“And he would fight us all four?”
“All four.”
“Separately?”
“Separately, or at once.”
The four young men looked at each other; then Quelus, red with anger, said:
“It is very fine of M. de Bussy, but however little we may be worth, we can each do our own work; we will accept, therefore, the count’s proposal, fighting separately, or rather, which will be still better, as we do not seek to assassinate a gallant man, chance shall decide which of us shall fight M. de Bussy.”
“And the three others?”
“Oh! M. de Bussy has too many friends, and we too many enemies, for them to remain with folded arms. Do you agree to this, gentlemen?”
“Yes!” cried all.
“If MM. Ribeirac, Antragues, and Livarot would join the party, it would be complete.”