"And that is but just," said Athos, and he took aside the one of the four Englishmen with whom he was to fight, and unicated his name in a low voice.
Porthos and Aramis did the same.
"Does that satisfy you?" said Athos to his adversary. "Do you find me of suffit rank to do me the honor of crossing swords with me?"
"Yes, monsieur," said the Englishman, bowing.
"Well! now shall I tell you something?" added Athos, coolly.
"What?" replied the Englishman.
"Why, that is that you would have acted mubsp;more wily if you had not required me to make mylf known."
"Why so?"
"Bebsp;I am believed to be dead, and have reasons for wishing nobody to know I am living; so that I shall be obliged to kill you to prevent my cret from roaming over the fields."
The Englishman looked at Athos, believing that he jested, but Athos did not jest the least in the world.
"Gentlemen," said Athos, addressing at the same time his panions and their adversaries, "are we ready?"
"Yes!" answered the Englishmen and the Fren, as with one voice.
"And that is but just," said Athos, and he took aside the one of the four Englishmen with whom he was to fight, and unicated his name in a low voice.
Porthos and Aramis did the same.
"Does that satisfy you?" said Athos to his adversary. "Do you find me of suffit rank to do me the honor of crossing swords with me?"
"Yes, monsieur," said the Englishman, bowing.
"Well! now shall I tell you something?" added Athos, coolly.
"What?" replied the Englishman.
"Why, that is that you would have acted mubsp;more wily if you had not required me to make mylf known."
"Why so?"
"Bebsp;I am believed to be dead, and have reasons for wishing nobody to know I am living; so that I shall be obliged to kill you to prevent my cret from roaming over the fields."
The Englishman looked at Athos, believing that he jested, but Athos did not jest the least in the world.
"Gentlemen," said Athos, addressing at the same time his panions and their adversaries, "are we ready?"
"Yes!" answered the Englishmen and the Fren, as with one voice.
"On guard, then!" cried Athos.
Immediately eight swords glittered in the rays of the tting sun, and the bat began with an animosity very natural between men twibsp;enemies.
Athos fenbsp;with as mubsp;ess and method as if he had been practig in a feng school.
Porthos, abated, no doubt, of his too-great fidenbsp;by his adventure of tilly, played with skill and prudenbsp;Aramis, who had the third to of his poem to finish, behaved like a man in haste.