active, reclining upon their benches, and making an eye-shade with
their hands, pointed out to each other a white spot which appeared on
the horizon, as motionless as is in appearance a gull rocked by the
insensible respiration of the waves. But that which might have appeared
motionless to the ordinary eyes was moving at a quick rate to the
experienced eye of the sailor; that which appeared stationary on the
ocean was cutting a rapid way through it. For some time, seeing the
profound torpor in which their master was plunged, they did not dare to
rouse him, and satisfied themselves with exchanging their conjectures in
a low, disturbed voice. Aramis, in fact, so vigilant, so active--Aramis,
whose eye, like that of a lynx, watched without ceasing, and saw better
by night than by day--Aramis seemed to sleep in the despair of his soul.
An hour passed thus, during which daylight gradually disappeared, but
during which also the sail in view gained so swiftly on the bark that
Goenne, one of the three sailors, ventured to say aloud:

"Monseigneur, we are being chased!"

Aramis made no reply; the ship still gained upon them. Then, of their
own accord, two of the sailors, by the direction of the patron Yves,
lowered the sail, in order that that single point, which appeared above
the surface of the waters, should cease to be a guide to the eye of the
enemy who was pursuing them. On the part of the ship in sight, on the
contrary, two more small sails were run up at the extremities of the
masts. Unfortunately, it was the time of the finest and longest days of
the year, and the moon, in all her brilliancy, succeeded to this
inauspicious daylight. The balancelle, which was pursuing the little
bark before the wind, had then still half an hour of twilight, and a
whole night almost as light as day.

"Monseigneur! monseigneur! we are lost!" said the patron; "look! they
see us although we have lowered our sail."

"That is not to be wondered at," murmured one of the sailors, "since
they say that, by the aid of the devil, the people of the cities have
fabricated instruments with which they see as well at a distance as
near, by night as well as by day."

Aramis took a telescope from the bottom of the boat, arranged it
silently, and passing it to the sailor: "Here," said he, "look!" The
sailor hesitated.

"Don't be alarmed," said the bishop, "there is no sin in it; and if
there is any sin, I will take it upon myself."

The sailor lifted