\"How，\"
stammeredhe，\"willyoucarryonthedirectionsofthedifferentcorps？\"
\"Whenyouaregone，monsieur，\"repliedthecommanderofthefleet，\"itistomethecommandofthewholeiscommitted。\"
\"Then，monsieur，\"rejoinedColbert\'sman，addressingthenewleader，\"itisforyouthatthislastorderremittedtomeisintended。？Letusseeyourpowers。\"
\"Heretheyare，\"saidtheofficer，exhibitingtheroyalsignature。
\"Hereareyourinstructions，\"repliedtheofficer，placingthefoldedpaperinhishands;andturningroundtowardsD\'Artagnan，\"Come，monsieur，\"
saidhe，inanagitatedvoice（suchdespairdidhebeholdinthatmanofiron），\"domethefavortodepartatonce。\"
\"Immediately！\"
articulatedD\'Artagnan，feebly，subdued，crushedbyimplacableimpossibility。
Andhepainfullysubsidedintothelittleboat，whichstarted，favoredbywindandtide，forthecoastofFrance。？Theking\'sguardsembarkedwithhim。？ThemusketeerstillpreservedthehopeofreachingNantesquickly，andofpleadingthecauseofhisfriendseloquentlyenoughtoinclinethekingtomercy。？Thebarkflewlikeaswallow。？D\'ArtagnandistinctlysawthelandofFranceprofiledinblackagainstthewhitecloudsofnight。
\"Ah！
monsieur，\"saidhe，inalowvoice，totheofficertowhom，foranhour，hehadceasedspeaking，\"whatwouldIgivetoknowtheinstructionsforthenewcommander！？Theyareallpacific，aretheynot？and—\"
Hedidnotfinish;thethunderofadistantcannonrolledathwartthewaves，another，andtwoorthreestilllouder。？D\'Artagnanshuddered。
\"TheyhavecommencedthesiegeofBelle—Isle，\"repliedtheofficer。？ThecanoehadjusttouchedthesoilofFrance。
ChapterXLV:
TheAncestorsofPorthos。
WhenD\'ArtagnanleftAramisandPorthos，thelatterreturnedtotheprincipalfort，inordertoconversewithgreaterliberty。？Porthos，stillthoughtful，wasarestraintonAramis，whosemindhadneverfeltitselfmorefree。
\"DearPorthos，\"saidhe，suddenly，\"IwillexplainD\'Artagnan\'sideatoyou。\"
\"Whatidea，Aramis？\"
\"Anideatowhichweshalloweourlibertywithintwelvehours。\"
\"Ah！
indeed！\"saidPorthos，muchastonished。？\"Letushearit。\"
\"Didyouremark，inthesceneourfriendhadwiththeofficer，thatcertainordersconstrainedhimwithregardtous？\"
\"Yes，Ididnoticethat。\"
\"Well！？D\'Artagnanisgoingtogiveinhisresignationtotheking，andduringtheconfusionthatwillresultfromhisabsence，wewillgetaway，orratheryouwillgetaway，Porthos，ifthereispossibilityofflightforonlyone。\"
HerePorthosshookhisheadandreplied:\"Wewillescapetogether，Aramis，orwewillstaytogether。\"
\"Thineisaright，agenerousheart，\"saidAramis，\"onlyyourmelancholyuneasinessaffectsme。\"
\"I
amnotuneasy，\"saidPorthos。
\"Thenyouareangrywithme。\"
\"I
amnotangrywithyou。\"
\"Thenwhy，myfriend，doyouputonsuchadismalcountenance？\"
\"I
willtellyou;Iammakingmywill。\"？Andwhilesayingthesewords，thegoodPorthoslookedsadlyinthefaceofAramis。
\"Yourwill！\"criedthebishop。？\"What，then！doyouthinkyourselflost？\"
\"I
feelfatigued。？Itisthefirsttime，andthereisacustominourfamily。\"
\"Whatisit，myfriend？\"
