“Grace!” replied Porthos, with flashing eyes, “what is the meaning of that word?”
Aramis touched the elbow of his friend roughly, as he had been accustomed to do in the days of their youth, when he wanted to warn Porthos that he had committed, or was about to commit, a blunder. Porthos understood him, and was silent immediately.
“I will go, Messieurs,” replied Biscarrat, a little surprised likewise at the word “grace” pronounced by the haughty musketeer, whose heroic exploits he had just been reciting with so much enthusiasm.
“Go, then, M. Biscarrat,” said Aramis, bowing to him, “and at parting receive the expression of our entire gratitude.”
“But you, Messieurs,- you whom I have the honor to call my friends, since you have been willing to accept that title,- what will become of you in the mean time?” replied the officer, very much agitated at taking leave of the two former adversaries of his father.
“We will wait here.”
“But, mon Dieu! the order is formal.”
“I am Bishop of Vannes, M. de Biscarrat; and they no more shoot a bishop than they hang a gentleman.”
“Ah, yes, Monsieur,- yes, Monseigneur,” replied Biscarrat; “it is true. You are right; there is still that chance for you. Then I will depart, I will repair to the commander of the expedition, the King’s lieutenant. Adieu, then, Messieurs or rather, au revoir!”
The worthy officer, then jumping upon a horse given him by Aramis, departed in the direction of the sound of the cannon, which, by bringing the crowd into the fort, had interrupted the conversation of the two friends with their prisoner. Aramis watched his departure, and when left alone with Porthos, “Well, do you comprehend?” said he.
“Ma foi! no.”
“Did not Biscarrat inconvenience you here?”
“No; he is a brave fellow.”
“Yes; but the grotto of Locmaria,- is it necessary that all the world should know it?”
“Ah! that is true, that is true; I comprehend. We are going to escape by the cavern.”
“If you please,” replied Aramis, joyously. “Forward, my friend Porthos; our boat awaits us, and the King has not caught us yet.”
Chapter LXXV: The Grotto of Locmaria
THE cavern of Locmaria was sufficiently distant from the pier to render it necessary for our friends to husband their strength to arrive there. Besides, the night was advancing; midnight had struck at the fort. Porthos and Aramis were loaded with money and arms. They walked, then, across the heath which is between the pier and the cavern, listening to every noise, and endeavoring to avoid ambushes. From time to time, on the road, which they had carefully left on their left hand, passed fugitives coming from the interior at the news of the landing of the royal troops. Aramis and Porthos, concealed behind some projecting mass of rock, collected the words which escaped from the poor people, who fled trembling, carrying with them their most valuable effects, and tried, while listening to their complaints, to draw something from them for their own interest. At length, after a rapid course, frequently interrupted by cautious delays, they reached the deep grotto into which the foreseeing Bishop of Vannes had taken care to have rolled upon cylinders a good boat capable of keeping the sea at this fine season.
“My good friend,” said Porthos, after having respired vigorously, “we are arrived, it seems. But I thought you spoke of three men,- three servants who were to accompany us. I don’t see them; where are they?”
“Why should you see them, dear Porthos?” replied Aramis. “They are certainly waiting for us in the cavern, and, no doubt, are resting for a moment after having accomplished their rough and difficult task.” He stopped Porthos, who was preparing to enter the cavern. “Will you allow me, my friend,” said he to the giant, “to pass in first? I know the signal I have given to these men, who, not hearing it, would be very likely to fire upon you or slash away with their knives in the dark.”
“Go on, then, Aramis; go on,- go first. You are all wisdom and prudence; go on. Ah! there is that fatigue of which I spoke to you. It has just seized me again.”