Free TW02 The Timekeeper Conspiracy NEW by Simon Hawke Page A

the remainder of the afternoon." He drew his sword. "And now, if you're quite ready...."
    "Not now, not now," said Aramis. "The cardinal's guards, the cardinal's guards! Sheathe swords, gentlemen, quickly!"
    Andre saw a company of red cloaked men-at-arms approaching quickly. At first, she was puzzled by the last remark she overheard, and then she recalled that the one named Athos had mentioned something about there being an edict against dueling. She felt disappointed. She had been looking forward to a display of swordsmanship, so that she might assess her own skills in relation to those of these men.
    "Aha, what have we here?" said the leader of the guards. "Musketeers dueling then, is it? And what's become of the edicts, eh?"
    "Peace, Jussac," Athos said. "We were merely about to settle some small private matters. I promise you, were our roles reversed, we would not interfere with you in your own business."
    "But you would not have to answer to the cardinal, Monsieur Athos," Jussac said. "No, I am afraid that I cannot allow it. I will have to ask you to sheathe your swords and follow me."
    "I'm afraid that would be impossible," said Athos.
    "You refuse, then?"
    "I'm afraid we must."
    "I warn you, sir, if you refuse to go along peaceably, we will have to charge you."
    "Five against three," said Porthos, dryly. "Hardly the best of odds, I would say."
    "Five against
four,"
D'Artagnan said, stepping closer to them. “That is, if you'll allow me.''
    "We'll allow you, we'll allow you," Porthos said.
    "Just one moment," Athos said. "He is not a musketeer. This is none of his affair, you know."
    Aramis cleared his throat. "Uh, Athos, in case it has escaped your notice, there are
five
of them."
    "But moments ago, we were to duel with him," said Athos.
    "Just so," said Porthos. "We can kill him later, if you wish."
    "Come, come, gentlemen," said Jussac. "What is it to be?"
    "What is your name, young fellow?" Athos said.
    "D'Artagnan."
    "Well," he said, glancing at the oversized rapier, "I hope you know how to use that thing."
    "But not
too
well," said Porthos, remembering their prior engagement.
    The three musketeers drew their swords.
"All for one,"
said Athos. The guards charged. "The hell with it," he said and sidestepped Jussac's rush.
    Andre watched what followed with a great deal of interest and not a little amusement. The combatants used the Florentine style, meaning that one hand held the rapier while the other used a dagger, but to say that there was any style to their combat was to stretch all definitions of the term. There was none of the graceful intricacy which, according to Hunter, characterized the art of fencing. As he might have said it himself, instead of swash and buckle, it was more like slash and flail. Of all of them, only Jussac and Athos displayed some semblance of the finer points of swordsmanship. Jussac's manner of fighting was the closest to the classical form, whereas Athos fought with a minimum of motion and wasted effort, a sharp contrast to his comrades. Aramis moved like a dancer, using his footwork to compensate for his lack of strength. He played his opponent like a toreador working a bull, deflecting the guard's blade and moving gracefully sideways, causing the man's own forward momentum to carry him past, whereupon Aramis's blade would describe a lightning-quick series of overly flamboyant arabesques over the guard's exposed back and buttocks. Not one was a killing stroke, but the cumulative effect of all those pretty slashes would, if continued, result in his opponent bleeding to death.
    Porthos was literally comical to watch. His movements were exaggerated, jerky, and he appeared to fight as though he were a man in abject panic. Yet, instead of fear, there was an expression of intense concentration on his face, forehead deeply furrowed, eyebrows knitted, tongue protruding slightly from his mouth. His footwork was that of a lumbering plough horse, ponderous and clumsy, and he looked as though at