more simple than defending ourselves:--a
boat, and away for France--where--"

"My dear friend," said Aramis, smiling with a strong shade of sadness,
"do not let us reason like children; let us be men in council and
execution.--But, hark! I hear a hail for landing at the port. Attention,
Porthos, serious attention!"

"It is D'Artagnan, no doubt," said Porthos, in a voice of thunder,
approaching the parapet.

"Yes, it is I," replied the captain of the musketeers, running lightly
up the steps of the mole, and gaining rapidly the little esplanade upon
which his two friends waited for him. As soon as he came toward them,
Porthos and Aramis observed an officer who followed D'Artagnan, treading
apparently in his very steps. The captain stopped upon the stairs of the
mole, when half-way up. His companion imitated him.

"Make your men draw back," cried D'Artagnan to Porthos and Aramis; "let
them retire out of hearing." The order being given by Porthos, was
executed immediately. Then D'Artagnan, turning toward him who followed
him--

"Monsieur," said he, "we are no longer here on board the king's fleet,
where, in virtue of your order, you spoke so arrogantly to me just now."

"Monsieur," replied the officer, "I did not speak arrogantly to you: I
simply, but rigorously, obeyed what I had been commanded. I have been
directed to follow you. I follow you. I am directed not to allow you to
communicate with any one without taking cognizance of what you do; I mix
myself, therefore, with your communications."

D'Artagnan trembled with rage, and Porthos and Aramis, who heard this
dialogue, trembled likewise, but with uneasiness and fear. D'Artagnan,
biting his mustache with that vivacity which denoted in him the state of
an exasperation, closely to be followed by a terrible explosion,
approached the officer.

"Monsieur," said he, in a low voice, so much the more impressive, that
affecting a calm it threatened a tempest--"monsieur, when I sent a canoe
hither, you wished to know what I wrote to the defenders of Belle-Isle.
You produced an order to that effect; and, in my turn, I instantly
showed you the note I had written. When the patron of the boat sent by
me returned, when I received the reply of these two gentlemen" (and he
pointed to Aramis and Porthos), "you heard every word of what the
messenger said. All that was plainly in your orders, all that was well
executed, very punctually, was it not?"

"Yes, monsieur," stammered