a tale of two cities(双城记)-14

Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Cities“A multitude of people, and yet a solitude,” said Darnay, whenthey had listened for a while.“Is it not impressive, Mr. Darnay?” asked Lucie. “Sometimes, Ihave sat here of an evening, until I have fancied—but even theshade of a foolish fancy makes me shudder tonight, when all is soblack and solemn—”“Let us shudder too. We may know what it is.”“It will seem nothing to you. Such whims are only impressive aswe originate them, I think; they are not to be communicated. Ihave sometimes sat alone here of an evening, listening, until Ihave made the echoes out to be the echoes of all the footsteps thatare coming by-and-by into our lives.”“There is a great crowd coming one day into our lives, if that beso,” Sydney Carton struck in, in his moody way.The footsteps were incessant, and the hurry of them becamemore and more rapid. The corner echoed and re-echoed with thetread of feet; some, as it seemed, under the windows; some, as itseemed, in the room; some coming, some going, some breaking off,some stopping altogether; all in the distant streets, and not onewithin sight.“Are all these footsteps destined to come to all of us, MissManette, or are we to divide them among us?”“I don’t know, Mr. Darnay; I told you it was a foolish fancy, butyou asked for it. When I have yielded myself to it, I have beenalone, and then I have imagined them the footsteps of the peoplewho are to come into my life, and my father’s.”“I take them into mine!” said Carton. “I ask no questions andmake no stipulations. There is a great crowd bearing down uponus, Miss Manette, and I see them—by the Lightning.” He addedCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiesthe last words, after there had been a vivid flash which had shownhim lounging in the window.“And I hear them!” he added again, after a peal of thunder.“Here they come, fast, fierce, and furious!”It was the rush and roar of rain that he typified, and it stoppedhim, for no voice could be heard in it. A memorable storm ofthunder and lightning broke with that sweep of water, and therewas not a moment’s interval in crash, and fire, and rain, until afterthe moon rose at midnight.The great bell of Saint Paul’s was striking One in the clearedair, when Mr. Lorry, escorted by Jerry, high-booted and bearing alantern, set forth on his return passage to Clerkenwell. There weresolitary patches of road on the way between Soho andClerkenwell, and Mr. Lorry, mindful of footpads, always retainedJerry for this service: though it was usually performed a good twohours earlier.“What a night it has been! Almost a night, Jerry,” said Mr.Lorry, “to bring the dead out of their graves.”“I never see the night myself, master—nor yet I don’t expectto—what would do that,” answered Jerry.“Good night, Mr. Carton,” said the man of business. “Goodnight, Mr. Darnay. Shall we ever see such a night again, together!”Perhaps. Perhaps, see the great crowd of people with its rushand roar, bearing down upon them, too.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two CitiesChapter XIIIMONSEIGNEUR IN TOWNMonseigneur, one of the great lords in power at the Court,held his fortnightly reception in his grand hotel inParis. Monseigneur was in his inner room, hissanctuary of sanctuaries, the Holiest of Holiests to the crowd ofworshippers in the suite of rooms without. Monseigneur was aboutto take his chocolate. Monseigneur could swallow a great manythings with ease, and was by some few sullen minds supposed tobe rather rapidly swallowing France; but, his morning’s chocolatecould not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur, withoutthe aid of four strong men besides the Cook.Yes, it took four men, all four a-blaze with gorgeous decoration,and the Chief of them unable to exist with fewer than two goldwatches in his pocket, emulative of the noble and chaste fashionset by Monseigneur, to conduct the happy chocolate toMonseigneur’s lips. One lacquey carried the chocolate-pot into thesacred presence; a second, milled and frothed the chocolate withthe little instrument he bore