The Vicomte de Bragelonne

  CHAPTER CXVII.

  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 spareme, therefore, I beg. I am hardened against emotions; don't fear, speakout."

  "It is difficult, Porthos, it is--difficult; for, in truth, I warn you asecond time, I have very strange things, very extraordinary things, totell you."

  "Oh! you speak so well, my friend, that I could listen to you for daystogether. Speak, then, I beg--and--stop, I have an idea: I will, to makeyour 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 taskthe easier by interrupting my revelations thus, Porthos, you will nothelp me at all. So far, on the contrary, that is precisely the Gordianknot. But, my friend, with a man like you, good, generous, and devoted,the confession must be made bravely. I have deceived you, my worthyfriend."

  "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 aservice, and I thank you for it; for if you had not deceived me, I mighthave deceived myself. In what, then, have you deceived me, say?"

  "In that I was serving the usurper against whom Louis XIV., at thismoment, is directing his efforts."

  "The usurper!" said Porthos, scratching his head. "That is--well I donot 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 gettingout of the affair, trust me."

  "It is not that which makes me uneasy," replied Porthos; "that whichalone 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 aprince." Porthos began to bite his nails after a melancholy fashion.

  "That is where you have been wrong," continued he, "in deceiving me; forthat 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. Iwill take it upon myself alone!"

  "Aramis!"

  "No, no, Porthos, I conjure you, let me act. No false generosity! Noinopportune devotedness! You knew nothing of my projects. You have donenothing of yourself. With me it is different. I am alone the author ofthe plot. I stood in need of my inseparable companion: I called uponyou, and you came to me, in remembrance of our ancient device, 'All forone, one for all.' My crime was being an egotist."

  "Now, that is the word I like," said Porthos; "and seeing that you haveacted entirely for yourself, it is impossible for me to blame you. It isnatural." And upon this sublime reflection, Porthos pressed the hand ofhis friend cordially.

  In presence of this ingenuous greatness of soul, Aramis felt himselflittle. It was the second time he had been compelled to bend before realsuperiority of heart, much more powerful than splendor of mind. Hereplied by a mute and energetic pressure to the kind endearment of hisfriend.

  "Now," said Porthos, "that we have come to an explanation, now that I amperfectly aware of our situation with respect to Louis XIV., I think, myfriend, it is time to make me comprehend the political intrigue of whichwe are the victims--for I plainly see there is a political intrigue atthe bottom of all this."

  "D'Artagnan, my good Porthos, D'Artagnan is coming, and will detail itto you in all its circumstances; but excuse me, I am deeply grieved, Iam bowed down by pain, and I have need of all my presence of mind, ofall my reflection, to extricate you from the false step in which I haveso imprudently involved you; but nothing can be more clear, nothing moreplain, than your position, henceforth. The king Louis XIV. has no longernow but one enemy: that enemy is myself, myself alone. I have made you aprisoner, you have followed me, to-day I liberate you, you fly back toyour prince. You can perceive, Porthos, there is not a single difficultyin 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 weare 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 moresimple to say to Captain D'Artagnan: 'My dear friend, we have beenmistaken; that error is to be repaired; open the door to us, let uspass 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 obligeus to defend ourselves."

  "What! defend ourselves against D'Artagnan? Folly! Against the goodD'Artagnan!"

  Aramis once more replied by shaking his head.

  "Porthos," at length said he, "if I have had the matches lighted, andthe guns pointed, if I have had the signal of alarm sounded, if I havecalled every man to his post upon the ramparts, those good ramparts ofBelle-Isle which you have so well fortified, it is for something. Waitto 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:--aboat, 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 andexecution.--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 lightlyup the steps of the mole, and gaining rapidly the little esplanade uponwhich his two friends waited for him. As soon as he came toward them,Porthos and Aramis observed an officer who followed D'Artagnan, treadingapparently in his very steps. The captain stopped upon the stairs of themole, when half-way up. His companion imitated him.

  "Make your men draw back," cried D'Artagnan to Porthos and Aramis; "letthem retire out of hearing." The order being given by Porthos, wasexecuted immediately. Then D'Artagnan, turning toward him who followedhim--

  "Monsieur," said he, "we are no longer here on board the king's fleet,where, in virtue of your order, you spoke so arrogantly to me just now."