\"MygrandfatherwasamantwiceasstrongasIam。\"
\"Indeed！\"
saidAramis;\"thenyourgrandfathermusthavebeenSamsonhimself。\"
\"No;
hisnamewasAntoine。？Well！hewasaboutmyage，when，settingoutonedayforthechase，hefelthislegsweak，themanwhohadneverknownwhatweaknesswasbefore。\"
\"Whatwasthemeaningofthatfatigue，myfriend？\"
\"Nothinggood，asyouwillsee;forhavingsetout，complainingstillofweaknessofthelegs，hemetawildboar，whichmadeheadagainsthim;hemissedhimwithhisarquebuse，andwasrippedupbythebeastanddiedimmediately。\"
\"Thereisnoreasoninthatwhyyoushouldalarmyourself，dearPorthos。\"
\"Oh！
youwillsee。？MyfatherwasasstrongagainasIam。？Hewasaroughsoldier，underHenryIII。andHenryIV。;hisnamewasnotAntoine，butGaspard，thesameasM。deColigny。？Alwaysonhorseback，hehadneverknownwhatlassitudewas。？Oneevening，asherosefromtable，hislegsfailedhim。\"
\"Hehadsuppedheartily，perhaps，\"saidAramis，\"andthatwaswhyhestaggered。\"
\"Bah！？AfriendofM。deBassompierre，nonsense！？No，no，hewasastonishedatthislassitude，andsaidtomymother，wholaughedathim，\'WouldnotonebelieveIwasgoingtomeetwithawildboar，asthelateM。duVallon，myfatherdid？\'\"
\"Well？\"
saidAramis。
\"Well，havingthisweakness，myfatherinsistedupongoingdownintothegarden，insteadofgoingtobed;hisfootslippedonthefirststair，thestaircasewassteep;myfatherfellagainstastoneinwhichanironhingewasfixed。？Thehingegashedhistemple;andhewasstretchedoutdeaduponthespot。\"
Aramisraisedhiseyestohisfriend:\"Thesearetwoextraordinarycircumstances，\"saidhe;\"letusnotinferthattheremaysucceedathird。？Itisnotbecominginamanofyourstrengthtobesuperstitious，mybravePorthos。？Besides，whenwereyourlegsknowntofail？？Neverhaveyoustoodsofirm，sohaughtily;
why，youcouldcarryahouseonyourshoulders。\"
\"Atthismoment，\"saidPorthos，\"Ifeelmyselfprettyactive;butattimesIvacillate;Isink;andlatelythisphenomenon，asyousay，hasoccurredfourtimes。？Iwillnotsaythisfrightensme，butitannoysme。？Lifeisanagreeablething。？Ihavemoney;I
havefineestates;IhavehorsesthatIlove;IhavealsofriendsthatIlove:
D\'Artagnan，Athos，Raoul，andyou。\"
TheadmirablePorthosdidnoteventakethetroubletodissimulateintheverypresenceofAramistherankhegavehiminhisfriendship。？Aramispressedhishand:\"Wewillstilllivemanyyears，\"saidhe，\"topreservetotheworldsuchspecimensofitsrarestmen。？Trustyourselftome，myfriend;wehavenoreplyfromD\'Artagnan，thatisagoodsign。？Hemusthavegivenorderstogetthevesselstogetherandcleartheseas。？OnmypartIhavejustissueddirectionsthatabarkshouldberolledonrollerstothemouthofthegreatcavernofLocmaria，whichyouknow，wherewehavesooftenlaininwaitforthefoxes。\"
\"Yes，andwhichterminatesatthelittlecreekbyatrenchwherewediscoveredthedaythatsplendidfoxescapedthatway。\"
\"Precisely。？Incaseofmisfortunes，abarkistobeconcealedforusinthatcavern;indeed，itmustbetherebythistime。？Wewillwaitforafavorablemoment，andduringthenightwewillgotosea！\"
\"Thatisagrandidea。？Whatshallwegainbyit？\"
