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The passage from Belle-Isle to Sarzeau was made rapidly enough, thanks to one of those little corsairs of which D'Artagnan had been told during his voyage, and which, shaped for fast sailing and destined for the chase, were sheltered at that time in the roadstead of Locmaria, where one of them, with a quarter of its war-crew, performed duty between Belle-Isle and the continent.
This figure was too far off to be identified with absolute certainty, but it looked like, and might well be, Francois Sarzeau. Whoever he was, the man was evidently uncertain which way he should proceed. Twice he hesitated thus; the second time pausing long before he appeared finally to take the way that led to the village.
One night, during the period of the first French Revolution, the family of Francois Sarzeau, a fisherman of Brittany, were all waking and watching at a late hour in their cottage on the peninsula of Quiberon. Francois had gone out in his boat that evening, as usual, to fish.
He gave his blessing to Francois Sarzeau, to Gabriel, and to his family; and bade them affectionately farewell for the last time. There was a postscript to the letter, which was addressed to Perrine, and which she often read afterward with tearful eyes. The priest's loving petition was never forgotten.
"But what about the soldiers the king wished to send there?" "I have received news this morning they arrived there fifteen days ago." "And how have they been treated?" "In the best manner possible." "What has become of the former garrison?" "The soldiers were landed at Sarzeau, and then transferred immediately to Quimper." "And the new garrison?" "Belongs to us from this very moment."
At first they had been prosperous, they had got money, a little legacy had been left them. But this good fortune had availed only for a time; disaster on disaster strangely and suddenly succeeded. Losses, misfortunes, poverty, want itself had overwhelmed them; his father's temper had become so soured, that the oldest friends of Francois Sarzeau declared he was changed beyond recognition.
D'Artagnan expected that Porthos would propose to send forward his equerry upon one horse to bring back another, and he D'Artagnan had made up his mind to oppose this proposition. But nothing D'Artagnan had expected happened. Porthos simply told the equerry to dismount and await his return at Sarzeau, whilst D'Artagnan would ride his horse; which was arranged.