The rumor now spread that the princess was arriving. The whole French court ran to the harbor, while the quays and jetties were soon covered by crowds of people. Two hours afterwards, the other vessels had overtaken the flagship, and the three, not venturing perhaps to enter the narrow entrance of the harbor, cast anchor between Le Havre and La Heve. When the maneuver had been completed, the vessel which bore the admiral saluted France by twelve discharges of cannon, which were returned, discharge for discharge, from Fort Francis I. Immediately afterwards a hundred boats were launched; they were covered with the richest stuffs, and destined for the conveyance of the different members of the French nobility towards the vessels at anchor. But when it was observed that even inside the harbor the boats were tossed to and fro, and that beyond the jetty the waves rose mountains high, dashing upon the shore with a terrible uproar, it was readily believed that not one of those frail boats would be able with safety to reach a fourth part of the distance between the shore and the vessels at anchor. A pilot-boat, however, notwithstanding the wind and the sea, was getting ready to leave the harbor, for the purpose of placing itself at the admiral’s disposal. De Guiche, who had been looking among the different boats for one stronger than the others, which might offer a chance of reaching the English vessels, perceiving the pilot-boat getting ready to start, said to Raoul: “Do you not think, Raoul, that intelligent and vigorous men, as we are, ought to be ashamed to retreat before the brute strength of wind and waves?” “That is precisely the very reflection I was silently making to myself,” replied Bragelonne. “Shall we get into that boat, then, and push off? Will you come, De Wardes?” “Take care, or you will get drowned,” said Manicamp. “And for no purpose,” said De Wardes, “for with the wind in your teeth, as it will be, you will never reach the vessels.” “You refuse, then?” “Assuredly I do; I would willingly risk and lose my life in an encounter against men,” he said, glancing at Bragelonne, “but as to fighting with oars against waves, I have no taste for that.” “And for myself,” said Manicamp, “even were I to succeed in reaching the ships, I should not be indifferent to the loss of the only good dress which I have left,--salt water would spoil it.” “You, then, refuse also?” exclaimed De Guiche. “Decidedly I do; I beg you to understand that most distinctly.” “But,” exclaimed De Guiche, “look, De Wardes--look, Manicamp--look yonder, the princesses are looking at us from the poop of the admiral’s vessel.” “An additional reason, my dear fellow, why we should not make ourselves ridiculous by being drowned while they are looking on.” “Is that your last word, Manicamp?” “Yes.” “And then yours, De Wardes?” “Yes.” “Then I go alone.” “Not so,” said Raoul, “for I shall accompany you; I thought it was understood I should do so.”