Part 86 (1/2)

Chapter XLII Belle-Ile-en-Mer

At the extreainst which the furious sea beats at the evening tide, twoin an animated and expansive tone, without the possibility of any other hu their words, borne away, as they were, one by one, by the gusts of wind, with the white foaone down in the vast sheet of the criantic crucible Fro towards the east, cast an anxious, inquiring look over the sea

The other, interrogating the features of his companion, seemed to seek for information in his looks Then, both silent, busied with dishts, they resumed their walk Every one has already perceived that these two men were our proscribed heroes, Porthos and Arae in Belle-Isle, since the ruin of their hopes, since the discomfiture of the colossal sche anything to the contrary, orously the salt breeze hich he charged his massive chest, ”It is of no use, Ara-boats that went out two days ago is not an ordinary circumstance There has been no storm at sea; the weather has been constantly calale; and even if we had had a tempest, all our boats would not have foundered I repeat, it is strange This complete disappearance astonishes ht, friend Porthos; it is true, there is soe in it”

”And further,” added Porthos, whose ideas the assent of the bishop of Vannes seee; ”and, further, do you not observe that if the boats have perished, not a single plank has washed ashore?”

”I have remarked it as well as yourself”

”And do you not think it strange that the two only boats we had left in the whole island, and which I sent in search of the others--”

Aramis here interrupted his companion by a cry, and by so sudden a movement, that Porthos stopped as if he were stupefied ”What do you say, Porthos? What!--You have sent the two boats--”

”In search of the others! Yes, to be sure I have,” replied Porthos, calmly

”Unhappy man! What have you done? Then we are indeed lost,” cried the bishop

”Lost!--what did you say?” exclaimed the terrified Porthos ”How lost, Ara! nothing! Your pardon, I meant to say--”

”What?”

”That if ere inclined--if we took a fancy to ood! and why should that vex you? A precious pleasure, _ret is certainly not the more or less aret, Aramis, is Pierrefonds; Bracieux; le Vallon; beautiful France! Here, we are not in France, my dear friend; we are--I know not where Oh! I tell you, in full sincerity of soul, and your affection will excuse my frankness, but I declare to you I aood truth, I ah ”Dear friend,” replied he: ”that is why it is so sad a thing you have sent the two boats we had left in search of the boats which disappeared two days ago If you had not sent them aould have departed”

”'Departed!' And the orders, Aramis?”

”What orders?”

”_Parbleu!_ Why, the orders you have been constantly, in and out of season, repeating to ainst the usurper You know very well!”

”That is true!” ain

”You see, then, plainly,away of the boats in search of the others cannot prove prejudicial to us in the very least”

Aralances, lu ti to pierce the very horizon

”With all that, Aramis,” continued Porthos, who adhered to his idea, and that theapparently endorsed it,--”with all that, you give me no explanation about what can have happened to these unfortunate boats I ao The children cry to see the desolation of the women, as if I could restore the absent husbands and fathers What do you suppose, ht I to answer theood Porthos, and say nothing”

This reply did not satisfy Porthos at all He turned away gru in ill-humor Aramis stopped the valiant musketeer ”Do you re the two hands of the giant between his oith affectionate cordiality, ”do you relorious days of youth--do you re and valiant--we, and the other two--if we had then had an inclination to return to France, do you think this sheet of salt water would have stopped us?”

”Oh!” said Porthos; ”but six leagues”