"Yes, sire; as complete as that of the Bridge of Ce."

"Four men, one of them wounded, and a youth, say you?"

"One hardly a young man; but who, however, behaved himself so
admirably on this occasion that I will take the liberty of
recommending him to your Majesty."

"How does he call himself?"

"d'Artagnan, sire; he is the son of one of my oldest friends--the
son of a man who served under the king your father, of glorious
memory, in the civil war."

"And you say this young man behaved himself well? Tell me how,
Treville--you know how I delight in accounts of war and
fighting."

And Louis XIII twisted his mustache proudly, placing his hand
upon his hip.

"Sire," resumed Treville, "as I told you, Monsieur d'Artagnan is
little more than a boy; and as he has not the honor of being a
Musketeer, he was dressed as a citizen. The Guards of the
cardinal, perceiving his youth and that he did not belong to the
corps, invited him to retire before they attacked."

"So you may plainly see, Treville," interrupted the king, "it was
they who attacked?"