the moment Milady cried from her window, “Don’t open!”
正在拉绳子的门房听到米莱迪从窗户上喊道：“别开门！”

The young man fled while she was still threatening him with an impotent gesture. —
那个年轻人在她还在以无力的姿态威胁他时逃跑了。 —

The moment she lost sight of him, Milady tumbled fainting into her chamber.
当她看不见他的时候，米莱迪晕倒在自己的房间里。