"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。