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The Three Musketeers
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 419 at Prostate Health
you know he did not hit him?"
"I found a hat with a ball through it."
"Ah, a proof, then!" exclaimed the king.
"Insufficient, sire," replied DArtagnan, coldly; "it is a hat without
any letters indicating its ownership, without arms: a red feather, as
all hats have: the lace, even, had nothing particular in it."
"Did the man with the hat through which the bullet had passed fire a
second time?"
"Oh, sire, he had already fired twice."
"How did you ascertain that?"
"I found the waddings of the pistol."
"And what became of the bullet which did not kill the horse?"
"It cut in two the feather of the hat belonging to him against whom it
was directed, and broke a small birch at the other end of the open
glade."
"In that case, then, the man on the black horse was disarmed, while his
adversary had still one more shot to fire."
"Sire, while the dismounted rider was extricating himself from his
horse, the other was reloading his pistol. Only, he was much agitated
while he was loading it, and his hand trembled greatly."
"How do you know that?"
"Half the charge fell to the ground, and he threw the ramrod aside, not
having time to replace it in the pistol."
"Monsieur dArtagnan, it is marvelous what you tell me."
"It is only close observation, sire, and the commonest highwayman would
do as much."
"The whole scene is before me from the manner in which you relate it."
"I have, in fact, reconstructed it in my own mind, with merely a few
alterations."
"And now," said the king, "let us return to the dismounted cavalier. You
were saying that he had walked toward his adversary while the latter was
loading his pistol."
"Yes; but at the very moment he himself was taking aim, the other
fired."
"Oh!" said the king; "and the shot?"
"The shot told terribly, sire; the dismounted cavalier fell upon his
face, after having staggered forward three or four paces."
"Where was he hit?"
"In two places; in the first place, in his right hand, and then, by the
same bullet, in his chest."
"But how could you ascertain that?" inquired the king, full of
admiration.
"By a very simple means; the butt-end of the pistol was covered with
blood, and the trace of the bullet could be observed with fragments of a
broken ring. The wounded man, in all probability, had the ring-finger
and the little finger carried off."
"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 Guiches
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 DArtagnan, 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 dArtagnan, I ordered you, however--"
DArtagnan interrupted the king, by a respectful gesture.
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