\"Weshallgainthis—nobodyknowsthatgrotto，orratheritsissue，exceptourselvesandtwoorthreehuntersoftheisland;weshallgainthis—thatiftheislandisoccupied，thescouts，seeingnobarkupontheshore，willneverimaginewecanescape，andwillceasetowatch。\"
\"I
understand。\"
\"Well！
thatweaknessinthelegs？\"
\"Oh！
better，much，justnow。\"
\"Yousee，then，plainly，thateverythingconspirestogiveusquietudeandhope。？D\'Artagnanwillsweeptheseaandleaveusfree。？Noroyalfleetordescenttobedreaded。？ViveDieu！？Porthos，wehavestillhalfacenturyofmagnificentadventurebeforeus，andifIoncetouchSpanishground，Isweartoyou，\"addedthebishopwithterribleenergy，\"thatyourbrevetofdukeisnotsuchachanceasitissaidtobe。\"
\"Welivebyhope，\"saidPorthos，enlivenedbythewarmthofhiscompanion。
Allatonceacryresoundedintheirears:\"Toarms！toarms！\"
Thiscry，repeatedbyahundredthroats，piercingthechamberwherethetwofriendswereconversing，carriedsurprisetoone，anduneasinesstotheother。？Aramisopenedthewindow;hesawacrowdofpeoplerunningwithflambeaux。？Womenwereseekingplacesofsafety，thearmedpopulationwerehasteningtotheirposts。
\"Thefleet！thefleet！\"criedasoldier，whorecognizedAramis。
\"Thefleet？\"repeatedthelatter。
\"Withinhalfcannon—shot，\"continuedthesoldier。
\"Toarms！\"criedAramis。
\"Toarms！\"repeatedPorthos，formidably。？Andbothrushedforthtowardsthemoletoplacethemselveswithintheshelterofthebatteries。？Boats，ladenwithsoldiers，wereseenapproaching;andinthreedirections，forthepurposeoflandingatthreepointsatonce。
\"Whatmustbedone？\"saidanofficeroftheguard。
\"Stopthem;andiftheypersist，fire！\"saidAramis。
Fiveminuteslater，thecannonadecommenced。？TheseweretheshotsthatD\'ArtagnanhadheardashelandedinFrance。？Buttheboatsweretoonearthemoletoallowthecannontoaimcorrectly。？Theylanded，andthecombatcommencedhandtohand。
\"What\'sthematter，Porthos？\"saidAramistohisfriend。
\"Nothing！
nothing！—onlymylegs;itisreallyincomprehensible！—theywillbebetterwhenwecharge。\"？Infact，PorthosandAramisdidchargewithsuchvigor，andsothoroughlyanimatedtheirmen，thattheroyalistsre—embarkedprecipitately，withoutgaininganythingbutthewoundstheycarriedaway。
\"Eh！
butPorthos，\"criedAramis，\"wemusthaveaprisoner，quick！
quick！\"？Porthosbentoverthestairofthemole，andseizedbythenapeoftheneckoneoftheofficersoftheroyalarmywhowaswaitingtoembarktillallhispeopleshouldbeintheboat。？Thearmofthegiantlifteduphisprey，whichservedhimasabuckler，andherecoveredhimselfwithoutashotbeingfiredathim。
\"Hereisaprisonerforyou，\"saidPorthoscoollytoAramis。
\"Well！\"
criedthelatter，laughing，\"didyounotcalumniateyourlegs？\"
\"ItwasnotwithmylegsIcapturedhim，\"saidPorthos，\"itwaswithmyarms！\"
ChapterXLVI:
TheSonofBiscarrat。
TheBretonsoftheIslewereveryproudofthisvictory;Aramisdidnotencouragetheminthefeeling。
\"Whatwillhappen，\"saidhetoPorthos，wheneverybodywasgonehome，\"willbethattheangerofthekingwillberousedbytheaccountoftheresistance;