for that function; a third, presentedthe favoured napkin; a fourth (he of the two gold watches), pouredthe chocolate out. It was impossible for Monseigneur to dispensewith one of these attendants on the chocolate and hold his highplace under the admiring Heavens. Deep would have been the blotupon his escutcheon if his chocolate had been ignobly waited onby only three men; he must have died of two.Monseigneur had been out at a little supper last night, whereCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiesthe Comedy and the Grand Opera were charmingly represented.Monseigneur was out at a little supper most nights, withfascinating company. So polite and so impressible wasMonseigneur, that the Comedy and the Grand Opera had far moreinfluence with him in the tiresome articles of state affairs and statesecrets, than the needs of all France. A happy circumstance forFrance, as the like always is for all countries similarly favoured!—always was for England (by way of example), in the regretted daysof the merry Stuart who sold it.Monseigneur had one truly noble idea of general publicbusiness, which was, to let everything go on its own way; ofparticular public business, Monseigneur had the other truly nobleidea that it must all go his way—tend to his own power and pocket.Of his pleasures, general and particular, Monseigneur had theother truly noble idea, that the world was made for them. The textof his order (altered from the original by only a pronoun, which isnot much) ran: “The earth and the fullness thereof are mine, saithMonseigneur.”Yet, Monseigneur had slowly found that vulgarembarrassments crept into his affairs, both private and public; andhe had, as to both classes of affairs, allied himself perforce with aFarmer-General. As to finances public, because Monseigneurcould not make anything at all of them, and must consequently letthem out to somebody who could; as to finances private, becauseFarmer-Generals were rich, and Monseigneur, after generations ofgreat luxury and expense, was growing poor. Hence Monseigneurhad taken his sister from a convent, while there was yet time toward off the impending veil, the cheapest garment she could wear,and had bestowed her as a prize upon a very rich Farmer-General,Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiespoor in family. Which Farmer-General, carrying an appropriatecane with a golden apple on the top of it, was now among thecompany in the outer rooms, much prostrated before bymankind—always excepting superior mankind of the blood ofMonseigneur, who, his own wife included, looked down upon himwith the loftiest contempt.A sumptuous man was the Farmer-General. Thirty horses stoodin his stables, twenty-four male domestics sat in his halls, six body-women waited on his wife. As one who pretended to do nothingbut plunder and forage where he could, the Farmer-General—howsoever his matrimonial relations conduced to social moralitywas at least the greatest reality among the personages whoattended at the hotel of Monseigneur that day.For, the rooms, though a beautiful scene to look at, andadorned with every device of decoration that the taste and skill ofthe time could achieve, were, in truth, not a sound business;considered with any reference to the scarecrows in the rags andnightcaps elsewhere (and not so far off, either, but that thewatching towers of Notre Dame, almost equidistant from the twoextremes, could see them both), they would have been anexceedingly uncomfortable business—if that could have beenanybody’s business, at the house of Monseigneur. Military officersdestitute of military knowledge; naval officers with no idea of aship; civil officers without a notion of affairs; brazen ecclesiastics,of the worst world worldly, with sensual eyes, loose tongues, andlooser lives; all totally unfit for their several callings, all lyinghorribly in pretending to belong to them, but all nearly orremotely of the order of Monseigneur, and therefore foisted on allpublic employments from which anything was to be got; theseCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citieswere to be told off by the