"Do you remember," said he, in a melancholy tone, kneading the two hands of the giant between his own with affectionate cordiality, "do you remember, my friend, that in the glorious days of youth--do you remember, Porthos, when we were all strong and valiant--we, and the other two--if we had then had an inclination to return to France, do you think this sheet of salt water would have stopped us ?" "Oh!" said Porthos; "but six leagues." "If you had seen me get astride of a plank, would you have remained on land, Porthos ?" "No, _pardieu!_ No, Aramis.

But, nowadays, what sort of a plank should we want, my friend! I, in particular." And the Seigneur de Bracieux cast a profound glance over his colossal rotundity with a loud laugh.

"And do you mean seriously to say you are not tired of Belle-Isle a little, and that you would not prefer the comforts of your dwelling--of your episcopal palace, at Vannes?
Come, confess." "No," replied Aramis, without daring to look at Porthos.
"Let us stay where we are, then," said his friend, with a sigh, which, in spite of the efforts he made to restrain it, escaped his echoing breast.

"Let us remain!--let us remain! And yet," added he, "and yet, if we seriously wished, but that decidedly--if we had a fixed idea, one firmly taken, to return to France, and there were not boats--" "Have you remarked another thing, my friend--that is, since the disappearance of our barks, during the last two days' absence of fishermen, not a single small boat has landed on the shores of the isle ?" "Yes, certainly! you are right.

I, too, have remarked it, and the observation was the more naturally made, for, before the last two fatal days, barks and shallops were as plentiful as shrimps." "I must inquire," said Aramis, suddenly, and with great agitation.