The Three Musketeers (The Modern Library) - Alexandre Dumas [36]
Unfortunately for D’Artagnan, one of His Eminence’s Guards was among the spectators. Still chafing at the defeat his comrades had suffered just the day before, he had promised himself to seize the earliest opportunity to obtain revenge. He now saw his chance, and, turning to his neighbor:
“I am not surprised this youth is afraid of a tennis ball,” he drawled. “He must surely be a ’prentice musketeer.”
D’Artagnan started as though a serpent had stung him. Then he turned and stared at the guardsman.
“La!” the cardinalist continued, twirling his mustache insolently, “you may stare at me as long as you like, my little gentleman, I have said what I have said.”
“Your words are too clear to require a commentary,” D’Artagnan replied. “I beg you to follow me out of here.”
“And when, pray?” the guardsman asked banteringly.
“At once, if you please.”
“By the way, do you know who I am?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea and I don’t care.”
“You’re wrong, there. If you knew my name, perhaps you would be more careful.”
“What is your name?”
“Bernajoux, at your service.”
“Well, Monsieur Bernajoux, I shall wait for you at the door.”
“Proceed, Monsieur, I shall join you in a minute.”
“Do not hurry, Monsieur. We must not be seen going out together. Any witnesses at our interview might cramp our style.”
“True, true,” the guardsman agreed.
He was surprised that his name had made no impression on the Gascon, for he was known to everybody, everywhere, with perhaps the solitary exception of D’Artagnan. His Eminence the Cardinal might heap up edicts against dueling to his heart’s content, Bernajoux continued to figure as instigator or liquidator of daily brawls.
Porthos and Aramis were so intent on their game and Athos so busy observing them that they did not notice D’Artagnan’s exit. True to his word, D’Artagnan stood by the door, waiting; a moment later, Bernajoux joined him. With no time to lose because of his audience with the King, D’Artagnan looked up and down the street, found it empty, and decided to fight then and there.
“Upon my word, though you may be called Bernajoux,” he said, “it is lucky you have only a ’prentice musketeer to deal with. But never mind, I shall do my best. On guard, please!”
“This is no place to fight,” the other objected. “We would be better off behind the Abbey of Saint-Germain or in the Pré-aux-Clercs.”
“What you say makes excellent sense,” D’Artagnan agreed. “Unfortunately, I have very little time to spare; I have an appointment at twelve sharp. On guard, then, Monsieur, I beg you.”
Bernajoux was not the man to entertain two requests to draw; an instant later, his sword glittered in the sunlight and he swooped down on D’Artagnan, thinking to intimidate him. But D’Artagnan had served his apprenticeship the day before. Fresh from a spectacular victory and fired by hopes of favors soon forthcoming, he was determined not to budge an inch. So the two swords were hilt to hilt and, as D’Artagnan stood his ground, it was Bernajoux who had to retreat. In doing so, Bernajoux’s sword deviated from the line of guard; D’Artagnan at once freed his blade by passing it under his adversary’s, and lunged, pinking Bernajoux on the shoulder. Then D’Artagnan stepped back and, according to the rites of dueling, raised his sword to salute his defeated foe.
But Bernajoux would have none of it. Assuring D’Artagnan that he was unscathed, he rushed blindly at him, actually spitting himself upon the Gascon’s sword. As he did not fall, he refused to declare himself conquered. Instead, he kept retreating towards the mansion of the Duc de La Trémouille, in whose service he had a relative. D’Artagnan, unaware of how serious Bernajoux’s wounds were, kept pressing him and would no doubt have struck him a third deadly blow. But the noise from the street had reached the tennis court. Two fellow-cardinalists, who had seen Bernajoux leave after an exchange of words with D’Artagnan, rushed out, sword in hand, and swept down upon him. Close on their heels came Athos, Porthos and Aramis and, just as the