tenance became sad as he
saw slaughtered so many men who were sacrificed on the one side to the
obstinacy of royalty and on the other to the personal rancor of the
princes. Aramis, on the contrary, struck right and left and was almost
delirious with excitement. His bright eyes kindled, and his mouth, so
finely formed, assumed a wicked smile; every blow he aimed was sure, and
his pistol finished the deed--annihilated the wounded wretch who tried
to rise again.

On the opposite side two cavaliers, one covered with a gilt cuirass, the
other wearing simply a buff doublet, from which fell the sleeves of a
vest of blue velvet, charged in front. The cavalier in the gilt cuirass
fell upon Aramis and struck a blow that Aramis parried with his wonted
skill.

"Ah! 'tis you, Monsieur de Chatillon," cried the chevalier; "welcome to
you--I expected you."

"I hope I have not made you wait too long, sir," said the duke; "at all
events, here I am."

"Monsieur de Chatillon," cried Aramis, taking from his saddle-bags a
second pistol, "I think if your pistols have been discharged you are a
dead man."

"Thank God, sir, they are not!"

And the duke, pointing his pistol at Aramis, fired. But Aramis bent his
head the instant he saw the duke's finger press the trigger and the ball
passed without touching him.

"Oh! you've missed me," cried Aramis, "but I swear to Heaven! I will not
miss you."

"If I give you time!" cried the duke, spurring on his horse and rushing
upon him with his drawn sword.

Aramis awaited him with that terrible smile which was peculiar to him on
such occasions, and Athos, who saw the duke advancing toward Aramis
with the rapidity of lightning, was just going to cry out, "Fire! fire,
then!" when the shot was fired. De Chatillon opened his arms and fell
back on the crupper of his horse.

The ball had entered his breast through a notch in the cuirass.

"I am a dead man," he said, and fell from his horse to the ground.

"I told you this, I am now grieved I have kept my word. Can I be of any
use to you?"

Chatillon made a sign with his hand and Aramis was about to dismount
when he received a violent shock; 'twas a thrust from a sword, but his
cuirass turned aside the blow.

He turned around and seized his new antagonist by the wrist, when he
started back, exclaiming, "Raoul!"

"Raoul?" cried Athos.

The young man recognized at the same instant the voices of his father
and the Chevalier d'Herblay; two offi