“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 sent you, to insult me. It is done. I cannot seek redress from those who employ you,- they are unknown to me, or are at too great a distance. But you are under my hand, and I swear that if you make one step behind me when I lift a foot to go up to those gentlemen,- I swear to you by my name, I will cleave your head with my sword, and pitch you into the water. Oh, that must come which will come! I have only been six times angry in my life, Monsieur, and in the five times which have preceded this, I have killed my man.”
The officer did not stir; he became pale under this terrible threat, and replied with simplicity, “Monsieur, you are wrong in acting against the orders given me.”
Porthos and Aramis, mute and trembling at the top of the parapet, cried to the musketeer, “Dear d’Artagnan, take care!”
D’Artagnan made them a sign to keep silence, raised his foot with a terrifying 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 cross and followed. Porthos and Aramis, who knew their d’Artagnan, uttered a cry, and rushed down to prevent the blow which they thought they already heard. But d’Artagnan, passing his sword into his left hand, said to the officer, in an agitated voice, “Monsieur, you are a brave man. You will better comprehend what I am going to say to you now than what I have just said to you.”
“Speak, M. 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 towards them as your instructions prescribe.”
“I understand your reserves.”
“Very well; permit me, then, to converse with them without a witness.”
“M. d’Artagnan, if I yielded to your request, if I did that which you beg me to do, I should break my word; but if I do not do it, I shall disoblige you. I prefer the one to the other. Converse with your friends, 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, and you alone, an unworthy act.” D’Artagnan, much agitated, passed his arms rapidly round the neck of the young man, and went up to his friends. The officer, enveloped in his cloak, sat down on the damp weed-covered steps.
“Well!” said d’Artagnan to his friends, “such is my position, as you see.” They all three embraced. All three pressed one another in their 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 done nothing; no more has Aramis,” the worthy baron hastened to say.
D’Artagnan darted a reproachful look at the prelate which penetrated that hardened heart.
“Dear Porthos!” cried the Bishop of Vannes.
“You see what has been done against you,” said d’Artagnan,- “interception of all that is coming to or going from Belle-Isle. Your boats are all seized. If you had endeavored to fly, you would have fallen into the hands of the cruisers which plough the sea in all directions on the watch for you. The King wants you to be taken, and he will take you.” And d’Artagnan tore several hairs from his gray mustache. Aramis became sombre, Porthos angry.
“My idea was this,” continued d’Artagnan: “to make you both come on board, to keep you near me, and restore you your liberty. But now, who can say that when I return to my ship I may not find a superior; that I may not find secret orders which will take from me my command, and give it to another, who will dispose of you and me and deprive us of all resources?”