score and the score. People notimmediately connected with Monseigneur or the State, yet equallyunconnected with anything that was real, or with lives passed intravelling by any straight road to any true earthly end, were noless abundant. Doctors who made great fortunes out of daintyremedies for imaginary disorders that never existed, smiled upontheir courtly patients in the ante-chambers of Monseigneur.Projectors who had discovered every kind of remedy for the littleevils with which the State was touched, except the remedy ofsetting to work in earnest to root out a single sin, poured theirdistracting babble into any ears they could lay hold of, at thereception of Monseigneur. Unbelieving Philosophers who wereremodelling the world with words, and making card-towers ofBabel to scale the skies with, talked with Unbelieving Chemistswho had an eye on the transmutation of metals, at this wonderfulgathering accumulated by Monseigneur. Exquisite gentlemen ofthe finest breeding, which was at that remarkable time—and hasbeen since—to be known by its fruits of indifference to everynatural subject of human interest, were in the most exemplarystate of exhaustion, at the hotel of Monseigneur. Such homes hadthese various notabilities left behind them in the fine world ofParis, that the spies among the assembled devotees ofMonseigneur—forming a goodly half of the polite company—would have found it hard to discover among the angels of thatsphere one solitary wife, who, in her manners and appearance,owned to being a Mother. Indeed, except for the mere act ofbringing a troublesome creature into this world—which does notgo far towards the realisation of the name of mother—there wasno such thing known to the fashion. Peasant women kept theCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiesunfashionable babies close, and brought them up, and charminggrandmammas of sixty dressed and supped as at twenty.The leprosy of unreality disfigured every human creature inattendance upon Monseigneur. In the outermost room were half adozen exceptional people who had had, for a few years, somevague misgiving in them that things in general were going ratherwrong. As a promising way of setting them right, half of the half-dozen had become members of a fantastic sect of Convulsionists,and were even then considering within themselves whether theyshould foam, rage, roar, and turn cataleptic on the spot—therebysetting up a highly intelligible finger-post to the Future, forMonseigneur’s guidance. Besides these Dervishes, were otherthree who had rushed into another sect, which mended matterswith a jargon about “the Centre of Truth:” holding that Man hadgot out of the Centre of Truth—which did not need muchdemonstration—but had not got out of the Circumference, andthat he was to be kept from flying out of the Circumference, andwas even to be shoved back into the Centre, by fasting and seeingof spirits. Among these, accordingly, much discoursing with spiritswent on—and it did a world of good which never became manifest.But, the comfort was, that all the company at the grand hotel ofMonseigneur were perfectly dressed. If the Day of Judgment hadonly been ascertained to be a dress day, everybody there wouldhave been eternally correct. Such frizzling and powdering andsticking up of hair, such delicate complexions artificially preservedand mended, such gallant swords to look at, and such delicatehonour to the sense of smell, would surely keep anything going,for ever and ever. The exquisite gentlemen of the finest breedingwore little pendent trinkets that chinked as they languidly moved;Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiesthese golden fetters rang like precious little bells; and what withthat ringing, and with the rustle of silk and brocade and fine linen,there was a flutter in the air that fanned Saint Antoine and hisdevouring hunger far away.Dress was the one unfailing talisman and charm used forkeeping all things in their places. Everybody was dressed for aFancy Ball that was never to leave off. From the Palace of theTuileries, through Monseigneur and the whole Court, through