andthatthesebravepeoplewillbedecimatedorshotwhentheyaretaken，whichcannotfailtotakeplace。\"
\"Fromwhichitresults，then，\"saidPorthos，\"thatwhatwehavedoneisofnottheslightestuse。\"
\"Forthemomentitmaybe，\"repliedthebishop，\"forwehaveaprisonerfromwhomweshalllearnwhatourenemiesarepreparingtodo。\"
\"Yes，letusinterrogatetheprisoner，\"saidPorthos，\"andthemeansofmakinghimspeakareverysimple。？Wearegoingtosupper;wewillinvitehimtojoinus;ashedrinkshewilltalk。\"
Thiswasdone。？Theofficerwasatfirstratheruneasy，butbecamereassuredonseeingwhatsortofmenhehadtodealwith。？Hegave，withouthavinganyfearofcompromisinghimself，allthedetailsimaginableoftheresignationanddepartureofD\'Artagnan。？Heexplainedhow，afterthatdeparture，thenewleaderoftheexpeditionhadorderedasurpriseuponBelle—Isle。？Therehisexplanationsstopped。？AramisandPorthosexchangedaglancethatevincedtheirdespair。？NomoredependencetobeplacednowonD\'Artagnan\'sfertileimagination—nofurtherresourceintheeventofdefeat。？Aramis，continuinghisinterrogations，askedtheprisonerwhattheleadersoftheexpeditioncontemplateddoingwiththeleadersofBelle—Isle。
\"Theordersare，\"repliedhe，\"tokillduringcombat，orhangafterwards。\"
PorthosandAramislookedateachotheragain，andthecolormountedtotheirfaces。
\"I
amtoolightforthegallows，\"repliedAramis;\"peoplelikemearenothung。\"
\"AndIamtooheavy，\"saidPorthos;\"peoplelikemebreakthecord。\"
\"I
amsure，\"saidtheprisoner，gallantly，\"thatwecouldhaveguaranteedyoutheexactkindofdeathyoupreferred。\"
\"A
thousandthanks！\"saidAramis，seriously。？Porthosbowed。
\"Onemorecupofwinetoyourhealth，\"saidhe，drinkinghimself。？Fromonesubjecttoanotherthechatwiththeofficerwasprolonged。？Hewasanintelligentgentleman，andsufferedhimselftobeledonbythecharmofAramis\'switandPorthos\'scordialbonhomie。
\"Pardonme，\"saidhe，\"ifIaddressaquestiontoyou;butmenwhoareintheirsixthbottlehaveaclearrighttoforgetthemselvesalittle。\"
\"Addressit！\"criedPorthos;\"addressit！\"
\"Speak，\"
saidAramis。
\"Wereyounot，gentlemen，bothinthemusketeersofthelateking？\"
\"Yes，monsieur，andamongstthebestofthem，ifyouplease，\"saidPorthos。
\"Thatistrue;Ishouldsayeventhebestofallsoldiers，messieurs，ifIdidnotfeartooffendthememoryofmyfather。\"
\"Ofyourfather？\"criedAramis。
\"Doyouknowwhatmynameis？\"
\"Mafoi！no，monsieur;butyoucantellus，and—\"
\"I
amcalledGeorgesdeBiscarrat。\"
\"Oh！\"
criedPorthos，inhisturn。？\"Biscarrat！？Doyourememberthatname，Aramis？\"
\"Biscarrat！\"
reflectedthebishop。？\"Itseemstome—\"
\"Trytorecollect，monsieur，\"saidtheofficer。
\"Pardieu！thatwon\'ttakemelong，\"
saidPorthos。？\"Biscarrat—calledCardinal—oneofthefourwhointerruptedusonthedayonwhichweformedourfriendshipwithD\'Artagnan，swordinhand。\"
\"Precisely，gentlemen。\"
\"Theonlyone，\"criedAramis，eagerly，\"wecouldnotscratch。\"
\"Consequently，acapitalblade？\"saidtheprisoner。
