A quarter of an hour afterward the rowboat of this craft took them all aboard. Grimaud tendered twenty guineas to the captain, and at nine o'clock in the morning, having a fair wind, our Frenchmen set foot on their native land.
"Egad! how strong one feels here!" said Porthos, almost burying his large feet in the sands. "Zounds! I could defy a nation!"
"Be quiet, Porthos," said D'Artagnan, "we are observed."
"We are admired, i'faith," answered Porthos.
"These people who are looking at us are only merchants," said Athos, "and are looking more at the cargo than at us."
"I shall not trust to that," said the lieutenant, "and I shall make for the Dunes* as soon as possible."
*Sandy hills about Dunkirk, from which it derives its name.
The party followed him and soon disappeared with him behind the hillocks of sand unobserved. Here, after a short conference, they proposed to separate.
"And why separate?" asked Athos.
"Because," answered the Gascon, "we were sent, Porthos and I, by Cardinal Mazarin to fight for Cromwell; instead of fighting for Cromwell we have served Charles I. -- not the same thing by any means. In returning with the Comte de la Fere and Monsieur d'Herblay our crime would be confirmed. We have circumvented Cromwell, Mordaunt, and the sea, but we shall find a certain difficulty in circumventing Mazarin."
"You forget," replied Athos, "that we consider ourselves your prisoners and not free from the engagement we entered into."
"Truly, Athos," interrupted D'Artagnan, "I am vexed that such a man as you are should talk nonsense which schoolboys would be ashamed of. Chevalier," he continued, addressing Aramis, who, leaning proudly on his sword, seemed to agree with his companion, "Chevalier, Porthos and I run no risk; besides, should any ill-luck happen to two of us, will it not be much better that the other two should be spared to assist those who may be apprehended? Besides, who knows whether, divided, we may not obtain a pardon -- you from the queen, we from Mazarin -- which, were we all four together, would never be granted. Come, Athos and Aramis, go to the right; Porthos, come with me to the left; these gentlemen should file off into Normandy, whilst we, by the nearest road, reach Paris."
He then gave his friends minute directions as to their route.
"Ah! my dear friend," exclaimed Athos, "how I should admire the resources of your mind did I not stop to adore those of your heart."
And he gave him his hand.
"Isn't this fox a genius, Athos?" asked the Gascon. "No! he knows how to crunch fowls, to dodge the huntsman and to find his way home by day or by night, that's all. Well, is all said?"
"All."
"Then let's count our money and divide it. Ah! hurrah! there's the sun! A merry morning to you, Sunshine. 'Tis a long time since I saw thee!"
"Come, come, D'Artagnan," said Athos, "do not affect to be strong-minded; there are tears in your eyes. Let us be open with each other and sincere."
"What!" cried the Gascon, "do you think, Athos, we can take leave, calmly, of two friends at a time not free from danger to you and Aramis?"
"No," answered Athos; "embrace me, my son."
"Zounds!" said Porthos, sobbing, "I believe I'm crying; but how foolish all this is!"
Then they embraced. At that moment their fraternal bond of union was closer than ever, and when they parted, each to take the route agreed on, they turned back to utter affectionate expressions, which the echoes of the Dunes repeated. At last they lost sight of each other.
"Sacrebleu! D'Artagnan," said Porthos, "I must out with it at once, for I can't keep to myself anything I have against you; I haven't been able to recognize you in this matter."
"Why not?" said D'Artagnan, with his wise smile.
"Because if, as you say, Athos and Aramis are in real danger, this is not the time to abandon them. For my part, I confess to you that I was all ready to follow them and am still ready to rejoin them, in spite of all the Mazarins in the world."
"You would be right, Porthos, but for one thing, which may change the current of your ideas; and that is, that it is not those gentlemen who are in the greatest danger, it is ourselves; it is not to abandon them that we have separated, but to avoid compromising them."
"Really?" said Porthos, opening his eyes in astonishment.
"Yes, no doubt. If they are arrested they will only be put in the Bastile; if we are arrested it is a matter of the Place de Greve."
"Oh! oh!" said Porthos, "there is quite a gap between that fate and the baronial coronet you promised me, D'Artagnan."
"Bah! perhaps not so great as you think, Porthos; you know the proverb, `All roads lead to Rome.'"
"But how is it that we are incurring greater risks than Athos and Aramis?" asked Porthos.
"Because they have but fulfilled the mission confided to them by Queen Henrietta and we have betrayed that confided to us by Mazarin; because, going hence as emissaries to Cromwell, we became partisans of King Charles; because, instead of helping cut off the royal head condemned by those fellows called Mazarin, Cromwell, Joyce, Bridge, Fairfax, etc., we very nearly succeeded in saving it."
"Upon my word that is true," said Porthos; "but how can you suppose, my dear friend, that in the midst of his great preoccupations General Cromwell has had time to think ---- "
"Cromwell thinks of everything; Cromwell has time for everything; and believe me, dear friend, we ought not to lose our time -- it is precious. We shall not be safe till we have seen Mazarin, and then ---- "
"The devil!" said Porthos; "what can we say to Mazarin?"
"Leave that to me -- I have my plan. He laughs best who laughs last. Cromwell is mighty, Mazarin is tricky, but I would rather have to do with them than with the late Monsieur Mordaunt."
"Ah!" said Porthos, "it is very pleasant to be able to say `the late Monsieur Mordaunt.'"
"My faith, yes," said D'Artagnan. "But we must be going."
The two immediately started across country toward the road to Paris, followed by Musqueton, who, after being too cold all night, at the end of a quarter of an hour found himself too warm.