theChambers, the Tribunals of Justice, and all society (except thescarecrows), the Fancy Ball descended to the CommonExecutioner: who, in pursuance of the charm, was required toofficiate “frizzled, powdered, in a gold-laced coat, pumps, andwhite silk stockings.” At the gallows and the wheel—the axe was ararity—Monsieur Paris, as it was the episcopal mode among hisbrother Professors of the provinces, Monsieur Orleans, and therest, to call him, presided in this dainty dress. And who among thecompany at Monseigneur’s reception in that seventeen hundredand eightieth year of Our Lord, could possibly doubt, that a systemrooted in a frizzled hangman, powdered, gold-laced, pumped, andwhite-silk stockinged, would see the very stars out!Monseigneur having eased his four men of their burdens andtaken his chocolate, caused the doors of the Holiest of Holiests tobe thrown open, and issued forth. Then, what submission, whatcringing and fawning, what servility, what abject humiliation! Asto bowing down in body and spirit, nothing in that way was left forHeaven—which may have been one among other reasons why theworshippers of Monseigneur never troubled it.Bestowing a word of promise here and a smile there, a whisperon one happy slave and wave of the hand on another,Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two CitiesMonseigneur affably passed through his rooms to the remoteregion of the Circumference of Truth. There, Monseigneur turned,and came back again, and so in due course of time got himself shutup in his sanctuary by the chocolate sprites, and was seen nomore.The show being over, the flutter in the air became quite a littlestorm, and the precious little bells went ringing downstairs. Therewas soon but one person left of all the crowd, and he, with his hatunder his arm and his snuff-box in his hand, slowly passed amongthe mirrors on his way out.“I devote you,” said this person, stopping at the last door on hisway, and turning in the direction of the sanctuary, “to the Devil!”With that, he shook the snuff from his fingers as if he hadshaken the dust from his feet, and quietly walked downstairs.He was a man of about sixty, handsomely dressed, haughty inmanner, and with a face like a fine mask. A face of a transparentpaleness; every feature in it clearly defined; one set expression onit. The nose, beautifully formed otherwise, was very slightlypinched at the top of each nostril. In those two compressions, ordints, the only little change that the face ever showed, resided.They persisted in changing colour sometimes, and they would beoccasionally dilated and contracted by something like a faintpulsation: then, they gave a look of treachery, and cruelty, to thewhole countenance. Examined with attention, its capacity ofhelping such a look was to be found in the line of the mouth, andthe lines of the orbits of the eyes, being much too horizontal andthin; still, in the effect the face made, it was a handsome face, anda remarkable one.Its owner went downstairs into the courtyard, got into hisCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two Citiescarriage, and drove away. Not many people had talked with him atthe reception; he had stood in a little space apart, andMonseigneur might have been warmer in his manner. It appearedunder the circumstances, rather agreeable to him to see thecommon people dispersed before his horses, and often barelyescaping from being run down. His man drove as if he werecharging an enemy, and the furious recklessness of the manbrought no check into the face, or to the lips, of the master. Thecomplaint had sometimes made itself audible, even in that deafcity and dumb age, that, in the narrow streets without footways,the fierce patrician custom of hard driving endangered andmaimed the mere vulgar in a barbarous manner. But few caredenough for that to think of it a second time, and, in this matter, asin all others, the common wretches were left to get out of theirdifficulties as they could.With a wild rattle and clatter, and an inhuman abandonment ofconsideration not easy to be understood in these days, the carriagedashed though the streets and swept round corners, with womenscreaming before it, and men clutching each other and clutchingchildren out of its way. At last, swooping at a street corner by afountain, one of its wheels came to a sickening little jolt, and therewas a loud cry from a number of voices, and the horses reared andplunged.But for the latter inconvenience, the carriage probably wouldnot have stopped; carriages were often known to drive on, andleave their wounded behind, and why not? But the frightenedvalet had got down in a hurry, and there were twenty hands at thehorses’ bridles.