  "Monsieur," replied the officer, "I did not speak arrogantly to you: Isimply, but rigorously, obeyed what I had been commanded. I have beendirected to follow you. I follow you. I am directed not to allow you tocommunicate with any one without taking cognizance of what you do; I mixmyself, therefore, with your communications."

  D'Artagnan trembled with rage, and Porthos and Aramis, who heard thisdialogue, trembled likewise, but with uneasiness and fear. D'Artagnan,biting his mustache with that vivacity which denoted in him the state ofan exasperation, closely to be followed by a terrible explosion,approached the offi
cer.

  "Monsieur," said he, in a low voice, so much the more impressive, thataffecting a calm it threatened a tempest--"monsieur, when I sent a canoehither, you wished to know what I wrote to the defenders of Belle-Isle.You produced an order to that effect; and, in my turn, I instantlyshowed you the note I had written. When the patron of the boat sent byme returned, when I received the reply of these two gentlemen" (and hepointed to Aramis and Porthos), "you heard every word of what themessenger said. All that was plainly in your orders, all that was wellexecuted, very punctually, was it not?"

  "Yes, monsieur," stammered the officer; "yes, without doubt, but--"

  "Monsieur," continued D'Artagnan, growing warm--"monsieur, when Imanifested the intention of quitting my vessel to cross to Belle-Isle,you required to accompany me; I did not hesitate; I brought you with me.You are now at Belle-Isle, are you not?"

  "Yes, monsieur; but--"

  "But--the question no longer is of M. Colbert, who has given you thatorder, or of whomsoever in the world you are following theinstructions: the question now is of a man who is a clog upon M.d'Artagnan, and who is alone with M. d'Artagnan upon steps whose feetare bathed by thirty feet of salt water; a bad position for that man, abad position, monsieur! I warn you."

  "But, monsieur, if I am a restraint upon you," said the officer timidly,and almost faintly, "it is my duty which--"

  "Monsieur, you have had the misfortune, you, or those who have sent you,to insult me. It is done. I cannot seek redress from those who employyou--they are unknown to me, or are at too great a distance. But you areunder my hand, and I swear that if you make one step behind me when Iraise my feet to go up to those gentlemen--I swear to you by my name, Iwill cleave your head in two with my sword, and pitch you into thewater. Oh! it will happen! it will happen! I have only been six timesangry in my life, monsieur, and, on the five times which have precededthis, I have killed my man."

  The officer did not stir; he became pale under this terrible threat, butreplied with simplicity, "Monsieur, you are wrong in acting against myorders."

  Porthos and Aramis, mute and trembling, at the top of the parapet, criedto the musketeer, "Dear D'Artagnan, take care!"

  D'Artagnan made them a sign to keep silence, raised his foot with aterrifying calmness to mount the stair, and turned round, sword in hand,to see if the officer followed him. The officer made a sign of the crossand stepped up. Porthos and Aramis, who knew their D'Artagnan, uttered acry, and rushed down to prevent the blow they thought they alreadyheard. But D'Artagnan, passing his sword into his left hand--

  "Monsieur," said he to the officer in an agitated voice, "you are abrave man. You ought better to comprehend what I am going to say to younow than that which I have just said to you."

  "Speak, Monsieur d'Artagnan, speak," replied the brave officer.

  "These gentlemen we have just seen, and against whom you have orders,are my friends."

  "I know they are, monsieur."

  "You can understand if I ought to act toward them as your instructionsprescribe."

  "I understand your reserves."

  "Very well; permit me, then, to converse with them without a witness."

  "Monsieur d'Artagnan, if I yielded to your request, if I did that whichyou beg me to do, I should break my word; but if I do not do it, I shalldisoblige you. I prefer the one to the other. Converse with yourfriends, and do not despise me, monsieur, for doing for the sake of you,whom I esteem and honor; do not despise me for committing for you, andyou alone, an unworthy act." D'Artagnan, much agitated, passed his armsrapidly round the neck of the young man, and went up to his friends. Theofficer, enveloped in his cloak, sat down on the damp weed-coveredsteps.

