Scarcely had D'Artagnan extinguished his taper, when Aramis,who had watched through his curtains the last glimmer oflight in his friend's apartment, traversed the corridor ontiptoe, and went to Porthos's room. The giant, who had beenin bed nearly an hour and a half, lay grandly stretched outon the down bed. He was in that happy calm of the firstsleep, which, with Porthos, resisted the noise of bells orthe report of cannon; his head swam in that soft oscillationwhich reminds us of the soothing movement of a ship. In amoment Porthos would have begun to dream. The door of thechamber opened softly under the delicate pressure of thehand of Aramis. The bishop approached the sleeper. A thickcarpet deadened the sound of his steps, besides whichPorthos snored in a manner to drown all noise. He laid onehand on his shoulder - "Rouse," said he, "wake up, my dearPorthos." The voice of Aramis was soft and kind, but itconveyed more than a notice, - it conveyed an order. Hishand was light, but it indicated a danger. Porthos heard thevoice and felt the hand of Aramis, even in the depth of hissleep. He started up. "Who goes there?" cried he, in hisgiant's voice.

"Hush! hush! It is I," said Aramis.

"You, my friend? And what the devil do you wake me for?"

"To tell you that you must set off directly."

"Set off?"

"Yes."

"Where for?"

"For Paris."

Porthos bounded up in his bed, and then sank back again,fixing his great eyes in agitation upon Aramis.

"For Paris?"

"Yes."

"A hundred leagues?" said he.

"A hundred and four," replied the bishop.

"Oh! mon Dieu!" sighed Porthos, lying down again, likechildren who contend with their bonne to gain an hour or twomore sleep.

"Thirty hours' riding," said Aramis, firmly. "You know thereare good relays."

Porthos pushed out one leg, allowing a groan to escape him.

"Come, come! my friend," insisted the prelate with a sort ofimpatience.

Porthos drew the other leg out of the bed. "And is itabsolutely necessary that I should go, at once?"

"Urgently necessary."

Porthos got upon his feet, and began to shake both walls andfloors with his steps of a marble statue.

"Hush! hush! for the love of Heaven, my dear Porthos!" saidAramis, "you will wake somebody."

"Ah! that's true," replied Porthos, in a voice of thunder,"I forgot that; but be satisfied, I am on guard." And sosaying, he let fall a belt loaded with his sword andpistols, and a purse, from which the crowns escaped with avibrating and prolonged noise. This noise made the blood ofAramis boil, whilst it drew from Porthos a formidable burstof laughter. "How droll that is!" said he, in the samevoice.

"Not so loud, Porthos, not so loud."

"True, true!" and he lowered his voice a half-note.

"I was going to say," continued Porthos, "that it is drollthat we are never so slow as when we are in a hurry, andnever make so much noise as when we wish to be silent."

"Yes, that is true, but let us give the proverb the lie,Porthos; let us make haste, and hold our tongue."

"You see I am doing my best," said Porthos, putting on hishaut de chausses.

"Very well."

"This is something in haste?"

"It is more than that, it is serious, Porthos."

"Oh, oh!"

"D'Artagnan has questioned you, has he not?"

"Questioned me?"

"Yes, at Belle-Isle?"

"Not the least in the world."

"Are you sure of that, Porthos?"

"Parbleu!"

"It is impossible. Recollect yourself."

"He asked me what I was doing, and I told him studyingtopography. I would have made use of another word which youemployed one day."

"`Castrametation'?"

"Yes, that's it, but I never could recollect it."

"All the better. What more did he ask you?"

"Who M. Getard was."

"Next?"

"Who M. Jupenet was."

"He did not happen to see our plan of fortifications, didhe?"

"Yes."

"The devil he did!"

"But don't be alarmed, I had rubbed out your writing withIndia-rubber. It was impossible for him to suppose you hadgiven me any advice in those works."

