mor. Aramis stopped the valiant soldier. "Do
you remember," said he, in a melancholy tone, pressing the two hands of
the giant between his own with an affectionate cordiality, "do you
remember, my friend, that in the glorious days of our youth--do you
remember, Porthos, when we were all strong 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!"

"If you had seen me get astride of a plank, would you have remained on
land, Porthos?"

"No, pardieu! No! Aramis. But, nowadays, what sort of a plank should we
want, my friend! I, in particular." And the Seigneur de Bracieux cast a
proud glance over his colossal rotundity, with a loud laugh. "And do you
mean seriously to say you are not tired of Belle-Isle also a little, and
that you would not prefer the comforts of your dwelling--of your
espiscopal palace, at Vannes? Come, confess!"

"No," replied Aramis, without daring to look at Porthos.

"Let us stay where we are, then," said his friend, with a sigh; which,
in spite of the efforts he made to restrain it, escaped with a loud
report from his breast. "Let us remain!--let us remain! And yet," added
he, "and yet, if we seriously wished, but that decidedly--if we had a
fixed idea, one firmly taken, to return to France, and there were no
boats--"

"Have you remarked anything, my friend?--that is, since the
disappearance of our barks, during the two days' absence of the
fishermen, not a single small boat has landed on the shores of the
isle?"

"Yes, certainly! you are right. I have remarked it also, and the
observation was the more naturally made, for before the last two fatal
days, we saw barks and shallops arrive by dozens."

"I must inquire," said Aramis, suddenly, and with great agitation. "And
then, if I had a raft constructed--"

"But there are some canoes, my friend; shall I go on board one?"

"A canoe!--a canoe! Can you think of such a thing, Porthos? A canoe to
be upset in. No, no," said the bishop of Vannes; "it is not our trade to
ride upon the waves. We will wait, we will wait."

And Aramis continued walking about with increased agitation. Porthos,
who grew tired of following all the feverish movements of his
friend--Porthos, who, in his calmness and belief, understood nothing of
the sort of exasperation which was betrayed by his continual convulsive
starts--Porthos st