The running figure burst into the courtyard and paused a moment, out of breath. It was a young man, blond and bedraggled, wearing old and dusty clothes and a rapier that seemed far too long for him to handle. He glanced quickly around the courtyard and his gaze fell upon an older man, with a bandaged shoulder, dressed in the uniform of the king's musketeers, sitting casually atop a hitching post and picking at the mud upon his boots with his rapier.
'I trust I am not late, Monsieur?' said the blond youth.
The musketeer slowly raised his head, while he continued prodding at his boot absently. 'No, you are quite punctual,' he said. 'I, myself, have only just arrived moments ago. I shall, however, have to beg your indulgence for a short while, as I have asked two friends of mine to be my seconds and, as you can see, they have not yet arrived.'
'Ah,' said the young man. 'Ah. Well. I must confess that, since I am new to Paris, I have no seconds, Monsieur.'
'What, none at all? Do you not know anyone in Paris?'
'Well, Monsieur de Treville…'
'Yes, well, he would hardly do, would he? The captain of the musketeers is hardly in a position to disobey the edict against dueling. Well, I must say, this is most irregular. Dueling with a youth who has no seconds, not good for appearances at all, I am afraid. I'll have the air of a boy-slayer.'
'Not so much so,' said D'Artagnan, bowing slightly. 'After all, you do me the honor of drawing a sword against me while you still suffer from a wounded shoulder. I am afraid it is I who shall suffer from appearances, Monsieur, if I should kill a man whose wound prevented him from properly defending himself.'
'Well spoken. However, I shall take the left hand,' said the musketeer. 'I usually do so in such circumstances. I use both hands equally well and a left-handed swordsman can be quite troublesome to one who is not used to it. I fear that the disadvantage will be yours, Monsieur. I regret that I did not inform you of it earlier.'
'That's quite considerate of you, Monsieur,' D'Artagnan said. 'I hope my inadvertent collision with you earlier this day has not overly aggravated your condition.'
'Well, you hurt me devilishly, but I'll survive. Thank you for your concern.'
'If I may, Monsieur,' D'Artagnan said, 'my mother has given me a wondrous balsam with miraculous healing properties. I am certain that, in three days time, it would effect a cure upon your wound and then, when you are less inconvenienced, I would still be honored to cross swords with you.'
'Well, that is a generous offer, indeed,' said the musketeer, 'not that I would accept it for a moment, but it savors of a gentleman a league off. It seems that you are not at all the ill-mannered lout I took you for. I'm almost sorry that I'm going to have to kill you. Merde. Where are those two?'
Listening to this exchange of courtesies, Andre was pleased to note that chivalry still seemed alive in the 17th century. She decided to linger and watch the outcome of this meeting.
'If you are in haste, Monsieur, and anxious to dispatch me at once,' D'Artagnan said, 'pray do not inconvenience yourself. I stand ready.'
'Well spoken once again,' said the musketeer. 'I'm rather beginning to like you, young man. No, I think we'll wait for my seconds to arrive, if you don't mind. It would be the proper thing to do. Ah, here comes one of them right now.'
Andre saw a stout, swarthy-looking man dressed flamboyantly in a cerulean blue doublet, crimson velvet cloak and gold-worked baldrick strut into the courtyard. The young man seemed quite surprised at his appearance.
'What? Is your second Monsieur Porthos?' he asked the musketeer.
'Yes,' said the musketeer. 'Why, is that not acceptable to you?'
'Oh, no, not at all,' D'Artagnan said. 'I'm perfectly agreeable.'
'And here comes-'
'Monsieur Aramis,' D'Artagnan finished for him. A tall, handsome, slim man approached. He was dressed more simply, in dark hues, and he had a somewhat pale look about him. He wore a delicate, thin moustache and he moved with an air of graceful nonchalance.
'You know Aramis?' said Athos.
'Only in a manner of speaking,' said D'Artagnan, weakly.
'What, Athos!' Porthos said. 'Don't tell me this is the man you're going to fight?'
'Yes,' said Athos, 'he-'
'But he is the man I am to fight, as well!'
'But not until one o'clock,' said D'Artagnan, somewhat sheepishly.
'But I am to fight him, also!' said Aramis.
D'Artagnan cleared his throat uneasily. 'Ah, yes, at two o'clock, Monsieur.'
Andre, watching from concealment, suppressed a chuckle.
Athos raised his eyebrows. 'It seems you've had quite a busy morning, my friend,' he said to D'Artagnan. 'And to think, you've only just arrived in Paris.'
'Well, now that you three gentlemen are here together,' said D'Artagnan, 'permit me to offer you my excuses.'
Athos frowned. 'See here, young man,' he said, 'this is a most serious matter. If you-'
'Oh, no, you misunderstand me,' said D'Artagnan. 'I only meant to offer my excuses in the event that I am killed before I can give all of you your satisfaction, for Monsieur Athos has the right to kill me first, you see, and then Monsieur Porthos would come second and you, Monsieur Aramis, would be the third. I merely wish to apologize in advance in case I do not last out the afternoon.'
'Very nicely said,' said Porthos. 'See here, Athos, what is your quarrel with this lad?'
'To tell the truth, I'm not sure I recall,' said Athos. 'He hurt my shoulder, I think; it arose somehow out of that.'
'And what is your quarrel with him?' Aramis asked Porthos.
'Why, it's… it's… Damn me, I've forgotten! But it is of no matter, whatever it was, we'll settle it between ourselves. And what of you?'
'Ah, well, it was a matter of some delicacy-'
'Come, come, gentlemen,' said Athos, 'we're wasting time. For all we know, this youngster has other appointments to keep, at three, four and five o'clock, no doubt.'
'On the contrary, Monsieur,' D'Artagnan said, with some slight embarrassment. 'I am at your disposal for the remainder of the afternoon.' He drew his sword. 'And now, if you're quite ready…'
'Not now, not now,' said Aramis. 'The cardinal's guards, the cardinal's guards! Sheathe swords, gentlemen, quickly!'
Andre saw a company of red cloaked men-at-arms approaching quickly. At first, she was puzzled by the last remark she overheard, and then she recalled that the one named Athos had mentioned something about there being an edict against dueling. She felt disappointed. She had been looking forward to a display of swordsmanship, so that she might assess her own skills in relation to those of these men.
'Aha, what have we here?' said the leader of the guards. 'Musketeers dueling then, is it? And what's become of the edicts, eh?'
'Peace, Jussac,' Athos said. 'We were merely about to settle some small private matters. I promise you, were our roles reversed, we would not interfere with you in your own business.'
'But you would not have to answer to the cardinal, Monsieur Athos,' Jussac said. 'No, I am afraid that I cannot allow it. I will have to ask you to sheathe your swords and follow me.'
'I'm afraid that would be impossible,' said Athos.
'You refuse, then?'
'I'm afraid we must.'
'I warn you, sir, if you refuse to go along peaceably, we will have to charge you.'
'Five against three,' said Porthos, dryly. 'Hardly the best of odds, I would say.'
'Five against four,' D'Artagnan said, stepping closer to them. “That is, if you'll allow me.''
'We'll allow you, we'll allow you,' Porthos said.
'Just one moment,' Athos said. 'He is not a musketeer. This is none of his affair, you know.'
Aramis cleared his throat. 'Uh, Athos, in case it has escaped your notice, there are five of them.'