  "Well!" said D'Artagnan to his friends, "such is my position, judge foryourselves." They all three embraced. All three pressed each other intheir arms as in the glorious days of their youth.

  "What is the meaning of all these rigors?" said Porthos.

  "You ought to have some suspicions of what it is," said D'Artagnan.

  "Not much, I assure you, my dear captain; for, in fact, I have donenothing, no more has Aramis," hastened the worthy baron to say.

  D'Artagnan darted a reproachful look at the prelate, which penetratedthat hardened heart.

  "Dear Porthos!" cried the bishop of Vannes.

  "You see what has been done against you," said D'Artagnan: "interceptionof all that is coming to or going from Belle-Isle. Your boats are allseized. If you had endeavored to fly, you would have fallen into thehands of the cruisers which plow the sea in all directions, on the watchfor you. The king wants you to be taken, and he will take you." AndD'Artagnan tore several hairs from his gray mustache. Aramis becamesomber, Porthos angry.

  "My idea was this," continued D'Artagnan; "to make you both come onboard, to keep you near me, and restore you your liberty. But now, whocan say that when I return to my ship I may not find a superior?--that Imay not find secret orders which will take from me my command, and giveit to another, who will dispose of me and you without hopes of help?"

  "We must remain at Belle-Isle," said Aramis, resolutely; "and I assureyou, for my part, I will not surrender easily." Porthos said nothing.D'Artagnan remarked the silence of his friend.

  "I have another trial to make of this officer, of this brave fellow whoaccompanies me, and whose courageous resistance makes me very happy: forit denotes an honest man, who, although an enemy, is a thousand timesbetter than a complaisant coward. Let us try to learn from him what hehas the right of doing, and what his orders permit or forbid."

  "Let us try," said Aramis.

  D'Artagnan came to the parapet, leaned over toward the steps of themole, and called the officer, who immediately came up. "Monsieur," saidD'Artagnan, after having exchanged the most cordial courtesies,natural between gentlemen, who know and appreciate each otherworthily--"monsieur, if I wished to take away these gentlemen from thisplace, what would you do?"

  "I should not oppose it, monsieur; but having direct orders, formalorders, to take them under my guard, I should detain them."

  "Ah!" said D'Artagnan.

  "That's all over," said Aramis, gloomily. Porthos did not stir.

  "But still take Porthos," said the bishop of Vannes; "he can prove tothe king, I will help him in doing so, and you also can, M. d'Artagnan,that he has had nothing to do in this affair."

  "Hum!" said D'Artagnan. "Will you come? Will you follow me, Porthos? Theking is merciful."

  "I beg to reflect," said Porthos, nobly.

  "You will remain here, then?"

  "Until fresh orders," said Aramis, with vivacity.

  "Until we have had an idea," resumed D'Artagnan: "and I now believe thatwill not be long first, for I have one already."

  "Let us say adieu, then," said Aramis; "but in truth, my good Porthos,you ought to go."

  "No!" said the latter, laconically.

  "As you please," replied Aramis, a little wounded in his nervoussusceptibility at the morose tone of his companion. "Only I am reassuredby the promise of an idea from D'Artagnan, an idea I fancy I havedivined."

  "Let us see," said the musketeer, placing his ear near Aramis' mouth.The latter spoke several words rapidly, to which D'Artagnan replied,"That is it precisely."

  "Infallible, then!" cried Aramis.

  "During the first emotion that this resolution will cause, take care ofyourself, Aramis."

  "Oh! don't be afraid."

  "Now, monsieur," said D'Artagnan to the officer, "thanks, a thousandthanks! You have made yourself three friends for life."

  "Yes," added Aramis. Porthos alone said nothing, but merely bowed.

  D'Artagnan having tenderly embraced his two old friends, left Belle-Islewith the inseparable companion M. Colbert had given him. Thus, with theexception of the explanation with which the worthy Porthos had beenwilling to be satisfied, nothing had changed in appearance in the fateof the one or of the other. "Only," said Aramis, "there is D'Artagnan'sidea."