\"That\'strue！mosttrue！\"exclaimedbothfriendstogether。？\"Mafoi！？MonsieurBiscarrat，wearedelightedtomaketheacquaintanceofsuchabraveman\'sson。\"
Biscarratpressedthehandsheldoutbythetwomusketeers。？AramislookedatPorthosasmuchastosay，\"Hereisamanwhowillhelpus，\"andwithoutdelay，—\"Confess，monsieur，\"
saidhe，\"thatitisgoodtohaveoncebeenagoodman。\"
\"\"Myfatheralwayssaidso，monsieur。\"
\"Confess，likewise，thatitisasadcircumstanceinwhichyoufindyourself，offallinginwithmendestinedtobeshotorhung，andtolearnthatthesemenareoldacquaintances，infact，hereditaryfriends。\"
\"Oh！
youarenotreservedforsuchafrightfulfateasthat，messieursandfriends！\"saidtheyoungman，warmly。
\"Bah！
yousaidsoyourself。\"
\"I
saidsojustnow，whenIdidnotknowyou;butnowthatIknowyou，Isay—youwillevadethisdismalfate，ifyouwish！\"
\"How—ifwewish？\"echoedAramis，whoseeyesbeamedwithintelligenceashelookedalternatelyattheprisonerandPorthos。
\"Provided，\"
continuedPorthos，looking，inhisturn，withnobleintrepidity，atM。
Biscarratandthebishop—\"providednothingdisgracefulberequiredofus。\"
\"Nothingatallwillberequiredofyou，gentlemen，\"repliedtheofficer—
\"whatshouldtheyaskofyou？？Iftheyfindyoutheywillkillyou，thatisapredeterminedthing;try，then，gentlemen，topreventtheirfindingyou。\"
\"I
don\'tthinkIammistaken，\"saidPorthos，withdignity;\"butitappearsevidenttomethatiftheywanttofindus，theymustcomeandseekushere。\"
\"Inthatyouareperfectlyright，myworthyfriend，\"repliedAramis，constantlyconsultingwithhislooksthecountenanceofBiscarrat，whohadgrownsilentandconstrained。？\"Youwish，MonsieurdeBiscarrat，tosaysomethingtous，tomakeussomeoverture，andyoudarenot—isthattrue？\"
\"Ah！
gentlemenandfriends！itisbecausebyspeakingIbetraythewatchword。？But，hark！？Ihearavoicethatfreesminebydominatingit。\"
\"Cannon！\"
saidPorthos。
\"Cannonandmusketry，too！\"criedthebishop。
Onhearingatadistance，amongtherocks，thesesinisterreportsofacombatwhichtheythoughthadceased:
\"Whatcanthatbe？\"askedPorthos。
\"Eh！？Pardieu！\"
criedAramis;\"thatisjustwhatIexpected。\"
\"Whatisthat？\"
\"Thattheattackmadebyyouwasnothingbutafeint;isnotthattrue，monsieur？？Andwhilstyourcompanionsallowedthemselvestoberepulsed，youwerecertainofeffectingalandingontheothersideoftheisland。\"
\"Oh！
several，monsieur。\"
\"Wearelost，then，\"saidthebishopofVannes，quietly。
\"Lost！
thatispossible，\"repliedtheSeigneurdePierrefonds，\"butwearenottakenorhung。\"？Andsosaying，herosefromthetable，wenttothewall，andcoollytookdownhisswordandpistols，whichheexaminedwiththecareofanoldsoldierwhoispreparingforbattle，andwhofeelsthatlife，inagreatmeasure，dependsupontheexcellenceandrightconditionsofhisarms。
Atthereportofthecannon，atthenewsofthesurprisewhichmightdeliveruptheislandtotheroyaltroops，theterrifiedcrowdrushedprecipitatelytotheforttodemandassistanceandadvicefromtheirleaders。？Aramis，paleanddowncast，betweentwoflambeaux，showedhimselfatthewindowwhichlookedintotheprincipalcourt，fullofsoldierswaitingforordersandbewilderedinhabitantsimploringsuccor。