"Ay, but our friend has phenomenally keen eyes."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I fear that everything is discovered, Porthos; the matteris, then, to prevent a great misfortune. I have given ordersto my people to close all the gates and doors. D'Artagnanwill not be able to get out before daybreak. Your horse isready saddled; you will gain the first relay; by fiveo'clock in the morning you will have traversed fifteenleagues. Come!"

Aramis then assisted Porthos to dress, piece by piece, withas much celerity as the most skillful valet de chambre couldhave done. Porthos, half stupefied, let him do as he liked,and confounded himself in excuses. When he was ready, Aramistook him by the hand, and led him, making him place his footwith precaution on every step of the stairs, preventing himrunning against doorframes, turning him this way and that,as if Aramis had been the giant, and Porthos the dwarf. Soulset fire to and animated matter. A horse was waiting, readysaddled, in the courtyard. Porthos mounted. Then Aramishimself took the horse by the bridle, and led him over somedung spread in the yard, with the evident intention ofsuppressing noise. He, at the same time, held tight thehorse's nose, to prevent him neighing. When arrived at theoutward gate, drawing Porthos towards him, who was going offwithout even asking him what for: "Now friend Porthos, now;without drawing bridle, till you get to Paris," whispered hein his ears; "eat on horseback, drink on horseback, sleep onhorseback, but lose not a minute."

"That's enough, I will not stop."

"This letter to M. Fouquet; cost what it may, he must haveit to-morrow before mid-day."

"He shall."

"And do not forget one thing, my friend."

"What is that?"

"That you are riding out on a hunt for your brevet of ducand peer."

"Oh! oh!" said Porthos, with his eyes sparkling; "I will doit in twenty-four hours, in that case."

"Try."

"Then let go the bridle - and forward, Goliath!"

Aramis did let go, not the bridle, but the horse's nose.Porthos released his hand, clapped spurs to his horse, whichset off at a gallop. As long as he could distinguish Porthosthrough the darkness, Aramis followed him with his eyes:when he was completely out of sight, he re-entered the yard.Nothing had stirred in D'Artagnan's apartment. The valetplaced on watch at the door had neither seen any light, norheard any noise. Aramis closed his door carefully, sent thelackey to bed, and quickly sought his own. D'Artagnan reallysuspected nothing, therefore thought he had gainedeverything, when he awoke in the morning, about halfpastfour. He ran to the window in his shirt. The window lookedout upon the court. Day was dawning. The court was deserted;the fowls, even, had not left their roosts. Not a servantappeared. Every door was closed.

"Good! all is still," said D'Artagnan to himself. "Nevermind: I am up first in the house. Let us dress; that will beso much done." And D'Artagnan dressed himself. But, thistime, he endeavored not to give to the costume of M. Agnanthat bourgeoise and almost ecclesiastical rigidity he hadaffected before; he managed, by drawing his belt tighter, bybuttoning his clothes in a different fashion, and by puttingon his hat a little on one side, to restore to his person alittle of that military character, the absence of which hadsurprised Aramis. This being done, he made free, or affectedto make free with his host, and entered his chamber withoutceremony. Aramis was asleep or feigned to be so. A largebook lay open upon his night-desk, a wax-light was stillburning in its silver sconce. This was more than enough toprove to D'Artagnan the quiescence of the prelate's night,and the good intentions of his waking. The musketeer did tothe bishop precisely as the bishop had done to Porthos - hetapped him on the shoulder. Evidently Aramis pretended tosleep; for, instead of waking suddenly, he who slept solightly required a repetition of the summons.

"Ah! ah! is that you?" said he, stretching his arms. "Whatan agreeable surprise! Ma foi! Sleep had made me forget Ihad the happiness to possess you. What o'clock is it?"

"I do not know," said D'Artagnan, a little embarrassed."Early, I believe. But, you know, that devil of a habit ofwaking with the day sticks to me still."

"Do you wish that we should go out so soon?" asked Aramis."It appears to me to be very early."

"Just as you like."

"I thought we had agreed not to get on horseback beforeeight."

"Possibly; but I had so great a wish to see you, that I saidto myself, the sooner the better."

