ston----"

"Ah! it was that fellow, Mouston," said Porthos, gathering up those two
triumphant arches which served him for eyebrows.

"But stop, I tell you--it was no fault of Mouston's because he was
ignorant of where you were."

"I know he was; and that is why I am in such haste to understand----"

"Oh! how impatient you are, Porthos."

"When I do not comprehend, I am terrible."

"Well, you will understand. Aramis wrote to you at Pierrefonds, did he
not?"

"Yes."

"And he told you to come before the equinox."

"That is true."

"Well! that is it," said D'Artagnan, hoping that this reason would
mystify Porthos. Porthos appeared to give himself up to a violent mental
labor.

"Yes, yes," said he, "I understand. As Aramis told me to come before
the equinox, you have understood that that was to join him. You then
inquired where Aramis was, saying to yourself, 'Where Aramis is, there
Porthos will be.' You have learnt that Aramis was in Bretagne, and you
said to yourself, 'Porthos is in Bretagne.'"

"Exactly. In good truth, Porthos I cannot tell why you have not turned
conjurer. So you understand that arriving at Roche-Bernard, I heard of
the splendid fortifications going on at Belle-Isle. The account raised
my curiosity, I embarked in a fishing boat, without dreaming that you
were here: I came, and I saw a monstrous fine fellow lifting a stone
Ajax could not have stirred. I cried out, 'Nobody but the Baron de
Bracieux could have performed such a feat of strength.' You heard me,
you turned round, you recognized me, we embraced; and, ma foi! if you
like, my dear friend, we will embrace again."

"Ah! now all is explained," said Porthos; and he embraced D'Artagnan
with so much friendship as to deprive the musketeer of his breath for
five minutes.

"Why, you are stronger than ever," said D'Artagnan, "and still, happily,
in your arms." Porthos saluted D'Artagnan with a gracious smile. During
the five minutes D'Artagnan was recovering his breath, he reflected that
he had a very difficult part to play. It was necessary that he always
should question and never reply. By the time his respiration returned,
he had fixed his plans for the campaign.

CHAPTER 70. Wherein the Ideas of D'Artagnan, at first strangely clouded,
begin to clear up a little.

D'Artagnan immediately took the offensive. "Now that I have told you all,
dear friend, or rather now you have guessed all, tell me what you are
doing here, cove