"Hush! monsieur, it is agreed that we shall speak no more of
that." And bowing to Athos, he went up the stairs, meeting
about half-way his men, who were coming down. He had not
gone twenty paces, when a faint but prolonged whistle was
heard at a distance. Monk listened, but seeing nothing and
hearing nothing, he continued his route, Then he remembered
the fisherman, and looked about for him; but the fisherman
had disappeared. If he had, however, looked with more
attention, he might have seen that man, bent double, gliding
like a serpent along the stones and losing himself in the
mist that floated over the surface of the marsh. He might
have equally seen, had he attempted to pierce that mist, a
spectacle that might have attracted his attention; and that
was the rigging of the vessel, which had changed place, and
was now nearer the shore. But Monk saw nothing; and thinking
he had nothing to fear, he entered the deserted causeway
which led to his camp. It was then that the disappearance of
the fisherman appeared strange, and that a real suspicion
began to take possession of his mind. He had just placed at
the orders of Athos the only post that could protect him. He
had a mile of causeway to traverse before he could regain
his camp. The fog increased with such intensity that he
could scarcely distinguish objects at ten paces' distance.
Monk then thought he heard the sound of an oar over the
marsh on the right. "Who goes there?" said he.

But nobody answered; then he cocked his pistol, took his
sword in his hand, and quickened his pace without, however,
being willing to call anybody. Such a summons, for which