"And my seven hours, sleep!" said Aramis: "Take care; I hadreckoned upon them, and what I lose of them I must make up."

"But it seems to me that, formerly, you were less of asleeper than that, dear friend; your blood was alive, andyou were never to be found in bed."

"And it is exactly on account of what you tell me that I amso fond of being there now."

"Then you confess that it is not for the sake of sleepingthat you have put me off till eight o'clock."

"I have been afraid you would laugh at me, if I told you thetruth."

"Tell me, notwithstanding."

"Well, from six to eight, I am accustomed to perform mydevotions."

"Your devotions?"

"Yes."

"I did not believe a bishop's exercises were so severe."

"A bishop, my friend, must sacrifice more to appearance thana simple cleric."

"Mordioux! Aramis, that is a word which reconciles me withyour greatness. To appearances! That is a musketeer's word,in good truth! Vivent les apparences, Aramis!"

"Instead of felicitating me upon it, pardon me, D'Artagnan.It is a very mundane word which I had allowed to escape me."

"Must I leave you, then?"

"I want time to collect my thoughts, my friend, and for myusual prayers."

"Well, I leave you to them; but on account of that poorpagan, D'Artagnan, abridge them for once, I beg; I thirstfor speech with you."

"Well, D'Artagnan, I promise you that within an hour and ahalf - - "

"An hour and a half of devotions! Eh! my friend, be asreasonable with me as you can. Let me have the best bargainpossible."

Aramis began to laugh.

"Still agreeable, still young, still gay," said he. "Youhave come into my diocese to set me quarrelling with grace."

"Bah!"

"And you know well that I was never able to resist yourseductions; you will cost me my salvation, D'Artagnan."

D'Artagnan bit his lips.

"Well," said he, "I will take the sin on my own head, favorme with one simple Christian sign of the cross, favor mewith one pater, and we will part."

"Hush!" said Aramis, "we are already no longer alone, I hearstrangers coming up."

"Well, dismiss them."

"Impossible, I made an appointment with them yesterday; itis the principal of the college of the Jesuits, and thesuperior of the Dominicans."

"Your staff? Well, so be it."

"What are you going to do?"

"I will go and wake Porthos, and remain in his company tillyou have finished the conference."

Aramis did not stir, his brow remained unbent, he betrayedhimself by no gesture or word; "Go," said he, as D'Artagnanadvanced to the door. "A propos, do you know where Porthossleeps?"

"No, but I will inquire."

"Take the corridor, and open the second door on the left."

"Thank you! au revoir." And D'Artagnan departed in thedirection pointed out by Aramis.

Ten minutes had not passed away when he came back. He foundAramis seated between the superior of the Dominicans and theprincipal of the college of the Jesuits, exactly in the samesituation as he had found him formerly in the auberge atCrevecoeur. This company did not at all terrify themusketeer.

"What is it?" said Aramis, quietly. "You have apparentlysomething to say to me, my friend."

"It is," replied D'Artagnan, fixing his eyes upon Aramis,"it is that Porthos is not in his apartment."

"Indeed," said Aramis, calmly; "are you sure?"

"Pardieu! I came from his chamber."

"Where can he be, then?"

"That is what I am asking you."

"And have not you inquired?"

"Yes, I have."

"And what answer did you get?"

"That Porthos, often walking out in a morning, withoutsaying anything, had probably gone out."

"What did you do, then?"

"I went to the stables," replied D'Artagnan, carelessly.

"What to do?"

"To see if Porthos had departed on horseback."

"And?" interrogated the bishop.

"Well, there is a horse missing, stall No. 3, Goliath."

All this dialogue, it may be easily understood, was notexempt from a certain affectation on the part of themusketeer, and a perfect complaisance on the part of Aramis.

"Oh! I guess how it is," said Aramis, after havingconsidered for a moment, "Porthos is gone out to give us asurprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yes, the canal which goes from Vannes to the sea abounds inteal and snipes; that is Porthos's favorite sport, and hewill bring us back a dozen for breakfast."

"Do you think so?" said D'Artagnan.

