t is scarcely visible; how the devil, my
friend, can you distinguish the flag?"

"I see there is one," replied the old man; "our boats, trade lighters,
do not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for transport of
troops."

"Ah!" groaned Aramis.

"_Vivat!_" cried Porthos, "they are sending us reinforcements, don't you
think they are, Aramis?"

"Probably."

"Unless it is the English coming."

"By the Loire? That would have an evil look, Porthos; for they must have
come through Paris!"

"You are right; they are reinforcements, decidedly, or provisions."

Aramis leaned his head upon his hands, and made no reply. Then, all at
once,--"Porthos," said he, "have the alarm sounded."

"The alarm! do you imagine such a thing?"

"Yes, and let the cannoniers mount their batteries, the artillerymen be
at their pieces, and be particularly watchful of the coast batteries."

Porthos opened his eyes to their widest extent. He looked attentively at
his friend, to convince himself he was in his proper senses.

"_I_ will do it, my dear Porthos," continued Aramis, in his blandest
tone; "I will go and have these orders executed myself, if you do not
go, my friend."

"Well! I will--instantly!" said Porthos, who went to execute the orders,
casting all the while looks behind him, to see if the bishop of Vannes
were not deceived; and if, on recovering more rational ideas, he would
not recall him. The alarm was sounded, trumpets brayed, drums rolled;
the great bronze bell swung in horror from its lofty belfry. The dikes
and moles were quickly filled with the curious and soldiers; matches
sparkled in the hands of the artillerymen, placed behind the large
cannon bedded in their stone carriages. When every man was at his post,
when all the preparations for defense were made: "Permit me, Aramis, to
try to comprehend," whispered Porthos, timidly, in Aramis's ear.

"My dear friend, you will comprehend but too soon," murmured M.
d'Herblay, in reply to this question of his lieutenant.

"The fleet which is coming yonder, with sails unfurled, straight towards
the port of Belle-Isle, is a royal fleet, is it not?"

"But as there are two kings in France, Porthos, to which of these two
kings does this fleet belong?"

"Oh! you open my eyes," replied the giant, stunned by the insinuation.

And Porthos, whose eyes this reply of his friend's had at last opened,
or rather thickened the bandage which covered his sight, went with his
b