“What has gone wrong?” said Monsieur, calmly looking out.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsA Tale of Two CitiesA tall man in a nightcap had caught up a bundle from amongthe feet of the horses, and had laid it on the basement of thefountain, and was down in the mud and wet, howling over it like awild animal.“Pardon, Monsieur the Marquis!” said a ragged and submissiveman, “it is a child.”“Why does he make that abominable noise? Is it his child?”“Excuse me, Monsieur the Marquis—it is a pity—yes.”The fountain was a little removed; for the street opened, whereit was, into a space some ten or twelve yards square. As the tallman suddenly got up from the ground, and came running at thecarriage, Monsieur the Marquis clapped his hand for an instant onhis sword-hilt.这些正直朝臣全都迫害致死。从此，黑云压城，白色恐怖，东林党人销声匿迹，大明王朝成了魏客阉党的一统天下，魏忠贤成了权倾朝野、炙手可热的九千岁。第27节：女色媚君(2)　　但谁知天有不测，仅仅一年之后，即天启七年，魏客赖以生存的熹宗，仅二十三岁便一命呜呼！　　政权更迭，必然会一朝天子一朝臣，更何况魏、客又制造了那么多的冤狱。这些冤魂怨鬼以及像韩■之流东林学的徒子徒孙，怎能不伺机鸣冤翻案呢？　　对此，老谋深算的魏忠贤早已料到，他和客氏的辞呈，实是以退为进，看你年轻的崇祯如何反应？　　崇祯皇帝虽然年轻，但却颇有城府。当魏忠贤手托着厂督的印信来递交辞呈时，崇祯皇帝依然是不愠不火、神态自若。　　他望着魏忠贤上交的辞呈和印信，劝慰道："皇兄遗嘱，朕与爱卿一起聆听，言犹在耳，怎能忘怀？爱卿不必揣摩风影，务令安心任职！"说着拿起印信交还给魏忠贤，"恕朕不允，印信当由爱卿自己掌管。"　　"皇上既不允老奴辞职，老奴就只好听命收回了。"魏忠贤心中一喜，连忙接过印信，然后目视一眼熹宗所刻的红木龙舟，颇为动情地说，"陛下如先皇一样宠待老奴，老奴定肝脑涂地，报效皇上！"　　"爱卿侍候先皇左右，忠心可嘉，朝野上下，有目共睹。"崇祯热情地说道。　　魏忠贤听到崇祯这几句赞誉，心中的一块石头刚要落下来，转身告辞，谁知崇祯紧接着又补了一句："至于奉圣夫人乞请搬出内宫，移居私邸，只要奉圣夫人感到方便，朕就遵从雅志，随她自己处置了！"　　魏忠贤闻言一愣，心想皇上这是什么意思？谁都知道魏、客一体，崇祯他这么做，是否想拆散我们，分而治之？但继而一想，客氏是熹宗的乳娘，是因熹宗而进驻皇宫的，如今熹宗已死，客氏已经没有理由继续留住宫内，搬出宫廷，倒也在情理之中。魏忠贤怔在那里，偷眼窥视着崇祯，暗自思忖，这个小皇帝的真实意图，究竟意欲何为呢？为了探寻真谛，魏忠贤眼珠一转倒地跪拜，再次试探："各地建造老奴生祠，老奴惶恐不安，乞请皇上恩准停止建造，并免去香烛费三万两。"　　崇祯依然亲热有加："爱卿不必惶恐。各地建造生祠祝福，这是舆论之公嘛！厂臣有功不居，更见谦虚美德。香烛费区区三万金，不必念念不忘。"他看看魏忠贤，"朕送你一样只字万金的稀世珍宝。"　　魏忠贤疑惑地望着皇上……　　只听一声吩咐："来人！赐厂臣魏忠贤匾幅一帧。"　　太监王承恩和曹化淳应声走上。太监王承恩原是坤宁宫总管，崇祯继位后，因宫中太监均为魏忠贤走狗爪牙，张皇后唯恐他们从中作祟，便将亲信王承恩调至崇祯的身旁。王承恩早年曾随侍崇祯的养母东李庄妃，可谓是看着崇祯长大，两人早就熟稔，所以王承恩一来，崇祯便极为倚重。　　王承恩和曹化淳打开手中的匾幅，只见上面赫赫写着："功德巍巍"四个大字。　　魏忠贤一见大喜过望，连忙跪地叩谢："老奴谢皇上恩赐墨宝！"　　待这书写着"功德巍巍"的匾额抬回魏忠贤官邸时，魏府众人击掌庆贺，一片欢欣！　　魏忠贤那位风骚多姿的侄媳妇，首先扭动腰肢，走近魏忠贤，兴高采烈地说："叔叔运筹帷幄，又得新宠，可喜可贺！"　　魏希孔对此似还怀有疑虑："难道皇上果真前嫌尽弃，芥蒂全消？"　　魏忠贤沉吟了一会儿，缓缓说道："老夫细细体察，皇上言辞诚恳，优礼倍加，并无可疑之处！"说着手指"功德巍巍"匾幅，"要不，赐赏匾幅干什么呢？"　　崔呈秀连连点头："这可是皇上登基以来的第一件墨宝，是价值连城的金字招牌啊！"　　客氏出于女性的本能，早就看不惯那位侄媳妇的风骚卖弄，如今见崔呈秀也跟着吹捧，加之魏忠贤那副洋洋得意的样子，她便愤而走过来，睥睨一眼魏忠贤，质问道："皇上对你不准辞职，新宠有加，对老娘怎么就允准搬出内宫呢？"　　"哎呀！奉圣夫人！"魏忠贤早知客氏会有此一手，便连忙耐心地给客氏解释，"你久居内宫本不合法规，完全是先皇的庇荫。新皇允准你移居宫外，既合常规，又合情理。"　　缺心少肺的魏良卿高兴得几欲拍手："如此看来，可以消除疑虑，再得非常之福了！"　　然而魏忠贤却并不像他那样乐观，他虽然嘴上那么安慰客氏，但内心仍存有余悸："虽有非常之福，也要防非常之祸啊！"　　虽已深夜，可崇祯仍在御书房内伏案批阅着一本本奏折。　　随侍的太监王承恩来到崇祯身边，轻声提醒："皇上，已是深夜，万岁爷该回坤宁宫休息了。"　　崇祯似乎没有听见，看着奏折不禁喃喃自语："怎么连县令小臣也弹劾魏忠贤！"　　待过了些时，王承恩又上前催劝："皇上，已经深夜，奏折留着明日再审吧！皇后娘娘正等着侍寝万岁爷！"　　崇祯抬起头看了看他，说道："承恩啊，难道你也不了解朕，朕不是早就说过，当日事情一定要当日处置完毕。"第28节：女色媚君(3)　　身为亲信太监，从小便看着崇祯长大的王承恩，当然清楚崇祯的勤政，清楚他当日事情一定当日处置完毕的决心。王承恩对此不仅清楚，而且十分敬佩和赞赏，但一想到皇上已经连着几夜未去皇后寝宫，今晚皇后又要空等一宿时，他便左右为难了。　　不出王承恩所料，周皇后果然又空等了一宿。但比王承恩想象略好一点的是，坤宁宫里不是周皇后一人，已经移居别宫的先帝张皇后正陪在她的身边。　　眼见天已放亮，崇祯肯定不会再来了，张皇后便收住闲扯的话题，关切地问道：　　"我怎么听说，五弟即位后，天天上朝，日日熬夜，亲览奏折，事无巨细，样样过问，连你侍寝也顾不上了？"　　"可不是！"周皇后见事已如此，不好隐瞒，便粉脸羞红地回道，"常常在御书房内随便歇一歇。"　　"可别让皇上累坏了身子啊！你为后宫之主，责任重大。"张皇后关切地说，"是不是皇上有什么苦恼之事？"　　"万岁爷常常愁眉不展，郁闷不乐。"周皇后对此颇感不安。　　"哦？"张皇后毕竟是过来人，对此似乎非常理解，"要尽其所能，让皇上高兴起来。"　　"可怎能让皇上高兴呢？"　　"御妹，你真傻啊！"张皇后用手一戳周皇后的额头，狡黠地笑道，"得选妃！"　　"选妃？"　　"对，选妃！明天就选！"　　选妃这桩机密大事，又落在了亲信太监王承恩的头上。经过两天的忙碌，在附近的六城四县共送来百名淑女。　　选妃虽不像当年为熹宗选乳娘那样，还得赤裸了身体丈量胸围、腰身、乳房及阴部。但此次也是甚为挑剔，除了出生年月生辰八字、身高体重之外，对家庭、教养、声音、体态、走路姿势及颦笑谈吐，都一一考核。　　经过一轮轮地筛选，本着"娶妻以德，纳妾以色"的原则，张皇后和周皇后最终选中了两名秀丽的女子，一是田氏，一是袁氏。　　袁氏出身小户人家，和周皇后一样都是小家碧玉型的女人，所以一眼便被周皇后选中。　　而田氏则是来自富甲天下的扬州，其父田弘遇为当地富绅，生母早逝，继母为扬州的歌舞伎，她从小便研习琴棋书画，能歌善舞、婀娜多姿，且又风情万种。事后果如张皇后所料，最得皇上之宠爱。　　小事尚且逃不出魏忠贤的眼睛，如此选妃大事，当然很快便传到魏、客的耳中。