  D'Artagnan did not return on board
without examining to the bottom theidea he had discovered. Now, we know that when D'Artagnan did examine,according to custom, daylight pierced through. As to the officer, becomemute again, he left him full measure to meditate. Therefore, on puttinghis foot on board his vessel, moored within cannon-shot of the island,the captain of the musketeers had already got together all his means,offensive and defensive.

  He immediately assembled his counsel, which consisted of the officersserving under his orders. These were eight in number: a chief of themaritime forces; a major directing the artillery; an engineer, theofficer we are acquainted with, and four lieutenants. Having assembledthem in the chamber of the poop, D'Artagnan arose, took off his hat, andaddressed them thus:

  "Gentlemen. I have been to reconnoiter Belle-Isle-en-Mer, and I havefound in it a good and solid garrison; moreover, preparations are madefor a defense that may prove troublesome. I therefore intend to send fortwo of the principal officers of the place, that we may converse withthem. Having separated them from their troops and their cannon, we shallbe better able to deal with them: particularly with good reasoning. Isthis your opinion, gentlemen?"

  The major of artillery rose.

  "Monsieur," said he, with respect, but with firmness, "I have heard yousay that the place is preparing to make a troublesome defense. The placeis, then, as you know, determined upon rebellion?"

  D'Artagnan was visibly put out by this reply; but he was not a man toallow himself to be subdued by so little, and resumed:

  "Monsieur," said he, "your reply is just. But you are ignorant thatBelle-Isle is a fief of M. Fouquet's, and the ancient kings gave theright to the seigneurs of Belle-Isle to arm their people."

  The major made a movement.

  "Oh! do not interrupt me," continued D'Artagnan. "You are going to tellme that that right to arm themselves against the English was not a rightto arm themselves against their king. But it is not M. Fouquet, Isuppose, who holds Belle-Isle at this moment, since I arrested M.Fouquet the day before yesterday. Now the inhabitants and defenders ofBelle-Isle know nothing of that arrest. You would announce it to them invain. It is a thing so unheard-of and extraordinary, so unexpected, thatthey would not believe you. A Breton serves his master, and not hismasters; he serves his master till he has seen him dead. Now theBretons, as far as I know, have not seen the body of M. Fouquet. It isnot then surprising that they hold out against that which is not M.Fouquet or his signature."

  The major bowed in sign of assent.

  "That is why," continued D'Artagnan, "I propose to cause two of theprincipal officers of the garrison to come on board my vessel. They willsee you, gentlemen! they will see the forces we have at our disposal;they will consequently know to what they have to trust, and the fatethat attends them in case of rebellion. We will affirm to them, upon ourhonor, that M. Fouquet is a prisoner, and that all resistance can onlybe prejudicial to them. We will tell them that the first cannon that isfired, there will be no mercy to be expected from the king. Then, I hopeat least, they will no longer resist. They will yield without fighting,and we shall have a place given up to us in a friendly way, which itmight cost us much trouble to subdue."

  The officer who had followed D'Artagnan to Belle-Isle was preparing tospeak, but D'Artagnan interrupted him.

  "Yes, I know what you are going to tell me, monsieur; I know that thereis an order of the king's to prevent all secret communications with thedefenders of Belle-Isle, and that is exactly why I do not offer tocommunicate but in the presence of my staff."

  And D'Artagnan made an inclination of the head to his officers, whichhad for object attaching a value to that condescension.

  The officers looked at each other as if to read their opinions in theireyes, with the intention of evidently acting, after they should haveagreed, according to the desire of D'Artagnan. And already the lattersaw with joy that the result of their consent would be sending a bark toPorthos and Aramis, when the king's officer drew from his pocket afolded paper, which he placed in the hands of D'Artagnan.

  This paper bore upon its superscription the number "1."

  "What, more still!" murmured the surprised captain.

  "Read, monsieur," said the officer, with a courtesy that was not freefrom sadness.

  D'Artagnan, full of mistrust, unfolded the paper, and read these words:

  "Prohibition to Monsieur d'Artagnan to assemble any council whatever, or to deliberate in any way before Belle-Isle be surrendered and the prisoners shot. Signed--LOUIS."

  D'Artagnan repressed the movement of impatience that, ran through hiswhole body, and, with a gracious smile--"That is well, monsieur," saidhe; "the king's orders shall be complied with."