They will see you, gentlemen; they will see the forces we have at our disposal; they will consequently know to what they have to trust, and the fate that attends them, in case of rebellion.

We will affirm to them, upon our honor, that M.Fouquet is a prisoner, and that all resistance can only be prejudicial to them.

We will tell them that at the first cannon fired, there will be no further hope of mercy from the king.

Then, or so at least I trust, they will resist no longer.

They will yield up without fighting, and we shall have a place given up to us in a friendly way which it might cost prodigious efforts to subdue." The officer who had followed D'Artagnan to Belle-Isle was preparing to speak, but D'Artagnan interrupted him.
"Yes, I know what you are going to tell me, monsieur; I know that there is an order of the king's to prevent all secret communications with the defenders of Belle-Isle, and that is exactly why I do not offer to communicate except in presence of my staff." And D'Artagnan made an inclination of the head to his officers, who knew him well enough to attach a certain value to the condescension.
The officers looked at each other as if to read each other's opinions in their eyes, with the intention of evidently acting, should they agree, according to the desire of D'Artagnan.