"As far as the hand goes, I have nothing to say; but the chest!" "Sire, there were two small pools of blood, at a distance of about two feet and a half from each other. At one of these pools of blood the grass was torn up by the clenched hand; at the other the grass was simply pressed down by the weight of the body." "Poor De Guiche!" exclaimed the king. "Ah! it was M. de Guiche, then?" said the musketeer, very quietly. "I suspected it, but did not venture to mention it to your majesty." "And what made you suspect it?" "I recognized the De Grammont arms upon the holsters of the dead horse." "And you think he is seriously wounded?" "Very seriously, since he fell immediately, and remained a long time in the same place; however, he was able to walk, as he left the spot, supported by two friends." "You met him returning, then?" "No; but I observed the foot-prints of three men; the one on the right and the one on the left walked freely and easily, but the one in the middle dragged his feet as he walked; besides, he left traces of blood at every step he took." "Now, monsieur, since you saw the combat so distinctly that not a single detail seems to have escaped you, tell me something about De Guiche's adversary?" "Oh, sire, I do not know him." "And yet you see everything very clearly." "Yes, sire, I see everything; but I do not tell all I see; and, since the poor devil has escaped, your majesty will permit me to say that I do not intend to denounce him." "And yet he is guilty, since he has fought a duel, monsieur." "Not guilty in my eyes, sire," said D'Artagnan, coldly. "Monsieur!" exclaimed the king, "are you aware of what you are saying?" "Perfectly, sire; but, according to my notion, a man who fights a duel is a brave man; such, at least, is my own opinion; but your majesty may have another; that is very natural--you are the master here." "Monsieur d'Artagnan, I ordered you, however--" D'Artagnan interrupted the king, by a respectful gesture. "You ordered me, sire, to gather what particulars I could, respecting a hostile meeting that had taken place; those particulars you have. If you order me to arrest M. de Guiche's adversary, I will do so; but do not order me to denounce him to you, for in that case I will not obey." "Very well! Arrest him, then." "Give me his name, sire." The king stamped his foot angrily; but after a moment's reflection, he said, "You are right--ten times, twenty times, a hundred times right." "That is my opinion, sire; I am happy that, this time, it accords with your majesty's." "One word more. Who assisted Guiche?" "I do not know, sire." "But you speak of two men. There was a person present, then, as second." "There was no second, sire. Nay, more than that, when M. de Guiche fell, his adversary fled without giving him any assistance." "The miserable coward!" exclaimed the king.