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"And I, my lord, have only this to reply to you: I have not disliked you hitherto, but, since you give me such a character, I hate you, and will do all I possibly can to kill you;" and De Wardes saluted Buckingham. Their swords crossed at the same moment, like two flashes of lightning on a dark night. The swords seemed to seek each other, guessed their position, and met.
"And one for me the best for last!" cried d'Artagnan, furious, nailing him to the earth with a fourth thrust through his body. This time the gentleman closed his eyes and fainted. D'Artagnan searched his pockets, and took from one of them the order for the passage. It was in the name of Comte de Wardes.
De Wardes was pliant, subtle, full of dissimulation; Raoul was calm, grave, and upright. "Decide between us between De Wardes and myself, Raoul." "Upon what subject?" "Upon the subject of noble birth." "Who can be better informed on that subject than a De Grammont?" "No compliments; it is your opinion I ask." "At least, inform me of the subject under discussion."
"Yes, monsieur, but only slightly." "Yet you quitted your guard." "Only from the first effect of the cold steel, but I have recovered. Let us go on, if you please." And disengaging his sword with a sinister clashing of the blade, the duke wounded the marquis in the breast. "A hit?" he said. "No," cried De Wardes, not moving from his place.
It was then, upon the manifestation of this astonishment, that d'Artagnan related to him the precaution taken, and how, thanks to the devotion of his three friends, whom he had left scattered and bleeding on the road, he had succeeded in coming off with a single sword thrust, which had pierced the queen's letter and for which he had repaid M. de Wardes with such terrible coin.
"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."
"You see, M. de Wardes," said D'Artagnan, whom this recital had impressed more and more, as his own recollection revived as Athos spoke, "you see that my crime did not cause the destruction of any one's soul, and that the soul in question may fairly be considered to have been altogether lost before my regret. It is, however, an act of conscience on my part.
"But," exclaimed De Guiche, "what is Buckingham's motive for providing such a supply of lodgings?" "Yes, yes," said De Wardes; "what reason has he?" "A very excellent one," replied Manicamp. "You know what it is, then?" "I fancy I do." "Tell us then." "Bend your head down towards me." "What! may it not be spoken except in private?" "You shall judge of that yourself." "Very well."
Then as De Wardes stood disarmed and astounded at his defeat, Raoul sheathed his sword, seized him by the collar and the waist band, and hurled his adversary to the other end of the barrier, trembling, and mad with rage. "We shall meet again," murmured De Wardes, rising from the ground and picking up his sword.
Both were practiced swordsmen, and the earlier passes were without any result. The night was fast closing in, and it was so dark that they attacked and defended themselves almost instinctively. Suddenly De Wardes felt his sword arrested, he had just touched Buckingham's shoulder. The duke's sword sunk as his arm was lowered. "You are wounded, my lord," said De Wardes, drawing back a step or two.
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