They must, as Biscarrat says, be in this grotto." "But then," said one of the young men, "why don't they give tongue ?" "It is strange!" muttered another.
"Well, but," said a fourth, "let us go into this grotto.

Does it happen to be forbidden we should enter it ?" "No," replied Biscarrat.

"Only, as it looks as dark as a wolf's mouth, we might break our necks in it." "Witness the dogs," said a guard, "who seem to have broken theirs." "What the devil can have become of them ?" asked the young men in chorus.
And every master called his dog by his name, whistled to him in his favorite mode, without a single one replying to either call or whistle.
"It is perhaps an enchanted grotto," said Biscarrat; "let us see." And, jumping from his horse, he made a step into the grotto.
"Stop! stop! I will accompany you," said one of the guards, on seeing Biscarrat disappear in the shades of the cavern's mouth.
"No," replied Biscarrat, "there must be something extraordinary in the place--don't let us risk ourselves all at once.

If in ten minutes you do not hear of me, you can come in, but not all at once." "Be it so," said the young man, who, besides, did not imagine that Biscarrat ran much risk in the enterprise, "we will wait for you." And without dismounting from their horses, they formed a circle round the grotto.
Biscarrat entered then alone, and advanced through the darkness till he came in contact with the muzzle of Porthos's musket.

The resistance which his chest met with astonished him; he naturally raised his hand and laid hold of the icy barrel.