The Bishop raised his head. “Well! Aramis,” continued Porthos, “I have thought, I have an idea, I have imagined, that an event has taken place in France. I dreamt of M. Fouquet all the night, I dreamt of dead fish; broken eggs; chambers badly furnished, meanly kept. Bad dreams, 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 of the water.
“A barque!” said Porthos; “yes, it is a barque! Ah! we shall have some news at 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 of the assurance he affected.
“They are very large for fishing-boats,” observed Porthos, “and do you not 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, the women and children are beginning to get upon the jetty.”
An old fisherman passed. “Are those our barques yonder?” asked Aramis.
The old man looked steadily into the horizon.
“No, monseigneur,” replied he, “they are lighter boats in the King’s service.”
“Boats in the royal service?” replied Aramis, starting. “How do you know that?” said he.
“By the flag.”
“But,” said Porthos, “the boat is scarcely visible; how the devil, my friend, can you distinguish the flag?”
“I see there is one,” replied the old man; “our boats, or trade lighters, do not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for the transport of troops.”
“Ah!” said Aramis.
“Vivat!” cried Porthos, “they are sending us reinforcements; don’t you think they are, Aramis?”
“Probably.”
“Unless it is the English coming.”
“By the Loire? That would have an ill look, Porthos, for they must have come through Paris.”
“You are right; they are reinforcements decidedly, or proviions.”
Aramis leant his head upon his hands and made no reply. Then, all at once,—“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 the artillerymen be at their pieces, and be particularly watchful of the coast batteries.”
Porthos opened his eyes to their widest extent. He looked attentively at his friend, to convince himself he was in his proper senses.
“I will do it, my dear Porthos,” continued Aramis, in his most bland tone; “I will go and have these orders executed myself, if you do not go, my friend.”
“Well! I will go instantly!” said Porthos, who went to execute the orders, casting all the while looks behind him, to see if the Bishop of Vannes were not deceived; and if, on returning to more rational ideas, he would not recall him. The alarm was sounded, the trumpets brayed, the drums rolled; the great bell of the belfry was put in motion. The dikes and moles were quickly filled with the curious and soldiers; the matches sparkled in the hands of the artillerymen, placed behind the large cannon bedded in their stone carriages. When every man was at his post, when all the preparations for the defence were made: “Permit me, Aramis to try and 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 towards the port of Belle-Isle, is a royal fleet, is it not?”
“But as there are two kings in France, Porthos, to which of these two kings 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 his best speed to the batteries to overlook his people, and exhort every one to do his duty. In the meantime, Aramis, with his eye fixed on the horizon, saw the ships continue to draw nearer. The people and the soldiers, mounted upon all the summits or irregularities of the rocks, could distinguish the masts, then the lower sails, and at last the hulls of the lighters, bearing at the masthead the royal flag of France. It was quite night when one of these vessels, which had created such a sensation among the inhabitants of Belle-Isle, was moored within cannon-shot of the place. It was soon seen, notwithstanding the darkness, that a sort of agitation reigned on board this vessel, from the 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 few instants struck land at the foot of the fort. The commander of this yawl jumped 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 soon recognised by several soldiers as one of the pilots of the island. He was the skipper of one of the two barques kept back by Aramis, and which Porthos, in his anxiety with regard to the fate of the fishermen who had disappeared for two days, had sent in search of the missing boats. He asked to be conducted to M. d’Herblay. Two soldiers, at a signal from the sergeant, placed him between them, and escorted him. Aramis was upon the quay. The envoy presented himself before the Bishop of Vannes. The darkness was almost complete, notwithstanding the flambeaux borne at a small 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 afterwards?”
“Well! monseigneur, within a short league we were captured by a cutter belonging to the King.”
“Ah!” said Aramis.
“Of which king?” cried Porthos. Jonathan stared.
“Speak!” continued the Bishop.
“We were captured, monseigneur, and joined to those who had been taken yesterday 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 you to-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 the royal fleet blockading the coasts?”
“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 following lines:—
“Order of the King to take Belle-Isle; or to put the garrison to the sword, if they resist; order to make prisoners of all the men of the garrison; 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?”
“On board his own vessel.”
“On board his vessel!” and Porthos repeated, “On board his vessel!”
“The captain,” continued Jonathan, “told me to take you both on board 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 is not 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 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 refuse to 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 is come; sit down upon this gun-carriage, open your ears, and listen well to me.”
“Oh! pardieu! I shall listen, no fear of that.”
“May I depart, monseigneur?” cried Jonathan.
“Yes, begone, and bring back an answer. Allow the canoe to pass, you men there!” And the canoe pushed off to regain the fleet.
Aramis took Porthos by the hand, and commenced the explanations.
71
The Explanations of Aramis
“WHAT I HAVE TO say to you, friend Porthos, will probably surprise you, but it will instruct you.”
“I like to be surprised,” said Porthos in a kindly tone; “do not spare me therefore, I beg. I am hardened against emotions; don’t fear, speak out.”
“It is difficult, Porthos, it is—difficult; for, in truth, I warn you a second time, I have very strange things, very extraordinary things, to tell you.”
“Oh! you speak so well, my friend, that I could listen to you for days together. Speak, then, I beg—and—stop, I have an idea; I will, to make your task more easy, I will, to assist you in telling me such things, question you.”
“I shall be pleased at your doing so.”
“What are we going to fight for, Aramis?”
“If you make me many such questions as that—if you would render my task the easier by interrupting my revelations thus, Porthos, you will not help me at all. So far, on the contrary, that is precisely the Gordian knot. But, my friend, with a man like you, good, generous, and devoted, the confession must be made bravely. I have deceived you, my worthy friend.”
