The Vicomte de Bragelonne

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER CXVI.

  BELLE-ISLE-EN-MER.

  At the extremity of the mole, which the furious sea beats at eveningtide, two men, holding each other by the arm, were conversing in ananimated and expansive tone, without the possibility of any other humanbeing hearing their words, borne away, as they were, one by one, by thegusts of wind, with the white foam swept from the crests of the waves.The sun had just gone down in the vast sheet of the reddened ocean, likea gigantic crucible. From time to time, one of these men, turning towardthe east, cast an anxious, inquiring look over the sea. The other,interrogating the features of his companion, seemed to seek forinformation in his looks. Then, both silent, both busied with dismalthoughts, they resumed their walk. Every one has already perceived thatthose two men were our proscribed heroes, Porthos and Aramis, who hadtaken refuge in Belle-Isle, since the ruin of their hopes, since thediscomfiture of the vast plan of M. d'Herblay.

  "It is of no use your saying anything to the contrary, my dear Aramis,"repeated Porthos, inhaling vigorously the saline air with which hefilled his powerful chest. "It is of no use, Aramis. The disappearanceof all the fishing-boats that went out two days ago is not an ordinarycircumstance. There has been no storm at sea; the weather has beenconstantly calm, not even the slightest gale; and even if we had had atempest, all our boats would not have foundered. I repeat, it isstrange. This complete disappearance astonishes me, I tell you."

  "True," murmured Aramis. "You are right, friend Porthos; it is true,there is something strange in it."

  "And further," added Porthos, whose ideas the assent of the bishop ofVannes seemed to enlarge; "and further, have you remarked that if theboats have perished, not a single plank has been washed ashore?"

  "I have remarked that as well as you."

  "Have you remarked, besides, that the two only boats we had left in thewhole island, and which I sent in search of the others--"

  Aramis here interrupted his companion by a cry, and by so sudden amovement, that Porthos stopped as if he were stupefied. "What do yousay, Porthos! What!--You have sent the two boats--"

  "In search of the others! Yes; to be sure I have," replied Porthos,quite simply.

  "Unhappy man! What have you done? Then we are, indeed, lost," cried thebishop.

  "Lost!--what did you say?" exclaimed the terrified Porthos. "How lost,Aramis? How are we lost?"

  Aramis bit his lips. "Nothing! nothing! Your pardon, I meant to say--"

  "What?"

  "That if we were inclined--if we took a fancy to make an excursion bysea, we could not."

  "Very good! and why should that vex you? A fine pleasure, ma foi! For mypart, I don't regret it at all. What I regret is certainly not the moreor less amusement we can find at Belle-Isle;--what I regret, Aramis, isPierrefonds; is Bracieux; is le Valon; is my beautiful France! Here weare not in France, my dear friend; we are--I know not where. Oh! I tellyou, in the full sincerity of my soul, and your affection will excuse myfrankness, but I declare to you I am not happy at Belle-Isle. No; ingood truth, I am not happy!"

  Aramis breathed a long but stifled sigh. "Dear friend," replied he,"that is why it is so sad a thing you have sent the two boats we hadleft in search of the boats which disappeared two days ago. If you hadnot sent them away, we would have departed."

  "'Departed!' And the orders, Aramis?"

  "What orders?"

  "Parbleu! Why the orders you have been constantly, and on all occasions,repeating to me--that we were to hold Belle-Isle against the usurper.You know very well!"

  "That is true!" murmured Aramis again.

  "You see, then, plainly, my friend, that we could not depart; and thatthe sending away of the boats in search of the others is not prejudicialto us in any way."

  Aramis was silent; and his vague glance, luminous as that of a gull,hovered for a long time over the sea, interrogating space, and seekingto pierce the very horizon.

  "With all that, Aramis," continued Porthos, who adhered to his idea, andthat the more closely from the bishop having found it correct--"with allthat, you give me no explanation about what can have happened to theseunfortunate boats. I am assailed by cries and complaints whichever way Igo. The children cry at seeing the desolation of the women, as if Icould restore the absent husbands and fathers. What do you suppose, myfriend, and what ought I to answer them?"

  "Suppose, then, my good Porthos, and say nothing."

