e hotel of M. de Treville, who was waiting for
them, already informed of this fresh disturbance.

"Quick to the Louvre," said he, "to the Louvre without losing an
instant, and let us endeavor to see the king before he is prejudiced by
the cardinal. We will describe the thing to him as a consequence of the
affair of yesterday, and the two will pass off together."

M. de Treville, accompanied by the four young fellows, directed his
course toward the Louvre; but to the great astonishment of the captain
of the Musketeers, he was informed that the king had gone stag hunting
in the forest of St. Germain. M. de Treville required this intelligence
to be repeated to him twice, and each time his companions saw his brow
become darker.

"Had his Majesty," asked he, "any intention of holding this hunting
party yesterday?"

"No, your Excellency," replied the valet de chambre, "the Master of the
Hounds came this morning to inform him that he had marked down a stag.
At first the king answered that he would not go; but he could not resist
his love of sport, and set out after dinner."

"And the king has seen the cardinal?" asked M. de Treville.

"In all probability he has," replied the valet, "for I saw the horses
harnessed to his Eminence's carriage this morning, and when I asked
where he was going, they told me, 'To St. Germain.'"

"He is beforehand with us," said M. de Treville. "Gentlemen, I will see
the king this evening; but as to you, I do not advise you to risk doing
so."

This advice was too reasonable, and moreover came from a man who knew
the king too well, to allow the four young men to dispute it. M. de
Treville recommended everyone to return home and wait for news.

On entering his hotel, M. de Treville thought it best to be first in
making the complaint. He sent one of his servants to M. de la Tremouille
with a letter in which he begged of him to eject the cardinal's
Guardsmen from his house, and to reprimand his people for their
audacity in making SORTIE against the king's Musketeers. But M. de la
Tremouille--already prejudiced by his esquire, whose relative, as we
already know, Bernajoux was--replied that it was neither for M. de
Treville nor the Musketeers to complain, but, on the contrary, for
him, whose people the Musketeers had assaulted and whose hotel they had
endeavored to burn. Now, as the debate between these two nobles might
last a long time, each becoming, naturally, more firm in his own
opinion, M.