if Porthos had just
been discovered by D'Artagnan, D'Artagnan had just been discovered by
Porthos. The interest of the particular secret of each struck them both
at the same instant. Nevertheless the first movement of the two men was
to throw their arms around each other. What they wished to conceal from
the bystanders, was not their friendship, but their names. But, after
the embrace, came reflection.

"What the devil brings Porthos to Belle-Isle, lifting stones?" said
D'Artagnan; only D'Artagnan uttered that question in a low voice. Less
strong in diplomacy than his friend, Porthos thought aloud.

"How the devil did you come to Belle-Isle?" asked he of D'Artagnan;
"and what do you want to do here?" It was necessary to reply without
hesitation. To hesitate in his answer to Porthos would have been a
check, for which the self-love of D'Artagnan would never have consoled
itself.

"Pardieu! my friend, I am at Belle-Isle because you are."

"Ah, bah!" said Porthos, visibly stupefied with the argument, and
seeking to account for it to himself, with the felicity of deduction we
know to be peculiar to him.

"Without doubt," continued D'Artagnan, unwilling to give his friend time
to recollect himself, "I have been to see you at Pierrefonds."

"Indeed!"

"Yes."

"And you did not find me there?"

"No, but I found Mouston."

"Is he well?"

"Peste!"

"Well, but Mouston did not tell you I was here."

"Why should he not Have I, perchance, deserved to lose his confidence?"

"No, but he did not know it."

"Well; that is a reason at least that does not offend my self-love."

"Then how did you manage to find me?"

"My dear friend, a great noble like you always leaves traces behind him
on his passage; and I should think but poorly of myself, if I were not
sharp enough to follow the traces of my friends." This explanation,
flattering as it was, did not entirely satisfy Porthos.

"But I left no traces behind me, for I came here disguised," said
Porthos.

"Ah! You came disguised did you?" said D'Artagnan.

"Yes."

"And how?"

"As a miller."

"And do you think a great noble, like you, Porthos, can affect common
manners so as to deceive people?"

"Well, I swear to you, my friend, that I played my part so well that
everybody was deceived."

"Indeed! so well, that I have not discovered and joined you?"

"Yes; but how did you discover and join me?"

"Stop a bit. I was going to tell you how. Do you imagine Mou