  This reply did not satisfy Porthos at all. He turned away, grumblingsome words in a very ill humor. Aramis stopped the valiant soldier. "Doyou remember," said he, in a melancholy tone, pressing the two hands ofthe giant between his own with an affectionate cordiality, "do youremember, my friend, that in the glorious days of our youth--do youremember, Porthos, when we were all strong and valiant--we, and theother two--if we had then had an inclination to return to France, do youthink this sheet of salt water would have stopped us?"

  "Oh!" said Porthos; "but six leagues!"

  "If you had seen me get astride of a plank, would you have remained onland, Porthos?"

  "No, pardieu! No! Aramis. But, nowadays, what sort of a plank should wewant, my friend! I, in particular." And the Seigneur de Bracieux cast aproud glance over his colossal rotundity, with a loud laugh. "And do youmean seriously to say you are not tired of Belle-Isle also a little, andthat you would not prefer the comforts of your dwelling--of yourespiscopal palace, at Vannes? Come, confess!"

  "No," replied Aramis, without daring to look at Porthos.

  "Let us stay where we are, then," said his friend, with a sigh; which,in spite of the efforts he made to restrain it, escaped with a loudreport from his breast. "Let us remain!--let us remain! And yet," addedhe, "and yet, if we seriously wished, but that decidedly--if we had afixed idea, one firmly taken, to return to France, and there were noboats--"

  "Have you remarked anything, my friend?--that is, since thedisappearance of our barks, during the two days' absence of thefishermen, not a single small boat has landed on the shores of theisle?"

  "Yes, certainly! you are right. I have remarked it also, and theobservation was the more naturally made, for before the last two fataldays, we saw barks and shallops arrive by dozens."

  "I must inquire," said Aramis, suddenly, and with great agitation. "Andthen, if I had a raft constructed--"

  "But there are some canoes, my friend; shall I go on board one?"

  "A canoe!--a canoe! Can you think of such a thing, Porthos? A canoe tobe upset in. No, no," said the bishop of Vannes; "it is not our trade toride upon the waves. We will wait, we will wait."

  And Aramis continued walking about with increased agitation. Porthos,who grew tired of following all the feverish movements of hisfriend--Porthos, who, in his calmness and belief, understood nothing ofthe sort of exasperation which was betrayed by his continual convulsivestarts--Porthos stopped him. "Let us sit down upon this rock," said he."Place yourself there, close to me, Aramis, and I conjure you, for thelast time, to explain to me in a manner I can comprehend--explain to mewhat we are doing here."

  "Porthos," said Aramis, much embarrassed.

  "I know that the false king wished to dethrone the true king. That is afact, that I understand. Well--"

  "Yes," said Aramis.

  "I know that the false king formed the project of selling Belle-Isle tothe English. I understand that too."

  "Yes."

  "I know that we engineers and captains came and threw ourselves intoBelle-Isle to take the direction of the works, and the command of theten companies levied and paid by M. Fouquet, or rather the ten companiesof his son-in-law. All that is plain."

  Aramis arose in a state of great impatience. He might be said to be alion importuned by a gnat. Porthos held him by the arm. "But what Icannot understand, what, in spite of all the efforts of my mind, and allmy reflections, I cannot comprehend, and never shall comprehend, is,that instead of sending us troops, instead of sending us re-enforcementsof men, munitions, and provisions, they leave us without boats, theyleave Belle-Isle witho
ut arrivals, without help; it is that instead ofestablishing with us a correspondence, whether by signals, or written orverbal communications, all relations with us are intercepted. Tell me,Aramis, answer me, or rather, before answering me, will you allow me totell you what I have thought? Will you hear what my idea is, whatimagination I have conceived?"

  The bishop raised his head. "Well! Aramis," continued Porthos, "I havethought, I have had an idea, I have imagined that an event has takenplace in France. I dreamed of M. Fouquet all the night; I dreamed ofdead fish, broken eggs, chambers badly furnished, meanly kept. Baddreams, my dear D'Herblay; very unlucky, such dreams!"

  "Porthos, what is that yonder?" interrupted Aramis, rising suddenly,and pointing out to his friend a black spot upon the empurpled line ofthe water.

  "A bark!" said Porthos; "yes, it is a bark! Ah! we shall have some newsat last."

