The soldier made a profound bow, and, as if the name of
the conqueror of Rocroy and Sens had given him wings, he
stepped lightly up the steps leading to the antechamber.
M. de Bragelonne had not had time to fasten his horse to the iron bars of the perron, when M. de St. Remy came running, out of breath, supporting his capacious stomach with one hand, while with the other he cut the air as a fisherman cleaves the waves with his oar.
"Ah, Monsieur le Vicomte! You at Blois!" cried he. "Well, that is a wonder. Good-day to you—good-day, Monsieur Raoul."
"I offer you a thousand respects, Monsieur de St. Remy."
"How Madame de la Vail—I mean, how delighted Madame de St. Remy will be to see you! But come in. His royal highness is at breakfast—must he be interrupted? Is the matter serious?"
"Yes, and no, Monsieur de St. Remy. A moment's delay, however, would be disagreeable to his royal highness."
"If that is the case, we will force the consigne, Monsieur le Vicomte. Come in. Besides. Monsieur is in au excellent humor to-day. And then you bring news, do you not?"
"Great news, Monsieur de St. Remy."
"And good, I presume?"
"Excellent."
"Come quickly, come quickly, then!" cried the worthy man, putting his dress to rights as he went along.
Raoul followed him, hat in hand, and a little disconcerted at the noise made by his spurs in these immense salons.
As soon as he had disappeared in the interior of the palace, the window of the court was repeopled, and an animated whispering betrayed the emotion of the two girls. They soon appeared to have formed a resolution, for one of the two faces disappeared from the window. This was the brunette; the other remained behind the balcony, concealed by the flowers, watching attentively through the branches the perron by which M. de Bragelonne had entered the castle.
In the meantime, the object of so much laudable curiosity continued his route, following the steps of the maître d'hôtel. The noise of quick steps, an odor of wine and viands, a clinking of crystal and plates, warned them that they were coming to the end of their course.
The pages, valets, and officers, assembled in the office