"I am sure of it. Where else can he be? I would lay a wagerhe took a gun with him."

"Well, that is possible," said D'Artagnan.

"Do one thing, my friend. Get on horseback, and join him."

"You are right," said D'Artagnan, "I will."

"Shall I go with you?"

"No, thank you; Porthos is a rather remarkable man: I willinquire as I go along."

"Will you take an arquebuse?"

"Thank you."

"Order what horse you like to be saddled."

"The one I rode yesterday, on coming from Belle-Isle."

"So be it: use the horse as your own."

Aramis rang, and gave orders to have the horse M. d'Artagnanhad chosen, saddled.

D'Artagnan followed the servant charged with the executionof this order. When arrived at the door, the servant drew onone side to allow M. d'Artagnan to pass; and at that momenthe caught the eye of his master. A knitting of the brow gavethe intelligent spy to understand that all should be givento D'Artagnan he wished. D'Artagnan got into the saddle, andAramis heard the steps of his horse on the pavement. Aninstant after, the servant returned.

"Well?" asked the bishop.

"Monseigneur, he has followed the course of the canal, andis going towards the sea," said the servant.

"Very well!" said Aramis.

In fact, D'Artagnan, dismissing all suspicion, hastenedtowards the ocean, constantly hoping to see in the Landes,or on the beach, the colossal profile of Porthos. Hepersisted in fancying he could trace a horse's steps inevery puddle. Sometimes he imagined he heard the report of agun. This illusion lasted three hours; during two of whichhe went forward in search of his friend - in the last hereturned to the house.

"We must have crossed," said he, "and I shall find themwaiting for me at table."

D'Artagnan was mistaken. He no more found Porthos at thepalace than he had found him on the sea-shore. Aramis waswaiting for him at the top of the stairs, looking very muchconcerned.

"Did my people not find you, my dear D'Artagnan?" cried he,as soon as he caught sight of the musketeer.

"No; did you send any one after me?"

"I am deeply concerned, my friend, deeply, to have inducedyou to make such a useless search, but, about seven o'clock,the almoner of Saint-Paterne came here. He had met DuVallon, who was going away, and who being unwilling todisturb anybody at the palace, had charged him to tell methat, fearing M. Getard would play him some ill turn in hisabsence, he was going to take advantage of the morning tideto make a tour to Belle-Isle."

"But tell me, Goliath has not crossed the four leagues ofsea, I should think."

"There are full six," said Aramis.

"That makes it less probable still."

"Therefore, my friend," said Aramis, with one of hisblandest smiles, "Goliath is in the stable, well pleased, Iwill answer for it, that Porthos is no longer on his back."In fact, the horse had been brought back from the relay bythe direction of the prelate, from whom no detail escaped.D'Artagnan appeared as well satisfied as possible with theexplanation. He entered upon a part of dissimulation whichagreed perfectly with the suspicions that arose more andmore strongly in his mind. He breakfasted between the Jesuitand Aramis, having the Dominican in front of him, andsmiling particularly at the Dominican, whose jolly, fat facepleased him much. The repast was long and sumptuous;excellent Spanish wine, fine Morbihan oysters, exquisitefish from the mouth of the Loire, enormous prawns fromPaimboeuf, and delicious game from the moors, constitutedthe principal part of it. D'Artagnan ate much, and drank butlittle. Aramis drank nothing, unless it was water. After therepast, -

"You offered me an arquebuse," said D'Artagnan.

"I did."

"Lend it me, then."

"Are you going shooting?"

"Whilst waiting for Porthos, it is the best thing I can do,I think."

"Take which you like from the trophy."

"Will you not come with me?"

"I would with great pleasure; but, alas! my friend, sportingis forbidden to bishops."

"Ah!" said D'Artagnan, "I did not know that."

"Besides," continued Aramis, "I shall be busy till mid-day."

"I shall go alone, then?" said D'Artagnan.

"I am sorry to say you must; but come back to dinner."