近日因一直遭到弹劾而郁郁不乐的魏忠贤，顿时兴奋了起来！他连忙派人去将客氏请来。　　"宫里选妃啦！"客氏刚一进屋，便大声叫道。自从让她搬出宫去之后，她以整理先帝遗物为名，整天泡在供奉熹宗灵位的仁智殿中。崇祯的一道驱逐令，彻底打碎了她的幻梦，打碎了她的富贵荣华，使她从天堂一下跌入了地狱。她甚为懊悔，怎么也没想到，自己奶大的小皇帝竟会先自己而死，本以为有这么个大靠山，可以作威作福、横行霸道、吃喝玩乐一辈子呢！　　没想到，这座天大的冰山，竟顷刻之间便崩塌融化了。她当然清楚这一切都是因为熹宗这位小皇帝的突然死去，她每次来到熹宗的灵位前时，都痛不欲生。她拿出精心保管的小匣子，里面存有熹宗儿时的胎发、乳牙和指甲，这些本来都是她在朝中安身立命、倚老卖老的资本，可如今全成一钱不值的垃圾了！　　客氏将这些东西堆放在香炉里，一边焚烧，一边哭泣。她肥硕的身躯随着这抽泣之声有规律地颤抖着，而颤抖得最厉害的则是她那对硕大无比的乳房。这曾是她扶摇直上、飞黄腾达的全部资本。正是这对大乳房，一只哺育了一位历史上最昏庸无能的皇帝，一只则成就了一个千古第一恶的大太监魏忠贤。　　当魏忠贤派人找到仁智殿时，客氏正处此心态之中，所以落座之后便连珠炮似的发泄着牢骚和不满："这次听说选了好几百个！过去这些事为我们一手安排，现如今……"　　"好事！好事！"魏忠贤当然清楚客氏此时的情绪和心态，连忙截住她的话头，高兴地笑着，"扬眉之日，再显身手的时候到了。"　　客氏一时未能理会，便不满地瞪视着魏忠贤："说话尽吞吞吐吐，模模糊糊！如何再有扬眉之日？"　　"奉圣夫人！好好奉圣啊！"魏忠贤并没详细解释，而是站起来，"老夫去熙春院。"　　客氏更加不悦地说："又去熙春院？"　　魏忠贤微微冷笑："她们选美选妃，老夫选娼选妓，看谁敌过谁！"　　一见魏忠贤又来光顾熙春院，院主妥娘连忙堆起笑脸热情相迎："哎哟哟！妥娘三生有幸，喜迎魏公公再登青楼！奴家这厢有礼了！"说着屈膝施礼。　　"罢了，罢了！"魏忠贤摆摆手，走进客厅。　　妥娘一面忙不迭地倒水沏茶，一面又心有余悸地注视着这位再次突然造访的太监总管。　　这时，丫鬟送上香茶，妥娘接过来，亲自递上："敢情这次魏公公前来敝院……还是挑人？"第29节：女色媚君(4)　　魏忠贤边接茶，边点点头："对！挑人。"　　妥娘试探地问："还是要……四个？"　　魏忠贤呷了口茶："当然要四个！"妥娘越发不安，"还是充作……宫女？"　　"岂止是宫女！是贵为宫妃！"魏忠贤说着站起来，神情中充满了得意。　　妥娘听得此话，却似五雷轰顶，她吓得"扑通"跪下，连连作揖哀求："求魏公公高抬贵手，饶了贱妾吧！这是伤天害理啊！不能昧着良心再干这缺德事啊！求您老人家……"　　魏忠贤本来心绪很好，但听了妥娘的一番唠叨，气得把茶杯一摔，训斥道："大胆妥娘！竟敢指责老夫伤天害理，昧着良心干缺德事！你是不要命了？"　　"不不不！妥娘不敢！"妥娘见自己无意惹恼了魏忠贤，直吓得胆战心惊，苦苦求饶，"九千岁，这怀了孕的大肚子实在不好找啊！"　　魏忠贤一听，知道妥娘无意讥讽自己，便哈哈笑了起来："这次不要待产的大肚子，是要尚未开苞的处子！"　　"要处子？"　　"对。要二八妙龄的绝色佳人。"　　妥娘一听不是要孕妇，而是要处子佳人，顿时雨过天晴，眉开眼笑说："行行行！熙春院的姑娘个个闭月羞花，人人沉鱼落雁，好似芙蓉出水，嫦娥下凡……"　　"你不要■嗦了！"魏忠贤不耐烦地站起身来，"老夫要亲自挑选，一一过目！"　　就在崇祯皇帝认可田氏、袁氏，分别将她们册封为田贵妃、袁贵妃的同时，魏忠贤所挑选的四名青楼佳丽，也被送进了魏府。善赌的巨阉魏忠贤，此刻正与她们玩骰作乐。　　"老夫玩骰子可谓朝中头名状元！"魏忠贤大言不惭地说着，"你们得和皇上玩骰子，谁赢了，谁就最先得到皇上的宠幸，谁就能最早封为贵妃！"　　其中一紫衣女子因最有姿色，于是便撒娇道："要是皇上不玩骰子呢？"　　"不玩？那就施展你们的本领，逗引皇上钻进芙蓉帐里去玩！"　　"要是皇上还不肯钻呢？"　　"这个嘛……"魏忠贤一挥手，小太监杜勋端着一只托盘走进来。　　托盘里放着四只精致的香袋。魏忠贤拿起一只小小的香袋，淫邪地望着这四名佳丽："有了它，就不愁他皇上不往芙蓉帐里钻！"　　崇祯毕竟是正值青春期的少年皇帝，自从田、袁二妃入宫以后，崇祯果然判若两人似的精神抖擞、容光焕发，寝宫之中也可常常听到他的笑声了。　　连蚊子一飞过，都要分出公母来的魏忠贤，当然会敏感地看出这一变化，心想，人都说你朱由检是个不近女色的正人君子，看来这其实也是谣传、溢美。才几天，你崇祯不也同样拜倒在石榴裙下？　　经过几天的调教，本是出身青楼的四名女子，更加风韵绰约、色媚迷人。魏忠贤见一切停当，且气候适应，便选一个夜深人静、崇祯单身独宿御书房的日子，将这四名美女带进了皇宫。　　"皇上国事辛劳，无有分忧，老奴选尽天下美女，特进奉四名尤物相伴陛下，乞请万岁爷笑纳！"魏忠贤大礼参拜后，朗声奏道。　　崇祯初时一愣，很快便浮起满脸笑容，龙颜大悦地说："难得爱卿用心良苦，待朕看看四个尤物面貌如何？"　　魏忠贤极力奉承："她们脸若芙蓉，腰似杨柳，冰肌玉骨，都是绝代芳姿的国色天香啊！万岁爷请看。"　　帷帘一挑，四名青楼女子分别身着青、黄、兰、紫四色衣裙，娇媚艳态，笑脸盈盈，款款走进，随之传来一阵阵沁人心脾的幽香。　　崇祯嗅着这随之飘进的异香，不觉心旌摇动，目不转睛地盯看着四名青楼女子，口中喃喃赞道："果真是秀色可餐的尤物！"　　魏忠贤一见皇上如此神情，心中暗喜，便紧紧盯视着崇祯奏道："请万岁爷尽情受用！"　　"朕就笑纳不拒了！"崇祯看看魏忠贤赞许道，"爱卿处处替朕着想，忠心可嘉！来人，赐厂臣忠贤黄金百两！"　　王承恩应声走上，复诵："是！赐魏公公黄金百两！"　　"谢皇上！"魏忠贤说着随王承恩退出，心中充满了得意。　　一向对魏忠贤持有戒心的崇祯，目视魏忠贤得意离去的背影，心中涌起了一阵疑惑：此时他进献美女，用心何在呢？待到他的目光移向那尊红木龙舟时，他立刻醒悟了！皇兄临终的教诲，"女色误国"四个大字，宛如惊雷一般劈开了他的疑团。　　崇祯转身视向跪在一旁的四名女子："说！魏忠贤让你们进宫，意欲何为？"　　紫衣女子声若黄莺，应声奏道："奴婢侍奉皇上，请万岁爷与婢妾投骰嬉戏。"说着从衣袋内拿出骰子。　　"玩骰子？"崇祯惊讶道，"朕是不识牌赌。"　　紫衣女子含情脉脉，频送秋波："魏公公告诉奴婢，奴婢谁赢谁就先侍寝皇上，皇上……若是赢了，那就由皇上随心所欲、任意挑选。"　　"随心所欲、任意挑选？干什么？"　　"芙蓉帐里，为皇上侍寝。"第30节：女色媚君(5)　　"若是朕不愿意呢？"　　"皇上不会不愿意的！"　　崇祯见她们说得这般坦白，又毫无羞臊之色，已断定她们绝非良家淑女。联想起她们晋见时带来的那股使人淫迷的异香，更加令人生疑。想到此，崇祯转过身去，一声吩咐："来人！"　　太监曹化淳连忙走进："奴才在！"　　崇祯手指青楼女子："带她们下去，依例搜查净身。"　　"皇上是笑纳不拒啊！"魏忠贤一回到自己的府邸，便高兴地呷了一口酒，"自古君王没有不贪淫好色的！隋炀帝春宫淫戏，昼夜无歇；唐明皇多情多欲，随遇而幸，哪一个皇帝老子逃得过一个色字？"　　客氏听此，也随之兴奋起来，她接过魏忠贤递过来的酒杯，使劲灌了一口："再叫良卿、希孔他们多找佳丽美女，源源不断供给，皇上就色迷色乱、晕了脑袋。"　　魏忠贤听到这儿，仿佛又回到了先帝熹宗朱由校、光宗朱常洛的年代，这两位皇帝初时也是雄心勃勃，后来均是因贪恋女色而荒废朝政，以致最后身亡的。魏忠贤虽不想崇祯也像他父兄那样因淫身亡，但只要他沉湎于女色之中，便将无暇料理朝政……想到此，魏忠贤望着有些酒醉的客氏，不无得意地说："那时候，我们就再获新宠，重掌国柄！"　　客氏仗着酒力，忘情地依偎在魏忠贤胸前："到那时，再风风光光、轰轰烈烈地把我请回皇宫，那才叫扬眉吐气呢！"　　正这时，传来轻轻的敲门声。打开屋门，崇祯的亲信太监曹化淳怔怔地站在门口。　　"深更半夜的，来此何事？"客氏口气里显然流露着不满。　　"皇上令将四名淑女净身。"曹化淳喃喃回禀。　　"搜出什么啦？"魏忠贤一阵紧张，"凶器？"　　"没有凶器。只是在每人袖袋里各自搜出一枚香囊。"　　"香囊？"客氏也紧张起来，急忙插嘴，"他可知道这香囊何用？"　　"有人告知说那是春药，随着香气溢散，令人春心荡漾……"　　"皇上说老夫什么啦？"魏忠贤极为关切地打断他的话头。　　"没、没说什么……"　　"那对这四名淑女怎么处置的？"　　"皇上说这是以色迷君，全部打入冷宫！"　　曹化淳是魏忠贤早年安插进信王府里的一位小太监，当年也并没有着意栽培，可近来随着信王入主皇位，他作为亲信太监也随之一步登天。皇宫里的任何风吹草动，都会很快便传到魏忠贤的耳中。　　今晚曹化淳带来的情报，不仅没有任何欢愉，相反却似冷水浇头一样。即使曹化淳已离开了许久，客氏仍十分颓丧："厉害呀！以色迷君，打入冷宫！"　　"以色迷君君不迷啊！"魏忠贤手擎着酒杯，摇头叹息道，"难道皇上果真是圣人？难道皇上果真不贪声色之娱？难道……"　　"别难道、难道的唠叨了！"客氏打断魏忠贤的话，"难道我们就此甘休不成？"　　"不！"魏忠贤将酒杯一放，"霍"地站起来："我就不信圣心不动！待老夫再试他一试，管叫他欲火难熬，见色思淫，一发不可收拾！"　　夜深人静，御房门内，崇祯依旧像往日一样在伏案批阅奏疏。只见一份疏文的封面上，赫然写道：《专疏：阉党魏忠贤十罪书》。　　崇祯翻开这《十罪书》，正欲仔细观看，忽然，空中飘来一股奇特的香味，使崇祯精神一振，不由得连着又吸了两口……　　待崇祯想细细思考一下奏章的条文时，精神却怎么也无法集中了，只觉得内心燥热，身上火烧火燎的，涌起了一股难以抑止的性冲动。崇祯自恃是一位长于控制的人，可今天却不知怎的，这欲望宛如暗潮一样一浪高过一浪，越来越强烈，再也按捺不住了！他终于被迫放下疏文，站起来高叫一声："来人！"　　王承恩应声而入："奴才在。"　　"王承恩，快、快去传召紫衣女子前来。"　　