And PORTHOS, ATHOS, and ARAMIS accepted the suggestion, to the great delight of their subordinates.
PART III.—Ten Years Later.
Lieutenant PORTHOS, Captain ATHOS, and Major ARAMIS were yet again on parade.
"I salute you, my friends," said Field Marshal D'ARTAGNAN, the inspecting officer. "But where is your Regiment?"
PORTHOS looked at ATHOS, and ATHOS glanced at ARAMIS. Then they replied in a breath, "It has been disbanded."
"Disbanded!" echoed D'ARTAGNAN. "But where are the accounts of the Corps?"
Then the three friends replied in a mournful tone, "Filed in the Court of Bankruptcy!"
"And what do you call this filing of officers' accounts in the Court of Bankruptcy?"
"We call it the last act of the Volunteer Movement, which, by the way, however, was not entirely voluntary!"
And the four friends having no further occupation requiring their joint attention, shook hands warmly, and parted—for ever!