“You have deceived me!”
“Good Heavens! yes.”
“Was it for my good, Aramis?”
“I thought so, Porthos; I thought so sincerely, my friend.”
“Then,” said the honest seigneur of Bracieux, “you have rendered me a service, and I thank you for it; for if you had not deceived me, I might have deceived myself. In what, then, have you deceived me, say?”
“In that I was serving the usurper against whom Louis XIV, at this moment, is directing his efforts.”
“The usurper!” said Porthos, scratching his head. “That is—well, I do not too clearly comprehend that.”
“He is one of the two Kings who are contending for the crown of France.”
“Very well! Then you were serving him who is not Louis XIV?”
“You have hit upon the matter in a word.”
“It results that—”
“It results that we are rebels, my poor friend.”
“The devil! the devil!” cried Porthos, much disappointed.
“Oh! but, dear Porthos, be calm, we shall still find means of getting out of the affair, trust me.”
“It is not that which makes me uneasy,” replied Porthos; “that which alone touches me is that ugly word rebels.”
“Ah but—”
“And so, according to this, the duchy that was promised me—”
“It was the usurper who was to give it to you.”
“And that is not the same thing, Aramis,” said Porthos majestically.
“My friend, if it had only depended upon me, you should have become a prince.” Porthos began to bite his nails after a melancholy fashion.
“That is where you have been wrong,” continued he, “in deceiving me; for that promised duchy I reckoned upon. Oh! I reckoned upon it seriously, knowing you to be a man of your word, Aramis.”
“Poor Porthos! pardon me, I implore you!”
“So then,” continued Porthos, without replying to the Bishop’s prayer, “so then, it seems, I have quite fallen out with Louis XIV?”
“Oh! I will settle all that, my good friend, I will settle all that. I will take it upon myself alone!”
“Aramis!”
“No, no, Porthos, I conjure you, let me act. No false generosity! No inopportune devotedness! You knew nothing of my projects. You have done nothing of yourself. With me it is different. I am alone the author of the plot. I stood in need of my inseparable companion: I called upon you, and you came to me, in remembrance of our ancient device, ‘All for one, one for all.’ My crime was being an egotist.”
“Now, that is a word I like,” said Porthos; “and seeing that you have acted entirely for yourself, it is impossible for me to blame you; it is natural.”
And upon this sublime reflection, Porthos pressed the hand of his friend cordially.
In presence of this ingenuous greatness of soul, Aramis felt himself little. It was the second time he had been compelled to bend before real superiority of heart, much more powerful than splendour of mind. He replied by a mute and energetic pressure to the kind endearment of his friend.
“Now,” said Porthos, “that we have come to an explanation, now that I am perfectly aware of our situation with respect to Louis XIV, I think, my friend, it is time to make me comprehend the political intrigue of which we are the victims—for I plainly see there is a political intrigue at the bottom of all this.”
“D‘Artagnan, my good Porthos, d’Artagnan is coming, and will detail it to you in all its circumstances; but, excuse me, I am deeply grieved, I am bowed down by pain, and I have need of all my presence of mind, all my reflection, to extricate you from the false step in which I have so imprudently involved you; but nothing can be more clear, nothing more plain, than your position, henceforth. The King Louis XIV has no longer now but one enemy: that enemy is myself, myself alone. I have made you a prisoner, you have followed me, to-day I liberate you, you fly back to your prince. You can perceive, Porthos, there is not a single difficulty in all this.”
“Do you think so?” said Porthos.
“I am quite sure of it.”
“Then why,” said the admirable good sense of Porthos, “then why, if we are in such an easy position, why, my friend, do we prepare cannon, muskets, and engines of all sorts? It seems to me it would be much more simple to say to Captain d‘Artagnan: ’My dear friend, we have been mistaken; that error is to be repaired; open the door to us, let us pass through, and good-day!’”
“Ah! that!” said Aramis, shaking his head.
; “Why do you say ‘that’? Do you not approve of my plan, my friend?”
“I see a difficulty in it.”
“What is it?”
“The hypothesis that d’Artagnan may come with orders which will oblige us to defend ourselves.”
“What! defend ourselves against d‘Artagnan? Folly! Against the good d’Artagnan?”
Aramis once more replied by shaking his head.
“Porthos,” at length said he, “if I have had the matches lighted and the guns pointed, if I have had the signal of alarm sounded, if I have called every man to his post upon the ramparts, those good ramparts of Belle-Isle which you have so well fortified, it is for something. Wait to judge; or rather, no, do not wait—”
“What can I do?”
“If I knew, my friend, I would have told you.”
“But there is one thing much more simple than defending ourselves:—a boat, and away for France—where—”
“My dear friend,” said Aramis, smiling with a strong shade of sadness, “do not let us reason like children; let us be men in council and execution—But, hark! I hear a hail for landing at the port. Attention, Porthos, serious attention!”
“It is d’Artagnan, no doubt,” said Porthos, in a voice of thunder, approaching the parapet.
“Yes, it is I,” replied the captain of the musketeers, running lightly up the steps of the mole, and gaining rapidly the little esplanade upon which his two friends waited for him. As soon as he came towards them, Porthos and Aramis observed an officer who followed d’Artagnan, treading apparently in his very steps. The captain stopped upon the stairs of the mole, when half-way up. His companion imitated him.
“Make your men draw back,” cried d‘Artagnan to Porthos and Aramis; “let them retire out of hearing.” The order being given by Porthos, was executed immediately. Then d’Artagnan, turning towards him who followed him:
Man in the Iron Mask (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Page 65