"传召紫衣女子？"王承恩有些下解。　　崇祯点点头，眼睛里放射出一种异样的光芒："朕思念紫衣女子，召幸于她，一解饥渴。"　　"奴才这就去。"王承恩说着快步走向门外。　　与此同时，魏忠贤搂着客氏，正洋洋得意地说："这一次，让皇上不知不觉地春心萌动，不知不觉地欲火难忍，不知不觉横卧龙床……"　　"什么先帝遗训，'不可贪恋女色'？"客氏扭动她肥胖的身躯，兴奋地说道："说起来容易，做起来难啊！现今哪个男人不好色？不好色就不是男人！连你们这些阉了的，见了美女不也还色迷迷？"说完，顺手一把将魏忠贤推向了床边。　　魏忠贤一脸尴尬。　　"怎么，我说错了？"　　"错是没错，只是咱说的是皇上，怎么又把我扯了进去？"　　"哼，我是说，世上就没一个不吃腥的猫儿！皇上还是得走先帝的老路！"客氏说起话来，双乳首先为之颤抖。　　客氏没有说错，此刻的崇祯正是欲火难熬。待王承恩将紫衣女子领进，还未及娇挪莲步，上前请安，崇祯便急不可耐地吩咐："快去沐浴！"第31节：女色媚君(6)　　在崇祯一再的催促下，紫衣女子草草冲洗了一下，刚刚披上一件纱质的浴衣，崇祯便疾步冲了进来。　　此刻的紫衣女子本来就风流妩媚，加之刚刚浴后飘散的一头秀发、白里透红的肌体，一切都充溢着诱人的香气和野性的激情。　　崇祯抢步上前，一手揽着紫衣女子的腰部，一手托着紫衣女子的丰臀，把她整个儿抱了起来。　　皇上的狂放，使得本来就熟谙风情的紫衣女子由惊而喜。她索性伸出双臂勾住崇祯的脖子，将身体紧紧地缠绕住崇祯，先是用一双火辣辣的双眼迎向崇祯，继而又送上一对火烫的双唇……　　崇祯感到浑身在燃烧，血液有如沸腾一般。　　此时，一直在门外等候传唤的王承恩，见此，只好摇着头走开。　　"万岁爷今日怎么了？"王承恩对于崇祯今日的放浪颇为不解。因为他知道崇祯不是个好色的皇帝，他胸怀大志，一心想使大明王朝得以中兴，所以他勤政治国、严以自律，从未因女色而荒废朝政。可今天，为何竟如此一反常态，如此放浪形骸呢？　　王承恩带着疑惑，刚刚走到回廊，突然，他停下了脚步。只见墙角处，有香头在一闪一闪。再一细看，原来有一小太监正坐在夹墙内在鼓腮吹香……　　王承恩一切都明白了。他冲过去，一把揪住小太监，拖出夹墙。　　小太监连声告饶："王公公饶命！王公公饶命……"　　王承恩定睛一看，不由惊愕："原来是你！"　　好不容易挨到清晨，王承恩站在御书房门外轻声呼叫："万岁爷，该醒醒了！"　　"谁？"崇祯正蒙蒙■■。　　"王承恩。"　　"什么事？"　　"快到早朝时辰了！"　　"啊！"崇祯一听，连忙坐起，却发现自己赤身裸体，而身边又有一个陌生女人："你是何人？怎么与朕同床？"　　"万岁爷，奴婢是万岁爷召幸来的呀！"　　"朕召幸过你？王承恩，这到底是怎么回事？"　　那位小太监叫杜勋，原是先帝熹宗身边的人。他机灵乖巧，颇得熹宗的宠爱，特别是上次西苑落水，多亏了杜勋跳水营救，故崇祯登基后，王承恩将他引为亲信，随侍皇上左右，管理皇上的御书房。但谁知他却竟然干起这等事来？　　当王承恩将小太监杜勋带到崇祯的面前时，崇祯勃然大怒！　　"大胆奴才杜勋！"崇祯端坐在龙椅，亲自审问，"说！你焚燃的是什么？"　　"奴才罪该万死！"杜勋跪在地上，"此香是宫中旧方，俗称'迷魂香'，也叫'媚香'，焚香可以诱发皇上欲念。"　　"受谁人指使？"崇祯发问。　　"是魏公公指派。"杜勋惊颤地连连磕头，"奴才看到皇上操劳国事，昼夜无息，魏公公说，不能让皇上如此劳累，清心寡欲，就指派奴才暗地焚香……奴才本欲帮助万岁爷取乐，但不知万岁爷不近女色，是奴才罪该万死！罪该万死！"　　"罪该万死的不是你啊！"崇祯经过一番冷静思考后，知道这和那四名女子一样，又是魏忠贤在捣鬼，还是想让自己沉湎淫乐，像先帝父兄一样，由他们来把持朝纲。想到此，他走近杜勋："朕念你年幼无知，且对先帝皇兄有救命之功，此次姑且饶你一回，但严禁出宫，罚做劳役！"　　"谢皇上不杀之恩！"杜勋叩头后，起身离去。　　杜勋走后，崇祯转身拿起皇兄熹宗所刻的红木龙舟，他眼望着这熠熠发光的雕刻，想到皇兄皇父，不胜痛惜地说："原来，皇父、皇兄皆为此所误啊！"于是他放下龙舟，厉声吩咐王承恩："所有'迷魂香'、'媚香'之类全部毁掉，以后严禁再进！"　　"是！"王承恩应声答道，但他并没有马上离去，"万岁爷，对于厂臣魏公公那边……"　　崇祯没有回答，而是沉思地在屋内走了许久后，突然站定："传旨：赐宴厂臣魏忠贤亲族！"　　"是！皇上……"王承恩走了两步后，停在了门口，问，"皇上，奴才耳背，刚才说的可是赐宴魏忠贤家族？"　　崇祯看破王承恩的心思："承恩，你是不是想说什么？"　　王承恩："不，奴才不敢！"　　崇祯看看王承恩，微笑说："你是不是想说……魏忠贤一而再地动用女色，迷惑君主，欺君罔上，本是罪不容赦，怎么还赐宴亲族？"　　王承恩看着崇祯点点头："朝野上下，对厂臣无不恨之入骨，论罪当诛！"　　崇祯摇摇头："可先皇有遗旨：说他服侍皇兄，操尽劳苦，既忠且贤，可委以重用啊！"崇祯抬眼看着王承恩，王承恩似还要说些什么，崇祯打断了他，"快去敕旨操办吧，明日乾清宫赐宴，务必要隆重丰盛！"　　"遵旨！"王承恩满腹狐疑地应声答道，转身缓缓离去。　　崇祯目视王承恩离去的背影，轻轻叹了口气，然后快步走向龙案，伸手将那份专疏《阉党魏忠贤十罪书》一把抓起，握紧笔头，暗暗发誓：成败均在此一举！第32节：阜城挽歌(1)　　■ 阜城挽歌　　皇帝赐宴的消息，传到魏忠贤府邸时，多日死寂的魏府，宛如投入一块巨石一样，又激起了一阵不大不小的涟漪。崇祯亲赐的"功德巍巍"烫金横匾，已被高高地挂上门楣，两旁蓝色琉璃瓦的大门楼，在阳光照耀下发出一片耀眼的光芒。大门口的朱漆铜环下，又恢复车水马龙。　　最为兴奋和活跃的还是那位年轻的侄媳妇，她虽然也出身官宦人家，但因长时间随同父亲戍守边关，进京嫁给魏良卿为妾，也仅仅一年有余，加之不久便怀孕生子，尚没有机会进宫、没有吃过宫宴，当然就更没有见过皇帝了，昨晚一听说皇上要亲自设宴邀请魏氏整个家族，她高兴得一夜都没有睡好，今晨天还不亮，她就又爬起来，翻找挑选衣服、梳洗打扮。　　和自己的媳妇相反，魏良卿虽说也是一宿没睡好，但他不是高兴，而是担心。　　当他带着惺忪的睡眼，满脸愁云地来到魏忠贤的客厅时，魏忠贤已经端坐在楠木椅子上，冷静的面容显然在掩盖内心的焦虑，他见魏良卿进来，劈头便问："良卿，皇上赐宴，非同寻常，你是如何看待？"　　魏良卿在叔父面前，没有任何掩饰，他连连摇头，道出了自己的担心："就怕是鸿门宴啊！"　　"鸿门宴还不至于，杯酒释兵权倒有可能。"魏忠贤话刚出口，又皱着眉头自我否定，因为魏良卿的担心，正是自己的担心。他停顿了许久，方疑惑地说道："如若惩治，怎么会屡压奏表，赏赐照旧？如若恩宠，又怎么会笑纳美女却打入冷宫？这次的'媚香'事件，也出乎我的意料。事情败露，对杜勋并没有严厉的惩戒，相反还把那位穆姓的紫衣女子纳为贵人。你说，皇上到底是真的不好色，还是做给大臣们看的？若是真的认为女色误国，那为什么不惩治杜勋、不惩治那紫衣女子、不惩治我们，相反还要赐宴我们整个魏氏家族呢？唉，老夫伴君二十余年，这是第一遭猜不准、摸不透！"　　面对魏忠贤这自言自语似的询问，魏良卿正不知如何回答时，魏希孔兴冲冲来到大厅。　　魏良卿迫不及待地说："希孔来了，听听他的！"　　魏希孔跪拜起身后，兴奋地扫视了一眼众人，得意洋洋地说："据锦衣卫侦知禀报，皇上此次是遵照先皇遗旨，对魏公公要委以重任。赐宴乾清宫，是最高规格，场面极为隆重！"　　一听这话，大厅里顿时活跃了起来，魏忠贤也一扫刚才的阴霾，开怀大笑："这崇祯小儿终于领悟了，大明王朝离不开我魏氏家族，若离开我们，这大明谁能支撑？来人，传我口谕，我魏氏家族凡前往宫廷赴宴者，无论男女长幼均要衣装整肃、仪表堂堂，让这个新皇上好好看看我魏氏家族的风采！"　　乾清宫内的宫廷盛宴，果然非比寻常，隆重排场又大。魏氏亲眷早早便来到宫内，他们济济一堂，熙熙攘攘，人人脸上都挂着抑制不住的喜悦和自豪。　　宫女和太监们也都精心打扮，穿起节日的盛装，来往穿梭地服侍着。　　没等多久，崇祯便在王承恩等人的簇拥下，从内宫走出。　　"吾皇万岁，万岁，万万岁！"魏忠贤及其家眷连忙跪伏在地，高声唱颂，"老奴祝万岁爷龙体万安！"　　崇祯微笑着走向龙倚坐下，和颜悦色："爱卿平身，不必拘礼，众亲眷快请入席！"　　"皇上赐宴老奴亲族，聚集一堂，浩荡皇恩，令老奴受宠若惊！"魏忠贤说着起身递过家族名单。　　王承恩接过名单高声唱颂："今日赴天子圣宴者计有：宁国公魏良卿，东平侯魏志德，东安侯魏良栋，锦衣卫大都督魏希孔、都督魏希孟、魏希尧、魏希舜……"　　随着王承恩的唱颂，被点到者均一一躬身站起，叩谢龙恩。　　崇祯走下龙座，异常亲切地用目光扫视一周后，热情赞誉："魏氏亲族，一门五侯，大明肱股，盖世绝伦！真是功德巍巍，功德巍巍啊！"　　"皇上嘉誉，老奴理应效尽犬马之劳！"魏忠贤趋步上前，一脸媚笑。　　崇祯看了一眼洋洋得意的魏忠贤后，拿过王承恩手中的名单，粗略地浏览一下后，突然故作惊讶地问："宁锦大捷中，因功受赏、授衔少子少保和少子少师的两位亲眷，怎么没来呀？"　　魏忠贤听此，心中陡然一惊，但随即便以谦虚地口吻掩盖道："实是怕惊扰皇上，当入另席。"　　"如此名门英豪，怎能另居别席？再说，朕也一直想领略一下这两位殊死拼杀、屡建奇功的英雄风采！"崇祯说着不待魏忠贤回答，便大声吩咐："宣少子少保、少子少师进殿！"　　王承恩一听皇上降旨，便连忙高声复颂："圣旨宣少子少保、少子少师进殿！"　　所谓少子少保、少子少师，均为辅导皇太子的老师，他们与少子太傅一起被称做宫廷三少。是对朝中大臣的格外恩宠，多是因建有奇功伟业而获得赏赐的。　　魏忠贤见事已如此，虽说着急，却也无可奈何。过了一会儿，魏良卿领着一个七岁的顽童魏鹏程缓缓走进。第33节：阜城挽歌(2)　　魏良卿跪拜："卑职叩拜皇上！"　　少子少保是朝中大臣极受人尊重的官衔，崇祯疑惑地望着魏良卿身边的孩子，故作惊诧道："他是谁？