"Pardieu! the eating at your house is too good to make methink of not coming back." And thereupon D'Artagnan quittedhis host, bowed to the guests, and took his arquebuse; butinstead of shooting, went straight to the little port ofVannes. He looked in vain to observe if anybody saw him; hecould discern neither thing nor person. He engaged a littlefishing boat for twenty-five livres, and set off athalf-past eleven, convinced that he had not been followed;and that was true, he had not been followed; only a Jesuitbrother, placed in the top of the steeple of his church, hadnot, since the morning, by the help of an excellent glass,lost sight of one of his steps. At three-quarters pasteleven, Aramis was informed that D'Artagnan was sailingtowards Belle-Isle. The voyage was rapid; a good northnorth-east wind drove him towards the isle. As heapproached, his eyes were constantly fixed upon the coast.He looked to see if, upon the shore or upon thefortifications the brilliant dress and vast stature ofPorthos should stand out against a slightly clouded sky; buthis search was vain. He landed without having seen anything;and learnt from the first soldier interrogated by him, thatM. du Vallon had not yet returned from Vannes. Then, withoutlosing an instant, D'Artagnan ordered his little bark to putits head towards Sarzeau. We know that the wind changes withthe different hours of the day. The breeze had veered fromthe north north-east to the south-east: the wind, then, wasalmost as good for the return to Sarzeau, as it had been forthe voyage to Belle-Isle. In three hours D'Artagnan hadtouched the continent, two hours more sufficed for his rideto Vannes. In spite of the rapidity of his passage, whatD'Artagnan endured of impatience and anger during that shortpassage, the deck alone of the vessel, upon which he stampedbackwards and forwards for three hours, could testify. Hemade but one bound from the quay whereon he landed to theepiscopal palace. He thought to terrify Aramis by thepromptitude of his return; he wished to reproach him withhis duplicity, and yet with reserve; but with sufficientspirit, nevertheless, to make him feel all the consequencesof it, and force from him a part of his secret He hoped, inshort - thanks to that heat of expression which is tosecrets what the charge with the bayonet is to redoubts - to bring the mysterious Aramis to some manifestation orother. But he found, in the vestibule of the palace, thevalet de chambre, who closed the passage, while smiling uponhim with a stupid air.

"Monseigneur?" cried D'Artagnan, endeavoring to put himaside with his hand. Moved for an instant the valet resumedhis station.

"Monseigneur?" said he.

"Yes, to be sure; do you not know me, imbecile?"

"Yes, you are the Chevalier d'Artagnan."

"Then let me pass."

"It is of no use."

"Why of no use?"

"Because His Greatness is not at home."

"What! His Greatness is not at home? where is he then?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"Yes."

"Whither?"

"I don't know; but perhaps he tells monsieur le chevalier."

"And how? where? in what fashion?"

"In this letter, which he gave me for monsieur lechevalier." And the valet de chambre drew a letter from hispocket.

"Give it me, then, you rascal," said D'Artagnan, snatchingit from his hand. "Oh, yes," continued he, at the firstline, "yes, I understand; "and he read: -

"Dear Friend, - An affair of the most urgent nature callsme to a distant parish of my diocese. I hoped to see youagain before I set out; but I lose that hope in thinkingthat you are going, no doubt, to remain two or three days atBelle-Isle, with our dear Porthos. Amuse yourself as well asyou can; but do not attempt to hold out against him attable. This is a counsel I might have given even to Athos,in his most brilliant and best days. Adieu, dear friend;believe that I regret greatly not having better, and for alonger time, profited by your excellent company."

"Mordioux!" cried D'Artagnan. "I am tricked. Ah! blockhead,brute, triple fool that I am! But those laugh best who laughlast. Oh, duped, duped like a monkey, cheated with an emptynutshell!" And with a hearty blow bestowed upon the nose ofthe smirking valet de chambre, he made all haste out of theepiscopal palace. Furet, however good a trotter, was notequal to present circumstances. D'Artagnan therefore tookthe post, and chose a horse which he soon caused todemonstrate, with good spurs and a light hand, that deer arenot the swiftest animals in nature.