nd the wainscoting. Montalais
turned to listen, and Raoul was already rising, when a lady entered the
room quietly by the secret door, which she closed after her.

"Madame!" exclaimed Raoul, on recognizing the sister-in-law of the king.

"Stupid wretch!" murmured Montalais, throwing herself, but too late,
before the princess, "I have been mistaken in an hour!" She had,
however, time to warn the princess, who was walking toward Raoul.

"M. de Bragelonne, madame." And at these words the princess drew back,
uttering a cry in her turn.

"Your royal highness," said Montalais, with volubility, "is kind enough
to think of this lottery, and--"

The princess began to lose countenance. Raoul hastened his departure
without yet divining all; but he felt that he was in the way. Madame was
preparing a word of transition to recover herself, when a closet opened
in front of the alcove, and M. de Guiche issued, all radiant, also from
that closet. The most pale of the four, we must admit, was still Raoul.
The princess, however, was near fainting, and was obliged to lean upon
the foot of the bed for support. No one ventured to support her. This
scene occupied several minutes of terrible silence. But Raoul broke it.
He went up to the comte, whose inexpressible emotion made his knees
tremble, and taking his hand, "Dear comte," said he, "tell Madame I am
too unhappy not to merit my pardon; tell her also that I have loved in
the course of my life, and that the horror of the treachery that has
been practiced on me renders me inexorable for all other treachery that
may be committed around me. This is why, mademoiselle," said he,
smiling, to Montalais, "I never would divulge the secret of the visits
of my friend to your apartment. Obtain from Madame--from Madame, who is
so clement and so generous--obtain her pardon for you whom she has just
surprised also. You are both free, love each other, be happy!"

The princess felt for a moment the despair which cannot be described; it
was repugnant to her, notwithstanding the exquisite delicacy which Raoul
had exhibited, to feel herself at the mercy of an indiscretion. It was
equally repugnant to her to accept the evasion offered by this delicate
deception. Agitated, nervous, she struggled against the double stings of
the two troubles. Raoul comprehended her position, and came once more to
her aid. Bending his knee before her, "Madame!" said he, in a low voice,
"in two days I shall be far from Paris;