The three Musketeers bowed to the necks of their horses.

“Well, upon my honor,” said Athos, “your Eminence is right in taking us with you; we have seen several ill-looking faces on the road, and we have even had a quarrel at the Red Dovecot with four of those faces.”

“A quarrel, and what for, gentlemen?” said the cardinal; “you know I don’t like quarrelers.”

“And that is the reason why I have the honor to inform your Eminence of what has happened; for you might learn it from others, and upon a false account believe us to be in fault.”

“What have been the results of your quarrel?” said the cardinal, knitting his brow.

“My friend, Aramis, here, has received a slight sword wound in the arm, but not enough to prevent him, as your Eminence may see, from mounting to the assault tomorrow, if your Eminence orders an escalade.”

“But you are not the men to allow sword wounds to be inflicted upon you thus,” said the cardinal.  “Come, be frank, gentlemen, you have settled accounts with somebody!  Confess; you know I have the right of giving absolution.”

“I, monseigneur?” said Athos.  “I did not even draw my sword, but I took him who offended me round the body, and threw him out of the window.  It appears that in falling,” continued Athos, with some hesitation, “he broke his thigh.”

“Ah, ah!” said the cardinal; “and you, Monsieur Porthos?”

“I, monseigneur, knowing that dueling is prohibited—­I seized a bench, and gave one of those brigands such a blow that I believe his shoulder is broken.”

“Very well,” said the cardinal; “and you, Monsieur Aramis?”

“Monseigneur, being of a very mild disposition, and being, likewise, of which Monseigneur perhaps is not aware, about to enter into orders, I endeavored to appease my comrades, when one of these wretches gave me a wound with a sword, treacherously, across my left arm.  Then I admit my patience failed me; I drew my sword in my turn, and as he came back to the charge, I fancied I felt that in throwing himself upon me, he let it pass through his body.  I only know for a certainty that he fell; and it seemed to me that he was borne away with his two companions.”

“The devil, gentlemen!” said the cardinal, “three men placed hors de combat in a cabaret squabble!  You don’t do your work by halves.  And pray what was this quarrel about?”

“These fellows were drunk,” said Athos. “and knowing there was a lady who had arrived at the cabaret this evening, they wanted to force her door.”

“Force her door!” said the cardinal, “and for what purpose?”

“To do her violence, without doubt,” said Athos.  “I have had the honor of informing your Eminence that these men were drunk.”

“And was this lady young and handsome?” asked the cardinal, with a certain degree of anxiety.

“We did not see her, monseigneur,” said Athos.