twenty…three years old。 I was drawn on by a very natural
resentment to avenge my mother。 You would have done what I
did。〃
Mordaunt wanted now only two or three fathoms to reach the
boat； for the approach of death seemed to give him
supernatural strength。
〃Alas！〃 he said； 〃I am then to die？ You are going to kill
the son； as you killed the mother！ Surely； if I am culpable
and if I ask for pardon； I ought to be forgiven。〃
Then； as if his strength failed him； he seemed unable to
sustain himself above the water and a wave passed over his
head； which drowned his voice。
〃Oh！ this is torture to me；〃 cried Athos。
Mordaunt reappeared。
〃For my part；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃I say this must come to an
end； murderer； as you were； of your uncle！ executioner； as
you were； of King Charles！ incendiary！ I recommend you to
sink forthwith to the bottom of the sea； and if you come
another fathom nearer； I'll stave your wicked head in with
this oar。〃
〃D'Artagnan！ D'Artagnan！〃 cried Athos； 〃my son； I entreat
you； the wretch is dying； and it is horrible to let a man
die without extending a hand to save him。 I cannot resist
doing so； he must live。〃
〃Zounds！〃 replied D'Artagnan； 〃why don't you give yourself
up directly； feet and hands bound； to that wretch？ Ah！ Comte
de la Fere； you wish to perish by his hands！ I； your son； as
you call me I will not let you！〃
'Twas the first time D'Artagnan had ever refused a request
from Athos。
Aramis calmly drew his sword； which he had carried between
his teeth as he swam。
〃If he lays his hand on the boat's edge I will cut it off；
regicide that he is。〃
〃And I；〃 said Porthos。 〃Wait。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 asked Aramis。
〃Throw myself in the water and strangle him。〃
〃Oh； gentlemen！〃 cried Athos； 〃be men！ be Christians！ See！
death is depicted on his face！ Ah！ do not bring on me the
horrors of remorse！ Grant me this poor wretch's life。 I will
bless you I 〃
〃I am dying！〃 cried Mordaunt； 〃come to me！ come to me！〃
D'Artagnan began to be touched。 The boat at this moment
turned around； and the dying man was by that turn brought
nearer Athos。
〃Monsieur the Comte de la Fere；〃 he cried； 〃I supplicate
you！ pity me！ I call on you where are you？ I see you no
longer I am dying help me！ help me！〃
〃Here I am； sir！〃 said Athos； leaning and stretching out his
arm to Mordaunt with that air of dignity and nobility of
soul habitual to him； 〃here I am； take my hand and jump into
our boat。〃
Mordaunt made a last effort rose seized the hand thus
extended to him and grasped it with the vehemence of
despair。
〃That's right；〃 said Athos； 〃put your other hand here。 〃And
he offered him his shoulder as another stay and support； so
that his head almost touched that of Mordaunt； and these two
mortal enemies were in as close an embrace as if they had
been brothers。
〃Now； sir；〃 said the count； 〃you are safe calm yourself。〃
〃Ah！ my mother；〃 cried Mordaunt； with eyes on fire with a
look of hate impossible to paint； 〃I can only offer thee one
victim； but it shall at any rate be the one thou wouldst
thyself have chosen！〃
And whilst D'Artagnan uttered a cry； Porthos raised the oar；
and Aramis sought a place to strike； a frightful shake given
to the boat precipitated Athos into the sea； whilst
Mordaunt； with a shout of triumph； grasped the neck of his
victim； and in order to paralyze his movements； twined arms
and legs around the musketeer。 For an instant； without an
exclamation； without a cry for help； Athos tried to sustain
himself on the surface of the waters； but the weight dragged
him down； he disappeared by degrees； soon nothing was to be
seen except his long； floating hair； then both men
disappeared and the bubbling of the water； which； in its
turn； was soon effaced； alone indicated the spot where these
two had sunk。
Mute with horror； the three friends had remained
open…mouthed； their eyes dilated； their arms extended like
statues； and； motionless as they were； the beating of their
hearts was audible。 Porthos was the first who came to
himself。 He tore his hair。
〃Oh！〃 he cried； 〃Athos！ Athos！ thou man of noble heart； woe
is me！ I have let thee perish！〃
At this instant； in the midst of the silver circle illumined
by the light of the moon the same whirlpool which had been
made by the sinking men was again obvious； and first were
seen； rising above the waves； a wisp of hair； then a pale
face with open eyes； yet； nevertheless； the eyes of death；
then a body； which； after rising of itself even to the waist
above the sea； turned gently on its back； according to the
caprice of the waves； and floated。
In the bosom of this corpse was plunged a poniard； the gold
hilt of which shone in the moonbeams。
〃Mordaunt！ Mordaunt！〃 cried the three friends； 〃'tis
Mordaunt！〃
〃But Athos！〃 exclaimed D'Artagnan。
Suddenly the boat leaned on one side beneath a new and
unexpected weight and Grimaud uttered a shout of joy； every
one turned around and beheld Athos； livid； his eyes dim and
his hands trembling； supporting himself on the edge of the
boat。 Eight vigorous arms lifted him up immediately and laid
