Chapter XLII. Belle-Ile-en-Mer.
At the extremity of the mole, against which the furious sea beats at theevening tide, two men, holding each other by the arm, were conversingin an animated and expansive tone, without the possibility of any otherhuman being hearing their words, borne away, as they were, one by one,by the gusts of wind, with the white foam swept from the crests of thewaves. The sun had just gone down in the vast sheet of the crimsonedocean, like a gigantic crucible. From time to time, one of these men,turning towards the east, cast an anxious, inquiring look over the sea.The other, interrogating the features of his companion, seemed to seekfor information in his looks. Then, both silent, busied with dismalthoughts, they resumed their walk. Every one has already perceived thatthese 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 colossal schemes of M. d'Herblay.
"If is of no use your saying anything to the contrary, my dear Aramis,"repeated Porthos, inhaling vigorously the salt breeze with which hecharged his massive 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 lightest gale; and even if we had hada tempest, 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, do you not observe that if theboats have perished, not a single plank has washed ashore?"
"I have remarked it as well as yourself."
"And do you not think it strange that the two only boats we had left inthe whole 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,calmly.
"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 precious pleasure, _ma foi!_For my part, I don't regret it at all. What I regret is certainly notthe more or less amusement we can find at Belle-Isle: what I regret,Aramis, is Pierrefonds; Bracieux; le Vallon; beautiful France! Here, weare not in France, my dear friend; we are--I know not where. Oh! Itell you, in full sincerity of 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, in and out ofseason, repeating to me--that we were to hold Belle-Isle against theusurper. 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 cannot proveprejudicial to us in the very least."
Aramis was silent; and his vague glances, luminous as that of analbatross, hovered for a long time over the sea, interrogating space,seeking to pierce the very horizon.
"With all that, Aramis," continued Porthos, who adhered to his idea,and that the more closely from the bishop having apparently endorsedit,--"with all that, you give me no explanation about what can havehappened to these unfortunate boats. I am assailed by cries andcomplaints whichever way I go. The children cry to see the desolation ofthe women, as if I could restore the absent husbands and fathers. Whatdo you suppose, my friend, and how ought I to answer them?"
"Think all you like, my good Porthos, and say nothing."
This reply did not satisfy Porthos at all. He turned away grumblingsomething in ill-humor. Aramis stopped the valiant musketeer. "Do youremember," said he, in a melancholy tone, kneading the two hands of thegiant between his own with affectionate cordiality, "do you remember,my friend, that in the glorious days of youth--do you remember, Porthos,when we were all strong and valiant--we, and the other two--if we hadthen had an inclination to return to France, do you think this sheet ofsalt 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 shouldwe want, my friend! I, in particular." And the Seigneur de Bracieux casta profound glance over his colossal rotundity with a loud laugh. "And doyou mean seriously to say you are not tired of Belle-Isle a little,and that you would not prefer the comforts of your dwelling--of yourepiscopal 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 his echoingbreast. "Let us remain!--let us remain! And yet," added he, "and yet,if we seriously wished, but that decidedly--if we had a fixed idea, onefirmly taken, to return to France, and there were not boats--"
"Have you remarked another thing, my friend--that is, since thedisappearance of our barks, during the last two days' absence offishermen, not a single small boat has landed on the shores of theisle?"
"Yes, certainly! you are right. I, too, have remarked it, and theobservation was the more naturally made, for, before the last two fataldays, barks and shallops were as plentiful as shrimps."
"I must inquire," said Aramis, suddenly, and with great agitation. "Andthen, if we had a raft constructed--"
"But there are some canoes, my friend; shall I 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 faith and calmness understood nothing ofthe sort of exasperation which was betrayed by his companion's continualconvulsive starts--Porthos stopped him. "Let us sit down upon thisrock," said he. "Place yourself there, close to me, Aramis, and Iconjure you, for the last time, to explain to me in a manner I cancomprehend--explain to me what 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 direction of the works, and the command of tencompanies levied and paid by M. Fouquet, or rather the ten companies ofhis son-in-law. All that is plain."
Aramis rose 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, andall my reflections, I cannot comprehend, and never shall comprehend, is,that instead of sending us troops, instead of sending us reinforcementsof men, munitions, provisions, they leave us without boats, theyleave Belle-Isle without arrivals, withou
t help; it is that instead ofestablishing with us a correspondence, whether by signals, or writtenor verbal communications, all relations with the shore are intercepted.Tell me, Aramis, answer me, or rather, before answering me, will youallow me to tell you what I have thought? Will you hear what my idea is,the plan I have conceived?"
