Aramis watched over everything, to favor the labors of his friends. He saw the reinforcements; he counted the men; he convinced himself at a single glance of the insurmountable peril to which a fresh combat would expose them. To escape by sea at the moment the cavern was about to be invaded, was impossible. In fact, the daylight which had just been admitted to the last two compartments had exposed to the soldiers the boat rolling towards the sea, and the two rebels within musket-shot; and one of their discharges would riddle the boat if it did not kill the five navigators. Besides, supposing everything,- suppose the boat should escape with the men on board of it, how could the alarm be suppressed, how could notice to the royal lighters be prevented? What could hinder the poor canoe, followed by sea and watched from the shore, from succumbing before the end of the day? Aramis, digging his hands into his gray hair with rage, invoked the assistance of God and the assistance of the devil. Calling to Porthos, who was working alone more than all the rollers,- whether of flesh or of wood,- “My friend,” said he, “our adversaries have just received a reinforcement.”
“Ah, ah!” said Porthos, quietly, “what is to be done, then?”
“To recommence the combat,” said Aramis, “is hazardous.”
“Yes,” said Porthos, “for it is difficult to suppose that out of two one should not be killed; and certainly, if one of us were killed, the other would get himself killed also.” Porthos spoke these words with that natural heroism which, with him, was greater than all material forces.
Aramis felt it like a spur to his heart. “We shall neither of us be killed if you do what I tell you, friend Porthos.”
“Tell me what?”
“These people are coming down into the grotto.”
“Yes.”
“We could kill about fifteen of them, but not more.”
“How many are there in all?” asked Porthos.
“They have received a reinforcement of seventy-five men.”
“Seventy-five and five, eighty. Ah, ah!” said Porthos.
“If they fire all at once they will riddle us with balls.”
“Certainly they will.”
“Without reckoning,” added Aramis, “that the detonations might occasion fallings in of the cavern.”
“Ay,” said Porthos; “a piece of falling rock just now grazed my shoulder.”
“You see, then?”
“Oh! it is nothing.”
“We must determine upon something quickly. Our Bretons are going to continue to roll the canoe towards the sea.”
“Very well.”
“We two will keep the powder, the balls, and muskets here.”
“But only two, my dear Aramis,- we shall never fire three shots together,” said Porthos, innocently; “the defence by musketry is a bad one.”
“Find a better, then.”
“I have found one,” said the giant, suddenly; “I will place myself in ambuscade behind the pillar with this iron bar; and invisible, unattackable, if they come in floods, I can let my bar fall upon their skulls thirty times in a minute. Eh! what do you think of the project? You smile!”
“Excellent, dear friend, perfect! I approve it greatly; only you will frighten them, and half of them will remain outside to take us by famine. What we want, my good friend, is the entire destruction of the troop; a single man left standing ruins us.”
“You are right, my friend, but how can we attract them, pray?”
“By not stirring, my good Porthos.”
“Well, we won’t stir, then; but when they shall be all together-”
“Then leave it to me; I have an idea.”
“If so, and your idea be a good one,- and your idea is most likely to be good,- I am satisfied.”
“To your ambuscade, Porthos, and count how many enter!”
“But you, what will you do?”
“Don’t trouble yourself about me; I have my work.”
“I think I can hear voices.”
“It is they! To your post! Keep within reach of my voice and hand.”
Porthos took refuge in the second compartment, which was absolutely black with darkness. Aramis glided into the third; the giant held in his hand an iron bar of about fifty pounds weight. Porthos handled this lever, which had been used in rolling the boat, with marvellous facility. During this time, the Bretons had pushed the boat to the beach. In the enlightened compartment, Aramis, stooping and concealed, was busied in some mysterious manoeuvre. A command was given in a loud voice. It was the last order of the captain. Twenty-five men jumped from the upper rocks into the first compartment of the grotto, and having taken their ground, began to fire. The echoes growled; the hissing of the balls cut the air; an opaque smoke filled the vault.