him in the boat； where directly Athos was warmed and
reanimated； reviving with the caresses and cares of his
friends； who were intoxicated with joy。
〃You are not hurt？〃 asked D'Artagnan。
〃No；〃 replied Athos； 〃and he 〃
〃Oh； he！ now we may say at last； thank Heaven！ he is really
dead。 Look！〃 and D'Artagnan； obliging Athos to look in the
direction he pointed； showed him the body of Mordaunt
floating on its back； which； sometimes submerged； sometimes
rising； seemed still to pursue the four friends with looks
of insult and mortal hatred。
At last he sank。 Athos had followed him with a glance in
which the deepest melancholy and pity were expressed。
〃Bravo！ Athos！〃 cried Aramis； with an emotion very rare in
him。
〃A capital blow you gave！〃 cried Porthos。
〃I have a son。 I wished to live；〃 said Athos。
〃In short；〃 said D'Artagnan； 〃this has been the will of
God。〃
〃It was not I who killed him；〃 said Athos in a soft； low
tone； 〃'twas destiny。〃
74
How Musqueton； after being very nearly roasted； had a Narrow
Escape of being eaten。
A deep silence reigned for a long time in the boat after the
fearful scene described。
The moon； which had shone for a short time； disappeared
behind the clouds； every object was again plunged in the
obscurity that is so awful in the deserts and still more so
in that liquid desert； the ocean； and nothing was heard save
the whistling of the west wind driving along the tops of the
crested billows。
Porthos was the first to speak。
〃I have seen；〃 he said； 〃many dreadful things； but nothing
that ever agitated me so much as what I have just witnessed。
Nevertheless； even in my present state of perturbation； I
protest that I feel happy。 I have a hundred pounds' weight
less upon my chest。 I breathe more freely。〃 In fact； Porthos
breathed so loud as to do credit to the free play of his
powerful lungs。
〃For my part；〃 observed Aramis； 〃I cannot say the same as
you do； Porthos。 I am still terrified to such a degree that
I scarcely believe my eyes。 I look around the boat；
expecting every moment to see that poor wretch holding
between his hands the poniard plunged into his heart。〃
〃Oh！ I feel easy；〃 replied Porthos。 〃The poniard was pointed
at the sixth rib and buried up to the hilt in his body。 I do
not reproach you； Athos； for what you have done。 On the
contrary； when one aims a blow that is the regulation way to
strike。 So now； I breathe again I am happy！〃
〃Don't be in haste to celebrate a victory； Porthos；〃
interposed D'Artagnan； 〃never have we incurred a greater
danger than we are now encountering。 Men may subdue men
they cannot overcome the elements。 We are now on the sea； at
night； without any pilot； in a frail bark； should a blast of
wind upset the boat we are lost。〃
Musqueton heaved a deep sigh。
〃You are ungrateful； D'Artagnan；〃 said Athos； 〃yes；
ungrateful to Providence； to whom we owe our safety in the
most miraculous manner。 Let us sail before the wind； and
unless it changes we shall be drifted either to Calais or
Boulogne。 Should our bark be upset we are five of us good
swimmers； able enough to turn it over again； or if not； to
hold on by it。 Now we are on the very road which all the
vessels between Dover and Calais take； 'tis impossible but
that we should meet with a fisherman who will pick us up。〃
〃But should we not find any fisherman and should the wind
shift to the north？〃
〃That；〃 said Athos； 〃would be quite another thing； and we
should nevermore see land until we were upon the other side
of the Atlantic。〃
〃Which implies that we may die of hunger；〃 said Aramis。
〃'Tis more than possible；〃 answered the Comte de la Fere。
Musqueton sighed again； more deeply than before。
〃What is the matter？ what ails you？〃 asked Porthos。
〃I am cold； sir；〃 said Musqueton。
〃Impossible！ your body is covered with a coating of fat
which preserves it from the cold air。〃
〃Ah！ sir； 'tis this very coating of fat that makes me
shiver。〃
〃How is that； Musqueton？
〃Alas！ your honor； in the library of the Chateau of Bracieux
there are a lot of books of travels。〃
〃What then？〃
〃Amongst them the voyages of Jean Mocquet in the time of
Henry IV。〃
〃Well？〃
〃In these books； your honor； 'tis told how hungry voyagers；
drifting out to sea； have a bad habit of eating each other
and beginning with 〃
〃The fattest among them！〃 cried D'Artagnan； unable in spite
of the gravity of the occasion to help laughing。
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered Musqueton； 〃but permit me to say I see
nothing laughable in it。 However；〃 he added； turning to
Porthos； 〃I should not regret dying； sir； were I sure that
by doing so I might still be useful to you。〃
〃Mouston；〃 replied Porthos； much affected； 〃should we ever
see my castle of Pierrefonds again you shall have as your
own and for your descendants the vineyard that surrounds the
farm。〃
〃And you should call it ‘Devotion；'〃 added Aramis； 〃the
vineyard of self…sacrifice； to transmit to latest ages the
recollection of your devotion to your master。〃
〃Chevalier；〃 said D'Artagnan； laughing； 〃you could eat a
piece of Mouston； couldn't you； especially after two or
three days of fasting？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 replied