n France. But the boats were too near
the mole to allow the cannon to aim correctly. They landed, and the
combat commenced hand to hand.

"What's the matter, Porthos?" said Aramis to his friend.

"Nothing! nothing!--only my legs; it is really incomprehensible!--they
will be better when we charge." In fact, Porthos and Aramis did charge
with such vigor; they so thoroughly animated their men, that the
royalists reembarked precipitately, without gaining anything but the
wounds they carried away.

"Eh! but, Porthos," cried Aramis, "we must have a prisoner, quick!
quick!" Porthos bent over the stair of the mole, and seized by the nape
of the neck one of the officers of the royal army who was waiting to
embark till all his people should be in the boat. The arm of the giant
lifted up his prey, which served him as a buckler, as he recovered
himself, without a shot being fired at him.

"Here is a prisoner for you," said Porthos coolly to Aramis.

"Well!" cried the latter, laughing, "have you not calumniated your
legs?"

"It was not with my legs I took him," said Porthos, "it was with my
arms!"

CHAPTER CXX.

THE SON OF BISCARRAT.

The Bretons of the isle were very proud of this victory; Aramis did not
encourage them in the feeling.

"What will happen," said he to Porthos, when everybody was gone home,
"will be that the anger of the king will be roused by the account of the
resistance; and that these brave people will be decimated or shot when
they are taken, which cannot fail to take place."

"From which it results, then," said Porthos, "that what we have done is
of no use."

"For the moment it may be of some," replied the bishop, "for we have a
prisoner from whom we shall learn what out enemies are preparing to do."

"Yes, let us interrogate the prisoner," said Porthos, "and the means of
making him speak are very simple. We are going to supper; we will invite
him to join us; when he drinks he will talk."

This was done. The officer was at first rather uneasy, but became
reassured on seeing what sort of men he had to deal with. He gave,
without having any fear of compromising himself, all the details
imaginable of the resignation and departure of D'Artagnan. He explained
how, after that departure, the new leader of the expedition had ordered
a surprise upon Belle-Isle. There his explanations stopped. Aramis and
Porthos exchanged a glance which evinced their despair. No more
dependence to be placed upon