“Bah! you said so yourself.”

“I said so just now, when I did not know you; but now that I know you, I say — you will evade this dismal fate, if you wish!”

“How — if we wish?” echoed Aramis, whose eyes beamed with intelligence as he looked alternately at the prisoner and Porthos.

“Provided,” continued Porthos, looking, in his turn, with noble intrepidity, at M. Biscarrat and the bishop — ”provided nothing disgraceful be required of us.”

“Nothing at all will be required of you, gentlemen,” replied the officer — ”what should they ask of you? If they find you they will kill you, that is a predetermined thing; try, then, gentlemen, to prevent their finding you.”