once. Devoted men are so rare, Treville, by the back staircase.
It is useless to let the cardinal know."

"Yes, sire."

"You understand, Treville--an edict is still an edict, it is
forbidden to fight, after all."

"But this encounter, sire, is quite out of the ordinary
conditions of a duel. It is a brawl; and the proof is that there
were five of the cardinal's Guardsmen against my three Musketeers
and Monsieur d'Artagnan."

"That is true," said the king; "but never mind, Treville, come
still by the back staircase."

Treville smiled; but as it was indeed something to have prevailed
upon this child to rebel against his master, he saluted the king
respectfully, and with this agreement, took leave of him.

That evening the three Musketeers were informed of the honor
accorded them. As they had long been acquainted with the king,
they were not much excited; but d'Artagnan, with his Gascon
imagination, saw in it his future fortune, and passed the night
in golden dreams. By eight o'clock in the morning he was at the
apartment of Athos.

D'Artagnan found the Musketeer dressed and ready to go out. As
the hour to wait upon the king was not till twelve, he had made a
party with Porthos and Aramis to play a game at tennis in a