the white foam swept from the crests of the
waves. The sun had just gone down in the vast sheet of the crimsoned
ocean, like a gigantic crucible. From time to time, one of these men,
turning towards the east, cast an anxious, inquiring look over the sea.
The other, interrogating the features of his companion, seemed to seek
for information in his looks. Then, both silent, busied with dismal
thoughts, they resumed their walk. Every one has already perceived that
these two men were our proscribed heroes, Porthos and Aramis, who had
taken refuge in Belle-Isle, since the ruin of their hopes, since the
discomfiture of the colossal schemes of M. d'Herblay.

"If is of no use your saying anything to the contrary, my dear Aramis,"
repeated Porthos, inhaling vigorously the salt breeze with which he
charged his massive chest, "It is of no use, Aramis. The disappearance
of all the fishing-boats that went out two days ago is not an ordinary
circumstance. There has been no storm at sea; the weather has been
constantly calm, not even the lightest gale; and even if we had had
a tempest, all our boats would not have foundered. I repeat, it is
strange. This complete disappearance astonishes me, I tell you."

"True," murmured Aramis. "You are right, friend Porthos; it is true,
there is something strange in it."

"And further," added Porthos, whose ideas the assent of the bishop of
Vannes seemed to enlarge; "and, further, do you not observe that if the
boats have perished, not a single plank has washed ashore?"

"I have remarked it as well as yourself."

"And do you not think it strange that the two only boats we had left in
the whole island, and which I sent in search of the others--"

Aramis here interrupted his companion by a cry, and by so sudden a
movement, that Porthos stopped as if he were stupefied. "What do you
say, Porthos? What!--You have sent the two boats--"

"In search of the others! Yes, to be sure I have," replied Porthos,
calmly.

"Unhappy man! What have you done? Then we are indeed lost," cried the
bishop.

"Lost!--what did you say?" exclaimed the terrified Porthos. "How lost,
Aramis? How are we lost?"

Aramis bit his lips. "Nothing! nothing! Your pardon, I meant to say--"

"What?"

"That if we were inclined--if we took a fancy to make an excursion by
sea, we could not."

"Very good! and why should that vex you? A precious pleasure, _ma foi!_
For my part, I don't regret it at all. What I regret is certainl