You were saying that he walked towards 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, quietly.

"I suspected it, but did not venture to mention it to your majesty." "And what made you suspect it ?" "I recognized the De Gramont 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 footprints 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 Guiche's 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 D'Artagnan, coldly.
"Monsieur!" exclaimed the king, "are you aware of what you are saying ?" "Perfectly, sire; but, according to my notions, a man who fights a duel is a brave man; such, at least, is my own opinion; but your majesty may have another, it is but natural, for you are master here." "Monsieur d'Artagnan, I ordered you, however--" D'Artagnan interrupted the king by a respectful gesture.

"You ordered me, sire, to gather what particulars I could, respecting a hostile meeting that had taken place; those particulars you have.