  "There are two!" cried the bishop, on discovering another mast; "two!three! four!"

  "Five!" said Porthos, in his turn. "Six! seven! Ah! mon Dieu! mon Dieu!it is a whole fleet!"

  "Our boats returning, probably," said Aramis, very uneasily, in spite ofthe assurance he affected.

  "They are very large for fishing-boats," observed Porthos, "and do younot remark, my friend, they come from the Loire?"

  "They come from the Loire--yes--"

  "And look! everybody here sees them as well as ourselves: look, thewomen and children are beginning to get upon the jetty."

  An old fisherman passed. "Are those our barks, yonder?" asked Aramis.

  The old man looked steadily into the horizon.

  "No, monseigneur," he replied, "they are lighter boats in the king'sservice."

  "Boats in the royal service?" replied Aramis, starting. "How do you knowthat?" said he.

  "By the flag."

  "But," said Porthos, "the boat is scarcely visible; how the devil, myfriend, can you distinguish the flag?"

  "I see there is one," replied the old man; "our boats, or tradelighters, do not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for thetransport of troops."

  "Ah!" said Aramis.

  "Vivat!" cried Porthos, "they are sending us re-enforcements, don't youthink they are, Aramis?"

  "Probably."

  "Unless it is the English coming."

  "By the Loire? That would have an ill look. Porthos: for they must havecome through Paris!"

  "You are right: they are re-enforcements, decidedly, or provisions."

  Aramis leaned his head upon his hands and made no reply. Then, all atonce--"Porthos," said he, "have the alarm sounded."

  "The alarm! do you think of such a thing?"

  "Yes; and let the cannoniers mount to their batteries, let theartillerymen be at their pieces, and be particularly watchful of thecoast batteries." Porthos opened his eyes to their widest extent. Helooked attentively at his friend, to convince himself he was in hisproper senses.

  "I will do it, my dear Porthos," continued Aramis, in his most blandtone; "I will go and have the orders executed myself, if you do not go,my friend."

  "Well! I will go instantly!" said Porthos, who went to execute theorders, casting all the while looks behind him, to see if the bishop ofVannes were not deceived; and if, on returning to more rational ideas,he would not recall him. The alarm was sounded, the trumpets brayed anddrums rolled: the great bell of the belfry was put in motion. The dikesand moles were quickly filled with the curious and soldiers; the matchessparkled in the hands of the artillerymen, placed behind the largecannon bedded in their stone carriages. When every man was at his post,when all the preparations for the defense were made; "Permit, me,Aramis, to try to comprehend," whispered Porthos, timidly, in Aramis'ear.

  "My dear friend, you will comprehend but too soon," murmured M.d'Herblay, in reply to this question of his lieutenant.

  "The fleet which is coming yonder, with sails unfurled, straight towardthe port of Belle-Isle, is a royal fleet, is it not?"

  "But as there are two kings in France, Porthos, to which of these twokings does this fleet belong?"

  "Oh! you open my eyes," replied the giant, stunned by this argument.

  And Porthos, for whom the reply of his friend had just opened the eyes,or rather thickened the bandage which covered his sight, went with hisbest speed to the batteries to overlook his people, and exhort every oneto do his duty. In the meantime, Aramis, with his eyes fixed on thehorizon, saw the ships continue to draw nearer. The people and thesoldiers, mounted upon all the summits or irregularities of the rocks,could distinguish the masts, then the lower sails, and at last the hullsof the lighters, bearing at the masthead the royal flag of France. Itwas quite night when one of these vessels, which had created such asensation among the inhabitants of Belle-Isle, was moored withincannon-shot of the place. It was soon seen, notwithstanding thedarkness, that a sort of agitation reigned on board this vessel, fromthe side of which a skiff was lowered, of which the three rowers,bending to their oars, took the direction of the port, and in a fewinstants struck land at the foot of the fort. The commander of this yawljumped on shore. He had a letter in his hand, which he waved in the air,and seemed to wish to communicate with somebody. This man was soonrecognized, by several soldiers, as one of the pilots of the island. Hewas the patron of one of the two barks kept back by Aramis, and whichPorthos, in his anxiety with regard to the fate of the fishermen who haddisappeared for two days, had sent in search of the missing boats. Heasked to be conducted to M. d'Herblay. Two soldiers, at a signal fromthe sergeant, placed him between them, and escorted him. Aramis was uponthe quay. The envoy presented himself before the bishop of Vannes. Thedarkness was almost complete, notwithstanding the flambeaux borne at asmall distance by the soldiers who were following Aramis in his rounds.

