"You see that small wood which lies before us?" "The wood which is called Rochin?" "Exactly." "You know it, then?" "Perfectly." "You know that there is an open glade in the center?" "Yes." "Well, this glade is admirably adapted for such a purpose, with a variety of roads, by-places, paths, ditches, windings, and avenues. We could not find a better spot." "I am perfectly satisfied, if you are so. We have arrived, if I am not mistaken." "Yes. Look at the beautiful open space in the center. The faint light which the stars afford seems concentrated in this spot; the woods which surround it seem, with their barriers, to form its natural limits." "Very good. Do, then, as you say." "Let us first settle the conditions." "These are mine: if you have any objection to make, you will state it." "I am listening." "If the horse be killed, its rider will be obliged to fight on foot." "That is a matter of course, since we have no change of horses here." "But that does not oblige his adversary to dismount." "His adversary will, in fact, be free to act as he likes." "The adversaries, having once met in close contact, cannot quit each other under any circumstances, and may, consequently, fire muzzle to muzzle." "Agreed." "Three shots and no more will do, I suppose?" "Quite sufficient, I think. Here are powder and balls for your pistols; measure out three charges, take three balls; I will do the same; then we will throw the rest of the powder and the balls away." "And we will solemnly swear," said De Wardes, "that we have neither balls nor powder about us?" "Agreed; and I swear it," said De Guiche, holding his hand toward heaven, a gesture which De Wardes imitated. "And now, my dear comte," said De Wardes, "allow me to tell you that I am in no way your dupe. You already are, or soon will be, the accepted lover of Madame. I have detected your secret, and you are afraid I shall tell others of it. You wish to kill me, to insure my silence; that is very clear; and, in your place, I should do the same." De Guiche hung down his head. "Only," continued De Wardes, triumphantly, "was it really worth while, tell me, to throw this affair of Bragelonne's upon my shoulders? But, take care, my dear fellow: in bringing the wild boar to bay, you enrage him to madness; in running down the fox, you give him the ferocity of the jaguar. The consequence is, that, brought to bay by you, I shall defend myself to the very last." "You will be quite right in doing so."