\"Myfriends，\"saidD\'Herblay，inagraveandsonorousvoice，\"M。Fouquet，yourprotector，yourfriend，youfather，hasbeenarrestedbyanorderoftheking，andthrownintotheBastile。\"？Asustainedyellofvengefulfurycamefloatinguptothewindowatwhichthebishopstood，andenvelopedhiminamagneticfield。
\"AvengeMonsieurFouquet！\"criedthemostexcitedofhishearers，\"deathtotheroyalists！\"
\"No，myfriends，\"repliedAramis，solemnly;\"no，myfriends;noresistance。？Thekingismasterinhiskingdom。？ThekingisthemandatoryofGod。？ThekingandGodhavestruckM。
Fouquet。？HumbleyourselvesbeforethehandofGod。？LoveGodandtheking，whohavestruckM。Fouquet。？Butdonotavengeyourseigneur，donotthinkofavenginghim。？Youwouldsacrificeyourselvesinvain—you，yourwivesandchildren，yourproperty，yourliberty。？Laydownyourarms，myfriends—laydownyourarms！sincethekingcommandsyousotodo—andretirepeaceablytoyourdwellings。？ItisIwhoaskyoutodoso;itisIwhobegyoutodoso;itisIwhonow，inthehourofneed，commandyoutodoso，inthenameofM。Fouquet。\"
Thecrowdcollectedunderthewindowutteredaprolongedroarofangerandterror。？\"ThesoldiersofLouisXIV。havereachedtheisland，\"continuedAramis。？\"Fromthistimeitwouldnolongerbeafightbetwixtthemandyou—itwouldbeamassacre。？Begone，then，begone，andforget;thistimeIcommandyou，inthenameoftheLordofHosts！\"
Themutineersretiredslowly，submissive，silent。
\"Ah！
whathaveyoujustbeensaying，myfriend？\"saidPorthos。
\"Monsieur，\"
saidBiscarrattothebishop，\"youmaysavealltheseinhabitants，butthusyouwillneithersaveyourselfnoryourfriend。\"
\"MonsieurdeBiscarrat，\"saidthebishopofVannes，withasingularaccentofnobilityandcourtesy，\"MonsieurdeBiscarrat，bekindenoughtoresumeyourliberty。\"
\"I
amverywillingtodoso，monsieur;but—\"
\"Thatwouldrenderusaservice，forwhenannouncingtotheking\'slieutenantthesubmissionoftheislanders，youwillperhapsobtainsomegraceforusoninforminghimofthemannerinwhichthatsubmissionhasbeeneffected。\"
\"Grace！\"
repliedPorthoswithflashingeyes，\"whatisthemeaningofthatword？\"
Aramistouchedtheelbowofhisfriendroughly，ashehadbeenaccustomedtodointhedaysoftheiryouth，whenhewantedtowarnPorthosthathehadcommitted，orwasabouttocommit，ablunder。？Porthosunderstoodhim，andwassilentimmediately。
\"I
willgo，messieurs，\"repliedBiscarrat，alittlesurprisedlikewiseattheword\"grace\"pronouncedbythehaughtymusketeer，ofandtowhom，butafewminutesbefore，hehadrelatedwithsomuchenthusiasmtheheroicexploitswithwhichhisfatherhaddelightedhim。
\"Go，then，MonsieurBiscarrat，\"saidAramis，bowingtohim，\"andatpartingreceivetheexpressionofourentiregratitude。\"
\"Butyou，messieurs，youwhomIthinkitanhonortocallmyfriends，sinceyouhavebeenwillingtoacceptthattitle，whatwillbecomeofyouinthemeantime？\"repliedtheofficer，verymuchagitatedattakingleaveofthetwoancientadversariesofhisfather。