The bishop raised his head. "Well! Aramis," continued Porthos, "I havedreamed, I have imagined that an event has taken place in France. Idreamt of M. Fouquet all the night, of lifeless fish, of broken eggs,of chambers badly furnished, meanly kept. Villainous dreams, my dearD'Herblay; very unlucky, such dreams!"
"Porthos, what is that yonder?" interrupted Aramis, rising suddenly, andpointing out to his friend a black spot upon the empurpled line of thewater.
"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! monDieu!_ it is a 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, that they come from the Loire?"
"They come from the Loire--yes--"
"And look! everybody here sees them as well as ourselves; look, womenand children are beginning to crowd the jetty."
An old fisherman passed. "Are those our barks, yonder?" asked Aramis.
The old man looked steadily into the eye of the horizon.
"No, monseigneur," replied he, "they are lighter boars, boats in theking's service."
"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, trade lighters,do not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for transport oftroops."
"Ah!" groaned Aramis.
"_Vivat!_" cried Porthos, "they are sending us reinforcements, don't youthink they are, Aramis?"
"Probably."
"Unless it is the English coming."
"By the Loire? That would have an evil look, Porthos; for they must havecome through Paris!"
"You are right; they are reinforcements, 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 imagine such a thing?"
"Yes, and let the cannoniers mount their batteries, the artillerymen beat their pieces, and be particularly watchful of the coast batteries."
Porthos opened his eyes to their widest extent. He looked attentively athis friend, to convince himself he was in his proper senses.
"_I_ will do it, my dear Porthos," continued Aramis, in his blandesttone; "I will go and have these orders executed myself, if you do notgo, my friend."
"Well! I will--instantly!" said Porthos, who went to execute the orders,casting all the while looks behind him, to see if the bishop of Vanneswere not deceived; and if, on recovering more rational ideas, he wouldnot recall him. The alarm was sounded, trumpets brayed, drums rolled;the great bronze bell swung in horror from its lofty belfry. The dikesand moles were quickly filled with the curious and soldiers; 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 defense were made: "Permit me, Aramis, totry to comprehend," whispered Porthos, timidly, in Aramis's 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 towardsthe 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 the insinuation.
And Porthos, whose eyes this reply of his friend's had at last opened,or rather thickened the bandage which covered his sight, went with hisbest speed to the batteries to overlook his people, and exhort everyone to do his duty. In the meantime, Aramis, with his eye fixed on thehorizon, saw the ships continually drawing nearer. The people and thesoldiers, perched on the summits of the rocks, could distinguish themasts, then the lower sails, and at last the hulls of the lighters,bearing at the masthead the royal flag of France. It was night whenone of these vessels, which had created such a sensation among theinhabitants of Belle-Isle, dropped anchor within cannon shot of theplace. It was soon seen, notwithstanding the darkness, that some sortof agitation reigned on board the vessel, from the side of which a skiffwas lowered, of which the three rowers, bending to their oars, took thedirection of the port, and in a few instants struck land at the footof the fort. The commander jumped ashore. He had a letter in his hand,which he waved in the air, and seemed to wish to communicate withsomebody. This man was soon recognized by several soldiers as one ofthe pilots of the island. He was the captain of one of the two barksretained by Aramis, but which Porthos, in his anxiety with regard tothe fate of the fishermen who had disappeared, had sent in search of themissing boats. He asked to be conducted to M. d'Herblay. Two soldiers,at a signal from a sergeant, marched him between them, and escorted him.Aramis was upon the quay. The envoy presented himself before thebishop of Vannes. The darkness was almost absolute, notwithstanding theflambeaux borne at a small distance by the soldiers who were followingAramis 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 afterwards?"
"Well! monseigneur, within a short league we were captured by a _chassemaree_ 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 torches nearer."
"It is his writing," said Porthos.
Aramis eagerly read the following lines:
"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 Bastile."
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 ampler information, he would speak with monseigneur."
"Where?"
"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?"
"Well, but--but his writing--"
"Writing is easily counterfeited. This looks counterfeited--unsteady--"
"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 it all, my dear friend; the time for it hascome; sit down upon this gun-carriage, open your ears, and listen wellto me."
"Oh! _pardieu!_ I will listen, no fear of that."
"May I depart, monseigneur?" 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 his explanations.
The Man in the Iron Mask Page 42