他就是少子少保？"　　魏良卿惶恐地连忙再跪叩首："他就是犬子魏鹏程。"　　崇祯冷冷地问："今年几岁啦？"　　魏良卿低声呢喃："七岁。"　　魏忠贤见状，连忙过来拉起魏鹏程："鹏程快给皇上磕头请安。"　　魏鹏程从小娇生惯养，稚气骄横："干吗我要给他磕头？在府上都是别人给大爷我磕头请安。"　　"放肆！"魏忠贤厉声斥责，连忙用力拉着魏鹏程跪下，"老奴携侄孙少子少保魏鹏程给皇上请安。"　　崇祯摆手一笑："退下吧。"魏良卿松了口气，刚欲引领魏鹏程退下，但谁知崇祯又追了一句，"那位少子少师呢？"　　"这少子少师……"这次不仅魏良卿，连魏忠贤也变得更加慌乱了，他呆愣好久，方回道："万岁爷还是不必见了吧？"　　"为什么？"　　"酒菜都已经上来半天了，凉了会伤了万岁爷的胃口。"　　"不妨。"崇祯固执地坚持，"难得有这样与你们家族聚会的机会，像少子少师这等重要人物，朕怎能不见？王承恩宣少子少师进殿。"　　王承恩大声复诵："圣旨宣少子少师进殿！"　　此时，魏良卿闻言已两腿筛糠、脸色惨白，他紧张地看着魏忠贤，用目光请示。　　一向沉稳老辣的魏忠贤，一时竟也不知所措。　　王承恩偏偏又接二连三地高声唱道："圣旨宣少子少师进殿！"、"圣旨宣少子少师进殿！"　　圣旨大如天。魏良卿见魏忠贤没什么反应，只得硬着头皮，无奈地走出。少顷，魏良卿的那位如夫人怀抱婴儿随之走进，这位年轻的如夫人，仗着有几分姿色，加之魏忠贤的宠爱，在府内甚受娇宠。今天又能有如此机遇，得在咫尺之距一睹皇上的龙颜，她十分兴奋。根本没注意魏忠贤的紧张和眼色，而是扭动腰肢，径自大摇大摆地走到崇祯的跟前，跪拜道：　　"贱妾携犬子魏鹏翼叩见皇上！"　　"你是何人？"崇祯诧异地望着魏良卿的如夫人，"朕宣的是少子少师，你来何干？"　　这位如夫人举了举怀中的婴儿："犬子魏鹏翼即是少子少师。"　　"什么？这个襁褓中的婴儿？"崇祯尽管早就得知情报，心中有所准备，但真的见到堂堂的少子少师竟是一个襁褓婴儿时，仍是大吃一惊！　　魏忠贤见此，连忙趋步上前："他就是老奴的二侄孙，少子少师魏鹏翼！"　　崇祯脸似一块生铁："人呢？多大啦？"　　"正在贱妾怀中安睡，尚不满三月。"魏良卿如夫人指指襁褓中的婴儿。　　"尚不满三个月？"崇祯倏地站起，直气得全身震怒，手指着这两个孩子，厉声道，"这就是宁锦大捷殊死拼杀、屡建奇功的英雄义士？魏忠贤，你将功勋卓著的袁崇焕削职罢官，却把功劳授给了如此襁褓中的婴儿，你将朝纲法纪置于何处？将大明天子置于何处？你等岂不是将这大明江山视同儿戏，玩乎于你魏家的股掌之中吗？"　　刚才还乱哄哄、喜气洋洋的宴会厅，顿时像急速冷冻一样，一个个都僵在了那里，不知所措。而崇祯则声色俱厉，语音颤抖，最后直气得一下子掀翻了桌子，整个大厅"哗啦啦"地一阵脆响。　　此刻，侄媳妇也不敢再卖弄风骚，直想抱着孩子悄悄地溜出宴会厅，可谁知"哇"的一声，怀中婴儿竟惊得大哭起来。　　侄媳妇抬头见崇祯满脸怒气，吓得连忙跪倒在地，浑身抖颤起来。　　自从赐宴风波传出后，整个朝堂顿时为之沸腾，参奏弹劾魏忠贤的疏文一天多似一天地飞向崇祯的龙案。这里，不仅过去因遭受魏忠贤打击迫害而关押、流放或冤死的正直人士，一齐将矛头指向了魏忠贤；就连他们阉党内部，那些追随附逆魏忠贤逢迎拍马的猢狲们，眼见大树将倾，也均纷纷倒戈，或是想洗清自己，或是欲断臂脱身，或是为戴罪立功。至于长期受魏忠贤欺压迫害、不共戴天的东林党人，当然更是犹如狂潮一样涌向魏客阉党，其中一马当先者，即是首辅韩■。　　大明王朝建国之初，为加强中央集权，废除了宰相一职，而设有华盖殿、谨身殿、武英殿、文华殿、义渊阁及东阁大学士，为皇帝的政务顾问。后来这些大学士入阁机务，为内阁长官，成为明代的政务中心，事实上握有宰相的重位。其中首席大学士便被尊为首辅，次席的被称为次辅。自明嘉靖、隆庆、万历三朝以后，首辅权位日隆，主持大政。　　熹宗朝首辅、次辅的任免，因都操纵在魏忠贤的手心，他们一切都俯首帖耳，仰视魏、客二人的鼻息，不敢有一点作为。而韩■这位首辅则不然，他不仅刚正不阿，自从被打入东林党圈内而惨遭迫害后，便发誓与魏客阉党势不两立，以铲除阉党为己任。有这样的首辅大臣统率，满朝上下的倒魏浪潮，自是一浪高过一浪。先是对劣迹昭著的崔呈秀开刀，继而很快便将炮火集中在了魏忠贤和客氏这对祸国殃民的狗男女身上。第34节：阜城挽歌(3)　　面对潮水般的弹劾，魏忠贤也变得色厉内荏，大为惶恐。他后悔自己错过时机，对崇祯优柔寡断、举棋不定，没能趁崇祯立足未稳时，发起宫廷政变，以致使崇祯利用韬晦之策站稳了脚跟，而如今大臣们投靠新帝和阉党纷纷倒戈，使他感到如不及时制止，则将大势已去。　　可他不愿意看到几十年建筑的霸权伟业，就这样顷刻崩塌。那不是跺跺脚就使整个大明王朝为之颤动的厂臣魏忠贤，也不是奉圣夫人为之引以为傲的魏忠贤。这不是魏忠贤的性格，也有愧于九千九百岁的雅号！为此，魏忠贤决定找小皇帝崇祯，凭自己的巧舌诡辩，进行最后一搏！　　此次约见的地点，仍在乾清宫内。可谁知气势汹汹的魏忠贤刚一进殿，还未及议事，便听得首辅韩■等人在咚咚击鼓。　　崇祯煞有介事地扭头询问："殿外何事？"　　王承恩也煞有介事地躬身回复："韩■等一班大臣，说有紧急要事启奏皇上。"　　"宣他们进来。"　　文武官员韩■等疾步入殿，跪拜。　　崇祯又煞有介事地扫视了一遍："朕今日约请厂臣魏忠贤，与之有关的公事可奏对，其余都改日再议。"　　"启奏陛下，臣等正是为魏忠贤而来！"韩■怀抱象牙笏走上一步，奏曰，"臣再上疏《阉党魏忠贤十罪书》！"　　魏忠贤一听，立即反驳："启禀万岁爷：《十罪书》谎言连篇，件件捏造！臣乞请皇上明察是非，分辨黑白，以诬告罪反坐！"　　崇祯听后，目光炯炯地逼视着魏忠贤："内容尚未公布，你怎知诬告？"　　"老奴早有耳闻，朝内争抄内本，流言广散！"崇祯皇帝的当头一击，并没有使魏忠贤慌乱，早有准备的这位巨阉一扫前些时的隐忍恭顺，而疯狂得无所顾忌，"老奴侍奉先帝，早已把生死置之度外，圣上若是听信他们胡言乱语，就把老奴杀了吧！让文武百官看看死心塌地效命先皇的下场！"　　"放肆！"崇祯也早就料到他会搬出皇兄熹宗来压自己，他不待魏忠贤余音落地，便厉声斥责。他一边拍着龙案，一边拿起《十罪书》道："千秋功罪，朕自有决断！凡事皆有公论，内侍王承恩当朝诵读。"　　"遵旨！"王承恩应声上前，接过《十罪书》。　　魏忠贤闻言目瞪口呆，他抬眼环顾，只见武装内侍不知何时已悄然布满四周。　　王承恩斜睨了一眼魏忠贤后，高声朗朗诵读："厂臣魏忠贤十罪书：一曰欺君：凡封章奏疏必先为厂臣歌功颂德，俨然与先帝并立；二曰蔑后：操刀禁苑之中，外胁群臣，内逼宫阉；三曰篡权：太祖垂训，宦官不得干预朝政，忠贤一手遮天，六部大权，边腹重地，钱谷衙门，皆置心腹……"　　魏忠贤刚来时的气势汹汹，此刻已一扫而光。他开始还强装硬挺，但到后来直听得他头冒冷汗，浑身发抖，不由得双腿一软，跪伏在地，痛哭流涕："冤任，冤枉！天大的冤枉啊！老奴不能事新君，只能随先帝地下去了！"　　魏忠贤边哭边环视左右，但朝中群臣均投以轻蔑的目光。魏忠贤见此，知一切均无法挽回，便抹着老泪道："老奴犬劳先帝，落下一身病痛，不能供职，乞请万岁爷恩准辞职回乡！"　　崇祯看着魏忠贤的狼狈样，心中有种压抑不住的喜悦。原本崇祯对能否铲除魏忠贤这个一手遮天的巨阉是心存疑虑的，准确点说，是有所恐惧的。如今见这个前无古人、不可一世的庞然大物，终于败倒在自己的脚下，他高兴得真想跳起来大声呼叫一场！可他压住了，面对魏忠贤的乞休辞职，他依然不动声色，只是嘴角浮出了一丝微笑："悉从雅志，回私第静养。"　　魏忠贤的府邸，坐落在宫外的东城，深宅广院，苍松翠柏，花红柳绿，假山奇石，歌台舞榭，比起崇祯过去所住的信王府，不要说布局设施的精巧，就光是规模也要远比它大上三倍四倍。气势宏伟的三层院落，曲径回廊，再加之数百成千盏的细纱宫灯，将偌大一座庭院照得如同白昼，更显得富丽堂皇、气势非凡。　　过去，每当他下朝归来，面对这幢仅次于皇宫的豪宅，一步上那高高的台阶，便宛如平步青云，这豪宅便是宫外的朝堂，主宰大明命运的不在乾清宫，而实是这所魏府豪宅。这已是不争之事实，大明官吏无人不晓、无人不知。每次归来，他那在乾清宫中不得不躬腰跪拜的躯身，便一步步地挺直起来，待到步上家门台阶时，则变得扬首看天、挺胸腆肚了。而此刻，魏府上下的丫鬟侍女、管家仆人们则早早地排列两行，待魏忠贤一跨上丹墀，便一齐跪拜在地，山呼"千岁安康"，魏忠贤在这一次次的欢呼声中步入自己的府邸。　　当夜，魏忠贤的马车将他载回府邸时，因其神情沮丧，他不仅没有注意到府内的灯没亮，甚至也没有注意到站在府门前的不是他府中的丫鬟仆人。他慢慢地走下车来，今天没有挺胸昂首，而是低垂着头，一步步地向府门口走去，直到两把长枪十字交叉地横住他的去路，他方抬起头来：只见盖有官印的两张封条贴在朱漆大门上，四名禁兵威武地分立两旁。第35节：阜城挽歌(4)　　魏忠贤见大门被封，正想发作……　　命官一声长呼："魏忠贤接旨！"　　魏忠贤一看，王承恩、曹化淳手拿诰命已立在眼前。正所谓虎落平阳，威风不减，魏忠贤也是。他眼望着这两名过去的属下，不无嘲讽道："王公公、曹公公，来得好快啊！竟走在老夫前面来了！"　　王承恩没有理睬他，而是声色俱厉地喝道："魏忠贤接旨！"　　事已至此，魏忠贤只好无可奈何地跪伏在地："臣接旨。"　　王承恩朗声念道："朝臣屡奏逆恶魏忠贤罪状，朕俱已洞悉。忠贤身受三爵，位至极尊，忠贤不报国恩，竟串通客氏，表里为奸，盗弄国柄，擅作威福，陷害忠良，草菅人命，狠如虎狼……幸赖祖宗在天之灵，天厌巨恶，忠贤原形毕露，本应凌迟处死。朕念服侍先帝左右之微劳，从轻发落，削职凤阳，看守皇陵，中官押送，即刻起程。其家产籍没入官……"　　圣旨一出，魏忠贤知道大势已去，无法挽回。几天来，一直强挺硬撑的神经顿时崩溃，双腿一软，人如同没了骨头似的，泥瘫在地。后来是那四位禁兵平抬着把他送上马车的。　　又过了许久，直待魏忠贤稍稍苏醒过后，马车方徐徐启动。