“Zounds! indeed I do!” said Athos. “I not only approve of what he has done, but I congratulate him upon it.”

“And now, gentlemen,” said D’Artagnan, without stopping to explain his conduct to Porthos, “all for one, one for all; that is our motto, is it not?”

“And yet—” said Porthos.

“Hold out your hand and swear!” cried Athos and Aramis at the same time.

Overcome by example, grumbling to himself, Porthos stretched out his hand, and the four friends repeated with one voice the formula dictated by D’Artagnan.

“All for one, one for all.”

“That’s well! Now let every one retire to his own house,” said D’Artagnan, as if he had done nothing but command all his life; “and attention! for from this moment we are at war with the cardinal.”