recover, the other to obtain, the sword; but
d'Artagnan, being the more active, reached it first and placed his foot
upon it.

Cahusac immediately ran to the Guardsman whom Aramis had killed, seized
his rapier, and returned toward d'Artagnan; but on his way he met Athos,
who during his relief which d'Artagnan had procured him had recovered
his breath, and who, for fear that d'Artagnan would kill his enemy,
wished to resume the fight.

D'Artagnan perceived that it would be disobliging Athos not to leave him
alone; and in a few minutes Cahusac fell, with a sword thrust through
his throat.

At the same instant Aramis placed his sword point on the breast of his
fallen enemy, and forced him to ask for mercy.

There only then remained Porthos and Bicarat. Porthos made a thousand
flourishes, asking Bicarat what o'clock it could be, and offering him
his compliments upon his brother's having just obtained a company in the
regiment of Navarre; but, jest as he might, he gained nothing. Bicarat
was one of those iron men who never fell dead.

Nevertheless, it was necessary to finish. The watch might come up and
take all the combatants, wounded or not, royalists or cardinalists.
Athos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan surrounded Bicarat, and required him
to surrender. Though alone against all and with a wound in his thigh,
Bicarat wished to hold out; but Jussac, who had risen upon his elbow,
cried out to him to yield. Bicarat was a Gascon, as d'Artagnan was; he
turned a deaf ear, and contented himself with laughing, and between two
parries finding time to point to a spot of earth with his sword, "Here,"
cried he, parodying a verse of the Bible, "here will Bicarat die; for I
only am left, and they seek my life."

"But there are four against you; leave off, I command you."

"Ah, if you command me, that's another thing," said Bicarat. "As you are
my commander, it is my duty to obey." And springing backward, he broke
his sword across his knee to avoid the necessity of surrendering it,
threw the pieces over the convent wall, and crossed him arms, whistling
a cardinalist air.

Bravery is always respected, even in an enemy. The Musketeers saluted
Bicarat with their swords, and returned them to their sheaths.
D'Artagnan did the same. Then, assisted by Bicarat, the only one left
standing, he bore Jussac, Cahusac, and one of Aramis's adversaries who
was only wounded, under the porch of the convent. The fourth, as we have
said, was dead. They t