  "Well, Jonathan, from whom do you come?"

  "Monseigneur, from those who captured me."

  "Who captured you?"

  "You know, monseigneur, we set out in search of our comrades?"

  "Yes; and afterward?"

  "Well! monseigneur, within a short league we were captured by a_chasse-maree_ belonging to the king."

  "Ah!" said Aramis.

  "Of which king?" cried Porthos. Jonathan started.

  "Speak!" continued the bishop.

  "We were captured, monseigneur, and joined to those who had been takenyesterday morning."

  "What was the cause of the mania for capturing you all?" said Porthos.

  "Monsieur, to prevent us from telling you," replied Jonathan.

  Porthos was again at a loss to comprehend. "And they have released youto-day?" asked he.

  "That I might tell you they have captured us, monsieur."

  "Trouble upon trouble," thought honest Porthos.

  During this time Aramis was reflecting.

  "Humph!" said he, "then I suppose it is a royal fleet blockading thecoasts?"

  "Yes, monseigneur."

  "Who commands it?"

  "The captain of the king's musketeers."

  "D'Artagnan?"

  "D'Artagnan!" exclaimed Porthos.

  "I believe that is the name."

  "And did he give you this letter?"

  "Yes, monseigneur."

  "Bring the flambeaux nearer."

  "It is his writing," said Porthos. Aramis eagerly read the followinglines:

  "Order of the king to take Belle-Isle; or to put the garrison to thesword, if they resist; order to make prisoners of all the men of thegarrison; signed D'ARTAGNAN who, the day before yesterday,arrested M. Fouquet, for the purpose of his being sent to the Bastille."

  Aramis turned pale, and crushed the paper in his hands.

  "What is it?" asked Porthos.

  "Nothing, my friend, nothing."

  "Tell me, Jonathan?"

  "Monseigneur."

  "Did you speak to M. d'Artagnan?"

  "Yes, monseigneur."

  "What did he say to you?"

  "That for more ample information, he would speak with monseigneur."

  "Where?"<
br />
  "On board his own vessel."

  "On board his vessel!" and Porthos repeated, "On board his vessel!"

  "M. le mousquetaire!" continued Jonathan, "told me to take you both onboard my canoe, and bring you to him."

  "Let us go at once," exclaimed Porthos. "Dear D'Artagnan!"

  But Aramis stopped him. "Are you mad?" cried he. "Who knows that it isnot a snare?"

  "Of the other king's?" said Porthos, mysteriously.

  "A snare, in fact! That's what it is, my friend."

  "Very possibly; what is to be done, then? If D'Artagnan sends for us--"

  "Who assures you that D'Artagnan sends for us?"

  "Yes, but--but his writing--"

  "Writing is easily counterfeited. This looks counterfeited--trembling--"

  "You are always right; but, in the meantime, we know nothing."

  Aramis was silent.

  "It is true," said the good Porthos, "we do not want to know anything."

  "What shall I do?" asked Jonathan.

  "You will return on board this captain's vessel."

  "Yes, monseigneur."

  "And will tell him that we beg he will himself come into the island."

  "Ah! I comprehend!" said Porthos.

  "Yes, monseigneur," replied Jonathan; "but if the captain should refuseto come to Belle-Isle?"

  "If he refuses, as we have cannon, we will make use of them."

  "What! against D'Artagnan?"

  "If it is D'Artagnan, Porthos, he will come. Go, Jonathan, go!"

  "Ma foi! I no longer comprehend anything," murmured Porthos.

  "I will make you comprehend all, my dear friend; the time for it iscome: sit down upon this gun-carriage, open your ears, and listen wellto me."

  "Oh! pardieu! I shall listen, no fear of that."

  "May I depart, monsiegneur?" cried Jonathan.

  "Yes, begone, and bring back an answer. Allow the canoe to pass, you menthere!" And the canoe pushed off to regain the fleet.

  Aramis took Porthos by the hand, and commenced the explanations.